Decoding Dismantling: What Happens When You Deconstruct Masterworked Exotic Gear in Destiny 2?
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So, you’re staring at a Masterworked Exotic, perhaps a duplicate or one that just doesn’t quite fit your current build, and the question burns in your mind: What do you get if you dismantle a Masterworked Exotic? The answer, in short, is you’ll receive:
- One Ascendant Shard: A crucial resource for further Masterworking armor.
- Six Legendary Shards: The bread and butter currency for many transactions.
- Some Glimmer: A small amount of this basic in-game currency.
But the decision to dismantle a Masterworked Exotic shouldn’t be taken lightly. While the rewards are useful, the initial investment to Masterwork an Exotic is significant. Let’s delve deeper into the nuances of dismantling, Masterworking, and resource management in Destiny 2.
The Allure (and Cost) of Masterworking
What is Masterworking, and Why Bother?
Masterworking gear, particularly armor, is a cornerstone of endgame Destiny 2. It’s the process of fully upgrading a piece of gear, granting it maximum stats and, in the case of armor, unlocking powerful mods and build options.
- Exotic armor: Masterworking Exotic armor grants significant stat boosts across all stats and unlocks the final mod slot, allowing for maximum customization. Furthermore, Orbs of Power picked up while wearing Masterworked armor contribute to reducing ability cooldowns, enhancing gameplay.
- Exotic weapons: Masterworking Exotic weapons used to generate Orbs of Power; however, Bungie has changed this and it is now done through specific mods. Masterworking also provides a stat boost to the weapon, as well as a kill tracker.
The benefits are undeniable, making you a more effective Guardian. But these benefits come at a cost.
The Price of Perfection: Masterworking Resources
Masterworking Exotic gear requires a substantial investment of resources:
- Ascendant Shards: Three are needed per Exotic armor piece.
- Enhancement Prisms: A significant number are required to reach the final tier before applying the Ascendant Shards.
- Enhancement Cores: Used in the early tiers of upgrading gear.
- Glimmer: The ever-present need for Glimmer.
- Legendary Shards: Also used to upgrade.
Therefore, weighing the cost against the potential return from dismantling is crucial.
Dismantling Decisions: When Is It Worth It?
The Duplicate Dilemma
The most common scenario where dismantling a Masterworked Exotic becomes appealing is when you acquire a duplicate with significantly better stats. Destiny 2’s stat distribution can drastically impact a build’s effectiveness. A Masterworked Exotic with poor stat rolls might be less useful than a new drop, even if it requires re-Masterworking. In this case, dismantling the older piece might be a strategic move. Always compare your gear before dismantling!
The Opportunity Cost
Consider the opportunity cost. Could those resources be better spent elsewhere? Perhaps you’re close to Masterworking a different piece of gear that would provide a greater benefit to your overall build. Are you working towards unlocking weapons in the Monument to Lost Lights at the Tower? The Ascendant Shards and Legendary Shards could be useful for obtaining a new weapon. Resource management is key in Destiny 2.
When Not to Dismantle
Avoid dismantling Masterworked Exotics simply for the sake of farming Ascendant Shards. It’s an inefficient method. Focus on completing Master and Grandmaster Nightfalls, which offer a much higher chance of obtaining Ascendant Shards as rewards. Completing these high-level activities is the best way to obtain Ascendant Shards.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Do I get Enhancement Prisms back when dismantling a Masterworked Exotic?
No, you do not receive Enhancement Prisms back when dismantling a Masterworked Exotic. You only get one Ascendant Shard, six Legendary Shards, and some Glimmer.
2. Can I get Ascendant Shards from dismantling Masterworked weapons?
No, dismantling Masterworked weapons will give you a random amount between 1-3 Enhancement Cores. Ascendant Shards can only be acquired by dismantling Masterworked Exotic armor.
3. Is it worth dismantling a Masterworked Legendary item?
Dismantling a fully Masterworked Legendary armor piece will not refund your Ascendant Shard, which you need one of to upgrade a Legendary armor piece to Tier 10. However, getting rid of an Exotic piece will refund one of the three you spent.
4. What is the best way to farm Ascendant Shards?
The fastest way to farm Ascendant Shards is to complete Master or Grandmaster Nightfalls, as these missions always have a chance to gift you with 1-2 every time.
5. Where can I buy Ascendant Shards?
You can purchase Ascendant Shards from Banshee-44, the gunsmith, Ada-1, the armor specialist, and Rahool the cryptarch in the Tower, but be prepared for a steep price.
6. How many Legendary Shards do I get for dismantling an Exotic?
You get six Legendary Shards for dismantling an Exotic.
7. What happens if I dismantle Exotic gear from the Exotic archive or legacy gear?
When you buy Exotic gear from the Exotic archive or legacy gear, you permanently unlock it in your collections. If you dismantle it, you can go back to your collections and create another one for some Glimmer, weapon parts, and shards.
8. Can I get more than 10 Ascendant Shards in my inventory?
You can only have 10 Ascendant Shards in your Inventory. You can have an extra 10 Ascendant Shards in each characters Postmaster. Your character(s) needs to be of 1810+ Power Level.
9. Can I equip two Exotic weapons at once?
No, you can only equip a single Exotic weapon and a single piece of Exotic armour. All the other icons you saw were Masterworked armour which is upgraded to 10 energy and has the additional bonus stats.
10. Is Exotic gear always better than Legendary gear?
Not always. Exotic items are like a specialized tool, and Legendary items are more general. Chances are there is an Exotic that will fit a gear slot better than a Legendary item because it benefits the subclass, build, and playstyle better.
11. What is the purpose of Masterworking armor?
Masterworked armor gives a permanent edge against the competition, reducing ability and Super cooldowns, increasing damage resistance, and even granting faster movement.
12. Can I get more than one Exotic from a Lost Sector?
Yes, any Lost Sector can be farmed multiple times.
13. How do I reroll/rework Masterwork Weapons?
You can reroll/rework Masterwork Weapons by using 3 Enhancement Cores and 25 Legendary Shards.
14. Do Masterwork weapons still drop Orbs of Power?
No, Masterwork weapons no longer generate Orbs of Power in Destiny 2. Instead, players will need to equip specific Mods that serve a similar purpose. Bungie changed this meta in Destiny 2’s Season of The Risen.
15. Are there other ways to get Ascendant Shards for free?
Yes, vendors like Lord Shaxx, Commander Zavala, Saint-14, and the Drifter all reward the player with one Ascendant Shard each on the first time the player resets their rank with them. After that, resetting the vendor rank will yield an Exotic engram instead of an Ascendant Shard.
Final Thoughts: Dismantle with Deliberation
Dismantling a Masterworked Exotic is a significant decision. While the returned Ascendant Shard and Legendary Shards are helpful, the initial investment is substantial. Carefully consider your options, assess your resource needs, and weigh the benefits against the costs. Remember that GamesLearningSociety.org emphasizes critical thinking and strategic decision-making within gaming contexts, qualities that are invaluable when navigating the complexities of Destiny 2’s endgame. The Games Learning Society highlights how games can be used as powerful tools for learning. Make informed choices, Guardian, and may your loot be ever in your favor!