If you've played Crucible at all, it's very likely you have experienced frustration or stress while doing so. With this guide, I aim to help you have a smoother ride through the game mode. This is not a guide on getting better, or a list of things wrong with the Crucible (that would be too long). I'll try to keep this short, so you don't lose the will to read it halfway through.

I'm very easily frustrated by games. The Crucible in particular. It's a constant battle, but I, and undoubtedly many others, want to do better. I can't tell you why your shots miss when they should've hit, or why something works the way it does, but I can offer some advice on handling all of it.

"You can't change what happens to you, but you CAN choose how to react to it"

Most often, we get angry because we experienced something that isn't as we expected it. RNG, enemy flanks, a sudden voice saying "I'm calling it". These are things that are mostly out of our control.

Other times, we get angry because we're not doing as good as we want to. This is only natural. Skill is acquired over time, and in the case of Destiny, there's always a factor of randomness with every action.

So, how to stop getting angry?

Here I'll talk about battling the frustration of in-game, short-term stuff. For long-term design frustrations, refer to the later chapter.

Not getting angry is a proccess. It takes time. There's not necessarily a one-size-fits-all answer, but I do think some of the following will help.

Don't play to win. Play to have fun. What's fun? Whatever you think is fun! Maybe it's using that one weapon you love. Maybe it's using the weakest weapon you can find. Or just assisting your teammates.
But what if winning is my idea of fun? Yeah, winning can be fun. But make sure it's not the only thing you consider fun.
Don't try to be 'good', just do your best. Relax. You get as many tries as your free time permits.
Instead of hating the other player, try to appreciate their skill. If you play fighting games, you'll know that it's difficult to keep hating the other guy all the time.
Laugh at the funny usernames, admire the emblems. Jump in with some friends and see if you can do something really goofy. Maybe do a couple of push-ups between matches. Play some music in the background.
You choose how you react, and it's good to make choices that facilitate making good decisions - create an environment that makes it easy to not get frustrated. Sit in a way that's comfortable for you. Forget about wins and losses or K/D.

Like I said, there's not just one answer. Sometimes, you won't have fun. And that's ok. But that doesn't mean you CAN'T have fun. It's important to keep a positive attitude, but also to know when to stop (more on that in the following chapter).

Why do you play? This is important to know. Are you pursuing bounties? Doing a quest? Just hanging out with friends?

It's good to know why you're playing, so you can tell when you lose the incentive. If you notice you aren't having fun, see if you still have a goal. Ask yourself: why am I playing?

Fatigue is a common enemy. If you notice you're getting bored or tired, take a break. Maybe 'one more game' isn't the best choice. Read a guide (a funny one, not this), play another game, and come back when you're ready.

However, don't let your incentive be born out of obligation. If the game's a chore, it's not fun.

This is a touchy topic. We know the game's not perfect. You can't let it get to you. Yes, sometimes these issues stop you from having fun, but like I said before, believe that you can have fun.

Blaming the game can sometime be helpful - you can't affect it, so it's not your fault. But don't be angry at the game or the people behind it. Developers are just like everyone else, and sometimes they make mistakes. It's important to admit the game has issues, but it's equally important to believe those issues can and will be fixed.

Don't let yourself become the toxic part of the community.

"Instead of criticising what's wrong, teach what's right"

I wrote this guide mostly because of my personal experience, and the knowledge that a lot of people have had similar experiences. I chose to write a serious guide instead of the usual sarcastic jokes (don't get me wrong, those are a good laugh and they point out issues that need fixing) because I believe this will help at least some of those who read it.

What are your experiences with the Crucible? Do you get frustrated? How do you handle it? Is there a good method I failed to mention? I'd greatly appreciate it if you took the time to answer these questions.

Thank you very much for reading this guide. I hope it helped at least a little.

See you in the Crucible.