When Can You Farm Artifice Armor in Destiny 2? A Comprehensive Guide
You can farm Artifice armor in Destiny 2 whenever a Master difficulty dungeon is available. This specialized armor, highly sought after by Guardians, isn’t available in normal or Legend difficulty modes of dungeons. You’ll need to tackle the more challenging Master mode to have a chance at acquiring these powerful pieces of gear. Furthermore, specific encounters within a dungeon that would typically drop regular armor on Legend difficulty now offer Artifice armor drops instead when completed on Master. This means your ability to farm Artifice armor directly correlates with the weekly availability of a Master dungeon and your willingness to brave the difficulty. With recent changes, Master dungeons have become more accessible, allowing a wider range of players to participate in the farming process. Let’s dive deeper into the specifics, best strategies, and answer some frequently asked questions.
Understanding Artifice Armor
What Makes Artifice Armor So Desirable?
Artifice Armor is not just any armor; it’s a pinnacle piece of equipment for dedicated Destiny 2 players. The main draw is its additional mod socket. This socket allows players to equip a +3 stat mod, on top of the usual +5 or +10 stat mod available in the first slot. This means, you can obtain an additional +13 stat boost from each armor piece. When combined with masterworking, this number goes up to an impressive +23 bonus per piece. This extra stat boost makes a huge difference in optimizing builds and pushing the limits of character customization, and allows much more freedom with gear builds.
Where Does Artifice Armor Drop?
Artifice armor only drops from completing encounters within Master difficulty dungeons. This exclusivity makes them a prize worth grinding for. Currently, the dungeons that provide Artifice armor includes:
- Grasp of Avarice
- Duality
- Spire of the Watcher
- Ghosts of the Deep
While Master raids also offer Artifice armor, dungeons are generally considered the faster and easier method for farming. It is important to note that not every chest in these dungeons contains artifice armor. Only those obtained after completing an encounter will have a chance at rewarding you with Artifice armor.
Farming Artifice Armor: Strategies and Tips
The Spire of the Watcher Method
Currently, one of the most efficient methods for farming Artifice armor is the first encounter in Spire of the Watcher on Master difficulty. This encounter can be completed quickly, even solo or with a small fireteam. The first encounter is also very mechanically straightforward, making it a quick and easy farm. This efficiency makes it ideal for players looking to maximize their Artifice armor acquisition.
Master Duality’s Boss Cheese
Another popular farming method involves a ‘cheese’ for the boss in Master Duality. This method allows players to quickly dispatch the boss for fast Artifice Armor drops. This method is particularly efficient when Duality is the featured legacy dungeon.
Considerations When Farming
- Power Level: While the recommended power level for Master dungeons is 1610, you can often get by with slightly lower levels, depending on your skill level and fireteam composition.
- RNG: Not every run is guaranteed to drop Artifice armor. Some drops will be weapons. This RNG means players should be prepared for multiple runs.
- Loot Tables: Check loot tables to determine which encounters drop which pieces of armor. This can help focus your efforts on specific pieces you may need.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I get Artifice armor from Legend difficulty dungeons?
No, Artifice armor only drops from Master difficulty dungeons. While any encounter that drops armor in Legend will now drop Artifice armor in Master, the encounter must still be completed on Master to receive this bonus drop.
2. Is Artifice armor guaranteed to drop on every Master Dungeon run?
No, Artifice armor is not guaranteed. Loot pools include both weapons and armor, so you may get weapons instead.
3. Does Artifice armor drop from every encounter in a Master Dungeon?
Yes, every encounter that drops standard armor will drop Artifice armor in its place when completed on Master difficulty.
4. Can I find Artifice armor in secret chests?
No, Artifice armor does not drop from secret chests within dungeons. It only drops from encounter reward chests.
5. Which is the easiest Master Dungeon to farm for Artifice armor?
The Spire of the Watcher is currently considered the easiest to farm due to the fast and relatively simple mechanics of its first encounter. Some also find Duality an efficient farm because of the quick boss cheese.
6. Can you get Artifice armor solo?
Yes, you can farm Artifice armor solo if you have the skill and gear to complete Master difficulty encounters. The first encounter in Spire is soloable, for example. However, most players prefer running with a fireteam.
7. Can you get Artifice armor from raids?
Yes, Master raids do drop Artifice armor, but dungeons are generally considered the easier and more efficient farm.
8. Do old dungeons still drop Artifice Armor?
Yes, older dungeons like Grasp of Avarice, Duality, and Spire of the Watcher all drop Artifice armor when completed on Master difficulty.
9. Is there a power level requirement for Master Dungeons?
The recommended power level is 1610, but you can complete them with lower power levels, depending on your skill and setup.
10. How did Artifice Armor change in Lightfall?
Previously, the extra mod slot was for Artifact Mods; it now accommodates a stat-increasing mod.
11. Can I get the Thorn armor set from Artifice drops?
No, the Thorn armor sets come from playing Grasp of Avarice and aren’t directly tied to Artifice drops.
12. Is the Oseram Artificer the best Armor?
Oseram Artificer is armor from another game, Horizon, and has no relationship to Destiny 2.
13. Do Shattered Throne, Pit of Heresy, or Prophecy drop Artifice Armor?
No, these dungeons do not have Master variants and, therefore, do not drop Artifice Armor.
14. Can you get Artifice Armor from Ghosts of the Deep?
Yes, Ghosts of the Deep is a Master Dungeon which drops Artifice Armor.
15. What’s the best way to prepare for Artifice Armor farming?
Focus on leveling up your power level, learning the mechanics of the chosen dungeon, and creating a competent fireteam for efficient farming. Loot tables also need to be taken into consideration when doing multiple runs, as focusing on specific drops requires planning.
Conclusion
Artifice armor is a powerful tool for any Destiny 2 player looking to optimize their builds. While farming can be a grind, understanding where the armor drops, which dungeons are more efficient to farm, and how the system works can make the process more manageable. As you get prepared for Master Dungeons, remember to stay focused on your loot goals, and try to take advantage of new metas and changes that may make farming these armor pieces a lot more simple. With determination, you can assemble a powerful set of Artifice armor and unlock new heights in character customization.