Destiny 2 Solstice of Heroes is the game’s summer event before the arrival of the game’s third year – and with it, the Shadowkeep expansion.
As well as giving the Tower a makeover, an influx of new cosmetic items to buy from the Eververse store, Elemental Buffs and a new European Aerial Zone event to participate in, you’ll also have the opportunity to earn Solstice 2019 armour through a series of challenges.
Destiny Solstice of Heroes 2019 armour upgrade steps
The Solstice of Heroes event offers armour that needs to be powered up through a series of activities – increasing its level to max power and eventually, giving it Armor 2.0 perks with the arrival of Year 3. However, you only have until the event ends at the end of August to do all of this, so you better be quick!
Each piece has a series of objectives to upgrade them, with each stage – Drained, Renewed then Majestic – increasing its Power Level each time. There is also a final stage to Masterwork the armour.
To make the most of the Armour set, you’ll want to at least get it to Majestic, allowing you then to Infuse it in future, and gives you a Moments of Triumph completion in the process.
The steps vary by class, and if you’re interested to see what you’re getting into, the below tables can help.
Solstice of Heroes is a bit of a grind – especially when you have to complete things like 10 public events on Nessus, or 3 Adventures – but the good news is the majority of matchmade tasks (such as Strikes, Crucible and Gambit) overlap with Moments of Triumph, so you’ll be ticking off two events at once.
Here’s every Solstice of Heroes 2019 armour step, so you know what you’re getting yourself in for:
Hunter Solstice 2019 armour upgrade steps
Hunter Solstice Armour | Steps to upgrade Drained | Steps to upgrade Renewed | Steps to Masterwork |
---|---|---|---|
Helmet | Complete EAZ runs Precision final blows Defeat Fallen |
Complete bounties Loot EAZ chests Arc weapon kills |
Complete Prestige Nightfall with a score above 200k |
Gauntlet | Complete Strikes in playlists Collect Solar Orbs in Gambit Unlock Solstice Packages |
Complete Heroic public events Collect Arc Orbs in Strikes Defeat Cabal with subclass matching the day’s element |
Playlist Strike completions with clanmates |
Chest | Loot EAZ chests Complete any Elemental Orbs Defeat EAZ enemies while using Solar subclass |
Complete Gambit matches Collect Orbs matching element of the day Void grenade kills |
Shattered Throne completion with fireteam of two or less |
Legs | Complete Nessus public events Complete Solstice of Heroes bounties Defeat Guardians in Crucible or Gambit |
Complete daily or weekly challenges Kills in Strike playlists with subclass matching element of the day Guardian with Void weapons in Crucible or Gambit as a team |
Reset Season 7 Valor ranking in Crucible |
Class Item | Complete Adventures Collect Arc Orbs in Strikes Complete Crucible or Gambit matches |
Complete EDZ patrols Collect Elemental Orbs in EAZ Defeat EAZ mini-bosses |
Defeat yellow bar enemies |
Titan Solstice armour upgrade steps
Titan Solstice Armour | Steps to upgrade Drained | Steps to upgrade Renewed | Steps to Masterwork |
---|---|---|---|
Helmet | Complete EAZ runs Precision final blows Defeat Hive |
Complete Gambit matches Collect Elemtnal orbs that match your subclass Guardian kills using Arc weapons in Crucible or Gambit as a team |
Complete Prestige Nightfall with a score above 200k |
Gauntlet | Loot EAZ chests Complete Solstice of Heroes bounties Defeat EAZ enemies while using Arc subclass |
Complete Heroic public events Complete daily or weekly challenges Defeat EAZ minibosses |
Playlist Strike completions with clanmates |
Chest | Complete Adventures Collect Solar Orbs in Strikes Defeat Guardians in Crucible or Gambit |
Kills in Strike playlists using subclass that matches element of the day Loot EAZ chests Defeat Fallen using subclass matching element of the day |
Shattered Throne completion with fireteam of two or less |
Legs | Complete Nessus public events Collect Void Orbs in Crucible or Gambit Unlock Solstice Packages |
Complete Bounties Collect Void Orbs in Strikes Solar melee kills |
Reset Season 7 Valor ranking in Crucible |
Class Item | Complete Strikes in playlists Collect any Elemental Orbs Complete Crucible or Gambit matches |
Io Patrols Collect Elemental Orbs in EAZ Solar weapon kills |
Defeat yellow bar enemies |
Warlock Solstice armour upgrade steps
Warlock Solstice Armour | Steps to upgrade Drained | Steps to upgrade Renewed | Steps to Masterwork |
---|---|---|---|
Helmet | Complete EAZ runs Precision final blows Defeat Cabal |
Kills in Strike playlists using subclass matching element of the day Collect Elemental Orbs in the EAZ Defeat minibosses in EAZ |
Complete Prestige Nightfall with a score above 200k |
Gauntlet | Complete Strikes in playlists Collect any Elemental Orbs Defeat Guardians in Crucible or Gambit |
Complete bounties Collect Elemental Orbs matching your subclass Guardian kills in Crucible or Gambit using Solar weapons as a team |
Playlist Strike completions with clanmates |
Chest | Complete Adventures Collect Arc Orbs in Crucible or Gambit Unlock Solstice Packages |
Complete Gambit matches Complete daily or weekly challenges Void weapon kills |
Shattered Throne completion with fireteam of two or less |
Legs | Loot EAZ chests Collect Solar Orbs in Strikes Defeat EAZ enemies while using Void subclass |
Complete Heroic public events Collect Solar Orbs in strikes Hive kills using subclass matching element of the day |
Reset Season 7 Valor ranking in Crucible |
Class Item | Complete Nessus public events Complete Solstice bounties Complete Crucible or Gambit matches |
Titan Patrols Loot EAZ chests Arc Super kills against Guardians in Crucible or Gambit |
Defeat yellow bar enemies |
Thanks to JpDeathBlade’s datamine on reddit for filling in the gaps in the above.
Where to find the Statue of Heroes and Solstice Packages in Solstice of Heroes 2019 armour upgrade steps
Before you can get the armour, you have to first visit the Tower and chat to Eva Levante, giving you the Solstice helmet and tasking you with visiting the new EAZ (Earth Aerial Zone) activity once.
Once done, you can then get the rest of the Solstice armour from the Statue of Heroes location. This is directly to the right of Eva in the Tower. Use the Mediate prompt and the armour set is yours.
As for the Solstice Packages – five of which you need opened to complete the Solstice armour – you’ll find them in the EAZ activity. Once you have cleared the bosses, you’ll be tasked with opening chests hidden around the arena, with the number of chests matching the number of mini-bosses you cleared in the opening wave of the encounter.
These chests will give you and your team either Solstice Packages, or the Solstice Key Fragments required to open them. In our experience, there’s always a chest right above where you begin the hunt, otherwise they only reveal themselves when you get close in random positions.
Our recommendation is to split your team and scour the rooftops, and if you’re stuck, don’t forget to visit the starting island too.
It should only take 2-3 runs to get five Solstice Packages you need for the quest. As for opening them, they take 15 keys each (they’re in your Consumables, by the way!) but if you focus on other matchmade activities, such as playlist Strikes, Crucible or Gambit, they can drop upon completion there too, saving you grinding the EAZ.
Destiny 2 Elemental Orbs and Elemental Buffs explained
As with Solstice 2019, the Solstice of Heroes event centers around collecting Elemental Orbs, and is a requirement for many of the Solstice armour upgrades.
Elemental Orbs are generated by killing enemies with weapons or sub-class abilities with the corresponding type – Arc, Solar or Void. Though it appears you can mix and match weapon type and sub-class, the theory is aligning them – so your Energy, Power and sub-class are the same – will guarantee the Orbs you are looking for.
On top of these, each day will be focused on a different Element, and after collecting 30 Orbs of that element, you’ll receive one of the following buffs:
- Solar Elemental Buff: Emit energy that damages anything around you
- Void Elemental Buff: Crouch to become invisible and gain Truesight, as well as enhanced ability regeneration
- Arc Elemental Buff: Enchanced movement speed, greater melee and sword damage
These buffs only last for a minute or so, and can’t be used in Competitive Crucible or Gambit Prime modes, but should make your life easier when completing the EAZ and other events.

Whether you take notice of the buffs or not, these Elemental Orbs are central to upgrading several Solstice armour steps. First of all, make sure you’re actually wearing the armour for the Orb collection or kills to count towards the armour upgrade steps. This is important!
Second, yellow bar enemies tend to have higher drop rates. Third, during the 2018 Solstice, it’s said that Kinetic weapon kills will align with your sub-class choice. You also need to physically run over the Orbs to add them to your total.
Finally, if you are collecting Orbs and the percentage isn’t going up, remember to look at the specific requirements for that piece of armour, as some require Elemental Orbs in a specific activity (such as Strikes) or destination (like the EDZ).
The easiest way to tick these off the list is to concentrate on the other activities you have to complete, while making kills with that sub-class.
The annual Moments of Triumph and Solstice of Heroes have arrived to keep us busy over the summer .
We’ve seen several other Exotics added to the game recently too – including Lumina, Truth and Bad Juju.
The start of this season saw the introduction of The Invitation quest steps, Imperials and a higher Destiny2 power level cap.
As always, Forsaken activities are still worth checking out – including the Ascendant Challenge this week and Blind Well and Oracle Engine Offering activities.
Destiny 2 Solstice of Heroes end date
Destiny 2’s Solstice of Heroes has an end date of Tuesday, August 27th – the same date as the end of Moments of Triumph – at the following weekly reset times:
- UK: 6pm (GMT)
- Europe: 7pm (CEST)
- East Coast US: 1pm (EDT)
- West Coast US: 10am (PDT)
How was Destiny Solstice of Heroes like in 2018?
If you’re interested in how Solstice of Heroes 2018 compares to later years, here’s the 2018 objectives and armour appearances at a glance:
Hunter Solstice armour upgrade steps
Hunter Solstice armour | Steps to unlock Rekindled (340) | Steps to unlock Legendary (400) | Steps to unlock Masterwork (400) |
---|---|---|---|
Helmet | Spark Redux Solar Orbs in EDZ 10 Guardians Defeated |
Chosen Redux Void Energy weapon kills Nightfall |
Prestige Nightfall score beaten |
Gauntlets | Homecoming Redux Arc Orbs Meditation mission for Ikora |
Payback Redux Void Grenade kills 3 Heroic Strikes |
5 Heroic Strikes with at least one clan member |
Chest | Chosen Redux Arc Orbs in Strikes 10 Heroic Public Events |
1AU Redux Solar Power weapon kills 5 Crucible match wins |
Prestige Levithan Raid |
Legs | 1AU Redux Void Orbs Minibosses defeated |
Spark Redux Solar melee kills 10 Adventures |
Legend rank in Valor for Crucible |
Class Item | Payback Redux Super Kills in the Crucible 10 Patrols |
Homecoming Redux Arc Super kills 20 Challenges |
Defeat 10 bosses |
Titan Solstice armour upgrade steps
Titan Solstice armour | Steps to unlock Rekindled (340) | Steps to unlock Legendary (400) | Steps to unlock Masterwork (400) |
---|---|---|---|
Helmet | Spark Redux Arc Orbs 10 Guardians Defeated |
Chosen Redux 200 Solar Super kills Nightfall |
Prestige Nightfall score beaten |
Gauntlets | Homecoming Redux Solar Orbs in Strikes Meditation mission for Ikora |
Payback Redux 160 Solar Energy kills 3 Heroic Strikes |
5 Heroic Strikes with at least one clan member |
Chest | Chosen Redux Void Orbs in EDZ 10 Heroic Public Events |
1AU Redux 120 Arc Grenade kills 5 Crucible match wins |
Prestige Levithan Raid |
Legs | 1AU Redux 30 Super Crucible kills 50 Minibosses defeated |
Spark Redux 60 Void melee kills 10 Adventures |
Legend rank in Valor for Crucible |
Class Item | Payback Redux Void Orbs 10 Patrols |
Homecoming Redux 80 Arc Power weapon kills 500 kills |
Defeat 10 bosses |
Warlock Solstice armour upgrade steps
Warlock | Steps to unlock Rekindled (340) | Steps to unlock Legendary (400) | Steps to unlock Masterwork (400) |
---|---|---|---|
Helmet | Spark Redux 30 Super kills in Crucible 10 Guardians Defeated |
Chosen Redux Void Energy weapon kills Nightfall |
Prestige Nightfall score beaten |
Gauntlets | Homecoming Redux Arc Orbs in Strikes Meditation mission for Ikora |
Payback Redux Arc melee kills 3 Heroic Strikes |
5 Heroic Strikes with at least one clan member |
Chest | Chosen Redux Solar Orbs 10 Heroic Public Events |
1AU Redux Solar grenade kills 5 Crucible match wins |
Prestige Levithan Raid |
Legs | 1AU Redux 90 Void Orbs in the EDZ 50 minibosses defeated |
Spark Redux Arc Super kills 10 Adventures |
Legend rank in Valor for Crucible |
Class Item | Payback Redux Void Orbs 10 Patrols |
Homecoming Redux Solar Power weapon kills 500 kills |
Defeat 10 bosses |
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