Destiny 2 Edge of Fate guide: All new features
The Edge of Fate expansion for Destiny 2 is coming this summer. Learn all about the lore, trailers, leaks, spoilers, and new features in our complete guide.
Table of Contents
Key takeaways:
- Edge of Fate is live.
- The Matterspark ability adds high-speed traversal and puzzle mechanics.
- Heavy Crossbows join as a powerful new weapon archetype with elemental bolt types.
- Armor 3.0 and a new gear tier system bring loadout depth and build bonuses.
- Dozens of balance updates hit subclasses, exotic armor, and grenades.
The Edge of Fate expansion has arrived, and Bungie has revealed all the key details through livestreams, trailers, and patch notes. Here’s a full breakdown of everything included in Destiny 2’s latest major chapter.
Related posts:
Much of the new content was showcased through videos, with help from YouTube creators. We’ll share the top reveal videos below.
Destiny 2 Edge of Fate trailer
Watch the cinematic trailer for the Edge of Fate expansion.
Edge of Fate gameplay trailer
And here is the gameplay trailer with more in-game details.
Edge of Fate launch trailer
Also, check out the Edge of Fate launch trailer, released on July 1, just two weeks before the Edge of Fate release.
Edge of Fate key features and lore
Here’s everything you need to know about the Edge of Fate expansion, including Exotics, Weapons, Armor 3.0 and more.
Edge of Fate key features
Here’s a quick list of all the key features in Edge of Fate:
- Kepler Destination – A new icy location with open-ended exploration and puzzle-based progression.
- Non-Linear Campaign – Missions can be completed in any order based on player choice.
- Matterspark Ability – A new power used to access blocked areas and solve environmental challenges.
- Armor 3.0 System – All armor now supports full modding, Masterwork, and set bonuses.
- Gear Tiering System – New gear tiers provide stacking damage and resistance bonuses.
- New Weapon Type – Heavy Crossbows
- Melee and Glaive Rework – Melee damage is now additive, and glaives count as melee for mods.
- Ability Balance Update – Dozens of subclass tweaks, grenade buffs, and dodge changes.
- Firing Range in Tower – A testing zone for weapons, builds, and subclass tuning.
- Year of Prophecy Model – A new seasonal structure with expansions every six months.
- Ash and Iron update – Next Edge of Fate chapter launching in September 2025.
New content structure: Year of Prophecy
Destiny 2 shifts to a new seasonal model called the “Year of Prophecy,” beginning with Edge of Fate. Instead of one big expansion per year, Bungie will now release shorter, six-month expansions with free mid-season updates, bringing more frequent updates and experimentation such as Ash & Iron in September 2025.
The second expansion in Year of Prophecy cycle will be called Renegades and will feature a Star Wars collaboration. Release date: December 2025. Learn more in our Renegades guide.
Edge of Fate story mission
One of the key additions in Edge of Fate is Kepler, a new location set far out in the Oort Cloud. Unlike past patrol areas, Kepler drops the usual linear path and takes a more open approach. The environment is built to support exploration, with icy terrain, hidden tunnels, and blocked zones that can only be entered after gaining new powers like the Matterspark ability.
The campaign is also non-linear. Instead of going from one mission to the next in a fixed order, players can explore at their own pace, choose where to go first, and unlock areas in the order they prefer. This setup gives more control over how the story is experienced, with chances to find extra lore, discover hidden paths, and complete objectives in different ways.
Discover the lore behind Edge of Fate in this video (but be aware of the spoilers!).
And here’s the Edge of Fate endgame content banner, revealing more details about what’s coming in the expansion.
Edge of Fate Matterspark
One of the biggest additions in Edge of Fate is the Matterspark ability, which players unlock while exploring Kepler. At its core, it lets you turn into a ball of Arc energy and shoot through tight tunnels, enemy lines, and hidden routes. This makes it a key tool for both movement and puzzle-solving.
As you progress, you can upgrade Matterspark to make it more powerful in combat. The first upgrade lets you charge the ability by collecting cores and hitting enemies. Once charged, it blasts out energy that breaks shields and opens blocked paths. The second upgrade removes the time limit, so you can activate it freely on Kepler. It also gives you bonus damage resistance while active. The final upgrade adds more power in fights. Your dash and blast will jolt enemies, causing extra Arc damage over time. Your weapons reload automatically, and your health starts healing the moment you use Matterspark.
Destiny 2 Tower Shooting Range
A new Shooting Range feature is now available in the Tower. This area lets you test weapons, mods, and subclasses in a controlled environment. You can spawn different types of targets, including Champions and mini-bosses, and customize loadouts to see how they perform.
Edge of Fate raid – The Desert Perpetual
We’ve gathered all the information about the Edge of Fate raid The Desert Perpetual, including the release date, theme, and more, in this complete Edge of Fate raid The Desert Perpetual guide.
Edge of Fate Arms week
Here’s the new Edge of Fate event called Arms Week. More details are still to be announced.
Edge of Fate new gear system
Edge of Fate brings a lot of changes to the gear system, and even experienced players may find it a bit confusing at first. While some have criticized the new Edge of Fate setup, it’s still early, and we’ll have to see how it plays out over time. Below are the main features of the new gearing system, including updates to weapons and armor, new exotics, legendary gear, and the full rollout of Armor 3.0.
New gear tier and Recovery system
Edge of Fate introduces a new gear tiering system, which ranks weapons and armor from Tier 1 to Tier 5 based on the activity difficulty they drop from. The higher the tier, the stronger the base stats and the more impact the gear has on your build. Wearing multiple pieces of this new gear grants stacking bonuses, including up to 10% increased weapon damage and 15% damage resistance when wearing full sets.
Alongside the tier system, a recovery mechanic has been added to help ease the pain of accidentally dismantled or lost items. Players can now recover recently earned high-tier gear through a new tab at The Emissary, reducing the risk of losing rewards.
Armor 3.0
Edge of Fate updates the entire armor system with Armor 3.0, giving players more control over how they use mods and manage stats. All armor pieces now support universal mod slots, so you can place any mod on any piece without worrying about slot types or energy restrictions. This makes it easier to build loadouts and switch gear without needing extra copies of the same items.
- Armor stats now cap at 200, with scaling diminishing above 100.
- Armor 3.0 introduces 2-piece and 4-piece bonuses for matching sets.
Armor is also grouped by stat types like offense, defense, or support. Wearing multiple pieces from the same group gives you small bonuses that support your playstyle. Exotic armor has been adjusted to match this system, and now allows full Masterwork upgrades and free mod usage.
Edge of Fate featured gear
A new feature called Featured Gear is also being added. Starting with Edge of Fate, some Exotic weapons and armor will be marked as Featured and will get the same stacking bonuses as new high-tier gear. The Featured list will change with each expansion and major update. At launch, this includes 28 Exotic weapons and 15 Exotic armor pieces per class, including all new Exotics from Edge of Fate. If your favorite exotic isn’t featured right now, you can still use it in nearly all activities without problems.
Check out this list of featured Exotic gear in Edge of Fate.
Edge of Fate Exotics
Edge of Fate adds a new set of Exotic weapons and armor that support new builds and help players interact more directly with subclass effects and the updated armor system. These Exotics are designed to work well with Armor 3.0 and the gear bonus system, giving players more reasons to test out different loadouts. Here is a list of all known Exotic weapons and armor coming with Edge of Fate, along with a short explanation for each one.
- Graviton Spike
A Hand Cannon that switches between Arc and Stasis modes. Arc final blows cause lightning strikes, while Stasis mode creates crystals that explode. - Third Iteration
A Void Scout Rifle that fires either a wide burst from the hip or a single precision shot when aiming. Landing hits while targets are marked grants invisibility and extra damage. - New Land Beyond
A Kinetic Sniper Rifle with a stacking precision buff called “The Master.” It also improves reload and handling after landing headshots. - Exotic Rocket Launcher
A fourth Exotic weapon linked to the Strand subclass is expected, possibly as a heavy weapon rewarded through a secret mission or raid.
Edge of Fate Exotic Armor:
- Eunoia Exotic Warlock Gautlets
Improves the Solar Hellion ability. Solar Souls now explode and send out fireball fragments that chase nearby enemies. - Moirai Exotic Hunter Chest
Upgrades the Strand melee ability. After exploding a Tangle, the melee weapon returns quickly, letting you use it more often. - Melas Panoplia Titan Gauntlets
Buffs the Solar Throwing Hammer. Picking up Firesprites or getting kills activates a mode where recalling the hammer causes an explosion and keeps the buff going.
Edge of Fate new Power progression
- Starting Power: 10
- Power Band: 10–200
- Progressing Beyond 200:
After hitting the Power Cap of 200, players can keep increasing their Power through gear that grants Seasonal Bonus Power. - Seasonal Bonus Power
Now integrated directly into weapons and armor. Earn it by completing challenging PvE content (customizable by the player) and competitive PvP like Trials and Competitive Crucible. - Max Power potential
Players can achieve up to 450 Total Power (Base Power + Seasonal Bonus Power). - Portal progression system
Achieving high performance in Portal activities steadily boosts Power up to 400 Total Power. - Prime Engrams (400–450)
These upgraded engrams now drop gear with significantly higher Power and Gear Tier compared to standard rewards. - No weekly limits
Prime Engrams are no longer capped weekly. Their drop rates scale with your performance in Portal activities.
Later This Season – Ash & Iron update
- Power cap extension:
Total Power can now be increased to 550. - Enhanced Portal rewards:
Standard Portal drops will scale up to 500 Total Power. - Prime Engrams:
Capable of dropping gear all the way up to the new Hard Cap of 550. - Tier 5 Gear unlocked:
Upon reaching 500 Total Power, you’ll start receiving Tier 5 gear as regular drops. These come with unique appearances and the highest stat rolls available.
Edge of Fate Artifact Perks
New Artifact perks arrive with Edge of Fate and are set to shake up Destiny 2. Here’s a quick look at all the perks you can unlock.
Column 1
- Anti-Barrier Scout and Pulse – Scout and Pulse rifles shoot rounds that pierce shields and stun Barrier champions.
- Unstoppable Sidearm and Hand Cannon – ADS for a short time adds a stun payload against Unstoppable champions.
- Unstoppable Sniper – Sniper rifles stun Unstoppable champions when ADS.
- Overload Shotgun – Shotguns fire disrupting rounds that stun Overload champions.
- Overload Rapid Fire – Auto rifles and SMGs with continuous fire stun Overload champions.
Column 2
- Flame, Fiber, and Freeze – Combines Solar/Strand and Solar/Stasis siphon mods into a single perk.
- Diviner’s Discount – Reduces cost of all Scavenger mods.
- One With Frost – Frost Armor grants Stasis weapons better reload and stability, and boosts Stasis swords’ guard.
- Tightly Woven – Woven Mail buff increases Super and grenade stats.
- Rapid Precision Rifling – Precision kills with Scout Rifles improve reload speed and reduce flinch.
Column 3
- Fever and Chill – Solar precision hits grant Radiant, Stasis hits give Frost Armor.
- Elemental Benevolence – Applying an elemental buff to allies grants them Class ability energy.
- Frost Renewal – Getting critically hit while Frost Armor is active freezes nearby enemies and refreshes Frost Armor on you and allies.
- Reciprocal Draw – Getting a final blow (non-Sidearm) boosts the next Sidearm drawn.
- Refresh Threads – Picking up an elemental orb or Tangle while using a Strand Super gives energy to your least charged ability.
Column 4
- Threaded Blast – Strand damage destroys a Tangle with increased blast radius and damage.
- Cauterized Darkness – Stasis or Strand-debuffed enemies take extra Solar damage.
- Elemental Daze – Stunning a Champion with an element weapon triggers an elemental explosion that applies debuffs.
- Shoulder to Shoulder – Sustained precision damage near two or more allies grants damage resistance.
- Elemental Coalescence – Killing enemies may spawn elemental orbs based on your Super element.
Column 5
- Radiant Shrapnel – Sustained weapon damage during Radiant or killing scorched enemies releases Solar projectiles that scorch.
- Shieldcrush – While shielded or buffed (Woven Mail, Frost Armor, Void overshield), melee and grenades recharge and hit harder; effects differ by buff type.
- Elemental Overdrive – Picking up orbs or Tangled enemies boosts damage of weapons with the same element.
- Tangled Web – Creating a Tangle suspends nearby enemies for crowd control.
- Frigid Glare – Stasis precision final blows freeze nearby enemies when Frost Armor is active.
Edge of Fate Heavy Crossbow
Edge of Fate introduces Heavy Crossbows, a new weapon archetype revealed in the latest Destiny 2 livestream. These semi-auto or single-shot weapons offer high impact, precision utility, and unique bolt effects like poison or suppression. Crossbows may use Primary ammo, allow bolt recovery, and feature subclass synergies. Learn more in our Destiny 2 Edge of Fate Heavy Crossbow guide.
Edge of Fate cosmetics
Here are the new Edge of Fate Exotic ornaments for both armor and weapons.
And this is Eververse sets, coming with Edge of Fate:
Edge of Fate Emblems
Here are all the Emblems coming in Edge of Fate. Most of their earning methods are still unknown.
Edge of Fate balance changes
Edge of Fate brings many balance changes to Destiny 2, with more likely to be revealed soon. Here are the key updates confirmed so far.
Ability and Subclass changes
Titan
- Shield Throw tracking increased by 77%
- Consecration and Drengr’s Lash lose one fragment slot each
- Barricades with Storm’s Keep no longer stack effects
Hunter
- Gambler’s Dodge returns melee energy based on discipline stat
- Gunpowder Gamble deals less self-damage and has a faster charge
- Ascension and Winter’s Shroud now offer fewer fragment slots
- On Your Mark now grants Radiance and a stack on class ability use
Warlock
- Weaver’s Call now generates threadlings from any final blow
- Pocket Singularity deals 20% more damage to regular enemies and 56% more to bosses
- Hellion and Bleak Watcher aspects lose one fragment slot each
General
- All grenades deal 15% more damage to Champions and bosses
- Devour healing lowered from 200 to 140 HP
- Strand Suspend now lasts 6 seconds
- Stasis Shatter now stuns Overload Champions
- Flux Grenade cooldown reduced and projectile size increased
Exotic Armor
Hunter
- Dragon’s Shadow reloads current weapon on dodge and boosts stability
- Mask of Bakris grants stacking damage bonuses and restores ability energy
- Speedloader Slacks improves reload reliability and buffs stats after dodge
- Khepri’s Sting releases weakening smoke on melee kills
Warlock
- Starfire Protocol now benefits from Radiant-powered damage
- Wings of Sacred Dawn grants Restoration and reloads on Solar kills
- Promethium Spur improves Solar Rift functionality
- Felwinter’s Helm debuffs enemies hit by powered melee
- Boots of the Assembler adjusted for better healing
- Geomag Stabilizers charge more super energy from bolt hits
- Sanguine Alchemy now has a cooldown after swapping
Titan
- Crest of Alpha Lupi now grants healing with Void and Solar barricades
- Mk. 44 Stand Asides charge up on sprint and buff melee
- Phoenix Cradle extends Sunspot duration
- Path of Burning Steps buffs Solar weapon and Ignition damage
- Abeyant Leap extends Strand tether effects
- Actium War Rig increases damage from auto and machine gun kills
Melee/Guard Buffs
- Athrys’s Embrace, Liar’s Handshake, Ophidia Spathe, Triton Vice, and Winter’s Guile deal more melee damage in PvE
- Heart of Inmost Light, Peregrine Greaves, Synthoceps, Wormgod Caress, and Wishful Ignorance improve melee effects
Here’s everything we know so far about the Edge of Fate expansion in Destiny 2. Stay tuned, as we’ll continue to update this article as new information becomes available. Need a hand with your current expansion goals? Check out our Destiny 2 raid carry services to make your journey smoother.
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