Public Event

A Public Event is a type of encounter in Destiny in which several players in the same area can work together to achieve a common goal. Events may occur while on Patrol or within Strike missions.

Public Events are rated after completion based on the Guardians' performance; if time runs out before the objective is met, it is a Bronze-Tier rating. If time runs out but the Guardians manage to almost complete the objective, it is a Silver-Tier rating. If the objective is completed before the timer runs out, is a Gold-Tier rating. Guardians are rewarded with Glimmer, Motes of Light and experience instantly. Earlier in the game's history, it would reward Ascendant Shards or Ascendant Energy for Gold-Tier ratings. Guardians could pick up their rewards at the Postmaster if it was their first Gold-Tier rating of the day.

Destiny Public Event Types

 * Defeat Extraction Crews—defeat three waves of enemies before time runs out to deactivate the Glimmer Drill.
 * Defend the Warsat—have your Ghost scan the warsat; the more Guardians that stand near it, the faster it can download the data. Defend yourself from waves of enemy reinforcements.
 * Defeat the Fallen Walker—destroy a Fallen Walker before time runs out.
 * Eliminate the Target—a powerful enemy with a high health count and rapid shield regeneration (depending on whether or not it has a shield) will appear. Defeat them before they reach a checkpoint; this will require heavy firepower from several players.
 * Prevent Vex Sacrifices—similar to Defend the Warsat, keep the Vex away from the object/area, allowing up to 10 sacrifices until failure. There is a countdown to defend the object/area.
 * Court of Oryx—a series of player-initiated boss battles exclusive to the Hall of Souls in the Dreadnaught.
 * Archon's Forge—a series of player-initiated boss battles exclusive to the Plaguelands in Old Russia

Destiny Public Event Schedule
Note: Sometimes instead of a Public Event, the player will receive the message "The enemy is moving against each other", and a large group of two types of enemies will start fighting. Most of the enemies found in these events will be very powerful (i.e. Hallowed Knight, Reaver Captain). Fighting in this event does not reward the player with any bonus experience. This will happen in the Skywatch, The Barrens, and Ishtar Commons. Also, the player might receive the message "A roving band of Pikes is nearby." In this instance, several Dregs on Pikes will appear. This can happen at the Forgotten Shore as well as on the Moon.

Additional Note: When fighting Hive Wizards for the Kill an Enemy events the Wizard will sometimes "teleport" near the end of the event if the players manage to slow them down sufficiently for an extended period, usually resulting in failure of the event due to the time taken to re-engage the target.

Destiny 2 Public Event Types
In Destiny 2, Public Events appear more frequently than in Destiny and are also announced 5 minutes before becoming active. Once an event is announced, an icon will appear on the map screen for the planet, which allows players to find and track the event. If a player arrives at the location before the start of the event they will find a glowing flag and have the option of rallying to it. Rallying to the Flag instantly recharges all of their abilities, including their Super, refills all ammunition and displays how long until the event starts. Successfully completing the event will reward participating players with Glimmer, a piece of equipment and a Token that can be turned into that planet's vendor to increase reputation. Failing an event still yields a Token and Glimmer but does not give equipment. Additionally, Public Events now have a Heroic version that is automatically unlocked once certain objectives are met during the event. The Heroic version increases the difficulty of the event but also increases the value of the rewards upon completion, such as a chance of receiving a Legendary or Exotic engram or multiple pieces of equipment.


 * Cabal Excavation—Halt a Red Legion mining operation by overriding a Cabal Mining Lander and simultaneously defending against near constant Red Legion attacks and mortar fire. Destroying the Thresher that appears once the progress bar has reached approximately 33% will trigger the Heroic version, where Guardians must kill the Excavator Valus leading the mining operation.
 * Injection Rig−Stop a Red Legion drilling crew from using an Injection Rig to uncover secrets. Killing all three of the Infiltrator Psions and destroying the flame jets on the rig during the evacuation period will trigger the Heroic version, where Guardians must kill the Infiltrator Valus leading the mission.
 * Glimmer Extraction—Expel Fallen Glimmer Extraction Crews as they attempt to extract caches of Glimmer from various sites around the area. Destroying the mining machines (Small white boxes with pistons) at each site will trigger the Heroic version, where Guardians must defend a pile of glimmer from a Fallen onslaught led by a Wretch Captain.
 * Spire Integration—Prevent the Vex from fortifying their underground structures by fending them off until the timer runs out. Capturing the three Sync Plates that appear around the arena will trigger the Heroic version, where an Integration Mind will appear along with elite Vex.
 * Ether Resupply—Destroy the Prime Ether Servitor to cut off the Fallen Ether supply. Killing all the Transport Servitors before they are absorbed will trigger the Heroic version, where the Prime Ether Servitor gains increased damage resistance, a faster fire rate, and the ability to teleport players high into the air. Elite Fallen will also begin to appear.
 * Taken Blight—Kill Taken to sting the Blight. Destroying the giant blight with the "Blight Receding" buff that is acquired by stepping in and out of the smaller blights will trigger the Heroic version, where a Blightmaker will appear.
 * Weapons Exchange/Destroy the Arsenal Walker—Defeat the Resilient Captain and then the Arsenal Walker protecting the caches. Unlocking the three caches using the Arc Charges dropped from the Walker will trigger the Heroic version, where a second Arsenal Walker will drop in along with elite Fallen.
 * Witches' Ritual—Found only on Titan. Capture the two Hex Circles and defeat Wizards to prevent a Hive portal from opening. Destroying the shielded crystals on either side of the portal after capturing the hex circles will trigger the Heroic version, where a Darkblade-like Abyssal Champion will appear through the portal along with a massive onslaught of Thralls. Killing the Abyssal Champion completes the event.

List of appearances

 * Destiny
 * Destiny 2