Fundamentals

These are the core techniques that will always allow you to play efficiently and compete at the highest level no matter who you are playing against.

Center your screen

Destiny 2 is a first-person shooter at its core and so that means, no matter how much of a wacky, ability-drunk, unbalanced shooter it may be, it still uses the same techniques as any other first-person shooter to be successful. In first-person shooters, you always want your reticle to be in the center of your screen. This provides a consistent reference point on your screen making it easier to acquire your target. This also helps with achieving more precise aim. The shorter the distance you have to snap to the target, the quicker you can start doing damage. This is called Reticle Discipline.

Find the fight

Finding the fight equates to your kill participation and wanting to make sure that percentage is as high as possible. Finding the fight is important because it aligns with one of the two cardinal rules of dealing damage which is just being present and being involved in the fight. You cannot deal damage if you aren’t there at the fight in the first place. You can find the fight by listening for shots, locating high-traffic engage areas, and just tuning into your overall map awareness. When you hear shots you should almost be like a shark that smells blood in the water, go to the fight immediately. Once you find the fight, stop sprinting and find cover.

Stop sprinting

Stop sprinting as soon as you see a ping on your radar, it’s time to set up/ position.

If you watch an NBA basketball game, when there are under 5 minutes left and the game is very close and both teams are trying their hardest to win, you will see a reduction in game speed. If you watch a professional League of Legends series (best of 3 or best of 5) during a big tournament like Worlds, MSI, or just a Regional Championship in general, you will see a reduction in game speed once a team is 1 game away from winning or losing the series.

This is because slowing the game down allows you to see the game better and adjust. It also allows you to make better playmaking decisions because you have a better read on the state of the game. These same exact rules apply to The Crucible. Destiny 2 isn’t an eSport, but The Crucible uses the same competitive tactics, philosophies, and methods as any other sport in order to be successful!

You are preparing to inflict damage which is the most important part of team-fighting. Slowing the game down will allow you to see the state of the game better and allow you to make better playmaking decisions.

(Try to) Never let anyone outside of your peripheral

I have found that one of the leading causes of my deaths in-game is simply because I was tunnel-visioned on my intended target and completely ignored the red ping to my left because I was so bloodthirsty for a kill. This instance also happens in Rumble all the time (this is why Rumble is such a great technique-sharpening game mode because it constantly places you in engaging playmaking situations). This technique is one that you can never fully do 100% of the time because there are times where you will have to make a play or engage even if there is someone outside of your peripheral, but you should be trying to do this to the best of your ability at all times. You almost always die when you let an enemy get behind you, remember that.

Play your weapon range

Playing your weapon range means engaging enemies from distances within the optimal TTK range of your weapon.

Playing your weapon range allows you to control your engagements which allows you to control your fights. Map knowledge helps with playing your weapon range because knowing which lanes are certain distances can help you choose which engagements you want to get into.

Playing your weapon range can help you combat matchups which you would normally lose e.g. if someone with a fusion rifle is tearing you up, you can force him to use his primary by engaging him from long distances instead of going into his preferred weapon range. It can also help you to become a more efficient fighter by always being in engagements that are meant for the optimal TTK of your guns in general.

Do not aim-down-sight for too long

You should be ADS’ing for 2-4 seconds MAX. Once you hit 5 seconds that’s starting to be too long, even 4 seconds is too long sometimes. Living inside of your scope directly effects the speed of your play making you more sluggish and late for engagements. Not living inside of your scope allows you to continue to make and look for plays faster.