Destiny 2 Vanguard Cipher: how to earn and spend it
Vanguard Ciphers are easy to miss and easy to waste. Here is where they come from, what the War Table sells, and when to save them.
Most players spend their first Vanguard Ciphers on whatever the War Table shows them. That is usually a mistake. The focus options rotate with the seasons, and the best drops change from one reset to the next.
What Vanguard Ciphers are
Vanguard Ciphers are a currency for playlist gear. You earn them from Strikes, Crucible and Gambit, then spend them at the War Table in the Tower. They arrived with the 2022 playlist rework, and their job has stayed the same: turn random engrams into gear you actually want.
How to earn them
Playlist matches grant Ciphers, so the fastest farm is playing the activities you already need. Bounties from the Vanguard, Crucible and Gambit vendors often pay bonus Ciphers. Weekly challenges from those vendors are the other reliable source.
Do not chase Ciphers in activities you dislike. The rewards per match are small, so playing what you enjoy keeps the grind cheap. Playing all three playlists in a week fills your balance faster than grinding one mode. A few focused hours a week covers most needs.
What to spend them on
The War Table focuses Vanguard engrams into specific weapons and armor from the playlist pools. The list changes each season, so check it after every reset. New weapons entering the pool are worth prioritizing, because you cannot get them anywhere else.
Armor focusing is also available and helps when you chase a specific stat spread. Most players get enough armor from normal play, though, so weapons come first. Save Ciphers when nothing on the list fits your build. Remember that focused drops still roll random perks, so the perk pool matters more than the cost.
Vanguard Cipher spending mistakes
Do not dump every Cipher on day one of a season. The focus list refreshes, and better options can appear mid-season. On the other hand, do not hoard them forever. A vault full of unspent Ciphers is just slow progress.
For a wider view of what to farm each week, the weekly reset guide lists the rotating activities. The currency farming guide covers materials, engrams and the bigger picture.
Related guides
Sources & References
This guide is verified against the game's own data and official communications. For patch notes, current balance, and authoritative specifics, consult the references below. Where a precise number cannot be verified, we explain the mechanic rather than invent a figure.
- Destiny 2 on Bungie.net — patch notes, current season, and authoritative game data.
- Destiny 2 Wiki — community-maintained mechanics, maps, and item data.