The Destiny 2 Guardian Games event is back, and the Titans look to defend their crown. Whether you’re one of them or play Hunter or Warlock, if you want to take the top spot in the Guardian Games this year, you’ll need Laurels. Lots of Laurels.
Farming Laurels in Destiny 2 has changed a little bit this time around, as well. The sandbox is quite different this year, and we’ve lost four whole planets and their associated activities across various seasons.
In return, Bungie has added specific farming pursuits to expedite the process. There are still optimal ways to gather as many Laurels as possible, and we’ll be covering them all right here in this Destiny 2 Guardian Games guide.
How to Farm Laurels: The Best Places, Classes, and Activities
There are three optimal farming methods for Laurels in Guardian Games 2021.
- The Guardian Games class-specific Strike playlist
- The core activity playlist that rotates daily: Strikes, Gambit, Crucible on days when they give additional Laurels
- High-enemy-density activities like Blind Well, EDZ public events, the Devil’s Lair, and Fallen S.A.B.E.R strikes
Note: You’ll want to be wearing the Guardian Games class item while farming Laurels. Otherwise, you won’t be creating Laurels.
Best Laurel Farm 1: Guardian Games Strike Playlist
You’ll get the most out of your Laurel farm when you’re not competing with other classes, as Laurels your class generates are worth more. In standard playlist Strikes or Gambit, you can’t guarantee everyone will be the same class unless you’re playing with two or more friends who agree to do so.
The class-specific playlist solves this problem. Every one of your teammates will be a Warlock if you’re a Warlock, a Titan if you’re a Titan, and a Hunter if you’re a Hunter. That means every Laurel gives you maximum benefit.
Best Laurel Farm 2: Core Activities with Increased Laurel Drops
If you want Laurels with a side of playlist-specific-gear, check to see which one currently hosts the Guardian Games symbol. The keyed activity rotates daily, be it Strikes, Gambit, or Crucible. You’ll earn increased Laurels for every ability kill in PvE and every kill in PvP.
Put simply, if you want the most straightforward way of farming Laurels in Destiny 2 that isn’t endless Strikes for all eternity, the rotating playlists are the way to go.
Best Laurel Farm 3: High-Enemy-Density Activities
You have to go out of your way a little bit for this farming method, but for even more variety, add in activities like Blind Well in the Dreaming City, or the constant rush of public events in large destinations like EDZ.
It doesn’t matter if you’re alone or in a group. As long as you’re getting ability kills, you’re getting Laurels, and places like Blind Well give plenty of opportunities to use your Super, grenade, and charged melee.
If you don’t mind eternal damnation to Strike hell, the Cosmodrome Strikes — Devil’s Lair, Disgraced, and Fallen S.A.B.E.R. — all have increased enemy counts across the board. They’re fairly short and easy to complete to boot, making the grind slightly more bearable. You could launch any of them from the Director, finish, then do it again. And again.
Best Classes and Setups to Farm Laurels
While you could use all three classes throughout Guardian Games, there’s no real reason, for loot or otherwise. Your main should be the winner, right? Unless you’re grinding for pinnacle or other powerful gear, stick to your favorite class, then use these setups to make the most of your time.
Warlock Laurel Farming: Attunement of Sky
For Warlock, you want to make liberal use of the Sunbracers gauntlets and the Monte Carlo Exotic Auto Rifle. The former gives you effectively infinite grenades on Solar melee kills, and the latter provides near-infinite melee energy. Go into your activity of choice, eat one grenade to activate Heat Rises, then float around the battlefield, raining fire from above.
Titan Laurel Farming: Code of the Siegebreaker
You’re going to be punching many things here, so Monte Carlo will be your friend again. The real core of this class setup is the set of Phoenix Cradle Exotic boots. In Siegebreaker, every ability kill creates a sunspot, which burns where the enemy died for several seconds and increases how fast you can throw hammers in your Super. Any sunspot kills will grant Laurels.
The sunspot also activates the Sun Warrior buff, increasing ability regeneration for five seconds. With Phoenix Cradle, Sun Warrior increases to 10 seconds. The strat here is: punch thing. Throw grenade. Stand in sunspot. Punch more thing.
Hunter Laurel Farming: Way of the Warrior
Arc energy wins with the Way of the Warrior Hunter subclass. There are a few reasons, first among them is the subclass’ ability to chain effectively infinitely-charged melee attacks, so long as you have enemies around you and a charged Dodge ability. That last bit is pretty easy because melee kills recharge the dodge and vice versa.
Second: the Liar’s Handshake Exotic gauntlets. Their Cross-Counter ability is a fast follow up attack that also heals you, upping your survivability.
The third ability at play here is Lethal Current, which ups your damage after dodging in-Super. This is handy to have if you run into a tougher enemy than you were expecting, and you need some extra oomph to take them down.
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Those are the most accessible, easiest-to-reach Destiny 2 Laurel farming areas and best farming classes right now. As the Guardian Games progress, different temporary solutions will make themselves known. Still, the options above aren’t going anywhere anytime soon and take no time to set up or consistently complete.
