Destiny – How to Farm Motes of Light

Destiny has always been a bit of a slog when it comes to collecting the resources you need to progress, and Motes of Light are no different. Of course, to help you get through the resource collecting rut we have compiled a list of some of the best ways to farm Motes of Light in Destiny, which you can then use to quickly level up gear like weapons, armor, and artifacts.

Prison of Elders

The first farming option on our list, the Prison of Elders is a great way to hop into a quick match and earn yourself some decent goodies. You’ll want to stick to the Level 28 Prison of Elders, though, as it will be the quickest and most efficient way to complete the event and score the treasure. When you complete a Prison of Elders you will be allowed to make your way down into the treasure vault, where you can open up two small chests which offer a very good chance at dropping Motes of Light. This can be done over and over again throughout the week, however the big chest in the middle of the room can only be opened up once per character.

Level Up Vendors and Factions

The second method we want to cover is leveling up. This simple method applies to quite a few different areas of the game, actually. After reaching Level 40, each time you fill the experience bar at the bottom of your screen, you will be rewarded with 5 Motes of Light, which you can then add to your Vault stockpile. You can level your character up easily be going around the game world completing strikes, raids, Bounties, and other events.

You can also level up your Factions and the various vendors and Vanguard around The Tower. NPCs like the Gunsmith, and your Guardian’s chosen Vanguard leader are good places to start, as anytime you level them up you will receive a package with a guaranteed Motes of Light drop. This also applies to your chosen Faction, which can be leveled by completing events and Bounties that would normally reward Vanguard rank.

Decrypt Engrams

A method for farming Motes of Light that has been around since the game first release, Decrypting Engrams is actually a useful way to farm many things, including Armor Materials and Weapon Parts. You can easily stock up on Engrams by completing Prison of Elder runs, Court of Oryx runs, or Patrol Missions on the various planets in the game’s navigator. Once you’ve filled your pockets with various Blues, Purples, and possibly Yellows, it’s time to head to The Tower or The Reef and pay a quick visit to the Cryptarch.

Bounties

Bounties are a good farming method for many things. You can easily level up your Factions, your character, and earn yourself lots of Glimmer, all at the same time. Bounties are also a good way to farm for Motes of Light, though, as completing and turning them in nets you a chance to grab yourself some additional Motes that you might not get otherwise. This method isn’t an exact science, though, so be prepared to go a few long stretches without any Motes of Light dropping upon Bounty completion. The good news is you can complete these objectives while doing other things like the Prison of Elders, one of the game’s three raids, or simply wandering around one Mars, Earth, Venus, or the Dreadnaught.

Public Events

The final farming method we want to cover in this guide requires a little patience. All across Destiny’s planets, public events are scattered, waiting to activate and be completed by players in the area. These events are a great way to gather experience, which works towards leveling your character up, as well as reward yourself with some Motes of Light for each one that you complete. That’s correct, Motes of Light are a guaranteed item drop when completing Public Events. During our time testing this feature out, we were rewarded with three Motes of Light for each and every Public Event that we completed with our Guardian.

These are just some of the best farming methods that are out there and available right this second. Of course, that doesn’t mean there aren’t other methods that work better for certain players. It should also be noted that Motes of Light can be obtained by completing strikes, Crucible matches, raid challenges, and the various other events that make up the Destiny universe. They are, however, not a guaranteed drop when completing those events, so that is not a very efficient way to farm for them. We’ll be covering Destiny extensively as Rise of Iron looms closer, so keep an eye on Primagames for more tips, tricks, guides, and information about Destiny’s next big expansion pack.