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Destiny 2: Season of Defiance is here, alongside the launch of Lightfall. Its key component is the new seasonal activity Defiant Battlegrounds, new versions of which will be introduced during the early part of the season. Provided you play the playlist version, a chest awaits you at the end of Defiant Battlegrounds, and to open it, you’ll need Defiant Keys.
Defiant Keys in Destiny 2 are used to open Defiant Chests, which are optional chests found at the end of the Defiant Battlegrounds activity. Even if they’re not mandatory, you can find some great loot inside, so it’s worth taking the plunge. This guide explains where you can find Defiant Keys in Destiny 2 and what to expect from these chests.
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Where to Find Destiny 2 Defiant Keys
It’s important to keep in mind how Defiant Keys work in Destiny 2. According to developer Bungie, as the seasonal key of Season of Defiance, you’ll receive them “periodically” for completing activities across the system. You can hold five Defiant Keys max at a time, meaning you’ll want to ensure you occasionally dip into a Defiant Battlegrounds match to ensure none go to waste.
Here are the activities that can drop Defiant Keys in Destiny 2:
Terminal Overload activity in NeomunaVanguard Ops playlist activitiesCrucibleGambitRaidsLightfall campaign missions
Alongside the Lightfall-specific sources, you can focus on getting Defiant Keys as you tackle your weekly bounties. That being said, the drop rate isn’t great. I’ve finished Vanguard Ops matches without seeing a glimpse of the resource. In Crucible, I managed to get one every two to three matches.
Unlike resources such as the Seraph Key Codes, which can be rewarded in Heroic Events, I recommend sticking to Crucible if you’re specifically trying to get a Defiant Key and need to tackle a short activity. If not, making progress through the weekly quests and tackling the Terminal Overload activity, as well as the usual routine around other playlists will do the trick, albeit at a slower pace.
In addition, there are some Defiant Keys that you can get by making progress through the season pass and the HELM War Table, which appear in the following ranks:
Season Pass Defiant Keys: Ranks 2, 52, and 92HELM War Table Defiant Keys: Levels 7 and 13
How to Open Defiant Chests in Destiny 2 – Defiant Chest Rewards Explained
In order to find Defiant Chests in Destiny 2 at the end of a Defiant Battlegrounds activity, you need to make sure you’re playing the playlist version of the activity, which is accessible from the HELM node of the Director. The direct launch versions won’t have chests, and instead award world pool weapons and armor pieces.
Opening a Defiant Chest using a Defiant Key rewards you with a seasonal engram, as well as either a seasonal weapon with Deepsight Resonance that you have not completed the crafting pattern for yet, or a high-stat piece of seasonal armor.
If you don’t have a Defiant Key when opening the chest, you’ll receive either a seasonal weapon or armor. Regardless of the case, make sure to always open the Defiant Chest! World pool weapons and armor no longer drop at the end of the playlist version of seasonal activities.
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