When it comes to Gambit, there’s nothing quite as maddening as getting blindsided by an invading player. It costs motes, heals the Primeval and can even shutdown a super if one isn’t careful. This is actually a good thing, since there wouldn’t be any point to invading if one couldn’t do some damage to the opposing team. The scales might be tipped just a bit too much in the invader’s favor, however, thanks to the Sleeper Simulant heavy fusion rifle. It’s a potential team-wipe in every brick of heavy ammo thanks to the Sleeper’s deep ammo reserves and ability to one-shot body shot through guardian supers. Now, Bungie is already working on a Sleeper fix, but it probably won’t be coming for a week at least. There’s good news though, there are plenty of ways to shutdown an invader right now, Sleeper Simulant or not. It’s just a matter of tactics.

Keep on the Lookout

The invader’s greatest strength is the element of surprise. No matter what they have equipped, they’ll have a hard time if the opposing team knows where they are. Even with the Sleeper Simulant, they’ll only be able to get one kill if two or more players are going after them. Gambit always warns players when a member of the opposing team has invaded and it’s at that moment that their advantage can be lost. So, when the warning is issued, stop and try to get eyes on that invader. They always spawn at one of the three landmarks on each map, so it should be enough to have everyone check a different part of the map. Once they’re spotted, it’s just a matter of calling it out, taking cover and team-shotting them as soon as they pop their head out. They won’t know what hit ‘em!

This is easy enough to do while in the mote-gathering phase, but can be difficult while trying to take down the Primeval thanks to the literal army or enemies trying to defend it. In this case, it’s best to have a dedicated lookout armed with either a sniper rifle or a one-shot heavy weapon. Place them in a high vantage point with a good view of the map’s center and cover to hide behind. Invaders always have to come to the middle of the map during this phase, so the lookout should be able to get eyes on them before they can do any damage. As in the gathering phase, the invader’s position should be immediately called out so that the lookout doesn’t have to deal with them by themselves. Of course, this only works if one is able to communicate with their team. Don’t worry though, there are other options if that’s not possible.

Watch Those Motes

During the gathering phase, most invaders are going to try to take out the player carrying the most motes, and that can be turned into an advantage. When they invade, take a quick glance around the map and try to spot them. If they’re not immediately visible, look instead at the teammate who’s carrying the most motes. Once the invader makes their move, it’s time to make your own! Move carefully from cover to cover until they’re in range, then eliminate them with your weapon of choice. They’ll probably still get their prize, but the damage will at least be limited. Of course, that changes if *you’re* the one carrying the most motes.

Make ‘Em Dance to Your Tune

Carrying the most motes on one’s team makes for a uniquely advantageous situation during an invasion. As the most tempting target, it’s a near certainty that the invader will come for you if they can; you’re going to use that against them. Move to an interior space, one that makes using ranged heavy weapons and supers difficult. This will will nullify almost all the invader’s advantages. They won’t be able to use Sleeper Simulant, and the element of surprise will be lost to them. Next, pull out a sword, shotgun or a fusion rifle. Swords are best since they’re heavy weapons with no blowback. If going the shotgun route, then full-auto shotguns like the Badlander are best since they have a chance of shutting down a surprise super. Fusion rifles can be just as good in the right hands since their kill range can catch most players off-guard. After that, just keep an eye on the motion detector, wait for the invader to show up and give them a nasty surprise when they do.

Be The Team Hero

Communication doesn’t happen in random teams, so dealing with invaders will usually fall to whomever is willing to take up the task. While the rest of the team is busy gathering motes or dealing damage to the Primeval, take up the lookout position yourself and aggressively pursue the invader once they show up. If it’s during the gathering phase, use the tactics described above. If it’s during the Primeval phase, then it’s just a matter of hitting them first. Get to a high position with cover and keep an eye out for them. If running Sleeper Simulant, rocket launcher w/ homing rockets or a sniper rifle, then just take them out right then and there. Otherwise, start moving towards them by running from cover to cover. Once you’re in range, it’s time to make them regret their decision.

Success against an invader is never guaranteed; they could always pop a surprise super, get a lucky shot off or even launch a suicide rocket. Taking the initiative and getting the jump on them dramatically increases one’s odds of eliminating them. All it takes is understanding what the invader’s advantages are and taking steps to neutralize them. Once that’s done, not even Sleeper Simulant will be able to save them.

For those who haven't yet jumped into Destiny 2: Forsaken, check out our review to see if its worth checking out. For those who just want to play Gambit, it's actually free to try right now for all Destiny 2 players.