Ascendant Shards and Weapon Masterworking in Destiny 2: A Comprehensive Guide
Do you need Ascendant Shards to masterwork weapons in Destiny 2? The direct answer is no, you do not need Ascendant Shards to masterwork weapons. Ascendant Shards are primarily used for masterworking armor and purchasing Exotic gear from the Tower’s Exotic Kiosk. While Masterworking weapons involves a resource grind, it utilizes different materials, making it a separate process from armor masterworking. Let’s dive into the details to clarify the resource requirements for both armor and weapons. This guide will answer any questions you may have regarding Ascendant Shards and weapon masterworking.
Understanding Ascendant Shards and Their Purpose
Ascendant Shards are among the most valuable resources in Destiny 2, primarily used for upgrading armor to its maximum potential. They are essential for achieving Tier 10 armor, which provides significant stat boosts and enhances your Guardian’s survivability and ability cooldowns. Additionally, Ascendant Shards are needed to acquire certain Exotic weapons and armor from the Exotic Kiosk in the Tower, allowing players to access previously unavailable or retired gear.
Weapon Masterworking: Materials and Process
The process of Masterworking weapons is entirely different. It involves enhancing the weapon’s stats, adding a unique tracker to display kills, and generating Orbs of Power on multi-kills. The resources required for weapon Masterworking typically include Enhancement Cores, Glimmer, and other materials that align with the gunsmith’s specific tasks. The amount of each resource varies based on the weapon’s current energy level and the desired tier of Masterwork.
Where to Farm Ascendant Shards
The most efficient way to farm Ascendant Shards is by completing Master and Grandmaster Nightfalls. These high-difficulty activities offer a good chance to drop 1-2 Ascendant Shards upon completion. Successfully navigating these challenging missions requires a coordinated fireteam, effective communication, and a strategic loadout capable of handling various enemy types and Champion modifiers. Nightfalls are more challenging Strikes, which feature tougher enemies than normal for you or your Fireteam to take on.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Are Ascendant Shards Used for Anything Besides Armor and Exotics?
Ascendant Shards are almost exclusively used for masterworking armor pieces to Tier 10 and purchasing Exotic gear from the Monument to Lost Lights at the Tower. These are its primary applications within the game.
2. Can I Get Ascendant Shards From Dismantling Gear?
Dismantling a fully masterworked Exotic armor piece will refund one Ascendant Shard out of the three you spent. However, dismantling masterworked Legendary armor does not refund Ascendant Shards.
3. What’s the Fastest Way to Acquire Ascendant Shards?
The fastest way to get Ascendant Shards is to complete Master or Grandmaster Nightfalls. These high-level activities have a high probability of dropping Ascendant Shards upon completion, making them the most efficient farm.
4. How Many Ascendant Shards Are Needed to Masterwork a Full Set of Armor?
Each Legendary armor piece requires at least one Ascendant Shard to reach Tier 10, meaning a full set of armor (five pieces) needs a total of five Ascendant Shards. If you’re masterworking Exotic Armor, that price will jump to three Ascendant Shards per piece, totaling fifteen for a full set.
5. Are Masterworked Weapons Worth the Investment?
Masterworked weapons provide significant benefits, including stat boosts, the ability to generate Orbs of Power on multi-kills, and a kill tracker. This makes the investment worthwhile, especially for endgame activities where every advantage matters.
6. Can I Get Ascendant Shards for Free?
Yes, you can earn Ascendant Shards by resetting your rank with vendors like Lord Shaxx, Commander Zavala, Saint-14, and the Drifter. The first reset rewards one Ascendant Shard, but subsequent resets will yield an Exotic Engram instead.
7. Does Dismantling Exotics Give Ascendant Shards?
Dismantling Exotic armor pieces that have been fully masterworked will refund one of the three Ascendant Shards used in the upgrade. However, dismantling non-masterworked Exotics will not grant Ascendant Shards. Each broken-down Exotic will net you seven Gunsmith reputation, 500 Glimmer, and five Legendary Shards. Shards are used for focusing Engrams, buying other resources like upgrade modules, and grabbing new weapons and gear from various vendors.
8. What Is the Maximum Number of Ascendant Shards I Can Hold?
Players can hold up to 30 Ascendant Shards at a time. This increased limit, up from the previous cap of 10, allows for more efficient resource management and preparation for upgrading gear.
9. What Happens if I Infuse a Masterworked Armor Piece?
If you infuse a piece of master worked armor into another piece of unmasterworked armor, the new piece of armor should become master worked. This is a way to transfer the benefits of Masterworking without having to spend the resources again.
10. What Is Required to Fully Masterwork a Weapon?
Masterworking weapons requires Enhancement Cores, Glimmer, and other materials that align with the gunsmith’s specific tasks. The cost to increase the Tier or Energy level of a piece of gear will begin low, and increase as the Tier or Energy level increases.
11. Why Should I Bother Masterworking Exotic Armor?
Masterworked armor provides several benefits, including reduced ability and super cooldowns, increased damage resistance, and enhanced movement speed. These enhancements provide a noticeable advantage in both PvE and PvP activities.
12. What Happens When I Dismantle Masterwork Armor?
Dismantling masterwork armor will refund Enhancement Cores, with higher tiers granting more cores. However, dismantling Legendary masterwork armor does not refund Ascendant Shards. Only dismantling Exotic masterwork armor refunds one Ascendant Shard.
13. Is It Possible to Buy Legendary Shards?
While you cannot directly buy Legendary Shards from vendors, you can obtain them by dismantling Legendary and Exotic gear. These shards are essential for various transactions and upgrades within the game.
14. How Do I Upgrade Weapons to Masterwork Status?
In order to Masterwork your crafted weapon and give it a golden border, you need to reshape it and give it two Enhanced Traits. Note that the stat boost is tied to the weapon frame. This means you must unlock enhanced perks for your gun. To do this you must level up your gun.
15. Can I Reroll Masterwork Weapons in Destiny 2?
Yes, you can reroll/rework Masterwork Weapons by using 3 Masterwork Cores and 25 Legendary Shards. (Some rolls available are handling, magazine, reload, stability, impact, and range.) The Games Learning Society is an organization dedicated to the intersection of games and education, further supporting game-based learning. For more information about educational games and their benefits, visit GamesLearningSociety.org.