Demystifying Destiny 2: Do Lost Sectors Prioritize Exotic Armor You Don’t Have?

Yes, Legend and Master Lost Sectors in Destiny 2 are designed to prioritize awarding you with Exotic armor pieces that you don’t already have in your collection. This is a system implemented to help players acquire a base collection of all available Exotics before random rolls come into play. Once you’ve acquired all the available Exotics for the given armor slot (Helmet, Gauntlets, Chest Armor, or Leg Armor) on your class, the drops will become truly random, and duplicates are possible. Understanding this mechanic can significantly improve your Exotic farming efficiency.

Understanding the “Knockout” System

The system described above is often referred to as a “knockout” or “deterministic” system. This implies that the game checks your collection before awarding an Exotic. If you are missing an Exotic for the armor slot being offered that day, that Exotic has a higher probability of dropping than one you already possess.

It’s important to emphasize that this priority system applies only to Exotics obtainable through Lost Sectors. Certain Exotics are tied to questlines, raids, or other activities and will not drop in Lost Sectors. Always check the source of a particular Exotic if you’re targeting a specific piece.

How This Impacts Your Farming Strategy

This information is crucial for optimizing your farming strategies:

• Prioritize Armor Slots: If you’re missing a specific piece of Exotic armor (e.g., a helmet), wait for the daily Lost Sector to offer helmet drops. This maximizes your chance of getting the missing piece.
• Complete Your Collection First: Focus on acquiring all the missing Exotics within a specific armor slot before grinding for specific rolls on existing Exotics. This helps you build a solid foundation before diving into stat optimization.
• DLC Ownership is Essential: You must own the specific DLC that released the Exotic armor piece to be able to obtain it from Lost Sectors.

Lost Sector Basics

Difficulty Levels: Legend vs. Master

Lost Sectors offer two difficulty levels: Legend and Master. These present distinct challenges with varying enemy density, modifier difficulty, and drop rates.

• Legend Lost Sectors are the easier of the two and provide a solid chance at obtaining Exotics.
• Master Lost Sectors are significantly more challenging but offer a slightly higher drop rate (though the time investment is often not worth the marginal increase in drop chance).

The Exotic drop rate is around 25% for Legend Lost Sectors and 33% for Master Lost Sectors. Completing the Lost Sector solo and eliminating all Champions is crucial to achieving the highest chance of an Exotic drop.

Champions: The Key to Success

Champions are challenging enemies that possess unique abilities and require specific counters. There are three types of Champions:

• Barrier Champions: Shielded enemies that require an anti-barrier weapon to break their shield.
• Overload Champions: Enemies that disrupt your abilities and rapidly regenerate health. They need an Overload weapon to stagger and prevent them from healing.
• Unstoppable Champions: Enemies that charge directly at you and resist staggering. They need an Unstoppable weapon to stun them.

Equipping the correct mods on your weapons is essential for dealing with Champions. Platinum rewards, awarded for killing all Champions, give you the highest Exotic drop chance.

Daily Rotation

The featured Lost Sector and its associated armor type rotate daily at the daily reset. Various websites and community resources track the daily Lost Sector to assist in targeting specific Exotic drops.

Solo Play Requirement

Lost Sectors must be completed solo to be eligible for Exotic rewards. Playing with a fireteam will only grant Enhancement Cores.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How do I unlock Legend/Master Lost Sectors?

To unlock Legend and Master Lost Sectors, you must first complete the Lost Sector normally. Furthermore, your power level needs to be high enough (typically near the current power cap) to access the Legend and Master difficulties.

2. What determines which Exotic armor will drop?

The daily rotation of Lost Sectors dictates the armor slot that will drop (Helmet, Gauntlets, Chest Armor, or Leg Armor). If you are missing an Exotic within that armor slot that is obtainable from Lost Sectors, it will have a higher chance of dropping.

3. What if I have all the Exotics for the daily armor slot?

Once you have all obtainable Exotic armor pieces for the daily slot, the drops become purely random. Duplicate Exotics become possible at this stage.

4. Do I need to own the corresponding DLC for the Exotic to drop?

Yes, you must own the DLC associated with a specific Exotic armor piece for it to drop in Lost Sectors.

5. Is it better to farm Legend or Master Lost Sectors?

Generally, Legend Lost Sectors are more efficient for farming due to their faster clear times. While Master Lost Sectors offer a slightly higher drop rate, the increased difficulty often makes them less time-effective.

6. Can I get the same Exotic multiple times in a day?

Yes, you can farm Lost Sectors and obtain multiple Exotic drops within the same day. The drop rate applies for each successful completion.

7. Does my build matter for Lost Sectors?

Absolutely! A well-optimized build with appropriate weapon mods for dealing with Champions is critical. Utilizing powerful weapons and abilities that match the elemental burns and modifiers of the Lost Sector significantly enhances survivability and clear speed.

8. Do Exotic engrams from the season pass affect Lost Sector drops?

No, Exotic engrams obtained through the season pass or other sources are separate from Lost Sector drops and have no impact on the Lost Sector’s prioritized system.

9. What happens if I die during a Lost Sector run?

Dying will reset your progress in the Lost Sector and prevent you from gaining access to the chest at the end of the Lost Sector.

10. Do certain Lost Sectors have better drop rates?

No, the drop rates for Legend and Master Lost Sectors are consistent across all Lost Sectors. However, some Lost Sectors are shorter and easier to clear, making them more efficient for farming.

11. What are some of the easiest Lost Sectors to farm?

Some of the easiest Lost Sectors to farm include Bunker E15 on Europa and Perdition on Europa, primarily due to their relatively short length and manageable enemy encounters.

12. Can I get pinnacle gear from Lost Sectors?

No, Lost Sectors do not reward pinnacle gear.

13. Does completing a Lost Sector flawlessly guarantee an Exotic?

While some older information suggested that flawless runs guaranteed an Exotic drop, that is not consistently true. You still only get a roll at an exotic drop when you open the final chest.

14. Do Lost Sectors ever become unavailable?

Lost Sectors can become unavailable temporarily if a bug is affecting them. Bungie will disable the sectors to prevent bugs from damaging accounts and destabilizing the game, and these sectors may be shut down until the bugs are fixed.

15. Where can I learn more about game design and mechanics like these?

For a deeper understanding of game design principles and how mechanics like these are developed and implemented, consider exploring resources like the Games Learning Society at GamesLearningSociety.org or through the following link: Games Learning Society.