Destiny 2: Gambit - game mode Destiny 2 Guide

Last update: 28 March 2021

In this chapter of our Destiny 2 game guide you can find out what the Gambit gameplay mode is, what its types are, how to participate in it and what to pay attention to during combat.

Gambit is a cooperative gameplay mode that was introduced in Destiny 2 with the Forsaken expansion set. Gambit is a unique gameplay mode because it is a hybrid of PvE and PvP modes that features matchmaking. Gambit's main representative and manager is Drifter (NPC in The Tower), who also sells Daily and Weekly Bounties associated with this gameplay mode. Gambit mode consists of two main varieties: Gambit and Gambit Prime.

• Gambit - General Advice
• Gambit - Rules of gameplay
• Gambit Prime - Rules of gameplay
• Blockers
• Invading

Gambit - General Advice

Before you jump into Gambit mode, you should know a few key tips that will make your gameplay easier, allow you to work better with your team, and increase your chance of winning.

1. Communication - during Gambit mode, communication with the team is extremely important. Have you spotted a high-value target (HVT), or have you located the enemy that is carrying out the invasion? Inform your team about it;
2. Chat - pay attention to the text chat in the bottom left corner of the screen where a lot of relevant information appears: that blockers have appeared, invasion had begun, whether your ally got killed, etc.;
3. Be careful - it's better to deposit smaller amounts of Motes into the bank than accumulate them into one big swing. When you die, you lose Motes, and your team will most likely lose the round, and in some cases even the entire match;
4. Motes - stronger opponents drop more Motes so you can reach the desired limit faster. It's a good idea to focus on Captains to collect more Motes;
5. High value targets (HVT) - every now and then a high value target will appear on the map. When you eliminate an opponent like that, you will get a lot of Motes;
6. Progress bar - during gameplay, you will notice the progress bar in blue and red at the top of the screen. At some point, a grey colour will appear on these bars, which indicates the number of points that an opponent or your team can score when they deposit their currently owned Motes;
7. Blockers - in Gambit Prime, Blockers are able to drain Motes out of an opponent's Bank and add them to your bank;
8. Boss - this foe appears along with several Champions in the Gambit mode. When you eliminate the Champions you get a buff - bonus damage against the boss;
9. Invasion - when you go to the enemy's side, you still have the enemy's position in front of your eyes so you don't have to specifically look for them. What's more, you'll notice a number that reveals the number of Motes they own near their nicknames;
10. Enemy player invasion - during an enemy invasion you will have access to the bank all the time so you can further deposit Motes and increase your team's overall score. If you have several Motes at a time when your opponent is wandering around your part of the map do everything you can to deposit them as you could become a potential target for elimination;
11. Bounties - remember to buy all Bounties from Drifter before you enter the Gambit mode.

Gambit - Rules of gameplay

In Gambit, two four-man teams compete against each other on a specific map for a maximum of 3 rounds. At the beginning of the game both teams are sent to two different, but identical in terms of structure, maps on which the players' task consists in eliminating opponents, collecting Motes from loot and depositing Motes in the bank in order to score points.

The goal of each team is to gather and deposit 75 Motes into the bank to summon the Primeval Captain boss. The team that kills the boss first wins the round. In Gambit mode, you have to win 2 rounds to win the entire match.

In the basic version of the Gambit mode, the Primeval Captain boss appears with additional Champions - you have to focus on them, because when you eliminate a Champion you get a buff for a short time called Primeval Slayer, which can be stackable. Attacking a boss with such a buff allows you to eliminate him much faster.

Gambit Prime - Rules of gameplay

Unlike the basic version of this gameplay mode, there is only one round in Gambit Prime, in which players have to collect and deposit 100 Motes into the bank to summon the boss. However, fighting the boss in Gambit Prime is completely different and much more difficult.

Primeval Boss appears with a protective shield and two Envoy Warlocks somewhere in the map area. Once you eliminate the Warlocks, there will be another one that needs to be killed in order to shatter the shield of the Boss. When the last sorcerer dies on, a white circle will also appear on the ground. If you attack the boss while standing in it then all strikes and projectiles will count as high precision shots. After a while, the white circle will disappear. Then, more warlocks will appear on the map. The whole process will have to be repeated.

Blockers

To make the game a little more difficult for your opponents, you can summon Blockers on their map that prevent players from depositing Motes into the bank. Blockers appear after the following number of Motes are being deposited by one player at a time:

1. Taken Goblin - 5 to 9 Motes;
2. Taken Captain - 10 to 14 Motes;
3. Taken Knight - 15+ Motes.

Invading

Once the team manages to deposit a total of 25 Motes, then 50 Motes (in Gambit Prime variant an additional limit of 75 Motes has to be met) at the bank, a portal will open allowing only one player to move to the opponent's side. The player who performs the invasion has 30 seconds to eliminate as many opponents as possible. It should be noted here that if you manage to eliminate all 4 opponents you will be immediately sent back to your side of the map.