There are also heroic versions of public events that give better rewards and potentially even exotic engrams. In order to do these, each public event has a specific mechanic you must complete to start the heroic version. The game does not tell you how to do these, so I’m going to list them all here for your convenience.
Walker Tank
This public event has 3 force fields that protect scorch cannons, a bunch of Fallen enemies, and a Walker tank that drops in eventually.
How to Activate Heroic
You must destroy a leg on the tank to expose the core. When you do this, round charges will fall out that you can pick up. Take these charges to the force fields and place them in the machines next to them. Each force field has 2 locations you must place charges, for a total of 6 charges needed.
When all 3 are down, you will see “Joined Heroic Public Event” at the top of the screen. The heroic version adds a second Walker Tank, but you can use all the scorch cannons to easily destroy them both.
Fallen Glimmer Mining
This public event has groups of Fallen that spawn near a Glimmer mine. You must destroy these marked enemies, then wait for them to move to a new location.
How to Activate Heroic
Near each mine, there will be smaller glimmer nodes that you can shoot. These are small and you will know you’re shooting the right type if you see damage when shooting it.
There are 3 total you must destroy to activate the heroic version. Once you have done this, you must stay in the huge glimmer pile until it gets to 100.
Fallen Ether
This event requires to to destroy the huge servitor that spawns.
How to Activate Heroic
When you see the big servitor come out, there will be smaller ones that assist it. Destroy all the small ones and you will join the Heroic version of this public event – which also makes the big servitor much harder to kill.
Witches’ Ritual
This event has 2 Wizards you must kill. They are immune and have a white shield around them initially. You an take this off by standing on one of the Hive plates, one on each side, until they fully glow.
After doing this, the shield goes away and you can damage them normally.
How to Activate Heroic
After you kill the Wizards, you get a short time before the final boss emerges from the huge portal. If you look up towards the portal, you will notice shielded crystals – 1 on each side of the portal.
Stand on the plates again, until the shields come off like when you fought the Wizards. Destroy these crystals fast enough, and you will join the heroic version where you must kill a harder enemy to complete it.
Vex Construction
This public even has a pillar of light that the Vex will try to sacrifice themselves on. You must kill any Vex that get near the pillar before they are absorbed into it until time runs out. You have 10 chances before you fail.
How to Activate Heroic
There are 3 Vex Plates around in the area that you must stand on to start a progress bar. Fill each bar to 100% to activate the Heroic version.
You also need to make sure Vex don’t sacrifice themselves. One time I did this with 6 sacrifices remaining and the Heroic didn’t activate. Another time I did it with 8, and it did work. If this happens to you, you just need to stop any Vex from making it through.
Taken
This event spawns a bunch of Taken for you to kill and a huge Blight that you cannot damage initially. You must kill all the Taken and the small Blights that spawn.
How to Activate Heroic
If you walk in and out of the small Blights, you get a buff that allows you to damage the big Blight. Once you damage the big Blight enough, it will spawn an enemy called, “Blightmaker” and start the Heroic version. Kill this enemy to complete it.
Cabal Injection Rig
This public event requires you to kill Psions under the dome in the injection rig. Once you have killed all 3, a boss will appear that you must kill.
How to Activate Heroic
After you kill a Psion, the vents on the injection rig will be vulnerable. Destroy one after each Psion is killed, total of 3, to start the heroic version. This will spawn a harder boss for you to kill.
Cabal Extraction
This public event requires you to stand in an area where a Cabal machine is extracting until you reach 100%. You must survive enemies and area attack while doing this.
How to Activate Heroic
During this event, a Cabal Thresher ship periodically attacks you. If you destroy this ship, it activates the heroic version. This spawns a Cabal Extraction Valus enemy you must kill to complete it.
Those are all of the public events in Destiny 2 and how to activate their heroic versions. Now you can get better loot and the chance for exotic engrams!
Be sure to check out my Destiny 2 Beginner’s Guide if you are just starting and want to have an advantage by the time you reach max level.
