Destiny House of Wolves Guide: How to succeed in Trials of Osiris

Have you traded in your third 9-0 Trials Passage and spent hours basking in the sun at the Lighthouse on Mercury? Well, move along then, because you know more about Destiny’s new PvP mode, Trials of Osiris, than I do. For those of you still here, baffled by how anyone can win that consistently, well, we’re all part of the problem, and it’s time to fight back!

My first few score cards in Trials of Osiris were a mess – one win, three losses; two wins, three losses; three wins (one from a Boon of Osiris), and three more losses. But after getting my bearings, warming up, and modifying my strategies for this new mode, I’ve been able to manage seven wins, getting my hands on Osiris gear, guns, and Etheric Light. Here’s what I learned…

How to prep for Trials of Osiris

Gear and weaponry aside, if you’ve been losing consistently in Trials of Osiris your answers might be more fundamental than the gun you use. For a lot of us, House of Wolves has us coming fresh off of an extended Destiny vacation. I hadn’t played more than a Nightfall or two in a couple months, and I certainly wasn’t maintaining my edge in Crucible. My first streak of losses came down to a simple truth: my friends and I were rusty.

To kill two birds with one stone, spend the days between Trials of Osiris weekends playing the Crucible playlist of the day. This playlist provides the best rewards AND a higher chance for obtaining Passage Coins, which can be used to buy three buffs for your Trials Passage scorecard.

These buffs include Favor of Osiris, which gives you a free first win; Mercy of Osiris, which will forgive your first loss; and Boon of Osiris, which gives you two wins for one if you win your first match. Each buff costs three Passage Coins, meaning you’ll want to spend nine coins on each Trials Passage for the maximum benefit. That said, if you buy them all and win your first match, you’re looking at a 3-0 scorecard with a free loss available.

What to bring to the fight

Since light level matters in Trials of Osiris (just like Iron Banner), you’ll want to make sure you’re bringing a level 33 or 34 character to the fight. For guns, you’ll likely want to come packing an Exotic primary weapon if you can. Thorn, Red Death, Hawkmoon, The Last Word, and Vex Mythoclast are the current favorites for their VERY short time-to-kill and some other perks.

Secondary weapons are more about preference, but you’ll be avoiding some clear favorites on the other team (more on that later). For heavies, you’ll want Gjallarhorn or Truth, full stop. Trials of Osiris only has one heavy weapons round and you’ll want to shuffle your loadout just so you can carry one of these overpowered rocket launchers into the fight. Otherwise, bring a legendary rocket with Tracking or Proximity Detonation or rush to attack the other team’s heavy ammo with your primary.

As far as Sub-Classes go, there were a few standouts in week one, but every class is fair game depending on the map. Sunsinger Warlocks will likely always have their place in the Trials thanks to their self-resurrection super, whereas Voidwalkers struggled with The Burning Shrine’s low ceilings blocking their Nova Bombs. Hunter Gunslingers benefit from a super that’s difficult to counter at range, whereas Bladedancers are more risky, but equally capable of a comeback. Lastly, Striker Titans are good for countering supers and shoulder charging, whereas a Defender can put a close-range fight back on their terms with the push of a button. Whatever your choice, play to your strengths, your gear, and the map layout. If you’re doing it right, you should be pushing the boundaries of your class abilities — you should feel like you’re cheating and getting away with it.

How to fight in Trials of Osiris

There is no cut-and-dry strategy for success in the Trials. At the same time, if your team runs off in their own direction at random every round, you won’t see much success.

Set off with a brief plan. Have one player get into an overwatch position while the other two players try flanking. If that works out, you might want to try it again, or you might want a new plan entirely. Try attacking from an unexpected angle with everyone, or split up for a pincer movement. Try holding your ground and sniping from afar, or sprinting to their position with shotguns. Whatever you do, stay unpredictable. The first move in a Trials of Osiris match is like a game of Rock, Paper, Scissors, and predictability will mean certain death.

After you make your first move it’s all about adapting and communicating. If a teammate dies you’ll want to revive them as soon as you can, but never at the cost of your own life. Let them use their spectator view to assess the situation. Go for a revive if the enemies are on their way, but never if you’re already being shot at. The bonus shields for everyone are worth the chance, but there’s a slow revival animation that turns revived teammates into sitting ducks if they’re being shot.

Bottom line: if something isn’t working, change it immediately. Communicate enemy positions, ask for help, and use the spectator view. Most importantly, you’re going to lose and lose again — don’t get complacent and don’t give up!

What to watch out for from your enemies

The number of deadly moves a good Trials of Osiris player can throw your way are near infinite, but there are some popular weapons you can keep an eye out for.

First up, a lot of people are using the Thorn handcannon. That doesn’t mean you have to get your own, but it’s worth being aware of certain advantages. One, if you get shot it’s going to take longer to get your health back because of the poison. Two, if you just barely survive a Thorn encounter, you’re going to die in a second anyway, so make your arrangements. Three, because of the constant damage over time, enemies can track you based on the damage numbers popping up over your head, so be aware that they’re likely on the chase.

Another particularly deadly weapon is a sniper rifle with the Final Round perk. A lot of players are abusing the extra damage from this perk by expending all but one round of their sniper rifle into a nearby wall and saving the final shot for one of your latent fingers or toes. With Final Round, sniper rifles become one-shot death machines without the need for headshots. If you start seeing this, close the gap early on and get out of sniper range as fast as possible.

As the weeks go on and the map choice evolves strategy and loadouts, the things you’ll have to fight against will evolve as well. You’re going to get caught off guard by something you’ve never seen before. Be okay with that, and always think about how you can counter it next time. Get a group you like playing with and stick with them, prepping for the next Trials session in Crucible. With some luck and perseverance we’ll make Trials of Osiris a scary place for everyone, even those who went 9-0 in their first week.