Hey there, fellow Guardian! If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably been scratching your head trying to figure out these new Unstable Cores that dropped with The Edge of Fate expansion. I remember when I first saw them pop up in my inventory – I was like, “What in the Traveler’s name are these green rocks, and why do I need so many of them?”
Well, after spending countless hours grinding, experimenting, and researching (and maybe yelling at my screen a few times), I’ve put together this comprehensive guide to help you understand everything about Unstable Cores. Trust me, by the end of this, you’ll be a core expert!
What Are Unstable Cores Anyway?
Let me break it down for you in simple terms. Unstable Cores are basically the new hotness in Destiny 2’s power progression system. They’re these glowing green items that you need to infuse your gear past power level 200. Think of them as the “premium fuel” for your Guardian’s progression beyond the base game cap.
When I first hit that 200 power wall, I was frustrated. I had all these awesome weapons and armor pieces dropping, but I couldn’t use them because I didn’t have enough cores to infuse my existing gear. It’s like having a Ferrari but no keys to start it!
Here’s the deal: Unstable Cores are consumed automatically when you infuse items above 200 power. The higher the power gap between your current gear and the new piece, the more cores you’ll need. And let me tell you, those costs can get pretty steep pretty fast!
How to Get Your Hands on Unstable Cores?
Okay, so now you know what they are, but how do you actually get them? I’ve tested every method out there, and I can tell you there are three main ways to farm these bad boys:
1. Dismantling High-Power Gear (The Grind Method)
This is probably the most reliable way to get Unstable Cores, but it requires some serious grinding. When you dismantle any gear above 200 power, you’ll get Unstable Cores based on how high that gear’s power level was.
Let me share a little secret I discovered: the higher the power level, the more cores you get. For example:
- Dismantling 202+ gear gives you about 18 cores
- Dismantling 213+ gear awards around 112 cores
- The really high-level stuff (300+) can give you hundreds of cores
I learned this the hard way when I was hoarding all my gear “just in case.” Don’t be like me – if you’re not going to use it, dismantle it! Those Tier 1 and 2 items you’re collecting? They’re basically core factories waiting to be cashed in.
2. Rewards Pass (The Easy Way)
The Rewards Pass is your friend here, Guardian. I was surprised to find out that most of the Unstable Cores are actually on the free track! You can get a decent amount just by playing normally and leveling up your pass.
If you’ve got some Silver to spare, the paid Reclamation pass gives you even more – I think there were about 50 extra cores on the first page alone. But don’t worry if you can’t afford it; you won’t miss out on too much.
3. Weekly Rank Rewards (The Consistent Method)
This is where I get my steady core income. The new Portal system has weekly rank rewards that reset every week. By completing your daily and weekly Portal challenges, you can earn up to 75 Unstable Cores each week.
I make it a habit to knock out these challenges as soon as they reset. It’s like having a part-time job that pays in cores! Just click on the Seasonal Hub button in the Portal to check your progress.
Using Unstable Cores: The Nitty-Gritty Details
Now for the meat and potatoes – how to actually use these cores effectively. I’ve made plenty of mistakes here, so let me save you some trouble.
Infusion Costs: What to Expect
When you infuse gear, the cost depends on the power difference between your current item and the one you’re using as fuel. The closer they are in power, the fewer cores you’ll need.
Let me give you some real examples from my own experience:
- Taking a 10 Power item to 214 cost me 29 Unstable Cores
- But taking a 213 piece to 214 only cost 2 Unstable Cores
- And infusing between two identical pieces? That’s just 1,000 Glimmer!
I learned this trick the hard way: if you have a well-rolled piece of gear at 300 but get a 310 one with worse stats, use the higher-level one as infusion fodder. It’s way cheaper than trying to infuse across a big power gap.
Pro Tips for Core Management
After hundreds of hours of experimentation, here are my top tips for managing your Unstable Cores:
- Plan your infusions carefully: Don’t just infuse everything. Focus on the gear you actually use regularly. I wasted so many cores early on infusing stuff I never even equipped!
- Keep some high-power gear for infusion fodder: When you get a high-power drop with bad perks, don’t dismantle it immediately. Keep it as infusion fuel for your favorite gear with good rolls.
- Focus on one character first: If you play multiple characters like I do, resist the urge to level them all up at once. Get your main to max power first, then work on your alts.
- Don’t forget about Enhancement Cores: You still need regular Enhancement Cores for infusions, so keep farming those too!
The Big News: Bungie Is Removing Unstable Cores!
Okay, this is huge, and you need to know about it. Bungie recently announced that they’re completely removing Unstable Cores from the game. I mean, they’re not just nerfing them – they’re getting rid of them entirely!
According to the official Bungie update, they found that “Unstable Cores have been too restrictive across power levels and fail to drive interesting buildcraft decisions.” Honestly, I can’t say I disagree. Trying to manage multiple builds across different characters was becoming a core-counting nightmare!
What This Means for You?
Here’s the timeline and what you need to do:
- Immediate Action: Bungie added a one-time reward of 777,777 Unstable Cores to the catch-up chest in the Tower. You need to log in and claim these ASAP before they’re removed!
- Short-term: They’ve reduced the number of cores needed for infusion at higher power levels until the currency is retired.
- Long-term: Once Unstable Cores are deprecated, infusion will just cost Enhancement Cores and Glimmer – like the good old days!
My Take on the Removal
Personally, I’m pretty excited about this change. Don’t get me wrong – I understand why Bungie tried the Unstable Cores system. They wanted to create a seasonal progression system that would reset and give everyone a fresh start each season. But in practice, it just felt like another grind.
I remember spending entire weekends just farming cores to infuse my gear, only to have everything reset at the end of the season. It was frustrating, to say the least. The rising costs at higher power levels made it nearly impossible to keep multiple builds at max power, especially if you play more than one character.
Power Level Progression: A Realistic Timeline
Let me give you a realistic idea of what to expect when leveling up with Unstable Cores. This is based on my own experience and what I’ve seen from other players:
Early Game (Power 1-200)
This is actually the easy part! You don’t need any Unstable Cores yet. Just play the game, complete activities, and your power will naturally increase. I recommend focusing on the campaign and basic activities during this phase.
Mid Game (Power 200-300)
This is where Unstable Cores come into play. You’ll need to start farming them through the methods I mentioned earlier. The costs aren’t too bad here – usually just a few cores per infusion.
Late Game (Power 300-450)
Welcome to the core grind! This is where things get expensive. I’ve seen infusion costs reach into the thousands of cores for high-power gear. One Reddit user calculated that taking a single piece from 200 to 450 costs about 62,000 cores. Yeah, you read that right – 62,000!
Common Mistakes to Avoid
I’ve made plenty of mistakes while learning the Unstable Cores system. Let me save you some pain by sharing what NOT to do:
1. Hoarding Everything
When I first started, I kept every piece of gear that dropped, thinking I might need it later. Bad idea! Your inventory will be a mess, and you’ll miss out on tons of cores. Dismantle anything you’re not going to use.
2. Infusing Everything
Not every piece of gear needs to be at max power. Focus on the weapons and armor you actually use regularly. I wasted so many cores early on infusing stuff I never even equipped in activities.
3. Ignoring the Weekly Challenges
Those weekly Portal challenges are your best friend for consistent core income. I used to ignore them, but once I started completing them regularly, my core supply became much more stable.
4. Forgetting About the Seasonal Reset
Unstable Cores expire at the end of each season, along with your power level reset. Don’t stockpile them thinking you’ll use them next season – you won’t!
The Future Beyond Unstable Cores
With Bungie planning to remove Unstable Cores entirely, what does the future hold? Based on the official announcements, it looks like we’re going back to a simpler system where infusion just costs Enhancement Cores and Glimmer.
This is actually pretty exciting for me. I miss the days when I could just infuse my gear without worrying about a limited, seasonal currency. The new system should make it easier to experiment with different builds and keep multiple characters at high power.
My Personal Unstable Cores Story
Let me share a quick personal story. When The Edge of Fate first dropped, I was super excited about the new content. But when I hit that 200 power wall and realized I needed Unstable Cores to progress, I was frustrated.
I spent the first week just grinding, dismantling everything I could get my hands on. I was that guy in strikes who would pick up every piece of gear, even if it was terrible, just to dismantle it for cores. My friends made fun of me, but I was determined to max out my power.
Then came the moment I’d been working for – I finally got a god-roll weapon at 350 power. But when I went to infuse it into my favorite loadout, I realized I didn’t have enough cores. I was about 5,000 cores short!
That’s when I learned the hard way about planning ahead. Now, I always keep a healthy core reserve and plan my infusions carefully. It’s made a huge difference in my Destiny 2 experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Unstable Cores do I need to reach max power?
Honestly, it depends on your luck with drops and how efficiently you manage your cores. From my experience, you’ll need anywhere from 50,000 to 100,000 cores to take a full set of gear from 200 to 450 power. That’s why Bungie’s gift of 777,777 cores is so generous!
What happens to my unused Unstable Cores when they’re removed?
Unfortunately, any unused Unstable Cores will disappear when the currency is deprecated. That’s why I recommend using them while you can, especially with the huge gift Bungie is giving us.
Should I still bother farming Unstable Cores if they’re being removed?
Yes, absolutely! Until they’re officially removed, you still need them to progress your power level. Plus, Bungie has reduced the costs at higher power levels, making it more manageable in the short term.
Can I transfer Unstable Cores between characters?
No, Unstable Cores are account-bound, which means all your characters share the same pool. This is actually pretty convenient since you don’t have to worry about which character has the cores.
What’s the best way to farm Unstable Cores quickly?
In my experience, the fastest way is to focus on high-level activities that drop gear above 300 power, then dismantle everything you don’t need. Combine this with completing your weekly Portal challenges, and you’ll have a steady supply of cores.
Final Thoughts
Unstable Cores have been… quite a journey, to say the least. When they were first introduced, I was skeptical. As I learned to work with the system, I found ways to make it work for me. And now, with Bungie planning to remove them entirely, it feels like the end of an era.
Whether you love them or hate them, Unstable Cores have definitely made their mark on Destiny 2’s progression system. They’ve taught us to be more strategic with our resources, to plan our infusions carefully, and to appreciate the simpler times when we didn’t have to worry about seasonal currencies.
My advice? Take advantage of Bungie’s generous gift of 777,777 cores, use them wisely to get your gear where you want it, and get ready for the return to a simpler infusion system. The future of Destiny 2 is looking bright, and I can’t wait to see what’s next!
Remember, Guardian – the most important thing is to have fun. Don’t let the core grind get you down. Play the way you want to play, use the gear you enjoy using, and everything else will fall into place.
See you in the Tower!
Want more Destiny 2 tips and guides? Check out our other articles for the latest strategies, weapon reviews, and raid guides. And don’t forget to bookmark this page – we’ll keep it updated with any new developments about Unstable Cores and future changes to Destiny 2’s progression system!