Focusing Umbrals is beneficial for finding gear and raising your power level in Destiny 2. Here is exactly how to use the Prismatic Recaster and Umbral Decoder for the current season in Destiny 2.
Focusing Umbrals in Season of the Chosen
Basic tier 1 Umbrals will cost you glimmer and Legendary Shards to focus. Tier 2 and 3 Umbrals will require Hammer Charges in addition to glimmer and shards.
Hammer Charges are earned by completing Season of the Chosen Battleground Playlist Activities with a Cabal gold forged Hammer of Proving.
Earn Cabal gold by completing activities such as; Lost Sectors, World Events, Night Falls, Strikes, Gambit and Crucible playlists. Basically, all activities throughout the season of the Chosen will have a chance to reward gold.
Take the gold (stored inside your Hammer of Proving) and forge a medallion to give power to your Hammer of Proving. Now, take this hammer (quest item charged with a medallion) into a Season of the Chosen Battleground Playlist activity.
At the end of this battleground three new chests will emerge next to the normal reward chest. Now, if your Hammer of Proving is charged with a Medallion, you will be able to smash one of these chests (three spawn = one for each person in the fire team).
Smashing a chest does two things. First, it gives you seasonal loot. Second, it rewards you with a Hammer Charge. These charges are what you use to Focus Seasonal Reward Umbrals.
Where to Find the Prismatic Recaster and Umbral Decoder?
The Prismatic Recaster and Umbral Decoder have been permanently relocated to the H.E.L.M. warship floating above the Tower. They are right next to each other, directly in the center of the ship.
What Are Umbrals?
Umbral Engrams, when decoded, provides purple gear with random stats and perks (both armor and weapons). The type of Umbral you have will determine which loot table it will pull from when decoding gear. Generic, unfocused Umbrals will drop from all activities, and when unfocused the gear dropped from them cap at the current seasons’ soft cap.