New Destiny 2 Contact Public Event: how to trigger Heroic & full guide

Season 11 of Destiny 2 is upon us and the Season of Arrivals has introduced a brand new Public Event. The activity plays out very similar to a round of Gambit, but there’s more to it than first meets the eye. Here’s our full breakdown.

Public Events have been a staple throughout the history of Destiny. Short and simple bite-sized encounters for strangers to unite around and take down a common threat. Season of Arrivals has brought with it a new Public Event as players are tasked with banking motes underneath a pyramid ship.

The mechanics of this activity will feel very familiar if you’re a Gambit expert, though there are a few new functions in play. Triggering the Heroic version of the event is rather simple on paper but requires some fast-paced teamwork. Here’s an in-depth overview of the encounter and how you can trigger Heroic every time around. 

Destiny 2 Contact Public Event Guide

The purpose of the new Public Event is to “make first contact” with the looming threat of The Darkness. Across multiple destinations, their ominous pyramid ships will appear. It’s up to you and strangers nearby to fend off the evil forces.

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Contact plays out in four separate stages, each of which requires players to bank a certain amount of motes before eliminating blockers. This is no different to a standard game of Gambit.

Banks have to be charged with motes all the way up to 100%. Then the activity will transition and you’ll have two minutes to clear out blockers. These enemies will be easy enough to dispatch in large groups.

If all four rounds are successfully completed in the allotted time, a boss fight will close things out. The Will of Quria will spawn in for the standard version of the Public Event.

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As per usual, the boss is quite the bullet sponge, so you’ll find strength in numbers. Once you take down this final foe, you’ll be rewarded in kind, no different to every other Public Event that came before. If you’re looking for even more of a challenge and even more loot, however, read on for our Heroic guide.

How to trigger Heroic mode for the Contact Public Event

If you want to activate the Heroic version of the Contact Public Event, you’re going to need to be quick. A line of text will appear on screen throughout the four rounds of mote-collecting: “Concentrated Darkness coalesces nearby.” The pyramid ship above will be casting a direct beam of light in a certain area. You’ll need to rush here and wipe out the Champion enemies in close proximity.

Blooms will appear in these locations each round and if you’re not fast enough, Champions will collect them and prevent you from activating Heroic. Players have to find each and every bloom throughout the activity and bank it before each round ends.

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Repeating this process will eventually spawn in a much more difficult boss compared to the regular version. The Taken Pyromaster appears and “draws power from a nearby pylon.” Its shield will be impenetrable until this pylon is destroyed.

Its health bar is split into chunks and with each chunk, new mini-bosses will spawn in as well. This is no easy battle, but again, you’ll find strength in numbers. 

Whether you take down the standard boss or the Heroic threat, a chest will be yours to open upon completion. Finishing the higher-tier challenge will net you two Umbral Engrams for your efforts.

As Season 11 unfolds and Year 4 draws near, we’ll keep you updated with new information as it becomes available.