Destiny 2 Season of Plunder Grandmaster Nightfall: Release date, time, power cap, loot, and more

The Glassway (Image via Destiny 2)
The Glassway (Image via Destiny 2)

The Destiny 2 community is just a few hours away from Grandmaster Nightfall, where each mission will test a player's patience, load-outs, and friendships. Every season, the requirements change, leaving one to grind their hearts out in the first seven months to get enough artifact bonuses.

The following article will list down every major detail you need to know before going inside the Grandmaster Nightfall of Season 18. Typically, there are six Nightfalls ready to roll out each week for the Guardian's amusement. Furthermore, each one will reward specific Adept loot as well.

Disclaimer: Loot rotation mentioned in this article is based on Season 18 Nightfall cycle. Adept loots are subject to change.


Power cap, loot, release date, and time of upcoming Destiny 2 Season 18 Grandmaster Nightfall (2022)

1) Release date and time

Grandmaster Nightfall in Season of Plunder is scheduled for release on October 4, at 10 am PDT. The release times for all major areas are as follows:

  • India: 10.30 pm (October 4).
  • UK: 6 pm(October 4).
  • China: 1 am (October 5).
  • Australia: 3 am (October 5).

Players will be able to access it right after the week goes live on the reset. The scheduled Nightfall for the upcoming week is The Glassway, with D.F.A. Hand Cannon as the expected Adept reward. Nightfall rewards will also have a boost in drop rate from October 4 to 11.


2) Loot calendar

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Season of Plunder is scheduled to end on December 6, giving everyone enough time to farm their favorite Adept loot with each week. The six Nightfalls with the expected drops are as follows:

  • October 4: D.F.A (Glassway)
  • October 11: Mindbender's Ambition (Lightblade).
  • October 18: Duty Bound (Fallen SABER).
  • October 25: Militia's Birthright (Disgraced).
  • November 1: Horror's Least (Exodus Crash).
  • November 8: Silicon Neuroma (Devil's Lair).

As mentioned earlier, the aforementioned calendar might change with time.


3) Power cap for Destiny 2 Season 18 Grandmaster Nightfall

Grandmaster Nightfall official screen in Destiny 2 (Image via Bungie)
Grandmaster Nightfall official screen in Destiny 2 (Image via Bungie)

Grandmaster Nightfalls usually caps a player at 25 power levels below the required power. Guardians are recommended to get 15 artifact bonuses alongside the pinnacle cap, which will make them 1595. Anything above this will not count or put anyone at an advantage. However, being below will lock them out of the activity.

Hence, to play Grandmaster Nightfall, you will need to be at the 1595 power level. When you see the recommended power in the activity to be 1620, it means that the enemies are 25 levels above you, alongside 10 other modifiers. Elemental burns hit harder than anything here, with added Champion enemies and shields.

Destiny 2 week 6 seasonal challenges (Image via Bungie)
Destiny 2 week 6 seasonal challenges (Image via Bungie)

There are some decent ways to get more artifact bonuses via completing seasonal challenges per week. October 4 will mark the arrival of seven more challenges, allowing players to rush through them to gather EXP.


4) Why farm for Adept weapons

Adept Plug One.1 with an Adept mod (Image via Destiny 2)
Adept Plug One.1 with an Adept mod (Image via Destiny 2)

Adept Nightfall weapons can only be obtained via Grandmaster completion. Each platinum completion increases the chance of an Adept drop, be it weapons or mods. Typically, Adept weapons have better stats compared to their normal variant, which can be further paired with Adept mods.

Since Nightfall weapons can't be crafted with enhanced perks, Grandmasters are the only option for an endgame Nightfall weapon.