Destiny 2's complicated new transmog system sounds like parody
Grind your gears.
Bungie has finally detailed Destiny 2's long-awaited transmog system, and it sounds like a parody of the game's mission loops, management of multiple materials and optional microtransactions.
First up, here's the basic gameplay loop needed to grind out the materials you'll need to alter the appearance of eligible items, as per Bungie's blog:
- Defeat enemies to earn Synthstrand.
- Spend Synthstrand on bounties to earn Synthcord.
- Convert Synthcord at the Loom in the Tower into Synthweave.
- Use Synthweave to convert an unlocked armor appearance (Legendary quality or lower) from Collections into a Universal Armor Ornament.
Black Armoury vendor Ada-1 has taken on transmog duties in the Tower, and you'll visit her to cash in your materials and acquire Synthcord bounties. These can relate to playing all parts of Destiny 2 - Strikes, Cruicible, Raids, Gambit etc.
"If you pick up the wrong bounty, some of the Synthstrands will be refunded if you choose to abandon it," Bungie wrote. "But not the full amount, so think carefully before abandoning!"
There's a limit to how much of the Synthweave material you can earn - 10 per class per season, although in the game's upcoming untitled season this will be lifted to 20 per class per season as a one-off.
Alternatively, you can spend real-world money on more Synthweave from Eververse. One Synthweave costs 300 Silver, while a bundle of five will be sold for 1000 Silver. Silver is sold in various packs, but 500 Silver costs £4.79 in the UK.
Finally, there's limits to which items can be transmog'd. Exotic armour can't be altered, to ensure players instantly recognise other players' gear loadouts. "Technical constraints" mean a bunch of Destiny 2 Year 1 items will also miss out, for now. There's even more about that on the Bungie blog.
Clearly, Destiny 2 does not want you to transmog your entire armour arsenal. Nor, realistically, are you going to want to. Perhaps this will all be a breeze while playing, or something you can leave ticking over in the background. But on the surface, the announcement of this system makes it sound far more restrictive, long-winded and grindy than the one fans have been waiting since Destiny 1 for.