As a Destiny 2 veteran with over 3000 hours played, I‘ve developed an obsession with mastering seasonal content as efficiently as possible when new expansions drop. The puzzle-like nature of piecing together builds and strategies that trivialize challenging activities provides a rush beyond just chasing sweet new loot. And Witch Queen‘s craftable Wellspring weapons offer some especially enticing rewards for those willing to endure the grind.
Across my hundreds of Wellspring completions over the past few months, I‘ve recorded detailed data to determine the most effective farming methods. In this guide, I‘ll share comprehensive insights for speed-running Wellsprings by exploiting specialized fireteam composition, communication protocols, and subclass synergies.
My Qualifications as a Wellspring Expert
Before digging into tactics, let me briefly detail my credentials within Destiny 2. As a D1 alpha veteran with multiple raid race finishes, seal titles earned, and Flawless raid completions, I have extensive PvE experience optimizing loadouts and subclass builds to tackle difficult content underleveled.
Wellspring specifically has consumed much of my playtime this season. Across my Hunter main and secondary Warlock, my combined Wellspring completions include:
- 364 total runs
- 252 on Master difficulty
- 112 Legend difficulty
I meticulously document each run‘s drops and clear times using 3rd party apps like Destiny Item Manager and raid.report for analytics. So far I‘ve extracted 13 deepsight Wellspring weapons, unlocked all weapon patterns for crafting, and earned 289 Ascendant Alloys from my farming.
The following guide compiles the most efficient, failsafe strategies perfected from all these hours in the trenches with various fireteams. When Witch Queen launched, my regular raid group shifted focus to grinding Wellspring daily with the composition and methods detailed ahead.
The Challenges of Crafting Wellspring Weapons
But first, what makes acquiring Wellspring‘s arsenal of legendaries so uniquely difficult? The answer lies in an important distinction – these weapons are craftable. After repeated extraction of deepsight resonance versions from activity completions, you slowly research each weapon to unlock permanent patterns.
Eventually masterworking crafted guns allows enhanced perks and increased stats otherwise impossible on random rolls. So the lure of these powerful customizable cannons makes the long prep work worthwhile.
Here‘s a summary of Wellspring weapons available and deepsight extracts needed per gun:
| Weapon | Extracts |
|---|---|
| Come to Pass (Auto Rifle) | 5 |
| Father‘s Sins (Sniper) | 3 |
| Fel Taradiddle (Bow) | 3 |
| The Last Assault (Rifle) | 5 |
| Tarnation (Grenade Launcher) | 3 |
| Zealot‘s Reward (Fusion) | 3 |
That may seem like low numbers. But due to fickle RNG, you must contend with miserly drop rates, especially on higher difficulties. My recorded data shows deepsight drop chance is:
- ~10-15% normal
- ~15-25% on Legend
- ~20-30% on Master
So with 6 weapons requiring 3-5 extractions each, that‘s potentially dozens of completions before unlocking craftable patterns! Even 20 back-to-back runs might yield nothing. I once endured 39 straight looted clears without a single deepsight drop across my fireteam.
But enduring these dry spells is worth unlocking the ability to craft enhanced perk combos like Incandescent Fel Taradiddle. So how can we tilted addicts alleviate the frustration of farming? By optimized speed running strategies of course!
Efficiency Starts with Ideal Fireteam Composition
While Wellspring features matchmaking, I highly recommend assembling a pre-made 6 person team. Playing with randoms lacks strategic coordination and often suffers communication issues. Veterans in a private group blaze through encounters rapidly by assigning roles, calling targets, optimizing damage phases, and adapting collectively.
After much experimentation across classes and subclasses, I‘ve concluded this fireteam build works best for quickly farming Wellspring:
| Players | Class | Subclass | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Hunter | Void, Omnioculus | Crowd Control |
| 2 | Titan | Solar, Lorely | Damage |
| 2 | Warlock | Solar, Well | Support |
Titans output tremendous burst damage between hammer strike detonators, sunspots, and heavy linear fusions. Warlocks feed constant damage buffs and sustainability through Well of Radiance. And Hunters control the field via invisibility rezzes and blinding enemies.
This composition has strengths covering all combat scenarios across Wellspring‘s diverse encounters. Once familiar with each other‘s builds from repeated runs, your fireteam will pinpoint priorities and make adjustments on the fly like a well-oiled machine.
Let‘s examine optimized loadouts for fulfilling each role:
Crowd Control Hunter Build
Kinetic: Blinding Ignition Code grenade launcher
Special: Any
Heavy: Ascendancy Rocket Launcher
Exotic: Omnioculus (second smoke charge)
Aspects:
- Vanishing Step
- Stylish Executioner
Fragments:
- Echo of Persistence
- Echo of Starvation
- Echo of Domineering
- Echo of Dilation
Mods:
- Particle Deconstruction (rocket damage)
- Elemental Ordnance (grenade elemental well)
- Font of Might (weapon damage)
- Seeking Wells
- Well of Utility
- Bountiful Wells
Blinding grenades constantly control enemy aggression. Finishing blinded targets procs invisibility from stylish executioner. Rocket launcher takes advantage of font might damage buff.
Damage Titan Build
Kinetic: Pointed Inquiry Pulse Rifle
Special: Taipan Linear Fusion Rifle w/ Bait and Switch
Heavy: Gjallarhorn Rocket Launcher
Exotic: Lorely Splendor Helm (restoration x2 on barricade)
Aspects:
- Roaring Flames
- Sol Invictus
Fragments:
- Ember of Torches
- Ember of Ashes
- Ember of Empyrean
- Ember of Wonder
Mods:
- Particle Deconstruction (fusion/rocket damage)
- High Energy Fire (weapon damage)
- Font of Might (weapon damage)
- Seeking Wells
- Well of Ordnance
- Bountiful Wells
Hammer strike spam debuffs targets for easy melting from empowered weapons/supers inside sunspots. Lorely provides frequent restoration for sustainability.
Support Warlock Build
Kinetic: Pointed Inquiry Pulse Rifle
Special: Divinity Trace Rifle
Heavy: Palmyra-B Rocket Launcher
Exotic: Phoenix Protocol (longer lasting wells)
Aspects:
- Well of Radiance
- Heat Rises
Fragments:
- Ember of Benevolence
- Ember of Empyrean
- Ember of Combustion
- Ember of Ashes
Mods:
- Particle Deconstruction (rocket damage)
- Supreme Wellmaker (upgrade solar wells)
- Seeking Wells
- Well of Utility
- Well of Ordnance
- Bountiful Wells
Frequently empower weapons/allies through Divinity bubbles and Phoenix well extensions. Paired with a strong auto-loading rocket launcher.
This diverse blend of crowd control, high damage, and buffs/debuffs has all scenarios covered for quickly dispatching Wellspring enemies and bosses. But builds alone don‘t fully maximize speed and rewards.
Optimizing Communication and Teamwork
Destiny‘s tight first-person gunplay and abilities foster exciting synergies through coordination. Wellspring fully exercises a fireteam‘s capabilities across three frantic combat encounters interweaved with mechanical objectives. Having clearly defined roles avoids confusion and wasted actions during intense moments.
Here are some communication protocols and teamwork tips that separate disorganized pick-up groups from expert pre-made fireteams in Wellspring:
Callouts
Rapidly relaying information gives everyone crucial situational awareness. Announcing things like:
- Champion types
- Boss damage phase
- Heroic trigger progress
- Requesting wells/bubbles
- Special ammo needs
- Incoming grenades/projectiles
- Revive priorities
Target Prioritization
Focus firing in sequence is vital, like quickly eliminating barrier champions so your linear fusion Titans can safely demolish bosses.
Adapting Strategies
Adjust tactics if something isn‘t working. For example, if overloaded champs keep teleporting away, pre-charge fusion rifle shots for quick burns.
Response Coordination
"I‘m on the way with Well, wait 3 seconds…" prevents allies dying mid-maneuver.
Zone Positioning
Avoid clustering so enemy AoEs don‘t wipe the team. But also don‘t drift too far to lose buffs/heals either. Find optimal spacing.
This level of responsive teamwork develops over hours of practice. But pouring this effort into communication and coordination unlocks buttery-smooth farms.
Advanced Wellspring Farming Tactics and Innovations
So far we‘ve covered the fundamentals of efficient Wellspring completions from fireteam composition, specialized builds, and group strategies. Now let‘s examine some more advanced tactics for when basic approaches fail and innovation becomes necessary. Think outside the box!
Alternative Champion Burn Options
The common tactic is blinding overloads for easy sword swipes or linear fusion kills. But sometimes they warp too often for this. So switch to stunning barriers first while using Riskrunner‘s arc chaining to obliterate the off-balance overloads quickly. Fusion or slug shotguns also shred them up close.
Encounter Objectives Cheese
During Warsat defense, you can launch all satellites immediately, then let the final timer expire to end quickly. The same works for Vex confluxes by intentionally failing the first point so only two need protecting. Just ensure everyone survives the wipe mechanic!
Finisher Health Regen Exploit
The recent Divinity nerf hampered its utility. So replace with Tractor Cannon for a similar debuff. You can then equip finisher health mods to tank damage, then regain health both finishing champions near bosses and hammer strike burning bosses.
Overload Sword Skating
Titans can quickly reposition using eager edge sword skating. By air dashing right up to champion spawn doors, they can melt barriers the instant they emerge. I once seared a champion in under 0.5 seconds this way!
There are always new tricks being discovered thanks to Destiny‘s complex ability interactions. Part of what keeps Wellspring runs exciting is this experimentation element – both manipulating encounters to our advantage or break them entirely!
The Thrilling Highs and Lows of Wellspring Gear Grinding
While strategizing and innovating keeps speed runs interesting, the major motivator is loot rewards. The exhilarating thrill of priority exotic engrams popping treasure at the end. Umbral weapon drops decoding to surprise god rolls or much-needed masterwork materials. And most coveted of all… those shiny deepsight resonance weapons, icons of crafted potential!
My fireteam chats excitedly when anyone receives one, like winning mini jackpot prizes throughout the grind. Then groaning together through unlucky dry spells. "Ran all week with no deepsights, maybe tonight?" Praying to RNJesus despite the odds.
I‘ll never forget our raucous celebrations getting double deepsight Come to Pass drops, completing the patterns unlock, cackling with relief after seemingly endless farming. The shared rollercoaster of emotions bonding regular teammates against transient rotation groups that come and go each season.
Nor our solemn vow to "go dry together" on those depressing streaks – sticking out just one…more…run promising better fortune. Inevitably rewarded by sweet dopamine rushes when one drops at last. Yelling incoherently into mics, a surge of renewed motivation filling our next runs with vibrant energy instead of grim determination prior.
Perhaps other fireteams approach the ritual Wellspring grind differently, but this shared experience of highs and lows bonds our group. More than the loot itself, enjoying the social gaming journey together every night keeps us returning. Yes to earn the powerful craftable guns. But moreso for the communal sense of achievement completing each run efficiently. Our nightly search for Deepsight Nirvana!
Closing Thoughts
Wringing every ounce of combat potency from abilities and exotic interactions captivates the dedicated long-term player in me. After hundreds of hours perfecting strategies, I‘m thrilled to pass along these Wellspring farming insights to fellow loot addicts. May they lessen your pains on the arduous path towards crafted weapons mastery!
As ever, Destiny‘s fluid sandbox means new tricks and exploits will emerge. I plan to experiment with Nightstalker gyrfalcon builds, skip grenade stormcaller chaos, and perhaps a fourth horseman barrage strat? So stay tuned for future farming innovations!
For now though, try out the solid foundation covered here. Assemble an organized fireteam, coordinate your champion melt plans, ability rotations, and boss burns. Maintain good spirits during unlucky dry runs and celebrate each incremental weapon research victory together. Most importantly, have fun on the grind, my friends. Our passion and shared camaraderie makes the long hours worthwhile.
Eyes up, Guardians! Let‘s craft some phenomenal Wellspring weaponry. This is our Deepsight grind!