How I Earned the Queensguard Title in Season of Defiance
Unlock Destiny 2's Queensguard title with our guide, mastering Defiant Keys, War Table upgrades, and Favor farming for this elite seal.
Back in 2023, Destiny 2’s Season of Defiance gave us a chance to stand beside Mara Sov as Queensguard, and honestly, I didn’t think I’d ever earn that title. But in 2026, while waiting for the next expansion, I decided to tackle one of the most demanding PvE titles in the game. It pushed me through Avalon’s Legend difficulty, forced me to unlock every War Table upgrade, and demanded hundreds of kills across old battlegrounds. What follows is my personal journey—a blend of tips, grit, and a lot of Heavy ammo.
Unbowed, Unbent – Following the Seasonal Quest
The first step was finishing the entire We Stand Unbroken questline. Nothing complex here; just grab the introductory Lightfall campaign mission, visit the Neomuna holoprojector, and push through every story beat. Clearing Defiant Battlegrounds and a few unique missions unlocked the Triumph seamlessly. If you’re returning after a break like I was, rest assured that the quest still guides you smoothly toward the final cutscene.
Defiant Keys, War Table, and Favor Farming
Earning the Queensguard title meant interacting heavily with the Ascendant Scepter artifact and Defiant Keys. Defiant Keyholder required using 15 Defiant Keys in Battlegrounds, and I quickly learned to grind ritual activities for those keys. Having the Ascendant Scepter from the War Table in the H.E.L.M. was mandatory for keys to drop. Pro tip: always check your inventory before launching a Battleground—nothing stings more than completing a run without a key.
Stand on the Table tested my dedication to Seasonal Challenges. All 11 War Table upgrades had to be purchased, and each upgrade demanded a completed challenge. The grind here is real but manageable if you tackle multiple challenges at once. I spent many evenings diving into Vanguard Ops and Crucible matches, ticking off objectives like “defeat targets with Strand abilities” or “collect seasonal currency.” Once all challenges were done, the War Table blinked with upgrades, and that sweet Triumph popped.
The three Favor Triumphs—Bend Toward Justice, Grace Under Fire, and Zeal Appeal—were number grinds. Each needed 100 Favors generated by specific weapon or ability kills, but only after unlocking the corresponding War Table upgrades. For Justice, I farmed ability kills; for Grace, Special weapon kills; and for Zeal, Heavy weapon kills. My best farming spot? The very first encounter of the Avalon Exotic mission. With Rally Banners available, I could constantly restock Heavy and loop kills without worrying about ammo. One long Sunday session produced all 300 Favors, leaving me relieved but slightly cross-eyed.
Country Radio, Big Game Banisher, and Legendary Trifecta
Visiting the Farm in the EDZ six times for Country Radio felt almost nostalgic. Each holoprojector interaction delivered a story snippet, and I made a ritual of winding down after a hard Battleground by listening to the last message. It’s the easiest Triumph but one that reminded me why I love Destiny’s quieter moments.
Big Game Banisher asked for 75 Champion or boss kills inside any Defiant Battleground. I stuck to the Normal playlist for matchmaking and actively hunted every Champion spawn. With a decent anti-barrier build, these kills piled up surprisingly fast. In about four play sessions, the counter reached 75, and I had a pile of loot to show for it.
Next came Legendary Trifecta: completing the Legend versions of all three Defiant Battleground maps—EDZ, Cosmodrome, and Orbital Prison. The weekly rotation meant I had to log in each week, find a fireteam, and clear the featured map. Communication was key; use mods and supers that mesh well, and designate one person for add-clear while the others handle objectives. After three weeks, the Triumph was mine, and my fireteam celebrated with a dance party atop a captured payload.
The Avalon Gauntlet and Ctrl-Alt-Complete
Ctrl-Alt-Complete and Disable Safety Routines are the heart of the Queensguard grind. The Avalon Exotic mission houses Vexcalibur, and to empower the glaive, I had to complete three weekly quests. Each quest sent me back into the Vex Network with unique objectives, but the real test was the Legend difficulty version. This activity rivals GM Nightfalls, punishing every mistake with instant death. I went in solo to avoid scaling issues, using a Solar Titan build with Loreley Splendor for constant Restoration and 100 Resilience. After several failed attempts, learning spawn patterns and mastering the Brakion boss fight, I finally saw the mission complete screen. The triumph sound has never been sweeter.
If you’re struggling, consider a duo run—just one partner. I’ve seen Hunters cruise through with Strand suspend builds and Warlocks with Osmiomancy turrets. Patience is the real weapon; memorize the wyvern spawns and never skip the rally banner in the final encounter. You’ll get there.
Scourge of Light – The Final Cleanup
By the time I neared the end, Scourge of Light required 250 kills with Season of Defiance weapons. I grabbed the auto rifle Perpetualis and loaded into the Aphelion’s Rest Lost Sector on a Legend run. In minutes, the counter filled up. It was a gentle cooldown after Avalon’s intensity, and seeing the Queensguard title finally unlock gave me a genuine rush.
Overall, this title took weeks of steady effort and a few moments of sheer frustration. But standing in the Tower with “Queensguard” beneath my name feels like a badge of honor. For any Guardian still chasing it in 2026, follow my path—embrace the grind, stack those Favors, and never underestimate a good Resilience stat.