Intro

The Crucible is Destiny 2’s main PvP mode. It consists of several sub-modes of its own, some of which are always around, while others rotate on a weekly basis. While somewhat overshadowed by the elite PvP activities – the weekly Trials of Osiris and the monthly Iron Banner – those core modes can still offer a fun and rewarding challenge. They can also provide substantial spoils. To get the most out of them, though, you will need to understand their special rules and nuances.

How to Get In

There are no restrictions on who can access the Crucible. Even free-to-play users who are just starting out would not find it difficult to get in. The only requirement is to complete the starting story mission of New Light and meet up with Lord Shaxx, who presides over this arena. Completing this Vendor’s introductory quest will provide access to his daily bounties. Finally, completing two Quickplay (default) PvP matches with either outcome will allow you to play Competitive as well.

Rules of the Crucible

There are several universal rules that affect most Crucible modes:

Power levels do not matter. All gear stats are altered for the duration of the match to nullify the differences in levels. As a result, previously sunset weapons like The Mountaintop or Redrix’s Broadsword remain completely viable here;
Matches can end early through the mercy rule. After the first four minutes of the game, if a team gets as far as 60% of the required score before its opponents can reach 20%, join in will be blocked and the timer will skip ahead to 8 seconds before the end;
Whether premade or assigned by the algorithm, teams in most Quickplay modes are matched based on the approximate skill levels of all their players (potentially matching teams where stronger players compensate for weaker ones). Competitive and Elimination matches have more straightforward skill-based matchmaking;
Completing a Crucible match yields Powerful gear rewards, as does turning in eight bounties. Completing three matches in a week provides Pinnacle rewards.

The Modes

The mode selection has undergone considerable changes over the sci-fi shooter’s history. At present, there are three standard modes plus Survival available on a permanent basis. While the standard modes are Quickplay, Survival is the sole Competitive mode. There is also a rotation slot, which contains a mode that changes with every weekly reset.

Mode	Availability	Players	Description
Control	Permanent	6v6	Teams fight over three zones on the map. Team members capture those zones by standing within the capture range while it is clear of enemies for 10 seconds. Each team starts out controlling one zone while the third one is neutral. Capturing a zone provides 1 point and Super energy. Killing an enemy gives 1 point when controlling 0 or 1 zones, 2 points when controlling 2, 3 points when controlling 3. Otherwise similar to Clash. The game is played for 10 minutes or until a team reaches 150 points.
Clash	Weekly Rotation	6v6	Teams score 1 point for every enemy killed. Team members always respawn 5 seconds after dying, with no limits. Special Ammo spawns at three points – one on each side of the map, and one neutral. The neutral spawn happens 20 seconds in and doesn’t regenerate. Others spawn after 90 seconds and respawn 90 seconds after being collected. The game is played for 10 minutes or until a team reaches 100 points
Survival	Permanent; Competitive Playlist Only	3v3	The game consists of 2-minute rounds. Each team begins the round with a pool of four lives. Every time a team member dies, they consume one life and respawn 7 seconds later. After the team runs out of lives, killed team members go into spectator mode for the rest of the round. Victory in a round requires wiping out the other team or having more lives left when the timer runs out. In the event of a tie, the round goes into overtime. Remaining lives are lost, another minute is added to the trimer, and players must compete over a single zone (which works like the ones from Capture). The team that ends up in control of the zone when the timer runs out wins. If no team controls the zone, the round is a draw. Special Ammo spawns at one location after 60 seconds and respawns 60 seconds after being collected. The game is played until a team wins four rounds.
Survival: Freelance	Permanent; Competitive Playlist Only	3v3	Same as Survival, but restricted to the solo queue. All teams are random rather than pre-made.
Rumble	Permanent	6-player free for all	Individual players get 1 point for every enemy killed. The game is played for 10 minutes or until a player reaches 30 points.
Showdown	Weekly Rotation	4v4	Similar to Clash, but the game is split up into 4-minute rounds. Also, team members can take away points from the enemy by reviving downed teammates. Revives are unlimited. Victory in a round requires earning 10 points or having more points when the round ends. If the score is 2-2, the final round involves fighting over a single zone as in Survival. The game is played until a team wins three rounds.
Elimination	Permanent	3v3	Similar to Survival, but there is no life pool. Instead, team members can try to revive downed teammates after a short period of time. Revives are unlimited. Rounds last for 90 seconds and are won when a team has no surviving players. If both teams survive, the round is a tie. The game is played until a team wins 5 rounds. The mercy rule does not apply here.
Mayhem	Weekly Rotation	6v6	Similar to Clash, but with the following differences. All abilities and Supers charge up much faster. Ability or Super kills give 3 points, while standard kills still give 1. Special Ammo spawns much more frequently. Player respawns occur almost immediately. The game is played for 10 minutes or until a team reaches 125 points.

Because it is the only remaining Competitive mode, winning Survival matches is the only way to go up in Glory Rank. Losing matches can make you lose rank. All other modes contribute towards progress in Valor Rank. Here you will gain points whether you win or lose, though victories give more points. Progression in both systems can be sped up through winning streaks – several wins in a row provide increasing point bonuses. Ranking up in either system is another source of rewards.

Get Your Gear

Being properly equipped is as critical as ever in any of the regular Crucible modes. As the power levels are disabled, innate stats become more important. Mobility, Resilience, and Recovery are the main strengths to look for in your armor sets, as they all increase your chances of survival when facing human opponents. Armor mods can provide an additional edge, whether through simple stat boosts or more complex benefits.

Selecting weapons is trickier, as there are many valid options. Losing the power effects creates a much more varied meta. Ultimately, your decision should be based on what best suits your playstyle and the rest of your loadout. That said, it is wise to pay attention to the current meta. The likes of the Suros Regime, No Time to Explain, and Crimson are dominant thanks to their sheer versatility. Hand cannons, including more conventional variants like Luna’s Howl or the new Igneous Hammer, are probably the single most popular class because of their sheer reliability.

Just having the right guns isn’t enough, of course. If you want to excel in the Crucible, you should take the time to practice, possibly in private matches. Get used to the feel and the firing patterns of your chosen weapons. Work on your headshots, as they are the quickest way to take down targets. Practice using the other tools at your disposal as well, such as your abilities and Supers, which generally matter more here than in PvE. Try out different subclasses to find which one suits your style most. Alternatively, you may do the Stasis Fragment quests to improve your mastery of the currently most powerful element in the Crucible.

Tactics and Teamwork

Mastering weapons and powers are only half the battle. Dedicated players will want to examine deeper layers of the Crucible’s gameplay, beginning with the terrain. Each mode has a limited pool of maps. Studying them through private matches could be very useful for figuring out the best approach. By identifying likely obstacles and choke points in advance, you could anticipate and counter enemy maneuvers. PvP coaching can reveal additional uses for map knowledge, as well as other useful tricks.

When the time comes for actual play, there are several best practices to keep in mind:

Communicate with your teammates. A cohesive team can counter almost any threat by watching each other’s backs and coordinating weapon and ability use. It can also split up to pursue different objectives and cover for each other in different areas of the map, without losing track of the big picture;
Keep track of your enemies. Watch the red dots on the mini-map. Pay attention to their movements, ability use, and what resources they may be holding back. Call out anything that seems threatening to your teammates, so you are not caught off guard by their plans;
Play it safe. In most modes, not dying is even more important than killing your enemies, as death drains your team’s resources and/or adds points to the enemy. Don’t rush into danger and don’t be afraid to retreat if you are outmatched. So long as you hold on to your resources, you will be able to strike back more effectively when there is a good opening;
Secure the Special Ammo. This rare resource spawns at specific points and powers some of the most dangerous weapons, such as Witherhoard. If used at the right time, those weapons can turn the tide of battle. Denying them to the enemy can be even more important than deploying them yourself, though you should be careful not to die and drop the ammo for your opponents to pick up.

Mode Tips

In addition to those generally applicable tips, there are some more specific points to consider that emerge from the rules and win conditions of the modes.

Control: Playing defensively is usually the more sound option, especially if you already hold two zones. A reckless attack can cost you this advantage while giving score to the enemy. Area-of-effect weapons support this strategy, especially ones like The Prospector that can mine the terrain.

Clash: This mode is straightforwardly focused on kills, making it even more important to avoid getting killed yourself. Use ambushes, especially to deny enemies access to Special Ammo at the spawn points. Stick together with at least one other ally for safety and strength in numbers.

Survival: Dying in this mode is a direct drain on team resources, so take pains to avoid it. Moving in larger groups would help both escape enemy attacks unharmed and take quick advantage of whatever opportunities might appear. Limited revives can make any casualties daunting, but they also enable dramatic reversals if your enemy is lulled into a false sense of security.

Rumble: The fast pace and the fact that Valor is given out to the top three players make it a very convenient Mode for advancement. You don’t have teams to worry about, but you also don’t have any backup. The best approach may be to intervene in firefights, picking off distracted targets.

Showdown: Teamwork is especially critical in this mode. Teammates should stick together to be ready to revive each other as well as gun down enemies. If the match is a close one, it is wise to save resources such as Supers for the final confrontation.

Elimination: The goals and shorter rounds encourage more aggressive play. Teamwork is, again, important for timely revives. However, it may be even more important for a quick push to take out the opposing team. A good variety of versatile mid-range weapons, including assault rifles or shotguns like the Astral Horizon, could perform particularly well here.

Mayhem: This mode is especially whimsical and chaotic due to the greater availability of high-powered options. Victory is more down to luck than usual, but creative use of powers and area-of-effect weapons can tilt the odds in your favor. For example, you can use cheap grenades to corral opponents into your or your allies’ killzones before using an ability. Whether you play to win or not, this is also an excellent opportunity to try out powerful but unwieldy weapons like the Merciless.

Conclusion

Crucible matches are an important part of the Destiny 2 experience. While it is possible to avoid them entirely, they are a major source of Powerful rewards early in the leveling process and also feature prominently in the new seasonal challenges. Since the shooter’s launch, the PvP system has often evolved, with modes and maps being added or removed. It has not changed as much in recent months, causing some fans to complain about limited variety and stagnation. Nevertheless, the developers’ ongoing work on matchmaking algorithms suggests that they understand the Crucible’s significance, and may improve on it in the near future.

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