Do You Have to Wear Solstice Armor to Upgrade in Destiny 2?

The short and direct answer is: yes and no. It’s not as straightforward as a simple yes or no answer, but it’s important to understand the nuances of when you need to wear Solstice armor and when you don’t during Destiny 2’s annual Solstice event. Let’s break it down to ensure you’re making the most of the event and its rewards.

How Solstice Armor Works

The Solstice event in Destiny 2 revolves around upgrading a special set of armor known as Sunlit Armor. This armor is obtained at the start of the event and has a few unique mechanics to it. The core idea is to engage in event-related activities to collect resources which you then use to power up the armor. This involves three main resources: Silver Leaves, Silver Ash, and Kindling.

Silver Leaves: The Starting Point

Silver Leaves are primarily obtained by completing various activities in Destiny 2 while wearing at least one piece of your Sunlit Armor. This could be anything from Crucible matches to strikes or even patrol missions. The key is that you must have at least one piece of the Solstice armor equipped. Wearing more pieces does not increase the amount of Silver Leaves you earn. This makes it far more convenient for players who like to min/max their builds and prefer using their regular powerful gear while they farm for these leaves.

Silver Ash: The Conversion Fuel

Once you’ve amassed a decent amount of Silver Leaves, it’s time to convert them into Silver Ash. This conversion takes place in the event’s primary activity, Bonfire Bash. Unlike Silver Leaves, here you want to equip as many of your Sunlit Armor pieces as possible. The more Sunlit Armor pieces you are wearing when completing Bonfire Bash, the more Silver Ash you will earn. So, while you can earn Silver Leaves with just one piece, you’ll want to be decked out in the full set for Bonfire Bash. This encourages players to equip their complete set for the most effective conversion.

Kindling: The Power Source

Kindling is the resource used to power up your Solstice armor with a glow. Kindling is earned by completing event challenges. Once you have collected Kindling you can apply it to each armor piece. You will need 6 Kindling per armor piece to fully upgrade them. This is done by adding it 3 times: 1 for the first level, 2 for the second, and 3 for the last.

When Do You Need to Wear Solstice Armor?

Here’s the bottom line regarding when you need to equip your Sunlit Armor:

• Earning Silver Leaves: You must wear at least one piece of Solstice armor to earn Silver Leaves from any activity. It’s most efficient to only equip one piece of armor during this phase.
• Converting Silver Leaves to Silver Ash: You should wear all pieces of your Solstice armor when completing the Bonfire Bash activity to maximize the amount of Silver Ash you earn.
• Upgrading Solstice Armor: You need to have the armor you want to upgrade equipped to insert Silver Ash and Kindling into it.
• Progressing Armor Objectives: You must wear the armor to progress the objectives on the armor set.
• Overall: You should always wear at least one piece of Solstice armor when engaging in activities to farm Silver Leaves and maximize your resources.

Do You Need to Upgrade Solstice Armor on Each Character?

One great thing about this event is that upgrades to Solstice armor are account-wide. Once you fully upgrade one piece of Solstice armor, all other pieces of the same slot for each class will also have those same upgrades. So you don’t need to repeat the progress on other characters. This makes it easier for players to maximize their builds across different characters by focusing their resources on one single class.

The Glow of Fully Rekindled Armor

Once your armor is completely upgraded with Kindling you’ll achieve a unique white glow on it. You will also have the ability to reroll the stats on the armor with Silver Ash. Additionally, the elemental glow of the Solstice armor will reflect your current subclass.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Do I need to wear the full set of Solstice armor to get Silver Leaves?

No, you only need to wear one piece of Solstice armor to earn Silver Leaves.

2. Does wearing more Solstice armor increase the Silver Leaves drop rate?

No, the amount of Silver Leaves you earn remains the same, regardless of whether you’re wearing one piece or a full set.

3. How do I get Silver Ash?

Silver Ash is obtained by converting Silver Leaves during the Bonfire Bash activity. The more Sunlit Armor pieces you wear during this event, the more Silver Ash you’ll earn.

4. What is Kindling used for?

Kindling is used to fully upgrade your Solstice armor, granting it a white glow and allowing for stat rerolls.

5. How do I get Kindling?

Kindling is obtained by completing Event Challenges during the Solstice event.

6. Do I need to upgrade all Solstice armor at once?

No, you can upgrade each piece of Solstice armor separately, as long as you have the required Silver Ash and Kindling.

7. Are Solstice armor upgrades account-wide?

Yes, once you fully upgrade a piece of Solstice armor on one character, all other pieces of armor in that slot will have the same upgrades on other characters.

8. How much Silver Ash do I need to fully upgrade Solstice armor?

The amount of Silver Ash needed depends on how much you want to reroll your armor stats. After a piece of armor is fully upgraded it will cost 60 Silver Ash to reroll the stats.

9. Is there a cap on Silver Leaves?

Yes, the Silver Leaves cap is 100.

10. Is there a cap on Silver Ash?

Yes, the Silver Ash cap is 500.

11. Do I need to equip the armor to progress the objectives?

Yes, to progress objectives of the Solstice armor you must wear the armor to complete its tasks.

12. Does Solstice armor always glow?

Yes. After using Kindling on a piece of armor until it is fully upgraded it will have a white glow. The elemental glow will reflect your current subclass.

13. Can I buy Solstice armor?

Yes. You can get Solstice armor by completing the Bonfire Bash activity or purchasing it from Eva.

14. Can I make my Solstice armor glow differently?

Yes, the elemental glow of the Solstice armor will always match your current subclass. Additionally, there are ornaments for purchase in the Eververse store with Bright Dust that will alter the look and glow of your armor.

15. What is the fastest way to farm Silver Leaves?

The fastest way to earn Silver Leaves is to complete the “The First Contact” Mission in the Lightfall Campaign. Equip one piece of your Sunlit Armor and farm the first few fights over and over to get quick leaves.

Conclusion

In summary, while you don’t need to wear a full set of Solstice armor all the time, understanding when and how to equip it is crucial for maximizing your resource gains and efficiently upgrading your gear during the event. Remember, one piece for Silver Leaves, the full set for Bonfire Bash, and equipping specific pieces when using Kindling and Silver Ash. Happy grinding, Guardian!