Destiny 2 Solstice of Heroes 2021 armor objectives list, upgrades, and more

Destiny 2 Solstice of Heroes 2021 runs July 6 through August 3, and that means players of all classes have a chance to get special armor glows for their Guardians. In this guide, we explain what Solstice of Heroes is, how to start the annual event, and what you’ll need to do to upgrade your armor.

But first: What are your favorite games and platforms of 2021, and what future releases are you most excited about? Take our poll!

How to start Solstice of Heroes in Destiny 2

Solstice of Heroes 2021 is open to all players of Destiny 2 and can be kicked off by visiting Eva Levante at the Tower Courtyard. She’ll introduce you to the European Aerial Zone activity and offer up your first piece of Solstice armor for the year.

What is the European Aerial Zone and how do you get Solstice Key Fragments?

The central activity for Solstice of Heroes in the European Aerial Zone. It’s a three-player matchmade activity where teams fight against a string of tough bosses on a time limit. The rewards for engaging with this activity include Solstice Key Fragments and Solstice Packages.

True to their names, Solstice Key Fragments are required to open Solstice Packages. These packages can contain armor pieces, weapons, materials, and rerolls of the Compass Rose Shotgun that will be exclusive to the event for now. To get more Key Fragments along the way, players should also be sure to grab some Solstice Bounties from Eva as well.

How to upgrade each set of Solstice Armor

While players get Solstice Armor pieces for opening Solstice Packages with Solstice Key Fragments, the real draw of the event is upgrading that armor to receive certain glows. To upgrade each piece of armor, players must be wearing it while completing the desired activity based on challenges for each piece. Once you complete the challenge for all four pieces in the set, return to Eva for the full upgrade. Here are the upgrade challenges we know so far:

Titan Sunstead Armor (Renewed)

• Complete Lost Sectors on the Tangled Shore
• Collect Solar orbs in free roam on any destination
• Defeat combatants with precision damage
• Complete Patrols in the Cosmodrome
• In the European Aerial Zone, collect Elemental Orbs that match the daily element
• Defeat combatants with Super abilities
• Complete public events on the EDZ
• Collect Arc or Stasis orbs in Strikes, Crucible, or Gambit playlist activities
• Defeat Guardians in Crucible or Gambit
• Complete Strikes, Crucible, or Gambit Playlist activities
• Open Solstice packages
• Defeat Hive
• Complete the European Aerial Zone activity
• Collect Elemental Orbs
• Defeat combatants in the European Aerial Zone while matching the daily elemental burn

Titan Sunstead Armor (Majestic)

• Complete Altars of Sorrow on the Moon or Blind Well on the Dreaming City
• Collect Void or Stasis elemental orbs in Strikes, Crucible, or Gambit playlist activities
• Defeat combatants with Void melee abilities
• Complete public events in Europa
• Collect Solstice Armor from Solstice packages or European Aerial Zone chests
• Defeat combatants with Solar weapons
• Complete Nightfall Strikes or Competitive PVP matches in Trials or Glory playlists
• Collect Solstice package keys
• Defeat combatants with Arc Grenades
• Complete Lost Sectors on the Dreaming City
• Collect Arc elemental orbs in the European Aerial Zone activity
• Defeat powerful Hive

Warlock Celestine Armor (Renewed)

• Complete Patrols in the EDZ
• In the European Aerial Zone, collect Elemental Orbs that match the daily element
• Defeat combatants with Super abilities
• Complete public events on the Tangled Shore
• Collect Void or Stasis orbs in Strikes, Crucible, or Gambit playlist activities
• Defeat Guardians in Crucible or Gambit
• Complete Strikes, Crucible, or Gambit Playlist activities
• Open Solstice packages
• Defeat Cabal
• Complete Lost Sectors on the Cosmodrome
• Collect Solar orbs in free roam on any destination
• Defeat Combatants with precision damage
• Complete the European Aerial Zone activity
• Collect Elemental Orbs
• Defeat combatants in the European Aerial Zone while matching the daily elemental burn

Warlock Celestine Armor (Majestic)

• Complete Altars of Sorrow on the Moon or Blind Well on the Dreaming City
• Collect Solar or Stasis elemental orbs in Strikes, Crucible or Gambit playlist activities
• Defeat combatants with Solar melee abilities
• Complete Lost Sectors on the Moon
• Collect Void elemental orbs in the European Aerial Zone activity
• Defeat powerful Fallen
• Complete Nightfall Strikes or Competitive PVP matches in Trials or Glory playlists
• Collect Solstice package keys
• Defeat combatants with Void Grenades
• Complete public events in the Dreaming City
• Collect Solstice Armor from Solstice packages or European Aerial Zone chests
• Defeat combatants with Arc weapons

Hunter Illuminus Armor (Renewed)

• Complete Lost Sectors on the EDZ
• Collect Void orbs in free roam on any destination
• Defeat combatants with precision damage
• Complete Patrols in the Tangled Shore
• In the European Aerial Zone, collect Elemental Orbs that match the daily element
• Defeat combatants with Super abilities
• Complete public events on the Cosmodrome
• Collect Arc or Stasis orbs in Strikes, Crucible, or Gambit playlist activities
• Defeat Guardians in Crucible or Gambit
• Complete Strikes, Crucible, or Gambit Playlist activities
• Open Solstice packages
• Defeat Fallen
• Complete the European Aerial Zone activity
• Collect Elemental Orbs
• Defeat combatants in the European Aerial Zone while matching the daily elemental burn

Hunter Illuminus Armor (Majestic)

• Complete Altars of Sorrow on the Moon or Blind Well on the Dreaming City
• Collect Arc or Stasis elemental orbs in Strikes, Crucible or Gambit playlist activities
• Defeat combatants with Arc melee abilities
• Complete Lost Sectors on Europa
• Collect Solar elemental orbs in the European Aerial Zone activity
• Defeat powerful Cabal
• Complete Nightfall Strikes or Competitive PVP matches in Trials or Glory playlists
• Collect Solstice package keys
• Defeat combatants with Solar Grenades
• Complete public events on the Moon
• Collect Solstice Armor from Solstice packages or European Aerial Zone chests
• Defeat combatants with Void weapons

All Classes (Magnificent)

• Defeat Champions or defeat Guardians in Competitive PVP to enable the armor’s white glow
• Complete Nightfall on Master or Grandmaster difficulty to enable the armor’s white glow
• Complete any raid to enable the armor’s white glow
• Complete Legendary or Master Lost Sectors to enable the armor’s white glow

All other armor sets must be completed by reset on August 3 when the event ends, with the exception of Magnificent. Those challenging objectives can be completed in perpetuity provided you’ve done enough grinding to get that far.

What are Armor Accelerants?

A new feature for Solstice of Heroes 2021 is Armor Accelerants. There are four types of accelerants (Rare I, Rare II, Legendary I, Legendary II) designed to help shorten the grind for additional characters of other classes you may have. Since you get better accelerants the more you level up your main character, it’s best to get your primary Guardian to its highest level before switching to a secondary one.

How does Elemental Empowerment work?

The last major facet of Solstice of Heroes is Elemental Empowerment. Each day Bungie will prioritize a certain element like Arc, Solar, or Void. Kills with that type of weapon will yield orbs that offer a special buff. During solstice 2020, collecting orbs of the daily element offered buffs to speed, invisibility, and AoE effects. In a new twist, Prism Days will also occur, which offer instant elemental buffs regardless of the type of weapon you choose to use. Most days, however, will be restricted to one elemental buff.