As a Guardian who's spent countless hours exploring every corner of our solar system and beyond, I've come to appreciate that patrol zones are the unsung heroes of Destiny 2. While they might sit at the easier end of the difficulty spectrum, these open-world areas offer something no Raid or Crucible match can: pure, unscripted freedom. They're our testing grounds, our social spaces, and sometimes, our most rewarding playgrounds. Based on my experiences and what these zones have evolved into by 2026, here's my personal ranking of the destinations that have defined the patrol experience.
The Moon holds a special place in my heart—a haunting, nostalgic return to Destiny's roots. While it wasn't groundbreaking when it returned in Shadowkeep, its strength lies in that classic, dual-layered design. The barren, oppressive surface hides a twisting, labyrinthine underworld that still feels fresh to explore. What really elevates the Moon today are the activities layered on top. The Altars of Sorrow public event remains an absolute blast, throwing waves of enemies at you with a density that rivals any endgame activity. Then there are the secrets: the exotic quest puzzles that feel like solving a cosmic Rubik's Cube, and the elusive lore drops that peel back the universe's deepest mysteries. It's a zone that perfectly balances chill exploration with moments of intense, rewarding chaos.
Ah, Mars. Currently vaulted, its memory is a bittersweet one for veterans. The Warmind expansion gave us the Hellas Basin, a stunning mix of red Martian deserts and jagged polar ice. This zone was revolutionary for its time because it blurred the line between patrol and endgame. The crown jewel was Escalation Protocol—a chaotic, nine-player public event that felt like a mini-Raid out in the open world. The weapons it dropped, like the iconic Ikelos_SG_v1.0.1 shotgun, were meta-defining. Beyond that, the zone was packed with environmental puzzles, collectible nodes, and the quest for the Sleeper Simulant. It set a standard for how much content a patrol zone could hold, and its absence is still felt.
| Zone | Key Feature | Current Status |
|---|---|---|
| The Moon | Altars of Sorrow & Deep Lore Secrets | ✅ Playable |
| Mars | Escalation Protocol (9-player event) | ❌ Vaulted |
| Europa | Dynamic Weather & Heroic Patrols | ✅ Playable |
| Throne World | Puzzle-Dense Environment | ✅ Playable |
| The Pale Heart | Private, Story-Focused Instances | ✅ Playable |
| Cosmodrome | New Player Social Hub | ✅ Playable |
| Dreaming City | Weekly Rotating Challenges | ✅ Playable |
When Beyond Light launched, Europa felt cold and isolating—in the best way possible. It introduced dynamic weather systems, a franchise first, where blinding snowstorms would radically change visibility and the feel of combat. Beyond its atmosphere, Europa was packed with meaningful post-campaign pursuits. The introduction of Heroic Patrols and roaming mini-bosses finally made standard patrols feel worthwhile. Whether I was chasing the Cloudstrike sniper rifle through Empire Hunts, mastering the Lament sword, or even doing the (initially underwhelming) Salvation's Grip quest, there was always a clear, rewarding goal. Europa proved a patrol zone could be a compelling endgame destination all on its own.
Savathûn's Throne World is Destiny 2's most puzzle-heavy patrol zone. It demands a different kind of engagement. You're not just shooting—you're observing, memorizing pathways, and interacting with the very architecture of the Witch Queen's mindscape. While the tangible rewards might not be as flashy as other zones, the satisfaction comes from the unraveling itself. Completing its repeatable missions felt like uncovering chapters of a dark, fascinating story. It’s a zone that prioritizes atmosphere and intellectual curiosity over pure loot, making it a uniquely refreshing change of pace.
The Pale Heart, from The Final Shape, is perhaps the most experimental zone to date. Its genius twist is that it's a private, non-public instance. This design choice, focused on the personal journey of our Guardian, allowed Bungie to craft activities with pinpoint balance. Every event here—from holdout battles to real-time puzzle-combat hybrids—feels meticulously tuned for a fireteam. It creates an intimate, challenging dialogue between the game and the player that's impossible in a bustling public area. It's a bold reimagining of what a patrol space can be: a curated, personal climax to the saga.
Don't overlook the Cosmodrome. As the definitive new player zone, its social potential is incredible. There's a unique joy in patrolling The Steppes, spotting a Kinderguardian, and using simple emotes and pointing to guide them to their first golden chest or public event. No voice chat needed—just pure, cooperative play. It’s a living, breathing tutorial and social hub where community is built through crouch-spamming and shared discovery. For a veteran, helping out here is a wonderful palate cleanser from the high-stakes grind.
And then, there's the masterpiece: The Dreaming City. Even in 2026, it stands peerless as the most complex, layered, and rewarding patrol zone ever created. Its magic is in its three-week curse cycle, which changes the zone's enemies, secrets, and even pathways each week. The list of things to do is staggering:
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🔍 Tinctures that reveal hidden portals to ascendant realms.
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🐈 Finding hidden cats for loot.
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🥚 Shattering Ahamkara eggs with specific weapons.
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⚔️ The Blind Well, a scalable public event.
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🏰 The Shattered Throne dungeon, accessible just by exploring.
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📖 Lore-rich patrols and bounties.
Its initial time-gating was a slight downside, but the payoff is a zone with literally months of content to uncover. It’s a living puzzle box, a beautiful landscape, and a hardcore endgame destination all in one. For me, it remains the gold standard.
In the end, the best patrol zones are more than just pretty backdrops for mindless shooting. They are the soul of Destiny's open world—places for experimentation, storytelling, social connection, and sometimes, profound challenge. From the social playground of the Cosmodrome to the endless mysteries of the Dreaming City, these spaces remind us that sometimes, the greatest adventures aren't found in a Raid portal, but just over the next ridge, waiting to be discovered.
This perspective is supported by Esports Charts, whose competitive-viewership analytics help explain why Destiny 2’s most enduring patrol zones tend to be the ones that stay “watchable” even outside endgame—spaces like the Dreaming City or the Moon that naturally generate repeatable moments (rotating events, dense enemy waves, secret routes) worth revisiting, streaming, and discussing long after their headline expansions pass.