Unstable Cores are a new item in The Edge of Fate, Destiny 2‘s latest expansion. This controversial currency was required to infuse weapons and armor beyond 200 power. Though the resource is fated to disappear in the future, Bungie gifted guardians 777,777 Unstable Cores to use until then.
The newly minted Unstable Cores are integral to the leveling process, at least for the time being. If you’re a new or returning player who doesn’t know what to do with your lifetime supply of green rocks, here’s a quick explanation on how they work, how to use them, and why they’re going away.
What are Unstable Cores in Destiny 2
Simply put, Unstable Cores are consumed to level up your gear after reaching power level 200 and drop by dismantling gear past that threshold. Items with a higher level yield more Cores when destroyed, but infusing costs grow based on the discrepancy between the two items.
How to use Unstable Cores in Destiny 2
Unstable Cores are used automatically when infusing items, like the now-defunct Upgrade Modules. Raising the power level of any item above 200 will consume some of your stash. Infusing between two of the same piece of gear or weapon only costs 1,000 Glimmer, however. If you have a well-rolled Techsec Hood helmet at 300 but got a 310 one with worse stats, using the latter as infusion fodder is a cheap option. For armor, this only works for the same class.
Why Unstable Cores are being removed
Unstable Cores were far from being the biggest controversy with Edge of Fate, but they quickly became another problem for Bungie. The vision behind this currency was to add a source of fleeting, seasonal power during an expansion, which would reset when the next major DLC dropped. Understandably, that wasn’t well received.
The studio confirmed it will sunset this resource in the future and announced a one-time gift of 777,777 Unstable Cores—more than enough to tide guardians over until this currency goes away for good.
“Overall, we’ve found that Unstable Cores have been too restrictive across power levels and fail to drive interesting buildcraft decisions,” Bungie wrote. The rising infusion costs made it expensive to keep multiple builds at level, especially if you were playing more than one character (like bringing your Warlock up to code after the amazing Voidwalker buffs).
Additionally, the expiration date for both a player’s total power level and Unstable Cores—all with a lifespan of around six months—didn’t help its case. Gathering stocks of materials only for them to disappear months later didn’t appeal to guardians, and the studio even walked back the planned power reset with Renegades.
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