Destiny Beta PvP: 5 Tips to Dominate the Crucible

“Why do we fall, Bruce?”
“Because someone sucker punched us with the Golden Gun.”For the beta, Crucible PvP only offers one persistent game type, Control, and 2 maps set on Earth’s Moon and Venus (two additional maps were available during the limited “Iron Banner” event – sadly I never pulled them.)  After a few embarrassing defeats and a few frustrated outbursts, it seemed to me that new players joining the beta’s second phase could do with a primer.  After a few more solid victories as the weekend rambled on, I had a mind to give them one.

PvP Basics

The Control game type is largely a standard capture-and-hold mechanic surrounding 3 points placed around the map.  The Venus map, Shores of Time, is smaller with tight corners and plenty of cover.  The Moon-based map, First Light, is larger with more open ground to support the added cadre of vehicles.  In standard Crucible games, Level advantages are removed and weapon damage is normalized across the board, though Bungie has yet to detail exactly how weapon stats like ” impact” apply to standard PvP.  This makes it easy for any player to jump in, regardless of their progress in PvE.

With the basics in mind, there are a few universal tips to getting the most out of your time in the Crucible.  Some of these come from mistakes I made starting out, others from mistakes I noticed by others later on.  All of them, however, can give players a great edge when starting out.

1. Keep Up the Pressure

This can seem obvious for FPS veterans, but the flow of combat in capture games can vary from shooter to shooter.  With Destiny, staying in motion often equates to staying ahead of the curve. If a point isn’t yours, head for it, but don’t stick around once you take it unless there’s an imminent threat. Be mindful of where your team is, and try to move with the unit, but move.  Objectives capture quickly, and enemies go down easily, so camping a point is usually a no-win scenario.

As a rule, I saw the most progress when my team held at least 2 objectives by moving between them, even if we never took the third.  Kills count for more than captures in the short run, but by holding points you keep the enemy out in the field, where…well, you can insert your own “harvesting” puns here if you like.

2. Play Your Part

Left to Right: Warlock, Hunter, Titan.Destiny has multiple classes for a reason, and having a good balance of roles is preferable to a team of 6 Hunters all trying to snipe.  Each class brings something unique to Capture that gives the team that knows their strengths the clear advantage.  Titans are tough to bring down, and their Super Charged ability makes them ideal for clearing out entrenched enemies.  Warlocks can output massive damage over time, and their abilities make it tricky to pull them off a point before they take it.  Hunters are fragile, but quick and adaptable.  Their melee and special weapons are devastating if used properly; I’ve seen a hunter hold two points simultaneously for most of a match by staying mobile and knowing the terrain.  Even if your team’s balance isn’t ideal, properly utilizing your class strengths is a big step toward victory.

3. Watch Your Tracker

Again, likely a given for seasoned players, but radar in Destiny is somewhat different than most. The key departure here is that motion isn’t a factor and radar doesn’t indicate the enemy’s location so much as their general direction.  It acts on an 8 point dial, with red rings around the outside indicating general direction of motion.  If the center spokes fill in, the enemy is close.  When the center lights up, lock and load; they’re right on top of you.

Crouching doesn’t hide you entirely, which limits camping, but it does ping less frequently so that a careless enemy might miss you if they’re in a hurry.  Get in the habit of glancing up often, especially since the tracker disappears when aiming down the sight (a key point for snipers.)  Knowing how to gauge distance with the tracker will save your life, get comfortable with it.

4. Don’t Rely on Vehicles

A Titan riding the Sparrow vehicle.This deals more specifically with the First Light map, since there are no vehicles on Shores of Time.  There are 2 vehicle types that spawn in-map: the small, agile Pike and the slower, more powerful Interceptor.  They are available at the start of a match, and can be a great way to get an early start.  However, in a much-appreciated departure from earlier Bungie games, they are fragile and should not be relied on for an entire match.

Several weapons in a Guardian’s arsenal can take down these vehicles very quickly, and trying to ride out an entire match in an interceptor is a sure way to end up on the bottom of the leaderboards.  Alternatively, the Sparrow gained in PvE can be spawned in the Crucible as well, and is a great way to move between points at speed, or catch up after a respawn.  The Sparrow lacks firepower, but is agile and can be spawned at any time for no cost, perfect for surprise attacks and quick positioning.

5. Extra Firepower

Every player can start with a basic weapon and special weapon, but unlocked abilities and heavy weapons are also available.  These in particular can turn the tide faster than anything if used correctly.  “Super Charged” abilities build up with time and good performance, and can be unleashed quickly to take down a group of enemies or a pesky vehicle.  Learning to time these appropriately is crucial, because they take the longest to build back up, but they can be just the thing for clearing out a squad holding a single point.

Heavy weapons, like machine guns and rocket launchers, can be nearly as effective and are available whenever heavy ammo spawns. Heavy weapons start the game empty, and ammo for them spawns on the map at predetermined times. If you can get to it first, that ammo is yours…until you die.  That fact alone makes them a great option, since there’s no incentive for hoarding heavy ammo for “the right moment.”  Use it to rush a point and take a few of them down with you, or to hold a point if you find yourself alone against a push.  Don’t worry, there’s more ammo on the way.

 Destiny Beta Phase 2: “Once More Unto the Breach”

Timeline for Destiny Beta accessXbox 360 and Xbox One Players will get their first chance at the Destiny beta, and the Crucible, on July 23.  This access comes nearly a full week after PS3 and PS4 players.  With these simple tips in mind, new players across all consoles can have a good idea of what to expect upon entering the arena, and how to get the most out of PvP in the final testing days for one of this year’s most anticipated releases.

Don’t forget to take a break from the PvP action and head to the Tower on the 26th, both to turn in your Crucible bounties and to claim some loot for the full game.  To promote a final stress-test for the servers, all Guardians that log in after 2pm CST on July 26 will receive “handsome and permanent” rewards.