Summary
ADestiny 2player has demonstrated their loyalty to the Vanguard by creating customized armor sets closely inspired by the organization’s leaders, Commander Zavala, Ikora Rey, and Cayde-6. The Vanguard fireteam’s costumes come courtesy of careful selection from the vast array of armor options available inDestiny 2.
TheDestinygames aren’t best known for having many highly memorable characters, but the ones it does have are practically fixtures in gaming, and beloved by their fans. The chief examples of this are the leaders of the Vanguard, the organization that manages and commands the Guardians of the Last City. Hunter Cayde- 6, Warlock Ikora Rey, and Titan Commander Zavala have been present inDestinyandDestiny 2since its launch, and in many ways are the face of its storytelling.Zavala was also voiced by actor Lance Reddick, who died in 2023, but the character’s importance to the story was such that Bungie chose to recast the role forThe Final Shape, with actor Keith David stepping in to do right by his late colleague.
NowDestinyfan Alternative_Wait_420 has created a tribute to the Vanguard by using the versatileDestiny 2transmogrification systemto come up with three customized outfits emulating the Vanguard leaders' unique appearances. Using parts from the game’s ever-growing selection of cosmetic upgrades, they created three armor sets to share with the DestinyFashion Reddit community, one for each Vanguard fireteam member.
Cayde-6 Custom Costume Parts and Shaders
Ikora Rey Custom Costume Parts and Shaders
All items in the Ikora Rey custom costume use the Mediator Shader
Commander Zavala Custom Costume Parts and Shaders
Alternative_Wait_420 said that they tried their best to use not only the most appropriate-looking armor parts and shaders to recreate the Vanguard fireteam, but also to employ Exotics, Sparrows, and Emblems that seemed to match each character. For example, for Cayde and Zavala, who are never shown wearing masks or helmets, they tried to emulate their faces using the Machined Skirmisher Mask and the blue-tintedEternal Warrior Titan Exotic armor, respectively. Ikora is also typically bare-faced, but is sometimes shown standing near a Prodigal Hood mask, and so wears it in her costume.
Fellow players praised the effort to capture the essence of some ofDestiny 2’s most iconic characters. Given that Bungie has been fairly careful not to let players replicate the exact same looks using accessible in-game items to keep the named characters looking unique, a few players joked that the custom costumes resembled “stunt doubles” for the Vanguard leaders rather than the characters themselves.
Others also remarked on just how many directly available in-game items are associated with Cayde-6 alone, like the Ace of Spades Exotic hand cannon and Lucky Pants Hunter armor, as well as the Gambler’s Palm legendary sparrow. By comparison, Ikora and Zavala are connected to far fewer things. In fact, Ikora’s signature weapon, theInvective Exotic Shotgun, still languishes in the originalDestinyarmory, yet to be implemented inDestiny 2.
Destiny 2
WHERE TO PLAY
Dive into the world of Destiny 2 to explore the mysteries of the solar system and experience responsive first-person shooter combat. Unlock powerful elemental abilities and collect unique gear to customize your Guardian’s look and playstyle. Enjoy Destiny 2’s cinematic story, challenging co-op missions, and a variety of PvP modes alone or with friends. Download for free today and write your legend in the stars.An Immersive StoryYou are a Guardian, defender of the Last City of humanity in a solar system under siege by infamous villains. Look to the stars and stand against the darkness. Your legend begins now.Guardian ClassesChoose from the armored Titan, mystic Warlock, or swift Hunter.
