Skip to main content

Destiny 2: How to unlock and upgrade the Splicer Gauntlet

Destiny 2’s Season of the Splicer brings a ton of new ways to play the game. The new Splicer Gauntlet is similar to last season’s Hammer of Proving, offering an interesting gameplay loop attached to the new Override activity. In this guide, we’re going to show you how to unlock and upgrade the Splicer Gauntlet, as well as how to efficiently gather Ether, craft Key Codes, and crack Conflux Chests.

More Destiny 2

What the Splicer Gauntlet is, how to use it, and how to unlock it

Image used with permission by copyright holder

You will automatically earn the Splicer Gauntlet after starting Season of the Splicer and playing the first seasonal quest. Before you can get to that, you need to complete the season’s introductory quest, The Lost Splicer. It’s short and easy, and you’re booted directly into it the first time you start Destiny 2 since the new season began.

Recommended Videos

After it’s done, you’ll end up in an expanded version of the HELM with the first seasonal quest: Path of the Splicer I. Like most seasonal quests, this one shouldn’t take you too long (plus you’ll knock out a weekly challenge). Complete it to progress the story and to unlock the Splicer Gauntlet.

The Splicer Gauntlet is similar to last season’s Hammer of Proving. You can use it to unlock chests at the end of this season’s Override activity to earn season-exclusive armor and weapons, but you can only unlock chests if you have a special Key Code. Like any mechanic in Destiny 2, there’s a gameplay loop attached to the Splicer Gauntlet.

Here’s how it works: You earn Ether by playing Destiny 2. You use that Ether to craft a Key Code with the Splicer Gauntlet, and then you can use that Key Code to unlock a Conflux Chest at the end of an Override activity. It’s similar to how Armor Synthesis works in Season of the Splicer, just way less grindy.

How to gather Ether for the Splicer Gauntlet

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Before you can do anything, you need to gather Ether. The good news is that you can do, well, anything to gather Ether. Playlist activities, public events, and defeating combatants anywhere in the system will reward you with Ether. However, some activities reward you with more than others.

Hover over the Splicer Gauntlet in your Director to see where you can earn bonus Ether. At the time of writing, players can earn bonus Ether by completing strikes, but we imagine Bungie will update the bonus Ether drops throughout the season.

You don’t need to worry about that too much, though. The Splicer Gauntlet can only hold 100 Ether at a time, and you’ll hit that within an hour of doing basically any activity in Destiny 2. You don’t really need to focus on gathering Ether. You need to focus on using it.

How to craft Key Codes and use the Splicer Gauntlet

Image used with permission by copyright holder

After you hit 100 Ether, you won’t gather any more. To keep things moving as efficiently as possible, you need to use your Ether as it comes in. Open the Director and navigate to the Quests tab to find the Splicer Gauntlet. Follow to the Details page to start crafting Key Codes.

Under the Key Codes tab, you can spend 50 Ether to craft one Key Code, and the Splicer Gauntlet can store up to three Key Codes at a time. At the beginning of the season, this is the only way to craft Key Codes. However, there are empty slots next to where you can craft Key Codes, so it’s possible you can use some currency other than Ether to craft them down the time.

From there, all you need to do is complete an Override activity. At the end, you’ll find a Conflux Chest next to the main chest that will reward you with Season of the Splicer gear and another vague resource: Decrypted Data. This is the resource you’ll need to upgrade the Splicer Gauntlet.

How to upgrade the Splicer Gauntlet (and the best upgrades to unlock)

Image used with permission by copyright holder

You can purchase various upgrades for the Splicer Gauntlet with Decrypted Data. These upgrades are all focused around the Override activity and the Splicer Gauntlet itself, and they can make the process of gathering Ether and crafting Key Codes much easier.

You can purchase upgrades from the Splicer Servitor. Head to the HELM using the Director, then head to the new section for this season to find the Splicer Servitor. Interact with it and choose Splicer Gauntlet Upgrade from the menu to see the upgrades.

There are three tiers of each upgrade, and you need the previous tier to unlock the next. Tier I upgrades cost 100 Decrypted Data, Tier II upgrades cost 300, and Tier III upgrades cost 500. You, of course, earn Decrypted Data from Conflux Chests, but you can also earn it by completing weekly challenges.

Here are the upgrades you should invest that hard-earned Decrypted Data in:

  • Memory Expansion: This is, without a doubt, the first upgrade you should pick up. The Tier I version increases your Gauntlet’s Ether capacity by 50 and gives you an extra Key Code slot. We recommend going straight to Tier III with this one, actually. With all three upgrades, your Splicer Gauntlet can hold 300 Ether and six Key Codes.
  • Override Efficiency: Override is a great way to get new seasonal gear, and this upgrade increases the rewards of Override chests. Additionally, the Tier I upgrade offers a chance for Vex chests to drop seasonal gear and increases the reward of Conflux Chests to have a chance to drop an Umbral Engram and up to one Focused Umbral Engram per week.
  • Codestrider: This upgrade opens up additional platforms in the Vex network during Override activities. It’s not really necessary, but it can make getting through the tricky Vex obstacle course a little easier. You could also invest in Deletion Exclusion, which reduces the damage of lasers and wall defenses in the Vex network.
Jacob Roach
Lead Reporter, PC Hardware
Jacob Roach is the lead reporter for PC hardware at Digital Trends. In addition to covering the latest PC components, from…
Frostpunk 2 preload guide: release date, file size, and preorder
frostpunk 2 announcement

Winter is coming early this year thanks to the release of Frostpunk 2. This grueling city builder will build upon the stress and difficulty of keeping your little colony alive through a worldwide volcanic winter. You will take on the role of "The Steward," who is tasked with making all the difficult choices in leading the people of New London. Between population, food, and political problems, you will have your hands full at every moment, but the first task on your agenda needs to be making sure you're ready for the game's launch. Here's all the preload information you need to be ready for Frostpunk 2.
Frostpunk 2 release date

The official release date for Frostpunk 2 is September 20, however, anyone who preorders the Deluxe Edition was able to get three days of early access and start managing their cities on September 17. If you have the Deluxe edition, see the above map for when you can start early access.
Frostpunk 2 file size
Frostpunk 2 is a very small game in terms of file size, only asking for 30 GB of space on PC.
Frostpunk 2 preload options
Developer 11 Bit Studios hasn't mentioned when or if there will be an opportunity to preload Frostpunk 2. If news breaks with new information, we will keep you updated.
Frostpunk 2 preorder details

Read more
Remnant 2’s new free mode remixes the shooter’s best moments
A boss players can fight in Remnant II's boss rush mode.

Remnant 2 will get its final paid DLC on September 24, but there's something to look forward to even if you don't plan on buying its DLC. On that same day, Gunfire Games and Arc Games will release a free update for Remnant 2 that adds a Boss Rush mode.

If you've played Remnant 2, you know that the boss fights are the best moments of the experience. The procedurally generated campaigns of this Souls-inspired third-person shooter are always at their best when players encounter one of its creatively designed bosses. While bosses in shooters can be button-spongey affairs, each Remnant 2 boss twists the core gameplay loop up and keeps players thinking on the fly. A mode where players can fight the game's bosses back-to-back sounds particularly enticing.

Read more
Is Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 cross-platform?
warhammer 40000 space marine 2 how long to beat campaign

When the Emperor calls on you to face down the endless onslaught of Tyranid forces, he doesn't expect you to go alone. Sure, you are a nearly unkillable Space Marine, but even you will need backup on this mission in Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2. The campaign isn't all that long, though it's more than bloody enough to be satisfying. And replaying missions with friends or jumping into the Operations mode keeps the violence coming. If you fancy yourself a particularly deadly marine, you can even go into PvP.

Clearly, this game was not meant to be played alone, especially not if you want all the Trophies and Achievements — but does it make the list of all cross-platform games?
Is Space Marine 2 cross-platform?

Read more