Destiny 2 New Light Kit: How to Start at Power 300

TL;DR

The New Light Kit is a free loadout bundle from Ikora Rey in the Tower Bazaar.
It instantly raises every gear slot to 300 Power — the biggest single time-save for new and returning players in Destiny 2’s final update, Monument of Triumph.
Each kit includes 2 Legendary weapons, 1 Exotic weapon, 4 Rare armor pieces, a Legendary class item, and subclass Aspects and Fragments.
There are 9 kits total — one for each Light subclass (Void, Solar, Arc) across all three classes (Hunter, Titan, Warlock).
You can claim one kit per character class. Darkness subclasses (Stasis, Strand, Prismatic) are not included and must be unlocked through gameplay.
Kits are only available if all eight gear slots are empty — equip nothing before claiming.
After claiming, head straight to Fireteam Ops Quickplay to push toward the 440 soft cap, then check Ikora’s “Grow your Light” menu to unlock additional Aspects and abilities beyond the kit defaults.

The Destiny 2 New Light Kit is the fastest way for a new or returning Guardian to skip the early Power grind and land at 300 Power immediately. In Update 9.7.0 — the game’s final major live-service update, released June 9, 2026 — Bungie reset all accounts to start at 10 Power with no catch-up chest, making the New Light Kit the primary mechanism to reach a functional starting point fast. Instead of earning gear slowly through low-level activities, you claim a complete themed loadout from Ikora Rey in the Tower Bazaar and instantly jump to 300 Power, ready for endgame content. Whether you are brand new or returning after a long break to check out Monument of Triumph, collecting the New Light Kit before doing anything else saves significant time. Download Destiny 2 free on Steam, PlayStation, Xbox, or the Bungie website.

Destiny 2 New Light Kit

Table of Contents

What Is the New Light Kit in Destiny 2?

The New Light Kit is a curated starter loadout bundle introduced in the Into the Light update and carried forward as a permanent fixture in Monument of Triumph. It is designed to bridge the Power gap between brand new Guardians and returning players so they can jump into higher-level content quickly without grinding through the entire early game. As of Update 9.7.0, all accounts — including returning veterans — reset to 10 Power, making the kit more relevant than ever for anyone who does not already have high-Power gear in their vault.

Each kit is themed around a specific subclass and gives you an immediately functional build — not just raw Power, but a working set of Aspects, Fragments, weapons, and armor that all work together around a clear playstyle. Think of it as Bungie handing you a pre-built Guardian ready to play rather than making you assemble everything from scratch. Additional Aspects and abilities beyond the kit’s pre-selected defaults can be purchased from Ikora’s Grow your Light menu in the Tower at any time.

There are nine kits in total: three per class, one for each Light subclass. Each one gives your Guardian a taste of a specific subclass fantasy — stealth and ambush for Nightstalker, explosive fire for Gunslinger, precision blade combat for Arcstrider, and so on across every class combination. You pick the kit that matches how you want to play and claim it in one interaction.

What Does the New Light Kit Include?

Every New Light Kit contains the same categories of items regardless of which class or subclass you choose:

2 Legendary weapons — curated to match the subclass theme (typically a primary and a special weapon).
1 Exotic weapon — a subclass-appropriate Exotic that feeds into the kit’s playstyle.
4 Rare armor pieces — Helmet, Arms, Chest, and Legs matched to your class.
1 Legendary class item — cloak for Hunter, mark for Titan, bond for Warlock.
Subclass Aspects and Fragments — pre-selected to work with the kit’s theme right away. Additional Aspects are available from Ikora’s Grow your Light menu.
A short quest — a subclass-specific Exotic armor quest that, when completed, gives you a dedicated Exotic armor piece for the build.

All weapons and armor in the kit drop at 300 Power. Since your overall Power Level is the average of your eight gear slots, having every slot jump to 300 simultaneously gives you an immediate 300 Power baseline — far faster than earning gear slot by slot through activities. For the full breakdown of the climb after that, the Destiny 2 Power Level guide covers every bracket from 300 to 550.

How to Get the New Light Kit in Destiny 2

Getting the New Light Kit is straightforward but has two requirements you need to meet before it will work.

Step 1 — Complete the Opening Missions

The New Light Kit is locked until you finish two short introductory quests: A Guardian Rises and Schism. These are the very first missions in the game that introduce basic movement, combat, and the Tower. They take roughly 20 to 30 minutes combined for a new player. After completing both, you are given the option to skip the remaining New Light introduction campaign and jump straight to the Tower. Bungie recommends the skip for experienced FPS players. If you are completely new to the game, completing the full New Light campaign first gives you a better foundation, but the kit is still waiting for you when you finish. For your very first steps after the Tower opens up, Shaw Han in the Cosmodrome also has a New Light questline worth starting — visit him after claiming your kit.

Step 2 — Empty All Eight Gear Slots

Before visiting Ikora, you need to have every weapon and armor slot completely empty. The kit requires open space in all eight slots to apply cleanly. If you are a new player who just finished the tutorial missions, your gear will already be minimal and this may not be an issue. If you are a returning player, unequip everything from all slots and put it in your vault before heading to Ikora. The kit will not apply if any slot is occupied.

Step 3 — Visit Ikora Rey in the Tower Bazaar

Ikora Rey is located in the Tower Bazaar — the section of the Tower between the main courtyard and the back area near Zavala and Shaxx. She is the Warlock Vanguard and stands near a meditation device that glows purple. Walk up to her and interact. You will see the New Light Kits option in her menu. Select it to browse all nine available kits. While you are here, also note the Grow your Light option in her menu — this is where you unlock additional Aspects, Fragments, and ability options for your subclass beyond what the kit pre-selects.

Step 4 — Choose Your Kit

Nine kits are available. Three per class, one for each Light subclass. Pick the one that matches your character class and preferred playstyle. You can only claim one kit per character class — you cannot claim a second kit on the same character later, and you cannot get a different subclass kit for the same class after claiming one. Choose carefully. If you want to try a different kit, you need to create a character of the same class on a different account, or accept that you will unlock other subclasses through normal gameplay.

Step 5 — Claim the Kit

Confirm your selection. The kit applies immediately. Every gear slot jumps to 300 Power, your chosen subclass is pre-configured with Aspects and Fragments, and the Exotic armor quest is added to your quest log. Open your inventory to inspect what you have received and check each slot is filled correctly before heading out.

All Nine New Light Kits — Which One Should You Pick?

Here is a breakdown of every available kit by class so you can make an informed choice before claiming:

Hunter New Light Kits

Nightstalker (Void): Stealth and battlefield control. The build focuses on Invisibility to ambush enemies and control positioning. As of Update 9.7.0, Smoke Bomb now makes you and nearby allies invisible by default on deployment without requiring any specific Aspect. The new Phantom Surge melee — added in the final update — has you dash through enemies, dealing damage and generating Void Overshield for each target hit, with bonus damage against Void-debuffed targets. Perks centre on traps, snares, and Devour for survivability. Best for players who prefer a sneaky, hit-and-run playstyle. The Phantom Surge Hunter build is a strong Monument of Triumph upgrade path from this starting kit.
Gunslinger (Solar): Explosive, weapon-focused damage. The build uses Solar grenades, blades, and precision shots to create chain reactions. Best for players who want strong boss damage and clean precision kills that spread fire. Pairs naturally with Zaouli’s Bane from King’s Fall once you reach higher content — check the King’s Fall loot table and god rolls for the best perks to chase.
Arcstrider (Arc): High mobility melee combat. The build uses Arc staff and quick succession melee attacks. Best for players who prefer aggressive close-range combat with fast movement. Strong in both PvE and PvP for players comfortable with Crucible positioning — the Crucible meta guide covers the best weapons to pair with this subclass.

Titan New Light Kits

Sunbreaker (Solar): Close-quarters hammer throws and fire survival. The build centres on igniting enemies with Solar-charged melee and surviving through heavy enemy groups. Best for players who want to feel durable and aggressive at the same time.
Sentinel (Void): Shield throwing and team support. The build uses Void barriers and shield-based area denial. Best for players who want to protect teammates and control tight spaces in fireteam content. The armor set bonuses guide covers which sets pair best with Sentinel’s defensive playstyle.
Striker (Arc): Thundercrash and shoulder charge devastation. The build uses raw kinetic melee and Arc damage to clear rooms quickly. Best for players who want high mobility and the strongest single-target melee burst in the game.

Warlock New Light Kits

Voidwalker (Void): Nova Bomb and Void grenade control. The build uses powerful Void grenades and the classic screen-clearing Nova Bomb Super. Best for players who want area-of-effect power and reliable ability uptime.
Dawnblade (Solar): Healing rifts and Well of Radiance support. The build uses Solar restoration and the Well of Radiance Super to support the whole team. Best for players who want to be the backbone of a fireteam in raids and dungeons. The Destiny 2 raids in order guide covers which raids to tackle and in what sequence as you push deeper into endgame.
Stormcaller (Arc): Chain lightning and Arc debuffs. The build uses Arc grenades and Jolt to chain damage between enemies. Best for players who want high add-clear with satisfying visual effects and the Stormtrance Super.

Can Returning Players Use the New Light Kit?

Yes. The New Light Kit is not exclusively for brand new players. Returning Guardians who come back to Destiny 2 for Monument of Triumph also benefit significantly from it. As of Update 9.7.0, all returning Guardians start at 10 Power — Bungie removed the old catch-up chest system in favour of natural drops, and the New Light Kit is now the fastest single catch-up mechanism for anyone below 300 Power. Monument of Triumph is Destiny 2’s final major live-service update, meaning the current content and reward structure is permanent — there is no time pressure, but the New Light Kit is still the fastest way to get into endgame activities immediately.

If your existing characters still have gear above 300 Power in your vault from before you took a break, you do not need the kit at all — your old gear is still the better starting point. Check your vault first. If everything you have is below 300 or you deleted your old characters, the New Light Kit will save you significant time regardless of how long you have been away.

One important nuance: the kit can only be claimed once per character class. If you already claimed a kit on your Hunter during a previous period of play, you cannot claim a second one on the same Hunter now. The kit is a one-time option per class. You can still create a new Hunter on a fresh account to test a different kit combination, but your existing characters are locked to whichever kit they already claimed or did not claim.

What Happens After You Claim the New Light Kit?

Once you have the kit equipped and all eight slots are at 300 Power, your next goal is reaching the soft cap at 440 Power. From 300 to 440, almost every activity in the game rewards gear above your current Power, so the climb is fast. Here is the recommended path:

Equip all kit items immediately and check each slot is filled before leaving Ikora.
Open the Exotic armor quest from the kit and start working on it passively. The quest gives you a dedicated Exotic armor piece for your build and is worth completing before you push deep into endgame activities.
Visit Ikora’s Grow your Light menu to unlock any additional Aspects or ability options for your subclass beyond the kit defaults. Some of the most powerful build options — including the Nightstalker’s Phantom Surge melee — may need to be unlocked here rather than arriving pre-equipped.
Start the New Light questline with Shaw Han in the Cosmodrome if you have not already. It introduces you to basic activities and gives additional Power drops as quest rewards.
Queue for Fireteam Ops Quickplay from the Portal. It is matchmade, fast, and consistently rewards gear above your current Power between 300 and 440. You do not need to think about optimizing modifiers or activity selection yet — just complete runs and collect drops.
Visit the Monument of Triumph in the Tower Courtyard and start the onramp quest to unlock Legendary Marks and the Tenet vendors. The full breakdown is in the Destiny 2 Monument of Triumph complete guide.

Once you hit 440 Power, standard drops stop giving Power increases and you enter the hard cap grind. For the complete phase-by-phase breakdown of how to push from 440 to the 550 pinnacle cap, the Destiny 2 Power Level guide covers every bracket with the fastest methods and activity recommendations. When you are ready to start farming the best weapons and armour in the game, the best armor mods for every slot guide is a natural next step for optimising your build.

What Is the Exotic Armor Quest From the New Light Kit?

Every New Light Kit includes a short questline that rewards a subclass-specific Exotic armor piece. The quest is simple — it typically asks you to equip your new subclass, defeat enemies using abilities, complete a short Solo Ops activity at Normal or Advanced difficulty, and then return to Ikora. The full quest takes under an hour for most players.

The Exotic armor you receive at the end is tuned to complement the kit’s build. For example, the Nightstalker kit pairs with an Exotic that enhances Invisibility uptime, the Gunslinger kit pairs with one that boosts precision kill chains, and so on. This Exotic armor piece is the foundation of the build the kit is designed around, so completing the quest as soon as possible after claiming the kit is a priority. Once you have the Exotic armor equipped alongside the kit’s Exotic weapon, you have a complete starting build ready for most of Destiny 2’s content up to 440 Power. For weapon upgrade paths from that point, the best raid Exotics ranked guide and the complete Exotic weapons ranking are the best next reads.

Can You Get Multiple New Light Kits?

You can claim one New Light Kit per character class. Since Destiny 2 has three classes — Hunter, Titan, and Warlock — you can claim a total of three kits across three separate characters. You cannot claim more than one kit on the same character. If you create a Hunter, claim a kit, and then want a different Hunter kit, you are locked out on that character. Create a new character of a different class to access a different set of three kits.

In practice, most players claim a kit on whichever character they plan to main and then level their alternate characters through normal drops, which is faster than starting fresh anyway due to the account-wide Power tracking system — a character you just created will receive significantly boosted early drops if your main is already at high Power.

Is the New Light Kit Worth Getting in 2026?

Yes, unconditionally. It costs nothing, takes one minute to claim, and skips roughly two to four hours of early Power grind. For any player who does not already have gear above 300 Power in their vault, it is the first thing to do after logging in. For players returning specifically for Monument of Triumph content — Legendary Marks, Tenet vendors, Pantheon, SRL, and endgame farming — getting to 300 Power immediately means you can access all of those systems within your first session. Since Monument of Triumph is the game’s final major update and all content is now permanent and evergreen, there is no rush — but the New Light Kit still removes the most tedious part of re-entry for anyone below 300 Power.

The one case where the kit is less valuable is if you are a returning veteran with existing high-Power gear already in your vault. In that situation your old gear is the better starting point and the kit will not apply while your slots are occupied. Check your vault first, then decide whether to claim the kit based on what you find. For everything you need to know about Monument of Triumph and what awaits you after reaching 300 Power, the Monument of Triumph complete guide is the next stop. For the full Power Level climb to 550, see the Destiny 2 Power Level guide. When you are ready to start farming raid loot for Tier 5 gear, Destiny 2 raids in order covers which raids to tackle and in what order. And for the best weapons to chase across PvE content, the Destiny 2 best weapons PvE tier list is the definitive starting reference.