Destiny 2 brought a new feature to the game with the release of the Monument of Triumph update, providing Guardians with a way to obtain new rewards.
This involves Distortions that move from one Destination to another, allowing Guardians to take on altered events and earn bonus rewards.
What may seem like a whole new feature is quite easy to grind, provided you understand what steps to take at the Destinations corrupted by Distortion.
How To Join Distortion Activity?
Distortions will often be corrupting one of the many Destinations that you may travel to, and you can see which one has them from the Destinations Menu.
Head to the Destination, and you will now be in an area corrupted with Distortion, which alters some of the enemies while also causing normal collectible loot to drop Strange Matter.
Distortions will be present on a Destination for an hour before moving to another one, and once this happens, their effects disappear along with them.
Distortion Activity Mechanics
Destiny 2 Distortions are simple, with the gameplay loop revolving around completing Public Events before moving on to Distortion Breaches for even more rewards.
During these activities, you may also explore or collect rewards from the events to obtain Strange Matter, which later turns into a Strange Signal once enough has been collected.
How To Farm Distortions?
The best way to farm Destiny 2 Distortions is to complete Public Events as they appear while collecting Strange Matter from enemies and loot around the affected Destination.
Once you have collected enough Strange Matter to create a Strange Signal, track it down immediately to claim its Reward Chest before continuing to farm more events.
Repeating this cycle allows you to continuously earn rewards until the Distortion moves to another Destination.
Distortion Rotation
Distortions rotate between different Destinations every hour, causing a new patrol zone to become corrupted with their effects.
You can quickly check which Destination currently has an active Distortion from the Destinations Menu before traveling there.
Once the rotation changes, the previous Destination returns to normal, and all Distortion-related mechanics move to the next location.
Distortion Public Events
Distortion Public Events are still normal Public Events, but the enemies and modifiers may change due to the active Distortion on the Destination.
Completing these events allows you to progress into the optional follow-up activity, known as a Distortion Breach.
They act as the first step in the Distortion loop, giving you early rewards while setting up access to stronger encounters.
Distortion Breaches
Distortion Breaches are optional follow-up encounters that become available after completing Public Events in a Distorted area.
These are more combat-focused activities where you fight through corrupted enemies and stronger targets for additional rewards.
Completing a Breach provides better loot and more opportunities to earn Strange Matter, making it the main follow-up step in the loop.
Opening the chest rewarded at the end of this public event also provides you with the Strange Multiplier buff, which increases the amount of Strange Matter that you obtain.
Strange Matter & Strange Signal
Collecting Strange Matter can be done at Destinations affected by Distortions, and once you collect 50 of these, it becomes a Strange Signal, of which you may only have one at a time.
Once you have a Strange Signal, check your map, and an area will be marked, allowing you to track it down and reach a Reward Chest.
Upon arriving, there will be a battle ahead, and you will need to defeat the powerful combatants guarding the chest before you can open it.
This provides you with decent rewards, including Ascendant Alloy, and if you happen to have 50 or more Strange Matter left, it will automatically turn into another Strange Signal.
Distortion Side Activities
Distortion Side Activities are optional encounters found while exploring Destinations affected by a Distortion, usually marked by a red glowing orb in the environment.
Interacting with the orb starts a short challenge where you must defeat nearby enemies or complete a small objective to progress the encounter.
Once completed, a reward chest spawns that grants loot, including Strange Matter, and also applies the Strange Multiplier buff to help increase your Strange Matter gains while farming.
Distortion Activity Rewards
Completing Public Events and Distortion Breaches rewards you with refreshed destination loot, with Heroic Public Events offering higher reward tiers and a chance for even better drops.
As you collect Strange Matter and convert it into a Strange Signal, you can track down a hidden encounter that rewards you with a chest after defeating its defenders.
The Reward Chest may contain valuable materials such as Ascendant Alloy alongside destination loot, making Distortions a worthwhile activity to farm while they are active.
Why Play Distortions?
Distortions give you a reason to revisit standard patrol Destinations by adding extra combat, modified enemies, and additional rewards on top of normal activities.
The loop is fast and simple, letting you rotate between Public Events, Breaches, and Strange Matter farming without needing a full fireteam or high coordination.
It’s also a consistent way to earn destination loot and materials like Ascendant Alloy while just playing open-world content at your own pace.
Verdict
Distortions are an easy activity to jump into and give players a good reason to revisit patrol Destinations that might otherwise be ignored.
The gameplay loop is straightforward, with Public Events, Distortion Breaches, and Strange Signals naturally leading into one another while rewarding you along the way.
If you’re looking to farm refreshed destination loot or stock up on materials like Ascendant Alloy, Distortions are well worth completing whenever they’re active.
