An intrepid Destiny 2 player has used a Lord of the Rings-inspired custom character outfit to turn their Guardian into a resident of the Shire rather than the Last City. They used parts meant for a Destiny 2 Hunter character to create a costume based on Frodo Baggins, protagonist of the legendary fantasy trilogy.
One of the most distinctive parts about Destiny 2's style is developer Bungie's inimitable blending of science-fiction and high-concept technology with magic and supernatural elements drawn from more traditional fantasy.
Armies of Guardians wield assault rifles and rocket launchers against demonic invaders that regularly use magic and other mystical means. As such, Destiny Guardians can take inspiration from nearly anywhere when deciding on their aesthetic. Player-created costumes resemble everything from power-armored Spartans straight out of Halo (another sci-fi series created by Bungie) to the iconic Minecraft Creeper enemy.
Destiny 2 player iixVanquishxX took it upon themselves to look to Middle-earth and The Lord of the Rings for inspiration in creating a new custom armor setup.
In a post on the DestinyFashion subreddit, they shared a Hunter Guardian costume based on the outfit worn by Frodo Baggins, delighting fans of the classic fantasy franchise.
In their customized Hunter costume, iixVanquishxX used a series of parts designed to minimize the "armored" look common to the vast majority of Destiny 2 outfits, instead choosing pieces that look like regular, rustic clothing.
After all, other than the Dwarven Mithril chain vest worn under his traveling shirt, Frodo's never equipped with much fighting gear. The Streetwise Grips colored with the cream-toned Dreamcycle shader and Seventh Seraph Vest colored with the leathery Gamekeeper shader look quite a bit like a simple shirt worn under a traveling vest and utility harness, while the low-profile Couturier Mask (made natural-looking by the Gambit Suede shader) could easily be mistaken for simple hazard protection.
The outfit's other distinctive piece is the Dreambane Cloak class item. Colored in deep forest green by the Unsated Curiosity shader, it perfectly evokes the elven cloaks given to the Fellowship of the Ring on their journey from Lothlorien.
Many fans were astonished by the costume, praising the thoughtful choices of parts and colors.
Others even praised the fact that the outfit is "combat ready" thanks to its Exotic armor. While not the most popular Hunter Exotic armor, the Fr0st-EE5 boots can be made to look like a simple pair of boots with the Eight-Thousander ornament, and also fit the travel-based theme of Frodo's journey.
Interest in The Lord of the Rings seems to be surging thanks in part to anticipation for upcoming games like Tales of the Shire.
More games starring Hobbits could put the spotlight back on the little folk who are at the center of the franchise's themes of heroism from unlikely places.