Guardians, are you tired of the endless grind for that coveted Vanguard rank, and are you wondering just how much reputation you're pulling in from each Nightfall run? You've come to the right place. We're about to break down the mechanics of Vanguard reputation in Destiny 2 and show you exactly how to maximize your gains from every Nightfall, turning that grind into a satisfying sprint.
Step 1: Understand the Vanguard Reputation System
First things first, let's get a handle on how Vanguard reputation works in Destiny 2. It's not a simple flat rate. It's a dynamic system that rewards you for your performance and consistency. The more you play, and the better you play, the faster you'll rank up. The system is based on a few key factors:
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Completion: You get a base amount of reputation just for finishing a Nightfall or any Vanguard activity.
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Activity Streak: Completing consecutive Vanguard activities without leaving the playlist or visiting other destinations will build a streak, giving you a bonus to your reputation. This is a crucial part of the grind.
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Score Multiplier: This is where Nightfalls truly shine. Your final score at the end of the Nightfall determines a reputation multiplier. The higher the score, the higher the multiplier. This is based on a scoring system that rewards kills, precision kills, orb generation, and more.
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Difficulty: The chosen difficulty of the Nightfall has its own multiplier, which applies to your score. A higher difficulty will make it easier to reach higher scores and, in turn, higher reputation multipliers.
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Seasonal Bonuses: Keep an eye out for weeks when Bungie offers "Double Vanguard Rank" bonuses. These are game-changers and can cut your grind time in half.
Are you ready to dive into the numbers and become a Vanguard reputation machine? Let's go!
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| How Much Vanguard Rep Per Nightfall |
Step 2: The Core of the Rep Gain: The Score Multiplier
Your final score is the single most important factor in determining your reputation gains from a Nightfall. It's not just about finishing the strike; it's about how you finish it.
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Scoring Breakdown:
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Under 30,000 points: You get a 1.0x reputation multiplier.
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30,000 to 250,000+ points: The multiplier increases with every 5,000 points you earn.
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Over 250,000 points: You cap out at a massive 7.0x reputation multiplier.
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This means that a Nightfall run with a high score can be worth seven times the reputation of a low-score run!
Sub-heading: Difficulty Multipliers
To help you reach those massive scores, each Nightfall difficulty has a base score multiplier that makes it easier to rack up points:
QuickTip: Reading regularly builds stronger recall.
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Vanguard Ops Playlist / Hero Difficulty: 1.0x multiplier
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Legend Difficulty: 1.2x multiplier
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Master Difficulty: 1.4x multiplier
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Grandmaster (GM) Difficulty: 1.5x multiplier
As you can see, tackling a Master or GM Nightfall will inherently give you a better chance at hitting those high score thresholds.
Step 3: Calculating Your Rep per Run
So, how much Vanguard rep do you get per Nightfall? It's a combination of all the factors we've discussed. While the base amount for a completion is around 100 points, let's see how the multipliers stack up.
Let's assume a base reputation gain of 100 points for a Nightfall completion before any multipliers.
Scenario 1: Casual Hero Nightfall
You jump into a Hero difficulty Nightfall with no streak. You get a score of 40,000.
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Base Rep: 100
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Score Multiplier (40k): Let's estimate this at a 1.2x multiplier.
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Streak Bonus (none): +0
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Difficulty Multiplier: 1.0x
Calculation: 100 x 1.2 x 1.0 = 120 Vanguard Rep.
Scenario 2: Legend Nightfall with a Streak
You've got a 5-streak going and you tackle a Legend Nightfall. You and your fireteam get a score of 100,000.
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Base Rep: 100
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Score Multiplier (100k): Let's estimate this at a 3.0x multiplier.
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Streak Bonus (5-streak): +15
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Difficulty Multiplier: 1.2x
Calculation: (100 x 3.0 x 1.2) + 15 = 360 + 15 = 375 Vanguard Rep.
Scenario 3: Grandmaster (GM) Nightfall, The Ultimate Grind
You're a legend, you're farming a GM, and you're aiming for that Platinum completion. You hit a score of 250,000+.
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Base Rep: 100
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Score Multiplier (250k+): 7.0x multiplier
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Streak Bonus (5-streak): +15
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Difficulty Multiplier: 1.5x
Calculation: (100 x 7.0 x 1.5) + 15 = 1050 + 15 = 1065 Vanguard Rep.
As you can see, the difference is staggering. A single GM run can be worth several Hero runs. This is why farming the highest difficulty you can comfortably complete is the most efficient method.
Step 4: Maximizing Your Rep Gains Per Hour
Now that you know the numbers, let's talk about the strategy. It's not just about running GMs, it's about being efficient.
Sub-heading: Choosing the Right Nightfall
Not all Nightfalls are created equal. Some are long, some are short. Some have tons of enemies, some have few. To maximize your rep per hour, you want to focus on strikes that are:
QuickTip: Short pauses improve understanding.
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Quick to complete: Strikes like The Arms Dealer or Lake of Shadows are excellent choices when they are the weekly Nightfall.
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Full of enemies: More enemies mean more opportunities to get kills and rack up points. Battlegrounds-style strikes often have a higher enemy density.
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Easy to get a high score on: Strikes with lots of Champions or easily farmable enemy spawns are a bonus.
Avoid strikes that are notoriously long or have difficult, time-consuming boss fights. The Corrupted or Exodus Crash come to mind as strikes that can be a slog.
Sub-heading: The Power of the Streak
Do not underestimate the streak bonus. Once you have a 5-streak, you get an additional +15 rep on every completion. This might not sound like a lot, but over the course of a grinding session, it adds up significantly.
Important Note: You lose your streak if you leave the Vanguard playlist to go to another activity (Crucible, Gambit, etc.) or go to orbit after a run. You keep your streak if you go to the Tower or H.E.L.M.
Sub-heading: The Vanguard Double-Rep Week
This is the holy grail of Vanguard grinding. When the "Double Vanguard Ranks" modifier is active, you will earn 2x the reputation from all Vanguard activities, including the streak bonus. This is the perfect time to commit to the grind and reset your rank multiple times.
Step 5: The Step-by-Step Farming Guide
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Check the Weekly Reset: On Tuesday, check what the weekly Nightfall is and if there is a "Double Vanguard Ranks" bonus.
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Form a Fireteam: For Legend, Master, and GM difficulties, having a coordinated fireteam is highly recommended. This will allow you to get those high scores consistently.
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Choose Your Difficulty:
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If you are a solo player or new to Nightfalls, start with the Hero difficulty. It has matchmaking and is a good way to build a streak and get comfortable with the strike.
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If you have a solid fireteam and want the best rep per run, go for Master or Grandmaster. Aim for a Platinum completion by defeating all Champions.
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Launch the Nightfall and Grind:
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Focus on getting kills and precision kills.
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Make sure you generate and pick up Orbs of Power.
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Do not die! Deaths will reduce your score.
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Kill every Champion to get that Platinum score and maximize your rep and rewards.
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Stay in the Playlist: After each completion, select "Continue" to stay in the playlist and build your streak.
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Reset and Repeat: Once you reach max rank with Zavala, reset your rank and keep going. This will earn you valuable Pinnacle gear and unique rewards.
10 Related FAQ Questions
QuickTip: Reading twice makes retention stronger.
Here are some quick answers to common questions about farming Vanguard reputation:
How to get a high score in a Nightfall? To get a high score, you need to focus on defeating all enemies, especially Champions, getting precision kills, and generating Orbs of Power for your fireteam. Avoiding deaths will also help prevent score deductions.
How to increase my Vanguard streak? To increase your Vanguard streak, you must complete Vanguard activities consecutively without leaving the playlist. Leaving for orbit or other activities (Crucible, Gambit, etc.) will reset your streak. Going to the Tower or H.E.L.M. does not break your streak.
How to find out about double Vanguard rep weeks? Check the modifiers when you launch the Vanguard Ops or Nightfall playlist from the Director. A special banner will indicate if "Bonus: Vanguard Ranks" is active for the week.
How to use Vanguard Engrams to get Nightfall weapons? Once you have earned a Nightfall weapon at least once, you can go to Commander Zavala in the Tower and use your Vanguard Engrams to "focus" them into a specific Nightfall weapon for a chance at a better roll.
How to get Adept Nightfall weapons? Adept Nightfall weapons are guaranteed to drop from a Platinum completion of a Grandmaster Nightfall.
How to find the easiest Nightfall to farm? The easiest Nightfall to farm for reputation is generally one that is short and has a high density of enemies. Popular choices include Lake of Shadows, The Arms Dealer, and any of the Cosmodrome strikes (Fallen SABER, The Disgraced, etc.).
How to get the Nightfall Ciphers for Adept weapon focusing? Nightfall Ciphers are a reward for completing Grandmaster Nightfalls. You can only hold a limited number (typically 10) at a time.
How to maximize my Vanguard reputation gain as a solo player? As a solo player, your best bet is to farm the Hero Nightfall difficulty, as it has matchmaking. Focus on getting a high score and building a 5-streak.
How to find a fireteam for Master and GM Nightfalls? You can use the in-game Fireteam Finder, the official Destiny 2 Companion App, or various community Discord servers and LFG websites to find a fireteam.
How to know what the weekly Nightfall is? The weekly Nightfall changes every Tuesday at the weekly reset. You can check the Director in-game or use community websites like "TodayInDestiny" to see the weekly rotation, modifiers, and featured weapon.
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