Destiny 2 Ash and Iron Full Guide: Everything You Need to Know
Hey everyone! The brand-new Ash and Iron update is finally here in Destiny 2, bringing a fresh activity, some awesome new loot, and a lot to explore. If you're looking for a Destiny 2 Ash and Iron full guide, you're in the right place. Let's break it all down, from the new Reclaim activity to scoring those sweet Tier 5 rewards.
For a deeper dive into the exotic items introduced in this update, check out this guide on Ash and Iron exotics.
Getting Started Destiny 2 Ash and Iron with the Reclaim Activity
When you first log in, you’ll see the new Reclaim banner prompting you to help reestablish Bakrour borders against Maya's forces. Unlike a typical seasonal launch, there’s no lengthy opening cutscene or deep story setup—just jump right into the action. Head to the Tower to pick up the introductory mission from Devrim Kay. It’s a straightforward quest that places you in a familiar setting, fighting vaccine Cabal enemies (yep, you read that right) controlled by Maya. The main thing to watch for during the final encounter is destroying those pesky scion bubbles when the boss hits half health.
Once you complete that, visit Devrim again to grab the "Earth Reclaimed" quest, which tasks you with successfully securing all four areas in a Reclaim activity run.
How to Dominate the Reclaim Activity Destiny 2 Ash and Iron
The Reclaim activity takes us back to the Plaguelands and feels like a mix between Overthrow from The Final Shape and the Nether from Heretical. There are three versions available in the director:
Fallen Bunker (bonus focus on Jurisprudence scout rifle)
Cabal Watch
Conductor’s Keep
The main differences are the enemy factions (Cabal or Vex) and the final boss. From my experience, Cabal Watch is the easiest, especially with the final boss being less chaotic even at high difficulty.
Your goal is simple: reach 1,000 Reclaim Progress points. Here’s how to earn points quickly:
Kill enemies: 1 point each
Collect piles of Warsat parts: 15 points (also spawns a Heavy ammo box!)
Open treasure chests: 20 points
defeat High-Value Targets: 100 points after opening their chest
Complete major objectives: 450 points + 2 revive tokens
The fastest way to max your progress is to focus on those major objectives. Pull out your Ghost to see where they’re located on the map. I recommend avoiding objectives like "Destroy Threshers" at high difficulty unless you’re fully prepared—they can be brutal.
Major Objectives Breakdown
Most major objectives involve defeating waves of enemies, but some require specific actions. Here are a few you’ll encounter:
Data Wardens: Kill ads until an Unstable Core drops. Throw it at the Wardens' shields three times to break them.
Unstable Decoder: Defeat a specific enemy to get a Radiolarian Pool buff. Use it to break shielded Cabal enemies—repeat three times.
Plate Capturing: Stand on and capture three plates marked with a star. This can get intense with modifiers.
Symbol Puzzles: Similar to the Avalon exotic mission, kill Cipher Keepers, read the floating symbols, and shoot them in the correct order.
Completing these will drop a Golden Age chest that gives you 450 points and sometimes a Boon. You can only hold one Boon at a time, but you can swap them out between areas. Some Boons are incredibly powerful, like granting explosive secondary effects on grenades or increasing damage based on incoming hits.
How to Earn Tier 5 Rewards
Now, let’s talk about the real reason you’re here: Tier 5 god rolls. To earn these, you need to achieve an A+ score in the Reclaim activity. Right now, this almost requires playing at -60 Power Delta with all challenging modifiers active. It’s tough, but the rewards—like the new crossbow, rocket launcher, and refreshed Dreaming City weapons—are worth it. If you’re chasing the powerful Malpais exotic weapon, this guide has everything you need to know to get it.
However, with the current broken Power leveling system, I’d recommend waiting until Bungie fixes it. Once you can comfortably play at -30 Delta, farming Tier 5 gear will be much more manageable. If you’re a masochist (like me), equip a survivability-focused build—Starfire Protocol Warlock or Invis Hunter work great. Mods like Tempered Armaments also help significantly against Cabal and Vex enemies.
Destiny 2 Ash and Iron Full Guide & Final Tips
Watch for featured drops in the Reclaim activity playlist—these change daily and offer better targeting for specific weapons.
Avoid transitioning between areas with your whole team at once to prevent spawning dead due to a known bug.
Use Brigs and tanks whenever available—they’re not OP, but they’re fun and can help clear objectives faster.
Focus on Cabal Watch for smoother runs, especially when aiming for high scores.
That’s it for this Destiny 2 Ash and Iron full guide! Good luck out there, and may your engrams be ever in your favor.
