I have noticed a fair amount of discussion surrounding improvement in the Crucible on the forums as of late and want to provide my own thoughts on the matter. In truth I’ve been meaning to do so for some time now, but the recent polarization among Guardians from every bend of the bell curve has given me cause to lend some helpful words. Now, keep in mind, I’m no Top 500 all-star - I consider myself to be just decent - but when I say I am a top 10% player, I must emphasize that this statistic represents hundreds of hours of practice and growth. And, in no small part, a love for this game and its players. I remember when I used to be quite awful at this game. As such, I hope I can serve as proof that “getting good” is far from the opaque, unhelpful aphorism it has become of late. Although it appears impenetrable, especially for newer players, The Crucible is just that: a crucible. You’ll be melted down and hammered time and again. That is a guarantee. But if you can endure it, you’ll be as unbreakable as tempered steel. Ready? Let’s get to it! Speaking broadly, there are three stages of growth: 1. Reflection 2. Observation and Experimentation 3. Mastery 1. Reflection The first stage is perhaps the most important as any forward movement thereafter will, subconsciously or otherwise, influence the trajectory of your experience. You need to ask yourself: why do I want to improve? am I enjoying myself? is there a goal I am trying to achieve? I cannot emphasize how much questions like these are valuable to a growing player. In a game as varied and fluctuating as Destiny, and considering the amount of time it demands, there is no room for indecision. Your time is valuable. Your enjoyment is valuable. If you don’t have any reason to log on besides Pinnacles or Trials, if it is becoming a burden, it may be a sign that the game or its current state may not be for you. Improvement is not a means to an end. All notions of finality must be abandoned. It is an ongoing process and that process must be personally fulfilling. Otherwise why bother, right? Only you can decide, Guardian. 2. Observation and Experimentation If you do decide that there is something in this game that keeps bringing you back, if The Crucible scratches that itch no other game can, then it’s time to get into the nitty gritty. As I’ve mentioned, Destiny can be a labyrinth at time, especially to new players. Where do you even begin? Well it all begins with experimentation. Here are a few tips: -Sensitivity/DPI/FOV/ Yada Yada. One of the most important things you can do is to mess around with your camera controls. Two words: muscle memory. When you find the right options that work for you, you begin to develop habits that then influence your unique play style. And habits, as we know, can be difficult to unlearn. Thus it’s in your favor to find these options early rather than changing them later on. WARNING: Don’t get hypnotized by twitchy gameplay! If a low sens works for you, that’s all that matters. Smoothness is better than speed. -Build Build Build. The best thing you can do to up your game is find a build that works for you, one that is both effective and, most importantly, FUN! Experiment with different stat distributions and Exotics until you find your niche. Pro Tip: If you’re getting clapped, inspect the enemy team. You might find your next favorite play style! -Weapon Feel is more important than on-paper performance. Don’t scrap anything unless you try it first. There are perk combos and weapons that go underutilized by the community that have serious PvP potential. For example: Hailing Confusion is one of my all time favorite pulse rifles with Firmly Planted/Zen Moment. Smooth as butter. Heads for days. But people will say it’s trash. Follow your gut and form an arsenal. Of course, while you’re experimenting, you must also be observing. Learn from your teammates and enemies alike. It is in this time that you will begin to learn map layouts, spawns, positioning, team fighting, flanking, movement, dueling, radar management, and all the other minute details that comprise a PvP experience. All that might sound like an overwhelming amount of information, but you’ll slowly begin to understand it in time. Keep in mind, The Crucible is measured in fractions of a second. You’re not thinking about these in the moment. Interactions are too fast. They are valuable because they can be used to understand what happened AFTER the fact and then be applied in the future. Two tips: -Record and Watch your Gameplay. Good AND Bad games lol. Learn from what you do right, and especially from what could have been better. This is an important step that shouldn’t be missed if you want to both improve and accelerate your growth. -Find the Best and Watch. Following good players (i.e. CammyCakes) and streamer could provide some insights into how this game looks at the highest level. There are kernels of wisdom to be had in their gameplay, so be sure to check them out. All that being said, what now? 3. Mastery You’ve perfected your build. You’ve grinded out your weapons. You’ve put the time into map knowledge and gameplay. By now, you’re getting pretty good. But then comes the plateau, that moment when you seem to stagnate. Or perhaps you’re doing your best and it doesn’t seem to be getting any easier. Is this it? Yep. Like I said, it’s an ongoing process. But now that you’ve got everything in place, the time has come to master your gameplay. That’s the goal, which is to say it is never going to be in reach. The trick is to keep reaching regardless. You’ll keep playing the game. You’ll keep growing. And the day will come when you wake up and start tearing through lobbies. When you make it to the Lighthouse and not even break a sweat. And you can sit back and think that yes, YOU did that. It’s not about winning or losing or a god roll or a title. It’s about enjoying the game. It’s about choosing to go to the extremity of your being and them some just for the love of this game. You can do it! I’ll see you Guardians in The Crucible. kaaphro ^^,