History of Heist Battleground: Mars

Overview

Heist Battleground: Mars is one of the three Heist Battlegrounds, three-player matchmade Battlegrounds-style activities introduced in Season of the Seraph (December 2022) in which Guardians raid enemy-held sites to repossess fragments of Rasputin's scattered subminds (here the submind Charlemagne, on the BrayTech Futurescape campus in Hellas Basin on Mars). Heist Battlegrounds were first launched from the H.E.L.M. and, after Destiny 2: Lightfall, were added to the Vanguard Ops playlist. Game Rant noted at the time of Season 19 that the Mars heist was initially unavailable; it came online later in the season. Mars itself has since been moved to the Content Vault (see Hellas Basin (activity)).

Encounters and mechanics

Sources describe the Moon and Europa heists as sharing the same second half. Guardians fight through enemy combatants, defeat a Deathtongue Chorister to open the way into the bunker, then pick up PDT Refraction Cores to destroy the Hive seals blocking progress. The final boss is Darkblade Kelgorath, Risen from Bones; at half health it gains a shield that must be removed by grabbing Charges and depositing them. Champion mods (Unstoppable and Barrier) are recommended. Stealth sections use detection towers and toggling laser fields.

Rewards

A chest at the end of each run drops Glimmer and gear, and a Seraph Chest can be opened with Seraph Key Codes. Completions grant reputation with the Exo Frame vendor in the H.E.L.M. Loot includes the Warmind's Avatar armor set and weapons such as Fire and Forget, Disparity, Judgement of Kelgorath, Path of Least Resistance, Tripwire Canary and Retrofit Escapade (per Destinypedia).

Related

Security Drone destruction triumphs ("Drone Destruction") are tied to each Battleground, and all three also appeared as Grandmaster Nightfall encounters. See Heist Battlegrounds.