Top 10 rarest Shaders in Destiny 2
It’s no secret that Shaders have a lot of appeal inDestiny 2, with the rarest Shaders being considered the most prestigious cosmetics you may unlock.
They might be from limited-time events, have unimaginably steep requirements, or even require you to complete brutally difficult triumphs. Regardless of what’s involved, owning a rare Shader is sure to get people’s attention, hence why they are so desirable in the first place.
However, there’s a big difference between a rare Shader and the rarest of all, with the ten we’ve listed below being the ultimate flex items for Guardians wanting to show off and stand out from everyone else.
All information below is correct as of August 22, 2025.
10. Opaline Shatter
The most common Shader on this list but by no means easy to obtain, Opaline Shatter is obtained from Lightfall’sRoot of NightmaresRaid.
To be more precise, you’ll have to complete the entirety of Root of Nightmares from start to finish – no going to orbit or checkpoint skips – without a single member of your Fireteam dying.
Flawless Raid runs represent some of the toughest challenges in Destiny 2, which explains why, as of May 2025, only28,292 Guardianshave unlocked this vanity item.
9. Shed Carapace
Shed Carapace is a rare Shader that only22,203 Guardiansown. It is available as a reward for completing a flawless run ofCrota’s End, requiring your entire raid team to stay alive throughout the whole run.
Visually, this is a throwback to the default armor from the original raid in Destiny 1. Although prestigious, this Shader isn’t actually that popular, with a vocal section of the community when Crota’s End was reprised asking for Glowhoo to return instead. Regardless, its rarity can’t be denied, and owning this proves you’re able to conquer even the hardest PvE content.
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Offset is only owned by20,043 Guardians, and that number won’t be growing anytime soon as it isn’t available anymore. To get this Shader, you needed to donate $25 during the Game2Give 2025 charity event that ended on June 26, 2025.
Interestingly,Game2Give sharedthat the ‘Caped Cruiser Sparrow + Offset Shader’ bundle had been purchased 21,898 times. This means that there are over 2,000 codes for this rare Shader that remain unclaimed. Given the unique cell-shaded art style and obvious rarity, we can’t even begin to imagine how much those codes will be sold for in the future.
7. Diametric Crush
Diametric Crush is the rarest Shader that can be earned in-game rather than through a promotional event, with6,470 Guardianshaving unlocked it. To get this, you need to complete a flawless run ofSalvation’s Edge, meaning your fireteam can’t die even once from beginning to end.
Owning this Shader can be considered the pinnacle in gameplay achievements. This raid is not only difficult but also very unforgiving. It has several mechanics that can instantly end your run, and you need to find an entire team that has mastered all of them. It’s a really big ask, hence why so few people have managed to do so.
6. Terrachroma
In what has to be one of Destiny 2’s strangest distribution events, Terrachroma was a reward for claiming a code from an issue of Weekly Famitsu back in December 2022. Being both limited time and from an unusual source, it’s no surprise that only6,022 Guardiansown this Shader.
Famitsu is a famous Japanese video game magazine that has been running since 1986. Since then, there have been over 1,800 issues, with this particular Shader being available from #1733. Although you could purchase a digital issue rather than having to rely on a physical copy from Japan, this is still very rare and largely exclusive to the most devout collectors.
5. Kilted Out
Moving back to non-gameplay Shaders, Kilted Out is owned by4,136 Guardiansand was available to anyone who donated $10 to the Kilt For Kids charity campaign in April 2024. This event only ran for a short period and wasn’t overly well known, hence why this Shader is so rare.
While Kilted Out is unlikely to return as a reward, Bungie has teamed up with Kilt For Kids a few times, so another comparable Shader could be released in the future. Alternatively, it’s worth checking if you own Highlander, a different Shader that was given out throughPrime Gamingthat looks very similar.
4. Small Luminance
Small Luminance is the first of four extremely rare Shaders that are all from the Light Keepers Guild charity event. This event challenges users to raise large amounts for charity to earn special shaders, with Small Luminance requiring $10,000. This feat was achieved by just179 Guardians, meaning this is 24 times rarer than Kilted Out.
As you can imagine, raising this much money for charity is well out of the means of most people. As such, both this Shader and the three that follow are typically owned by content creators and large communities dedicated to fundraising. While it’s sad that the average person will never own these, they were at least a catalyst for a good cause.
3. Principled Porphyry
The next tier up from Small Luminance is Principled Porphyry, another Shader from the Light Keepers Guild charity event that requires players to raise $25,000. This steep increase also coincides with a steep decrease in ownership, with only61 Guardianshaving access to this Shader.
At this point, the remaining Shaders become so rare that it’s difficult to even find out what they look like. Bungie never shared them publicly, and there are only a handful of videos out there showcasing them. The likelihood of encountering Principled Porphyry in-game is extremely low, so consider yourself lucky if you get the chance.
2. Hearts of Gold
Hearts of Gold is the second rarest Shader, having been claimed by a mere34 Guardians. Much like, Principled Porphyry, this is another reward from the Light Keepers Guild charity event and was rewarded if you fundraised at least $50,000.
Funnily enough, the Shader itself isn’t anything too special, with it giving a blue and gold look comparable to others that are much more common, like Calus’s Treasured and Dreamtide Daybreak. Regardless, Hearts of Gold is extremely prestigious, and the few that own it can be proud of the charity work they’ve done.
1. Argent Champion
Argent Champion is by far the rarest Shader in Destiny 2, with only10 Guardiansowning it. This is the top reward for the Light Keepers Guild charity event, with players having to fundraise a staggering $100,000 to earn it.
Those are the 10 rarest Shaders, but we’ll be sure to update this list to keep you informed on any newcomers. In the meantime, you’re able to check out theBest PvE WeaponsandBest PvP Weaponsto put yourself in the prime position to dominate the entire sandbox.
