In addition to the weekends-only Trials of Osiris, Destiny 2 brings another regular PvP event in the form of Iron Banner. Hosted by Lord Saladin (even after he went to the Cabal army as part of Season of the Risen), the mode happens three times per season and runs through the whole week, kicking off on the Tuesday reset and staying available until the following Tuesday.
In Season of the Haunted, Bungie overhauled the mode to keep it more in line with other vendors and activities. Saladin now has his own reputation track, following the newer model with rank-based rewards as opposed to the token system it used in the past. Players can also focus Iron Engrams into specific weapons, akin to Saint-14 or The Drifter.
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In Season of Defiance and Lightfall, Bungie also added the ability to focus older armor with the Iron Lord. Older Iron Banner armor sets that were seemingly lost to time are now back, and players can earn them by spending their hard-earned Iron Engrams.
If you’re already counting the days until Iron Banner’s return, here’s when you can see Lord Saladin again.
When does Iron Banner return in Destiny 2?
Lord Saladin is gracing the Tower with his presence for the first of three Iron Banners in Season of the Deep starting on May 30 and up until June 6, when he’ll return to Caiatl’s War Council. He will make another two appearances throughout season 21, though Bungie hasn’t specified their dates so far.
With Iron Banner back in town, players can get the new Pressurized Precision Strand fusion rifle and a returning Swarm of the Raven Heavy grenade launcher, as well as older weapons such as Jorum’s Claw and Roar of the Bear. Older Iron Banner armor sets are also available through focusing.
Related: What are Iron Banner daily challenges in Destiny 2?
What else is new in Iron Banner?
After flirting with Rift, Eruption, and Fortress, the first Iron Banner in Season of the Deep is returning the game mode to its established Control format, where guardians duke it out for control of specific points on each map. Players can earn more reputation by completing Iron Banner challenges, wearing Iron Banner armor or ornaments, and even using an emblem from past (and current) iterations of the game mode.
Iron Banner still benefits from the experience boosts from Season of the Seraph, “doubling the multipliers you get from wearing Iron Banner gear, halving the multipliers you get for completing challenges, and significantly increasing the multiplier you get for wearing an Iron Banner emblem,” according to Bungie. This should make players need around 40 percent fewer games to earn a reset, based on an estimate from the developer. While most veterans are likely familiar with the new gains, returning players might find them a welcome benefit.
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The most avid Iron Banner players can also chase and gild the Iron Lord title. Bungie expects it to take 15 to 20 hours to unlock the title, so even though it is possible to get it in one go, players may need more than one Iron Banner to unlock it.
To know whether Iron Banner is on, Saladin will now be front and center of the Tower when Iron Banner is on, taking up the spot that usually goes to Eva Levante instead of his usual brooding spot above Lord Shaxx. This means it’s a lot harder to miss him, and the smoke and flames and the howl of the Wolves may even tempt you to join the fray.
