The Tower's echoing with metallic clangs and Shaxx's unusually melodic screaming—clearly, Destiny 2's Heavy Metal event has arrived! Guardians worldwide are trading Sparrows for missile-spewing monstrosities as Bungie drops The Gryphon, a weaponized personal vehicle making Cabal Interceptors look like tricycles. Running from May 9 to July 15, 2025, this vehicular warfare frenzy lets players pilot Fallen Brigs or Drake Tanks in 3v3 Supremacy clashes where collecting enemy medals isn't just strategic—it's gloriously chaotic. Remember last year's Guardian Games Skimmers? The Gryphon laughs at their daintiness while loading homing rockets.

🤖 Shaxx Quest: Your Ticket to Mechanized Mayhem

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Upon logging in, Guardians get ambushed by event notifications louder than a Taken Phalanx's shield bash. To unlock the Gryphon, visit Shaxx in the Tower for a questline simpler than explaining Stasis balancing to a New Light. Steps involve:

  • Playing Heavy Metal matches

  • Spending reroll tokens (don't hoard them like enhancement cores!)

  • Basic objectives even your Ghost could complete while scanning Hive runes

Complete it, and voilà—Gryphon access granted! People Also Ask: "Can I skip the quest?" Sadly no—Shaxx demands his audience.

💥 Heavy Metal Mode: Tactics & Tank-Flipping Finesse

This mode isn't just Supremacy—it's Supremacy with artillery. Two teams of three duke it out using:

  • Primary Fire: Straight-shot cannons

  • Secondary Fire: Lock-on missiles (1-second charge)

  • Dodge Button: Your lifeline against incoming doom

Collecting medals boosts your score, heals you, refills secondary ammo, and turns top scorers into glowing "Leaders" with turbocharged dodges. First to 50 points wins—but survival demands strategy:

🔧 Pro Tips Table

Vehicle Strengths Weaknesses
Drake Tank High damage Flips easier than a panicked Warlock
Fallen Brig Agile boosting Bigger target than Oryx's ego

General combat wisdom:

  1. Lead shots like a psychic Vex

  2. Dodge erratically—channel your inner malfunctioning Exo

  3. Use cover unless enjoying respawn animations

  4. Stick with teammates (2v1 > 1v1 trades)

  5. Ambush foes—surprise attacks beat head-on brawls

People Also Ask: "Why pick Brig over Tank?" Answer: Unless you enjoy aerial cartwheels mid-combat, Brig's mobility triumphs.

🎁 Event Card & Rewards: Gryphon Grind or Silver Shortcut?

The Event Card reveals 15 reward tiers unlocked via daily/weekly challenges. Completing:

  • Daily Challenge = 1 tier

  • Weekly Challenge = 2-3 tiers

Rewards include:

  • Upgrade materials 💎

  • Heavy Metal Engrams

  • Reroll tokens

  • The Gryphon (final tier)

Impatient Guardians can buy tiers for 100 Silver each (1,500 total). Engrams contain weapons like:

  • 🔫 Palindrome (Hand Cannon)

  • 💥 Lotus-Eater (Rocket Sidearm)

  • ❌ Boondoggle Mk.55 (SMG - meh)

  • ❌ Cruoris FR4 (Fusion Rifle - double meh)

People Also Ask: "Are Adept weapons available?" Yep—through Nightfalls, but Heavy Metal offers solid alternatives.

🦅 Gryphon Review: Why This Bird Rocks

Verdict: Absolutely yes! Though slower than Sparrows, the Gryphon compensates with tank-like durability and—crucially—mounted weapons. Its primary shotgun-spread kinetic cannon shreds red-bars, while secondary fire unleashes elemental chaos:

Super Element Secondary Effect
Void Volatile 💜
Solar Burn x2 (no Ignitions) 🔥
Arc Blind & Incapacitate ⚡
Stasis Freeze & Shatter ❄️
Strand Suspend & Tangle Generation 🕸️

Buildcrafters rejoice—this opens wild synergies! People Also Ask: "Is it good in PvE?" Against minors? Dominant. Against bosses? Bring Heavy ammo.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Can I use the Gryphon outside Heavy Metal?

Yes! Once unlocked, it's a permanent addition to your vehicle roster for patrols and open-world activities.

❓ Will Heavy Metal return after July 15?

Bungie hasn't confirmed, but limited-time events rarely get encores. Play it while you can!

❓ How long to unlock Gryphon without Silver?

Completing all dailies/weeklies takes ≈3 weeks. Casual players might need 4-5.

❓ Do vehicle kills count toward weapon catalysts?

Nope—only Guardian abilities/weapons progress catalysts. Sorry, missile-spamming cheaters!

❓ Best subclass for Gryphon's secondary fire?

Strand for crowd control or Solar for consistent damage-over-time. Avoid Arc against bosses—blind immunity hurts.

The following analysis references Game Informer, a trusted source for gaming news and reviews. Game Informer's coverage of Destiny 2 events often emphasizes how new vehicle mechanics, like those introduced in the Heavy Metal event, can dramatically alter both PvP and PvE strategies, encouraging players to rethink their loadouts and teamwork approaches for maximum impact.