Do Nightfalls Require DLC in Destiny 2? A 2023 Guide for New and Returning Players

As a devoted Destiny 2 gamer and content creator, one question I see come up frequently from new players is "do I need to buy expansions to play certain activities?" Specifically – whether owning DLCs like Forsaken, Shadowkeep and Beyond Light is necessary to access Nightfall strikes when they come up in weekly rotations.

The short answer is yes, most of the Nightfalls require you to purchase expansions in order to play them when they appear as the featured weekly strike. Only 4 of the 17 total Nightfall variants are tied to the original base Destiny 2 game itself, which is free for all players.

To help new guardians understand what exactly you‘re missing out on by not owning DLCs, I‘ve put together this comprehensive guide breaking down what content requires extra purchases, what is free, tips for prioritizing what expansions to buy, and ultimately – helping you determine if grabbing Destiny 2‘s Season Passes ultimate enhances the Nightfall farming experience that many players relish as the pinnacle PvE activity.

Let‘s dive in!

Complete Breakdown: How Many Nightfalls Require DLC

As of the current season (Season of Defiance), there are 17 total Nightfall strikes in the pool that come into weekly rotation. Out of those:

• 4 Nightfalls are base game content, available to all players
• 3 require Forsaken DLC
• 4 require Shadowkeep DLC
• 3 require Beyond Light DLC

So 13 out of 17 Nightfall variants require owning expansions for access when they appear.

In essence – 76% of all Nightfalls are locked out unless you purchase additional content beyond the free base Destiny 2 download.

Here is a full breakdown:

As you can see, if you want to ensure you have access to all Nightfall variants over a season, buying all the expansions is necessary.

Do I Need Expansions to Enjoy Nightfalls?

As a mostly free-to-play player that dabbles in some seasonal content purchases here and there – yes you can absolutely enjoy Nightfalls even without grabbing all the DLCs!

When I first started Destiny 2, I played for months before I purchased Forsaken. And I happily farmed base game Nightfalls multiple times over enjoying the challenge and progression.

The base game Nightfall pool of 4 strikes offers solid variety – the cramped Hive spaceship corridors of The Arms Dealer, jumping puzzles galore within the Vex networks of The Inverted Spire, the massive Drill area defense in the Cabal base of Insight Terminus, and who can forget the infamous boss room in Exodus Crash?

My advice would be to test drive the 4 free Nightfalls during various weeks to get a taste before deciding if owning more strikes via DLC purchases significantly enhances your experience. Without experiencing the rewarding challenge and loot chase Nightfalls offer, it‘s hard to determine if paying to double your strike options makes sense long term.

But for veterans seeking the "pinnacle Destiny 2 experience" – buying all expansions to guarantee full Nightfall access season over season is highly recommended.

What Do Expansions Offer Beyond Nightfalls?

When debating if buying Destiny 2 DLCs enhances the Nightfall experience and your progression journey, it‘s also important to consider everything else you gain access to by owning expansions that experienced players view as essential gear and power grind opportunities.

Each expansion includes far beyond just the 3-4 strikes added to the Nightfall rotation. You also unlock new destinations, raids, dungeons, campaigns and powerful gear sources.

Here‘s a quick overview of everything you get in each:

As you can see, owning expansions adds far more than just strikes – with destinations constantly featured in seasonal storylines, raids that drop some of the best exotics & gear in Destiny 2, and dungeons offering unique challenges and loot outside what you get from Nightfalls.

So for diehard PvE players looking to conquer the most challenging endgame activities and power climb as high as possible every season – having full access across Destiny 2 is extremely valuable.

Expert Tips for Prioritizing Expansions

With each expansion priced at $25-30 depending on your platform, buying all 3 can represent a decent investment.

Based on playing hundreds of hours across all endgame PvE content, if you can only buy 1-2 DLCs right now I recommend the following order of priority:

1. Witch Queen – Currently the latest expansion with the most relevant rewards
2. Beyond Light – Stasis subclass hugely powerful + new raid
3. Shadowkeep – 4 additional Nightfalls + raid access
4. Forsaken – Provides most bang-for-buck with tons of content

Witch Queen‘s weapon crafting system offers some of the strongest Nightfall weapons to chase in Destiny 2 currently. And the legendary Vow of the Disciple raid is an absolute must-conquer at least once for PvE fans.

But honestly any expansion is great in terms of enhancing your Nightfall and overall Destiny 2 experience. And you may value very different content than I do as a hardcore PvE player.

Check out the full reviews over on IGN to help decide what‘s best for you!

At the end of the day, 76% of all Nightfalls require DLCs to access. So buying expansions certainly opens up more strike variant opportunities. And experienced players argue more content makes the game infinitely more rewarding long term.

But hands-on testing during a few weeks of the free Nightfall pool is the best way for you as an individual player to determine if the DLCs add to your enjoyment enough to warrant the purchase price points.

I hope this detailed breakdown and expert tips help provide guidance during your first forays into Nightfalls and deciding if investing into Destiny 2 expansions makes sense! Feel free to reach out to my Twitter @DestinyInsights with any other questions.

Happy farming guardians and see you out in the end-game content!