Destiny 2 New Dungeon Vesper’s Host: Release Date, Disabled Weapons, And Everything To Know

TL;DR

  • Vesper’s Host introduces Destiny 2’s first dungeon race with contest mode leveling the playing field
  • Ice Breaker returns as the dungeon’s Exotic weapon with updated perks and acquisition mechanics
  • Specific weapons, armor exotics and artifact mods are disabled during the world first competition
  • The dungeon features Deep Stone Crypt connections including a surprising Atraks encounter
  • Spacewalk armor sets and new weapon archetypes expand the endgame loot pool significantly

Destiny 2’s Episode: Revenant expansion delivers Vesper’s Host, an innovative three-player dungeon that breaks new ground with its competitive racing format. This challenging endgame activity marks Bungie’s first implementation of a world first completion race for dungeon content, mirroring the prestigious raid competitions that have defined Destiny’s most difficult encounters.

What sets Vesper’s Host apart from previous dungeons is the introduction of contest mode during its inaugural weekend. This specialized difficulty setting creates a balanced competitive environment by capping player power levels and implementing strategic gear restrictions. The mode ensures that victory depends on team coordination and mechanical mastery rather than power level advantages.

Beyond the racing excitement, Vesper’s Host brings back Ice Breaker, one of Destiny’s most legendary Exotic weapons from the original game. This fan-favorite sniper rifle returns with updated perks and acquisition mechanics that will challenge even veteran Guardians. The dungeon’s loot pool also includes complete Spacewalk armor sets and new weapon archetypes that expand build-crafting possibilities.

Vesper’s Host becomes available on July 16th at 10 AM Pacific Time, aligning with Destiny 2’s weekly reset schedule. The world first race begins immediately upon release and continues for the first 48 hours, during which contest mode remains active. Teams competing for the prestigious world first title must complete the entire dungeon under these heightened difficulty conditions.

Accessing the dungeon requires ownership of the Episode: Revenant expansion or the Destiny 2 Annual Pass. Unlike some previous dungeons, Vesper’s Host is not included in the free-to-play experience, ensuring participants have access to the full suite of weapons and abilities needed for the challenge. The activity is designed for three-player fireteams, though solo and duo completions will become possible after the contest period concludes.

Orbital Tournament

Orbital Tournament emblem available through dungeon completion

Strategic preparation should begin well before launch day. Teams should practice communication protocols, establish role assignments (add clear, damage dealer, support), and familiarize themselves with dungeon mechanics from previous Destiny 2 experiences. Having a dedicated callout system for enemy positions and mechanic phases can significantly improve completion times during the race.

Contest mode represents Bungie’s solution for creating fair competition across diverse player power levels. The system caps all participants at 20 power below each encounter’s recommended level, eliminating the advantage of grinding for pinnacle gear. This forces teams to rely on mechanical execution and strategic adaptability rather than raw statistical advantages.

The power cap applies differently to each encounter, scaling appropriately for the dungeon’s progression. Early sections might cap players at 1810 power while final boss encounters could implement stricter limitations around 1820. Understanding these tiered restrictions helps teams allocate their strongest loadouts for the most challenging phases.

Effortless Flow

Effortless Flow emblem rewards mechanical mastery during contest mode

Successful contest mode strategies emphasize survivability over maximum damage output. Teams that prioritize staying alive through defensive mods, healing abilities, and positioning awareness consistently outperform aggressive strategies that risk early wipes. The Class Guide principles about role specialization apply directly to optimizing your fireteam’s composition.

Common mistakes include underestimating enemy density in transition areas and failing to establish safe zones for damage phases. Advanced teams coordinate super usage to maintain constant area control and designate specific players for mechanic execution to avoid confusion during critical encounters.

Bungie has implemented specific gear restrictions to maintain competitive integrity during the world first race. These disabled items represent potential balance concerns or mechanics that could trivialize encounter design. Understanding these limitations before the race begins prevents wasted preparation time on banned equipment.

Weapon Restrictions: Several Exotic weapons are completely disabled, including those with regenerative ammo capabilities or encounter-breaking mechanics. The disabled list focuses on weapons that could bypass intended mechanics or create unsustainable advantage through unique perk interactions.

Hunter Limitations: Certain Hunter exotics that provide excessive mobility or damage avoidance are restricted. This includes exotics that might allow skipping platforming sections or negating mechanic consequences through rapid repositioning.

Titan Bans: Titan armor pieces that create nearly infinite survivability through overshields or damage resistance are unavailable. These restrictions ensure that encounter design remains challenging for all class compositions.

Artifact Mod Restrictions: Seasonal artifact mods that interact problematically with dungeon mechanics are disabled. This prevents unintended synergies that could undermine the mechanical complexity Bungie has designed.

Broadcasting from the Dark

Broadcasting from the Dark emblem celebrates successful navigation of gear restrictions

Teams should test alternative loadouts during preparation to ensure they have viable options when preferred gear is restricted. The Weapons Unlock strategies for building versatile arsenals translate well to preparing for these limitations.

The Vesper’s Host world first race will be broadcast across multiple streaming platforms, with Bungie providing official coverage on their primary channels. Community events and watch parties will create opportunities for Guardians to engage with the competition even if they’re not participating directly.

Twitch and YouTube Gaming serve as the primary platforms for race coverage, with featured streams highlighting top competitive teams. Viewers can track progress through real-time leaderboards and encounter completion updates provided by the official Destiny 2 team.

Participating in community viewing offers several benefits beyond entertainment. Observing top-tier teams execute strategies provides valuable learning opportunities for your own dungeon attempts. Many successful teams analyze competitor approaches to refine their own tactics during the race period.

Deep Stone Crypt raid boss Atraks is apparently waiting in the dungeon.

Deep Stone Crypt raid boss Atraks returns in Vesper’s Host, creating exciting narrative connections

Community challenges often accompany major Destiny racing events, offering exclusive emblems or cosmetics for viewers who engage with specific community goals during the broadcast.

Ice Breaker makes its triumphant return to Destiny 2 as Vesper’s Host’s exclusive Exotic reward. This legendary solar sniper rifle maintains its signature perk—regenerating ammo over time—while receiving updated secondary perks that align with modern Destiny sandbox design.

The weapon’s regeneration mechanic provides approximately 6 rounds per minute, creating sustained damage potential during extended encounters. This addresses ammo economy concerns while preventing the weapon from dominating burst damage scenarios where other snipers might excel.

Vesper's Host weapons

Vesper’s Host weapons showcase including the returning Ice Breaker Exotic

Acquisition requires completing the dungeon’s final encounter, with drop rates influenced by completion difficulty and potentially challenge modifiers. Master difficulty completions significantly increase acquisition chances, encouraging teams to revisit the dungeon after the race concludes.

Optimal usage strategies involve pairing Ice Breaker with primary weapons that cover close to mid-range engagements. The weapon excels in sustained damage roles where teams need consistent precision damage without ammo collection dependencies.

Vesper’s Host delivers an extensive loot collection featuring thematically consistent Spacewalk armor sets and strategically diverse weapons. Each class receives unique armor aesthetics that reflect the dungeon’s orbital and technological themes while providing meaningful stat distributions for endgame builds.

The Spacewalk armor sets emphasize mobility and recovery stats, complementing the dungeon’s likely platforming and survival challenges. The visual design incorporates futuristic elements with practical armor plating, creating one of Destiny’s most distinctive visual sets.

Spacewalk armor sets

Spacewalk armor sets for all three character classes available through dungeon encounters

The weapon arsenal includes several new archetypes and perk combinations that fill strategic gaps in current meta options. Several weapons feature origin traits specifically designed for dungeon content, providing advantages in Vesper’s Host and potentially other endgame activities.

VS Tech Sledge sparrow

VS Tech Sledge sparrow offers unique visual rewards for dedicated dungeon runners

Cosmetic rewards include multiple exclusive emblems, shaders, and potentially ship or sparrow cosmetics for challenge completions. These Complete Guide principles about reward optimization help players maximize their loot acquisition efficiency.

Vesper’s Host continues Destiny 2’s narrative threads from the Deep Stone Crypt raid and Beyond Light expansion. The reappearance of Atraks, a significant boss from that raid, suggests deeper connections to Exo technology and Clovis Bray’s legacy.

The dungeon’s orbital setting and technological themes connect to Golden Age research facilities and potentially the mysterious K1 project referenced in Moon lore.

Story implications potentially set up future narrative developments in Episode: Revenant and beyond. The involvement of Atraks specifically raises questions about Exo consciousness transfer and the boundaries between human and machine intelligence.

Lore enthusiasts will find numerous connections to established Destiny universe mysteries, particularly surrounding the development of Exo technology and its potential military applications.

Action Checklist

  • Verify Episode: Revenant expansion access and assemble three-player fireteam with established roles
  • Review disabled gear list and prepare alternative loadouts for all encounter types
  • Practice communication protocols and mechanic execution with your team
  • Study contest mode power caps and plan survivability-focused builds for each encounter
  • Coordinate world first race viewing to learn strategies from competing teams
  • Execute dungeon completion during contest mode, focusing on mechanical execution over speed

No reproduction without permission:SeeYouSoon Game Club » Destiny 2 New Dungeon Vesper’s Host: Release Date, Disabled Weapons, And Everything To Know Complete guide to Destiny 2's Vesper's Host dungeon with contest mode, Ice Breaker Exotic, and world first race strategies