Destiny 2’s Guardian Games 2021 is here, so it’s time to prove which class has a higher tolerance for grinding. With Titans prevailing last year, Hunters and Warlocks are looking to knock these punch-happy Guardians off the podium. Similar to the previous event, players will need to collect colored motes called Laurels to complete various quests and bounties tied to the event. So if you’re looking to participate in Guardian Games this year, you’ll want to make sure you’re collecting as many Laurels as possible.
How to Get Laurels
Laurels are produced by killing enemies and minibosses with Supers, grenades, or charged melee abilities in any activity except Gambit or Crucible. Unlike last year, if you are playing either of these modes a set amount of Laurels will be distributed at the end of the match. Additionally, Laurels can be obtained by completing Weekly Bounties given out by Eva. Anyone who plays in the special Guardian Games Playlist can earn extra Laurels, so make sure to grind in there when you can.
Keep in mind, you need to be wearing this year’s Guardian Games Class Item, otherwise, you will not produce any Laurels. If you have the previous Guardian Games Class Item equipped you won’t make any. You will use Laurels to complete bounties, Contender Cards, and earn rewards from Eva. Laurels are color-coded and players can pick up any type of Laurel — even if they aren’t the ones who produced it. Here’s a quick look at which color represents which Destiny 2 class:
- Yellow – Warlock
- Red – Titan
- Blue – Hunter
These are worth points, which will make progress towards your quest, medals, and bounties. You will get one point for picking up Laurels the opposing class produces and three for ones of your own. So if I’m a Warlock and I pick up a Hunter Laurel I will only earn a single point, while one of my own nets three. The game doesn’t physically drop extra Laurels, just their value is weighed differently. You will not earn Laurels by completing activities.
Where to Farm Laurels
If you are looking to farm Laurels then there are a few good choices at your disposal. The absolute best is the Daily Focus playlist when it’s tied to Strikes. This playlist matches you with only those playing your classes, allowing you to have a constant stream of Laurels throughout. I suggest rocking any type of mob clearing Super, as this will let you generate a ton of Laurels.
Regular strikes are always a solid option since they coincide with the Medals and bounties for Guardian Games. Keep in mind you will need to do the Strike playlist for some Medals. But if you are looking to solely farm Laurels, one of the best places is in the Last Wish raid. Load up this activity, head to the wishing wall, and enter Shuro Chi’s wish. When you arrive, drop a Raid Banner, start the encounter and kill everything in the first room. Then let some of the remaining enemies kill you so you can repeat this process. So long as you have Raid Banners, you can constantly refresh your abilities before fighting through a densely packed room of Taken.
However, if this doesn’t sound appealing then there are a few other spots that are great for farming Laurels. Both the Blind Well and Altars of Sorrow are flooded with low-tier enemies you can easily kill. Personally, I prefer Blind Well since you can pick up the Light Orbs to rapidly recharge your Super. Alternatively, the Kings Dock Lost Sector in the Tangled Shore is very short and boasts a ton of enemies.
Warlock Laurel Farming
For Warlocks, there are two builds I strongly suggest using if you want to have an easier time farming. First is the top tree Dawnblade and Sunbracers combo. This lets you constantly refresh your melee ability, so you can spam Solar grenades at your enemies. It’s a blunt, but effective strategy that allows you to easily produce a ton of Laurels for you and your team.
For those who prefer Arc, Getaway Artist, Monte Carlo, and middle tree Stormcaller gives you a different avenue for collecting Laurels. Alternatively, you can use Chaos Reach and Geomag Stabilizers which are still quite potent in PVP. While not as efficient as the Solar build, it can be quite effective and far more hands-free. Stasis and Void can be a little awkward, but if you do want to use Void then make sure to wear Nezarec’s Sin.
Hunter Laurel Farming
Hunters have some pretty solid options, but my personal favorite is a combination of top tree Arcstrider, Liar’s Handshake, and your bottom dodge roll. Together, these allow you to just roll around enemies to refresh your melee charge to full so you can punch them. So long as there are foes around, you will always get your melee back if you roll close to them. It’s completely possible to clear out an entire room by just charged melee punches with this build.
If tumbling around like you’re in a washing machine isn’t your jam, then the Raiden Flux, Shards of Galanor, and Gwisin Vest helped extend the duration of your Super. It’s not as flashy, but you’ll be able to make good use of your Super with these exotics. The Hunter’s Stasis subclass is also a solid option since it can clear an entire room of enemies. Personally, I like using Mask of Bakris with this class since it gives us a nice damage boost.
Titan Laurel Farming
Finally, Titans should absolutely rock the Hallowfire Heart as it greatly increases your ability regeneration when your Super is full. This trade-off is well worth it since you’ll be able to spam grenades and Titan punches with far more frequency. Combine this with your middle tree Hammer of Sol to constantly have your flaming hammer off cooldown. Just make sure to pick it up after you throw it! Insurmountable Skullfort, Severance Enclosure, Armamentarium, and the Heart of Inmost Light are all decent backup plans if you feel like using other sub-classes.
