Iron Banner Rift Returns In Destiny 2's Season 17

Previously, Bungie went over Iron Banner changes like rank reputation and the removal of tokens and bounties. The most recent This Week At Bungie post has gone into more detail about Iron Banner's overhaul in Destiny 2's Season 17. One of the biggest changes is the return of Crucible's team-oriented 6v6 mode from Destiny 1 called Rift.

This sporty game has players take the role of the Spark Runner. A single player from either team needs to grab the Spark from the center of the map. The Runner will need to dunk the Rift on the opposing team's side within the time limit--the Spark drops if the Runner is defeated. The other teammates need to protect the Runner because the enemy team will be watching their territory in full defense mode.

A unique feature of Iron Banner is the Hunt. The Hunt is triggered when a team in Iron Banner Control captures all the zones, earning the team extra points for defeating enemies for every kill. Once the zones reset, the Hunt is over. In Rift, the Hunt begins when a team grabs the Spark, however, kills don't add to the score in this game mode, so it's unclear what the Hunt does exactly.

There are distinctive qualities of Rift to keep in mind, such as the ability to revive teammates and a waypoint that reveals the Spark Runner's location after picking up the Spark or when the Runner receives damage. Rift will only be accessible during Iron Banner in Season 17.

Next season, Saladin will make his presence known when Bungie places him front and center in the Tower Courtyard. Without bounties and Iron Banner tokens, players can rank up with Saladin by completing matches to get Iron Engrams, similar to other PvP vendors. Players can focus their Iron Engrams on current weapons and armor pieces that players have already earned, but this exchange will cost materials. Instead of the usual bounties and quests, there will be four days of challenges. "Rewards will also stack reputation bonuses for the remainder of the week alongside a Pinnacle Iron Engram," the developer added.

To get a little rank reputation boost, players should try to win matches, wear five Iron Banner armor or ornament pieces, equip Iron Banner weapons, complete challenges, and use an Iron Banner-themed emblem which players can grab from their Collections.

Bungie also said it will disable Power level advantage to allow new and low Power level players to compete. Destiny 2 players can chase after an all-new Iron Banner Triumph Seal to become an Iron Lord too. Iron Banner will only be active during the weeks of May 31 and July 12 of Season 17.

Players haven't seen a new PvP map in ages, but Iron Banner Rift brings Disjunction, a new map tailor-made for this game mode. It's set in the swampy Disciples Bog-looking area in Savathun's Throne World. The TWAB notes that this map will still be playable in other PvP modes.

Additionally, Bungie is bringing back a previous Crucible game mode called Zone Control--it's an objective-driven game mode where kills don't add to the score. It still involves combat, but only to defeat opponents to clear the way and capture zones. Bungie added, "Zone Control will be launched via a new Crucible Labs node starting in Week 5 (June 21) and will be available until the end of the Season with the exception of when Iron Banner is live." Other Crucible changes include:

Elimination

• Like Trials of Osiris, the time limit is now 90 seconds.

Mayhem

• Points for Super kills increased to three.
• Increased score target to 200 from 150.
• Decreased time limit to seven minutes.

Rumble

• Increased time limit to 10 minutes -- it was eight before.

Showdown

• Round score targets increased to 15 from 10.

Season of the Risen ends on May 24, but players can jump into the current Iron Banner week, get rid of tokens at Saladin, or earn new loot and rewards from the annual Guardian Games.