Destiny 2’s new episode, “Echoes,” is currently in full swing and you’re likely digging into the looter-shooters’s three new Battlegrounds while unraveling what the hell is going on with Saint-14. To get to the bottom of that mystery though, you’ve first got to collect radiolite samples in the current season’s rotation of activities. That means getting familiar with the Planetary Piston Hammer.
The Planetary Piston Hammer is a new mechanic in “Echoes” that helps players farm the necessary resources to push the story further along. It can be found as an item in the player’s inventory. The hammer is capable of holding five total charges, which can be earned back by completing Echoes activities such as Breach Executable and Nessus Battlegrounds. The hammer can only be used during these missions.
Where to use the Planetary Piston Hammer
Places where you can use the Planetary Piston Hammer are pretty abundant. You’re looking for a white column reminiscent of Vex structures that have been seen throughout the series with a bronze base. As you move through one of the new Battlegrounds or the Breach Executable activity, these points will be marked as a starred objective rather than a standard white diamond which typically points you towards a goal. There are at least two columns where you can use the hammer per mission.
When you approach these columns, you’re going to want to hold the interact button over them and use one of your charges. Your character will slam their hammer into the base of the column, causing an abundance of samples to spawn in your immediate area. Don’t worry about racing other players to grab them, as everybody in the current activity earns all resources regardless of who does the collecting. This is a surefire way to burn through most of the objectives in the “Echoes” storyline, “A Rising Chorus,” since you often have to collect enough samples to bring back to Failsafe.
By regularly using the Planetary Piston Hammer, you’re not only ensuring that you get a ton of samples, but you’re also using a charge that will inevitably be refilled by engaging in an “Echoes” activity. If you don’t use them, you’ll still be able to find samples around the levels, but the rewards are drastically diminished. Moreover, beyond pushing the story along, you can continue to collect radiolite samples and dump them into the radiolite bay in the H.E.L.M. to keep earning “Echoes” loot.
If you deposit two or three times the required number of samples, you can even earn better gear, including Exotics. Spamming the Planetary Piston Hammer in “Echoes” activities is arguably one of the faster ways to level up at a quicker pace and take on endgame content. In short, use them! Otherwise, you’re just sitting on a proverbial gold mine when you could be flush with better gear.
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