I love nothing in Destiny so much as a team buff, except a stack of them all at once. I’m going to go deep into the weeds on my current setup, but I’d like to hear from other folks on what they use and why, and hopefully we can start running some reciprocally beneficial builds to make endgame activities (or maybe even PvP) feel like easy mode.

So over the weekend as I was completing the grind for all of my Notorious Titan armors, I got to fiddling with a build that got me to finally commit to using Obelisk Mods. Now, I watched the Aztecross video here, and while I don't disagree with much of his criticism, I think that the system is probably just fine as it is. Something for the gear tuners, as it were. On further playtesting, I don't even think the elemental affinity is a bridge too far, but I understand they plan to remove that anyway.

Currently, my Titan is using Phoenix Cradle on bottom tree hammers. Typically this is a tree I steer clear of, but I think I've finally figured it out. If I nail a sticky kill, I get a long-lasting fire tornado that buffs my teammates. This also means that my own grenade damage is nullified against me, so I can CQC-sticky enemy after enemy. So you can see why I like this so much in Reckoning. We get a wall of flames that keeps out most adds and buffs us all at the same time.

So I realized that maximizing my discipline along with running two weapons with demolitionist will keep me in grenades most of the time already, but Firepower (which returns a portion of grenade energy when throwing grenades while Charged with Light) makes this even easier. Add to that two different ways to become Charged with Light (via picking up orbs and performing finishers), and we have most of a monster machine.

Has anyone else played with the new mods? Thoughts? Suggestions for builds that buff each other across the fireteam?

I love nothing in Destiny so much as a team buff, except a stack of them all at once. I’m going to go deep into the weeds on my current setup, but I’d like to hear from other folks on what they use and why, and hopefully we can start running some reciprocally beneficial builds to make endgame activities (or maybe even PvP) feel like easy mode.

So over the weekend as I was completing the grind for all of my Notorious Titan armors, I got to fiddling with a build that got me to finally commit to using Obelisk Mods. Now, I watched the Aztecross video here, and while I don't disagree with much of his criticism, I think that the system is probably just fine as it is. Something for the gear tuners, as it were. On further playtesting, I don't even think the elemental affinity is a bridge too far, but I understand they plan to remove that anyway.

Currently, my Titan is using Phoenix Cradle on bottom tree hammers. Typically this is a tree I steer clear of, but I think I've finally figured it out. If I nail a sticky kill, I get a long-lasting fire tornado that buffs my teammates. This also means that my own grenade damage is nullified against me, so I can CQC-sticky enemy after enemy. So you can see why I like this so much in Reckoning. We get a wall of flames that keeps out most adds and buffs us all at the same time.

So I realized that maximizing my discipline along with running two weapons with demolitionist will keep me in grenades most of the time already, but Firepower (which returns a portion of grenade energy when throwing grenades while Charged with Light) makes this even easier. Add to that two different ways to become Charged with Light (via picking up orbs and performing finishers), and we have most of a monster machine.

Has anyone else played with the new mods? Thoughts? Suggestions for builds that buff each other across the fireteam?

First, I would like to note that we actually had a light discussion about this a little over a month ago. Perhaps this can be the follow up, eh Squid?

Despite my theorycrafting in the aforementioned thread, I've not really played with this Obelisk mod system much, as I've found it too expensive to really work into. For starters it requires (currently) this seasons armor to use. These armors thus far have dropped with below par stats for me. Since I've yet to get a stat drop I've liked from any of the countless drops I've had, I've just sharded them. I should note that I've not played much pinnacle stuff this season, so that in part may be why, presuming any of the pinnacle drops comes with this seasons slot. I'm not sure right now as I type this.

But wait... I'm not done...

On top of THAT, the cost of the Obelisk mods cost detract from other builds I've already made. The max pool is 10, and that pool is rare from cost. So...5 or such, maybe 7. Therefor, the mods need to bring something to the table that is greater then what I lose. Each segment is precious. The Artifact for example gives me faster enhanced reloads for cheap (from 5 generally to 2 or 3 with the artifact mods as I recall). That's worth use and is a solid return. Again the max pool is 10. A number of the Obelisk mods take away an extra chunk from your stats, which makes them particularly expensive to me.

And on top of THAT, these seasonal mods NEED the use of multiple armors for them all to work together, with the restriction of elements affinities to boot.

It's just a no go for me, even though I want to play with it. These things I listed I want to poke with, but it just doesn't seem worth even to try, which SUCKS! Love the idea, but the seasons execution is just completely lousy for me. It's just too expensive.

Sidenote - I made a rocket build yesterday involving the Two Tailed Fox. Should do a number on the Solar/Void Match Game foes in the Hard Mode Sundial. :)

Despite my theorycrafting in the aforementioned thread, I've not really played with this Obelisk mod system much, as I've found it too expensive to really work into. For starters it requires (currently) this seasons armor to use. These armors thus far have dropped with below par stats for me. Since I've yet to get a stat drop I've liked from any of the countless drops I've had, I've just sharded them. I should note that I've not played much pinnacle stuff this season, so that in part may be why, presuming any of the pinnacle drops comes with this seasons slot. I'm not sure right now as I type this.

Just in case you (or someone else reading this) doesn't know... the armor pieces that drop as part of the season pass, starting at level 37 and ending at 57 (there is a set that drops before that, but it's normal) is pretty high in stats; pieces range from 64-66. The downside is that the strongest traits are Resilience/Discipline/Strength, but if your builds need these traits, you're golden. (Even if they don't, the total is high enough that they're totally worth using just from a 'this gets most of my traits up a level or so' standpoint.)

If you already knew this, and discounted this set BECAUSE it's not high in Recovery or Mobility or Intellect... fair enough. Just wanted to make sure you knew they were available.

First, I would like to note that we actually had a light discussion about this a little over a month ago. Perhaps this can be the follow up, eh Squid?

The main thing I ended up using a lot as a result of that thread is the "Taking Charge/High Energy Fire" fire combo, where you get Charged by picking up orbs (good with masterworked weapons) and those charges give you increased weapon damage until you defeat an enemy. This combo appears to work quite good in raid and Gambit, where someone is usually putting down a Well or Tether to generate orbs. I've thought about also adding "Powerful Friends" to the mix, which would give players nearby Charges, but haven't quite gotten to the point of coordinating that with anyone.

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First, I would like to note that we actually had a light discussion about this a little over a month ago. Perhaps this can be the follow up, eh Squid?

The main thing I ended up using a lot as a result of that thread is the "Taking Charge/High Energy Fire" fire combo, where you get Charged by picking up orbs (good with masterworked weapons) and those charges give you increased weapon damage until you defeat an enemy. This combo appears to work quite good in raid and Gambit, where someone is usually putting down a Well or Tether to generate orbs. I've thought about also adding "Powerful Friends" to the mix, which would give players nearby Charges, but haven't quite gotten to the point of coordinating that with anyone.

This is exactly the kind of stuff I want to get into. At the end of the night last night, I'd equipped the mod that grants Charged on shotgun/fusion multikills, and a mod that adds Charges to nearby teammates when I get Charged. In addition, it has a huge boost to Mobility when I have an elemental affinity equipped. In essence, we can all kind of craft our own Aeon armors this way...

Also, I don't know if I can tell the difference with High Energy Fire. I had a build recently that used it, but I'm not sure I felt the extra damage.

Also, I don't know if I can tell the difference with High Energy Fire. I had a build recently that used it, but I'm not sure I felt the extra damage.

Upon further investigation, it doesn't stack with any global buffs, so if you are using a Well or Ward of Dawn it won't be doing anything.

Also, I don't know if I can tell the difference with High Energy Fire. I had a build recently that used it, but I'm not sure I felt the extra damage.

Upon further investigation, it doesn't stack with any global buffs, so if you are using a Well or Ward of Dawn it won't be doing anything.

So does that mean it won't stack with Sun Warrior either?

HEF seems one of the lesser-useful perks, given what's on offer, but I can see the appeal.

Now I'm really wondering what the new Seasonal Mods are going to be, assuming the Obelisk Mods aren't going away; it will be really interesting to see which apply and how well to Trials gameplay.

So does that mean it won't stack with Sun Warrior either?

Correct. Here's a link to a spreadsheet somebody on Reddit has compiled with all the current damage increase stacking information.

HEF seems one of the lesser-useful perks, given what's on offer, but I can see the appeal.

Based on this new understanding, it seems like it's best application is for killing Champions in Nightfalls or in Gambit, where you aren't necessary going to have a global buff active every time you are doing damage to a strong enemy.

Now I'm really wondering what the new Seasonal Mods are going to be, assuming the Obelisk Mods aren't going away; it will be really interesting to see which apply and how well to Trials gameplay.

It seems like very few people engaged with this set of seasonal mods, so I wonder how Bungie will approach them moving forward. Maybe being able to use them on sets of armor obtained outside of the current season will help.

When we were discussing this during Iron Banner last night I was convinced that Charged with Light didn't actually apply to PvP, but it looks like I was wrong about that. I think in it's current form it's pretty impractical - the only reasonable way to get Charges in PvP would be picking up Orbs or specific weapon double kills, not things you can count on consistently (and if you get a double kill in Trials, you are already probably in pretty good shape).

It seems like very few people engaged with this set of seasonal mods, so I wonder how Bungie will approach them moving forward. Maybe being able to use them on sets of armor obtained outside of the current season will help.

I feel like it was sort of an endgame-after-the-endgame for a lot of folks, because they were focused on the Seasonal grind first. At least it was like that for me.

When we were discussing this during Iron Banner last night I was convinced that Charged with Light didn't actually apply to PvP, but it looks like I was wrong about that. I think in it's current form it's pretty impractical - the only reasonable way to get Charges in PvP would be picking up Orbs or specific weapon double kills, not things you can count on consistently (and if you get a double kill in Trials, you are already probably in pretty good shape).

Yeah, agree here. In regular Crucible matches, I can see shotgun or fusion (or possibly sniper) double kills being a valuable source of Charges (not to mention orbs). That's probably what I'll tune for. Currently, it seems like most of them are the most useful in PvE/Gambit situations. But I'm hoping for a slew of funky new mods in Season of the Worthy.

Annnnd I guess I'm going to be spending a fair amount of time on this spreadsheet. I'm still convinced that Phoenix Cradle/Sun Warrior team buffs are worth it, but it seems like the damage stacks from Code of the Devastator are allowed to stack with other things, which keeps that tree as an attractive fallback option if the Sun Warrior isn't doing it.

It seems like very few people engaged with this set of seasonal mods, so I wonder how Bungie will approach them moving forward. Maybe being able to use them on sets of armor obtained outside of the current season will help.

I feel like it was sort of an endgame-after-the-endgame for a lot of folks, because they were focused on the Seasonal grind first. At least it was like that for me.

It’s just too much work for me. It all looks neat, at least on paper. But I definitely don’t care enough to try and grind out a completely new set of armor with the stats I want every season. They’d have to get rid of locking mods to that season’s armor if they want me to care about seasonal mods.

And if they don’t, that’s fine. It’s not a necessary thing for me to engage with to enjoy Destiny, so it’s not really something I’m even remotely worried about. If there are enough players that will continually grind out armor to have sets for every season’s mods, more power to them. It just isn’t going to be me.

They’d have to get rid of locking mods to that season’s armor if they want me to care about seasonal mods.

They’ve said they are gonna open the seasonal mod slot to all seasons.

They’d have to get rid of locking mods to that season’s armor if they want me to care about seasonal mods.

They’ve said they are gonna open the seasonal mod slot to all seasons.

Oh really? I missed that. I haven’t read a THAB in a while. That’s exciting!

They’d have to get rid of locking mods to that season’s armor if they want me to care about seasonal mods.

They’ve said they are gonna open the seasonal mod slot to all seasons.

From last week's TWAB:

Starting next Season, the Seasonal armor mod socket (e.g. Undying Mods, Dawn Mods) will also be able to use mods released during the Seasons before and after the armor piece was released.

So... not ALL seasons, just the before-and-after seasons to the one we're in.

I hadn't read it that way, but you may be right.

That’s seems like an incredibly silly and arbitrary distinction to make. I really hope that’s not the case. At that point they might as well not even change it.

Yeah. I suppose I read that as seasons (plural) before and seasons (plural) after - which I don’t think is any less valid a read than seasons before (singular) and after (singular) happens to be. But I won’t hold my breath either way. The stuff about swords in that other update didn’t read at all like it should impact Worldline Speedrunning but then we got a twitter thread suggesting otherwise. Words are rough.

Yeah. I suppose I read that as seasons (plural) before and seasons (plural) after - which I don’t think is any less valid a read than seasons before (singular) and after (singular) happens to be. But I won’t hold my breath either way. The stuff about swords in that other update didn’t read at all like it should impact Worldline Speedrunning but then we got a twitter thread suggesting otherwise. Words are rough.

The paragraph after the one I quoted was even more specific:

For example, armor with a mod socket from Season of Dawn can now equip Dawn Mods, Undying Mods from Season of the Undying, and [Redacted] Mods (from Season of [Redacted])

That sounds like an awkward “fix” then. It would mean Undying can’t slot [Redacted] and vice versa. If you’re right (and the wording does present it as such unless you get into marketing speech about avoiding talking past the current product) then I guess we’ve traded one problem for a less rigid one with most of the same issues.

That sounds like an awkward “fix” then. It would mean Undying can’t slot [Redacted] and vice versa. If you’re right (and the wording does present it as such unless you get into marketing speech about avoiding talking past the current product) then I guess we’ve traded one problem for a less rigid one with most of the same issues.

Deej confirmed the "one season up and one season down" limitation in the reddit thread. Another needlessly complex and stupid Bungie solution.

Deej confirmed the "one season up and one season down" limitation in the reddit thread. Another needlessly complex and stupid Bungie solution.

Counting mods on DIM, it looks like the current maximum amount of mods that can be shown on one piece of armor is 25ish. If you add the maximum Undying and Dawn armor mods that could be shown together, that's 16. That leaves just about enough room for another season worth of mods while maintaining the current max. Whether that's a technical limitation or a design preference (or both), that's my guess as to the logic here.

Deej confirmed the "one season up and one season down" limitation in the reddit thread. Another needlessly complex and stupid Bungie solution.

Counting mods on DIM, it looks like the current maximum amount of mods that can be shown on one piece of armor is 25ish. If you add the maximum Undying and Dawn armor mods that could be shown together, that's 16. That leaves just about enough room for another season worth of mods while maintaining the current max. Whether that's a technical limitation or a design preference (or both), that's my guess as to the logic here.

Interesting - in-game, there are 3 rows of 7 slots each, so 21, rather than 25. I guess it's possible that if you get a 22nd, a 4th row appears... but I sort of doubt it.

Edit: -1, for the blank at the beginning, so 20 total mods.

Interesting - in-game, there are 3 rows of 7 slots each, so 21, rather than 25. I guess it's possible that if you get a 22nd, a 4th row appears... but I sort of doubt it.

Edit: -1, for the blank at the beginning, so 20 total mods.

Upon review, I may have forgot that certain mods are restricted to either slot 1 or slot 2, while some mods can be in both slots. That may reduce the max down to the 20. If that is truly the limit, that doesn't leave much room for mods next season!

Keeping the changes in mind while looking at my vault, I'm going to collect and keep a set of Dreaming City armor 2.0 (in all affinities) and a set of Moon armor 2.0 (in all affinities). These should be the easiest to obtain to cover all current mods. Season 11 armor will be another set to collect for "permanent" storage if nothing changes, but hopefully by then this is all fixed and armor affinity has been removed entirely.

(My current season 9 stuff will get deleted when the new season hits since I'll be able to use moon armor for dawn mods at that point. I'll only use season 10 armor in season 10 for those new mods, and replace it with season 11 gear.)

The one-up-one-down method means that players will want to grind to stay current, but there's no need until you're more than a season behind, in which case you can just earn new armors by playing the game. If a player's perfectly-crafted armor stays relevant all the time, there's no need to worry about any new gear, just swap in the mods you like. While I'm not really about obligating the audience to grind, I don't feel like I can fault Bungie for moving in this direction, given how much of Destiny is about learning/earning what's new in each season.

I think it’s a not even really a compromise. It doesn’t actually change anything.

I think it was better when it was a yearly cycle. Reset stuff every fall with the big expansion and let people actually use stuff for a year. It seems like a clear ploy to just try to force engagement.

Like I said earlier, it’s not a deal breaker. Destiny isn’t even close to being deep enough for any of that to really matter, so I’m content to just continue ignoring that aspect of the game, but it seems like a really silly limitation.

That's not how I read that at all.