In this episode, Sax sits down again with ⁠Aegis one of Destiny 2’s most trusted damage analysts and speedrunning experts, to break down everything surrounding Contest Mode Equilibrium, the launch of Renegades, and the evolving philosophy behind Destiny 2’s endgame difficulty.

In this episode we dive deep into:

- The Contraverse Hold +Handheld Supernova damage chunking bug used during the World’s First race

- Why Contest Mode boss health is no longer just about Power Delta

- How Bungie now custom tunes encounter HP behind the scenes

- The real difference between exploit vs fair play in PvE races

- Dungeon file leaks, Blender models, and race integrity

- Why Equilibrium feels more replayable than recent dungeons

- Damage checks, burst DPS, Wolfsbane, Parasite, and Finality

- Speedrunning tech, eager edge swords, and movement optimization

- Why Destiny’s endgame may be shifting toward curated difficulty

Whether you're chasing contest clears, optimizing your DPS, or just trying to understand what happened during the Equilibrium world first race, this episode has everything you need to know!

Watch Aegis’ full damage breakdown videos at the links below:

https://youtu.be/Qfr3YUtxb2c?si=SgJOWwTap-oweKVF

https://youtu.be/TJkL-gHCrX8?si=3PeMaWA1qB04re4N

https://youtu.be/cvgK3Tt1Arg?si=rn4_HfSbbivG81I6

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0:00 - Intro

1:26 - Equilibrium World First & Handheld Supernova Exploit

15:22 - Dungeon File Leaks & Race Integrity

27:00 - Contest Mode HP Tuning Deep Dive

37:00 - Dungeon Weapons & Loot Discussion

42:00 - Praxic Blade (Lightsaber) Review

57:00 - State of Renegades & Heat Weapons

1:01:00 - PvP Invasions & Lawless Frontier

1:12:00 - Sandbox Power Creep Discussion

1:16:00 - Final Thoughts & Closing

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Today's conversation explores the journey of @LlamaD2, a Destiny 2 content creator, highlighting the initial luck that led to early success on YouTube, the transition from player to creator, and the journey from player to advocate for the wider Destiny comunity. We also delve into Llama's thoughts on the impact of capture events and Bungie leveraging previously secret information as marketing material for the latest expansion. Finally we wrap up with some conversation around the balance of endgame activities, difficulty, the state of the latest expansion 'Renegades', and the possibility of a Destiny 3. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as we enjoyed recording it!Check out Llama's Channel Here: https://youtube.com/@UCFcyPLVTb_5r3JYMdzHoZaw▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬00:00 - The Lucky Start of a YouTube Journey03:05 - Transitioning from Player to Creator06:05 - Llama's Content Strategy09:04 - The Role of Streaming in Growth12:03 - Navigating Content Creation Challenges14:56 - The Impact of Capture Events17:59 - Preparing for New Expansions20:52 - Community Engagement and Discovery23:58 - Reflections on Content Creation and Burnout48:06 - Balancing Difficulty in Gameplay55:41 - The State of Renegades: Player Experience01:06:07 - Navigating Exotic Missions and Bugs01:20:48 - The Future of Destiny: Destiny 3 or Evolution?01:30:15 - Light-Hearted Wrap-Up: Favorite Exotics and Classes▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬Join my Discord! - https://discord.gg/saxplaysgames Follow my Twitch! - https://twitch.tv/saxplaysgamesFollow my TikTok! - https://tiktok.com/@saxplaysgamesFollow my Twitter! - https://x.com/saxplaysgames

In today's Destiny 2 Creator conversation, I am joined by fellow Content Creator  @Toadsmoothie  to discuss his journey from a casual gamer to a prominent content creator in the #destiny2 community.We discuss his early gaming influences, the transition from game enjoyer to YouTuber, and the importance of community in shaping his content. He emphasizes the significance of optimism in the gaming community, the challenges of content creation, and his aspirations for the future, including his passion for animation and storytelling.The discussion also touches on the dynamics of group content creation and the desire for a refresh in the Destiny franchise.Check out ToadSmoothie’s Channel Here: https://www.youtube.com/@UC-JxNT_QMGUCXClXIdJgZLQ ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬00:00 – Opening00:50 – Introducing ToadSmoothie03:56 – The Spark: From Playing Destiny to Creating Content05:51 – Early YouTube Attempts and Finding Momentum09:59 – The Origins of Toad’s Core Friend Group10:59 – Building a Cast of Characters on the Channel13:20 – How the Friend Dynamic Shapes His Videos14:15 – Challenges, Group Identity & Editing Realities18:43 – Burnout, Balance, and Creator Mental Health20:42 – Finding His Niche: Humor, Challenges, & Optimism25:19 – Sax’s Story About LFG, Friend Groups, and Destiny Longevity25:44 – Why So Few Players Raid & the Importance of Community29:46 – Wrath of the Machine, SIVA, and Bungie’s Decisions34:27 – Destiny’s Complexity, Game Size, and Seasonal Issues33:45 – Portal Rotators, Bugs, and Frustrations With Loot Systems34:10 – Barrow-Dyad Confusion & Returning Items45:41 – Handling Negativity in Comments & Protecting Your Community51:00 – The Hidden Workload of Being a YouTuber56:58 – Choosing Challenging Content & Owning the Grind58:41 – Toad’s Animated Series “Redacted” — Origins & Vision59:48 – Early Animation Attempts: From Petra’s Run to Riven01:01:39 – Showing the Motion Capture Suit & Behind-the-Scenes Setup01:02:0 – The Tech Behind His MoCap Workflow01:11:54 – Accepting the Ceiling of Destiny Content & Future Goals01:13:36 – Why Animation Keeps Him Motivated During Droughts01:23:04 – Big Picture Destiny Talk: Torobatl, Prismatic, and Reinvention01:23:54 – The Need for Mid-Difficulty Content & PvE Balance01:25:16 – Creative Ideas for Kinetic Subclass and Destination Abilities01:26:08 – Thoughts on Future Content, Renegades, and Game Direction▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬Join my Discord! - https://discord.gg/saxplaysgames Follow my Twitch! - https://twitch.tv/saxplaysgamesFollow my TikTok! - https://tiktok.com/@saxplaysgamesFollow my Twitter! - https://x.com/saxplaysgames

In today’s episode, I sit down with ​⁠ — the creator who helps define the Destiny 2 META, shapes the speedrunning scene, and sets the standard for damage testing across the entire community.

We talk about the art of going fast, the science of knowing when to slow down, and the full story behind how Aegis became the person even other experts trust. From Wolfpack chunking to spreadsheets, speedrunning clans to burnout, and the Edge of Fate data crisis — this is a rare, unfiltered look behind the curtain into how the most trusted numbers in Destiny 2 get made.

If you love damage testing, speedrunning, raid science, or just want to hear how one creator found his voice in the Destiny community, this is a MUST-watch episode.

Check out Aegis’ Socials Here: https://linktr.ee/TheAegisRelic

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00:00 – Episode Intro: How Aegis Started Playing Destiny

02:10 – What We’re Covering Today (Speedrunning, Testing, Journey)

03:17 – What Aegis Actually Does: Damage Testing, Speedrunning & Analysis

04:30 – How Aegis First Got Into Destiny 2

05:13 – The Master VoG Era: How Raiding Became an Obsession

07:06 – Getting Pulled Into Endgame Speedrunning Communities

09:13 – Why Master VoG Was Peak Destiny Design

10:51 – The Origin Story Behind the “Aegis Relic” Name

12:12 – Wolfpack Chunking: The Birth of Modern Damage Testing

14:40 – Health Bar Desync, Photoshop Testing & the Old Tools

15:26 – The Tool That Changed Damage Testing Forever

17:28 – The Double Special Video That Launched His Channel

19:19 – Sax on Content Creation, Passion & Process

26:20 – The Edge of Fate Miscalculation & Creator Accountability

28:18 – Bungie Reaches Out: Fixing the Data & Owning Mistakes

30:37 – Reinventing the Testing Process After the Incident

31:30 – Creator Burnout & The Pulse of the Game

33:35 – Why Speedrunning & Testing Are Immune to Meta Burnout

35:59 – The Only Time Aegis Considered Leaving Destiny 2

45:30 – Day One Epic Desert Perpetual: The Hardest Damage Check Ever

47:30 – Sax’s Day One Experience & Teaching Raids

52:09 – Epic Ragos, Difficulty Tuning & Player Experience

56:00 – Thoughts on Raid Identity, Difficulty & Speedrunning Culture

01:06:03 – The Volunteers Behind the Data: Aegis’ Helper Team

01:07:56 – Final Thoughts & Closing Message

Join me for an in-depth discussion with MossyMax, one of the most trusted names in Destiny 2 data analysis and testing! If you've ever benefited from accurate weapon damage comparisons, understood how scaling works, or followed a content creator's build guide, chances are MossyMax’s work at least partially assisted in its creation.In this episode, we explore:- How frustration with inconsistent testing led to a data science career in Destiny- The truth about Carl (he's NOT actually a boss!) and why it matters for weapon testing- Behind-the-scenes influence on Bungie's patch notes and communication- The controversy around Final Shape's solar surge that almost ruined raids- Advice for aspiring Destiny scientists and data analysts- Destiny Rising vs Destiny 2: complementary games or competition?- The mystery of High Impact Reserves and unsolved problems in Destiny scienceWhether you're a hardcore raider, a casual player, or someone fascinated by the systems running beneath your favorite game, this conversation offers unique insights into what makes Destiny tick.▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬Join my Discord! - https://discord.gg/saxplaysgames Follow my Twitch! - https://twitch.tv/saxplaysgamesFollow my TikTok! - https://tiktok.com/@saxplaysgamesFollow my Twitter! - https://x.com/saxplaysgames ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬00:00 - Welcome Mossy_Max!02:33 - What Inspired Mossy's Data Science Journey04:50 - How has the Firing Range Changed Testing 07:49 - Damage Scaling & Number Changes10:13 - Personal Background12:15 - Advice for Aspiring Data Scientists17:25 - Influence on Bungie21:38 - Raid Surges Discussion24:13 - Data-Driven Community29:46 - Destiny Rising Comparison35:04 - Platform & Future Discussion42:03 - Favorite Myth Busted45:45 - Dream Graph & White Whale50:52 - Closing Thoughts▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

In this Bonus TWID:R Podcast, I'm joined by  @AntivistD2 , a member of Clan Ascend and a member of the World's First Garden of Salvation Team. After seeing his high placement on the recent Destiny: Rising Raid Leaderboards, I reached out to discuss all things Day 1 Raiding inside of both Destiny 2 and Destiny: Rising.While talking, he revealed a story that I had never heard before.. They nearly beat Clan Elysium in the Day 1 Vow of the Disciple World's First Race. This would have prevented Elysium from winning the 2nd of 3 straight Raid Races and would have cemented Ascend as even more of a threat to every team looking to compete.In this episode, we break down everything from preparing for a Day 1 Raid, the importance of finding chemistry with your teammates, and everything in between.I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I enjoyed recording it!▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬Join my Discord! - https://discord.gg/saxplaysgames Follow my Twitch! - https://twitch.tv/saxplaysgamesFollow my TikTok! - https://tiktok.com/@saxplaysgamesFollow my Twitter! - https://x.com/saxplaysgames

Join me for an in-depth conversation with Court, the creative mind behind Destiny's most recognizable and widely distributed infographics! If you've ever used a champion stunning guide, referenced a damage stacking chart, or benefited from clear visual breakdowns of complex game mechanics, Court's work has made your Guardian life easier.In this episode, we explore:- How retail burnout led to becoming Destiny's premier visual designer- The philosophy behind creating infographics and the audience they're made for- Working as Llama's production manager and creating 75+ graphics for viral videos- Co-hosting the PvE Podcast and reaching 160 episodes- The creative process behind the Portal redesign video that sparked community-wide discussion- Behind-the-scenes collaboration with Bungie developers on community podcastsWhy reaching out to creators matters more than you think- Combating burnout through adjacent content creationWhether you're a content creator looking for inspiration, a designer curious about the craft, or a Guardian who appreciates the visual guides that make Destiny more accessible, this conversation reveals the dedication behind the graphics you see every day.▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬Join my Discord! - https://discord.gg/saxplaysgames Follow my Twitch! - https://twitch.tv/saxplaysgamesFollow my TikTok! - https://tiktok.com/@saxplaysgamesFollow my Twitter! - https://x.com/saxplaysgames ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬00:00 - Welcome Court03:10 - Court's Journey: From New Light to Creating Infographics20:41 - The Philosophy Behind the Work40:21 - Working with  @LlamaD2  | A Creative Partnership58:00 - The Portal Redesign Video1:13:40 - PvE Podcast: 160 Episodes Strong1:22:05 - Collaborating with Bungie Developers1:35:12 - Final Thoughts & Where to Find Court▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬My Gaming/Streaming SetupAudio Interface - Elgato Stream Deck XLR - https://amzn.to/4mUPFUfMic - Shure SM7B - https://amzn.to/4pg5g2eMic Arm - Elgato Wave Mic Arm LP - https://amzn.to/4piUhVOCamera - https://amzn.to/46dic0eElgato Key Light - https://amzn.to/4gtggFBCapture Card - https://amzn.to/48aEmCMGaming Keyboard - Logitech G915 X - https://amzn.to/46hnckvGaming Mouse - Logitech G502 X Plus - https://amzn.to/3JY9uvy▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬Destiny 2 is a free-to-play online multiplayer first-person shooter developed by Bungie. Set in a sci-fi universe, players assume the role of Guardians, protectors of Earth's last city, who wield unique powers granted by a mysterious force called the Light. The game features a blend of PvE (player versus environment) and PvP (player versus player) content, including cooperative strikes, raids, and competitive multiplayer modes. Players can explore various planets, complete quests, level up their characters, and acquire new weapons and gear, all while unraveling an ever-expanding narrative filled with cosmic threats and alien enemies.#destiny2 #destiny2coaching #destiny2sherpa #destiny2dungeon #destiny2raids #destiny2endgame #destiny2pve #destiny2theedgeoffate #destiny2memes #destiny2exotics #destiny2gameplay #destiny2community #destiny2players #destiny2newlight #destiny2veterans #destiny #bungie #destiny2guides #destiny2builds #destiny2titan #destiny2warlock #destiny2hunter #destiny2dps #destiny2news #destiny2twid

In this episode of Tower Talk, hosts Sax and Spartan discuss various aspects of Destiny 2, including a recap of their recent raid marathon, their thoughts on the new Episode: Heresy, the rework of Vault of Glass weapons, and the changes made to Trials of Osiris. They emphasize the importance of community engagement and creating fun experiences within the game, while also reflecting on the nostalgia and excitement surrounding the game's evolving content.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction to Tower Talk and Housekeeping

01:54 - Recap of the Raid Marathon

06:12 - Thoughts on Episode: Heresy

16:23 - Vault of Glass Weapon Rework

23:42 - Trials of Osiris Rework