How to get Ascendant Shards & Ascendant Energy

destiny

Recent Destiny patches appear to have removed common sources of Ascendant materials (Ascendant Shards & Ascendant Energy), which are still required to upgrade old gear.

From Destiny 1.2.0.1 Patch Notes:

  • Newly acquired Faction reward packages will no longer produce Shards
  • The Cryptarch will no longer convert newly acquired Legendary Engrams to Shards (possibilities include gear/weapons or Exotics)
  • Expansion II featured Daily Heroic activities will produce Motes of Light in lieu of Shards

Though it doesn't appear to be specified in the Patch Notes, I've also noticed that certain other events (e.g.: your first gold-tier Public Event each day) appear to generate Motes instead of Ascendant materials.

What options remain for those who still want/need to get Ascendant materials?

Best Answer

Assuming you have installed House of Wolves, here are the locations I know of that you can still earn ascendent materials:

  • Daily Story mission (for missions from the base game and The Dark Below; missions from House of Wolves give motes)
  • Chests and bosses in the Vault of Glass
  • Dismantling old (pre-House of Wolves) gear

The Speaker can convert between Ascendant Shards and Ascendant Energy, but this assumes you have enough of one material in order to convert it into the other.

Prior to the House of Wolves, you could also get ascendent materials from the following:

  • Completing a Public event
  • In Public event packages
  • Completing the Weekly Nightfall Strike
  • Decrypting Legendary Engrams
  • Dismantling legendary weapons and armor
  • Rarely from chests during patrol
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