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Destiny 2’s new raid, The Root of Nightmares, releases this Friday, March 10. In terms of what kind of story developments it might include or mechanics the Lightfall raid will center around, we don’t yet know. Bungie is keeping things largely under wraps until it launches, although it now seems clear it takes place aboard the Pyramid ship that the Traveler shoots at the beginning of Lightfall’s campaign. Anything more than that would be based on speculation or leaks, but we’ve rounded up what we know about its launch time, Power requirements, Contest mode details, and Twitch Drops.
The Root of Nightmares raid will become available at 9 AM PT / 12 PM ET on March 10. One big change to the World’s First race is an extension of Contest mode, as it’ll be extended by an extra day. Bungie says that this is being done so that teams pursuing the emblem can take more breaks, as well as allow anyone who has commitments on Friday to still have time to participate. A new Destiny 2 update went live on Thursday, which addresses some of the potential issues that might have impacted raid players.
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Now Playing: So You've Decided To Play Destiny 2 Again (Lightfall Edition)
The official description of the raid teases, “Ferried from an unknown time and place, a haunting presence has been detected. We must now confront the ancient threat growing at our doorstep.” Following a leak, Bungie officially confirmed the name of the raid as The Root of Nightmares, also sharing the screenshot you see below that teases what awaits Guardians. Multiple indications suggest the character Nezarec will be a key component.
Destiny 2: The Root of Nightmares raid start times
The Root of Nightmares raid will be available beginning with the daily reset on Friday, March 10:
9 AM PT12 PM ET6 PM BST4 AM AET (March 11)
The Root of Nightmares Contest mode Power cap
If you’re unfamiliar with Contest mode, this essentially evens the playing field for all participants during the World’s First race. The Power cap for all encounters in the Root of Nightmares is 1780 during Contest mode, Bungie confirmed on March 3. That’s a reasonable number to hit, particularly if you play through the Legendary Lightfall campaign, which will get you to 1770. Leveling up beyond 1780 will provide you with no advantage, though additional gear or Artifact mods you obtain might come in handy.
Players will be 20 Power levels below the recommendation for each encounter, making for a difficult experience. 1780 will be the highest cap during the course of the raid.
Contest mode disabled Exotics, armor, and mods
A handful of Exotic weapons, plus a piece of Exotic armor, Strand Fragment, and armor mode, will be disabled during Contest mode. None of these will be available to use in the raid during that time:
Weapons
Grand Overture Exotic Machine GunFighting Lion Exotic Grenade LauncherWinterbite Exotic GlaiveJötunn Exotic Fusion RifleHierarchy of Needs Exotic Bow
Armor and Mods
Citan’s Ramparts Titan Exotic GauntletsThread of Ascent Strand Fragment (disabled game-wide)Empowered Finish Armor Mod
Raid rewards
Officially, we don’t yet know what rewards will be available from The Root of Nightmares, though a new Exotic weapon is sure to be in the mix. Completing the raid while Contest mode is active and claiming the corresponding Triumph will you earn an exclusive emblem. Anyone who completes the raid before March 21 will be able to purchase an exclusive (real-world) Root of Nightmares-themed raid jacket. Completing the raid during Season of Defiance will allow you to purchase a special raid pin.
Twitch Drops
Twitch Drops will be enabled for The Root of Nightmares. By watching the Twitch Rivals stream for at least two hours, you’ll be able to earn an exclusive emblem.
Destiny 2 raids are great fun to take part in, thanks to the PvE activity mixing high-level action with fiendish puzzles, and fireteams in the past have been rewarded with one-of-a-kind jackets celebrating their achievements and championship belts for being the first to clear the activity.
Raids are typically themed around the expansion that they launch after, offering new lore and gear exclusive to that activity. Beyond Light’s Deep Stone Crypt examined the creation of the Exo frames and how the Darkness invaded the Solar system, while The Witch Queen’s Vow of the Disciple raid took fireteams into the heart of a pyramid ship for a showdown with Rhulk, the first Disciple of the Witness.
Every Destiny 2 Lightfall Exotic Revealed
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