Destiny 2’s upcoming Nightfall: The Ordeal strike rewards bring top-tier loot

Nightfall strikes are some of the hardest content in Destiny 2 but the ultra-valuable rewards are well worth the trouble.

Nightfall: The Ordeal is the most consistent way to get top-tier loot in Destiny 2. The Nightfall pinnacle reward changes each week, making it one of the most important weekly resets in Destiny 2. The full Nightfall reward schedule is available below.

• July 20 – 27 – Uzume RR4
  • This energy sniper rifle has the Thresh trait, which restores super energy on kill.
• July 27 – August 3 – Shadow Price, Palindrome, The S.W.A.R.M.
  • The trio of original Destiny weapons includes an auto rifle, hand cannon, and machine gun. 
• August 3 – 10 – Plug One.1
  • This legendary fusion rifle gives reduced charge time and increased handling speed when swapped in.
• August 10 – 17 – Hung Jury SR4
  • A kinetic scout rifle that deals more damage for the second half of the magazine.
• August 17 – 24 – Uzume RR4
• August 25-31 – Plug One.1

How do Nightfall strikes work in Destiny 2?

Nightfall strikes are some of the most difficult missions in all of Destiny 2. For the entirety of Season of the Splicer, a new Nightfall mission is designated at the end of each week. To earn the most valuable gear, strike teams must accumulate a score of over 100,000 by the end of the mission. Special difficulty modifiers and a time limit can make that easier said than done.

Nightfall points are earned by defeating enemies, clearing rooms, and taking down bosses. The amount of points you earn is affected by time spent in the Nightfall strike. After 15 minutes, point values get cut to just 50%. Point collection completely stops after 18 minutes. That time limit isn’t the only reason to bring your best gear in Nightfall strikes. 

Nightfall missions apply special conditions to the mission which increase in number depending on difficulty. On Adept difficulty, Nightfall missions will have only a few modifiers like increased melee damage or enhanced shields.

At higher difficulties, the lower level modifiers are carried over with two or three more on top. This continues five times up to grandmaster, which can have up to a dozen mission modifiers. Clearing 100,000 points on grandmaster is no easy task and will require a trio of fully decked-out players.