Have you ever stared in awe at the imposing visage of Taniks, the Abomination, towering above you in the depths of the Deep Stone Crypt? As a fellow raider, I remember my first faceoff against this fearsome foe.
My clanmates and I spent hours slamming our heads against the challenges of this raid, trying to unravel the cryptic mechanics.
But did you know that fewer than 10% of Destiny 2 players have ever set foot in a raid, and an even smaller fraction have conquered the elusive challenges? So, if you’re reading this, you’re already among the elite.
When my team finally emerged victorious from Deep Stone Crypt, clutching our hard-earned loot, we felt a sense of camaraderie and triumph that no other gaming experience could match.
We had stories to tell and knowledge to share.
That’s why I wrote this guide. I want to help you feel that same rush, revel in those thrilling moments, and claim the exclusive rewards for yourself.
In this article, we’ll equip you with the tools and strategies you need to overcome any Deep Stone Crypt challenge Bungie throws your way.
Shall we begin?
Preparing for the Raid
Before you embark on your Deep Stone Crypt challenge journey, it’s crucial to ensure your fire team is well-prepared.
As a wise Drifter once said, “Being ready is half the battle.”
So, let’s get you geared up and primed for success.
1. Team Composition
– Aim for a balanced mix of classes (2 Warlocks, 2 Titans, 2 Hunters)
– Assign clear roles for each encounter (Operator, Scanner, Suppressor, etc.)
– Ensure everyone is comfortable with their responsibilities
2. Loadouts
– Xenophage or Anarchy for sustained DPS
– Slug shotguns (First In, Last Out, or Heritage) for burst damage
– Thermal Erosion or Solar subclasses for breaking Servitor shields
– Lament for Atraks-1 final stand
3. Mods
– High Energy Fire and Charged with Light mods for damage boost
– Protective Light for survivability
– Sheltering Energy for easy revives
4. Communication
– Use clear, concise callouts
– Assign a fireteam leader to make decisive calls
– Stay calm and focused, even during wipes
By following these guidelines, you’ll be well on your way to tackling Deep Stone Crypt’s challenges like a pro.
Remember, preparation is key. Now, let’s dive into the nitty-gritty of each encounter.
Overview of Challenges and Encounters
At its core, Deep Stone Crypt is a dance of precision and coordination.
To master its challenges, you must first understand the underlying mechanics and each Guardian’s crucial roles.
1. Key Mechanics
Augment terminals to enhance your abilities temporarily
– Shoot fuses to access locked areas
– Deposit nuclear cores to progress the encounter
– Use the Scanner augment to identify targets
– Suppress the Overload Captains in the Atraks-1 encounter
2. Roles
1. Operator: The lynchpin role. Shoots panels and guides the team.
2. Scanner: The eagle-eyed spotter. Identifies objects and directs teammates.
3. Suppressor: The crowd control specialist. Stuns Overload Champions.
4. Atraks-1 clones: These crucial roles sustain the team during the battle on the Morning Star.
As you tackle each challenge, remember that communication is king. Call out your actions, coordinate with your team, and stay adaptable.
A well-timed callout can be the difference between triumph and a wipe in battle.
Now that you understand the fundamental mechanics let’s delve into the specifics of each encounter and its associated challenges.
1. Crypt Security and the Red Rover Challenge
The first hurdle in your Deep Stone Crypt journey is the Crypt Security encounter.
It would be best if you navigated a sprawling underground labyrinth filled with deadly server blades and Fallen enemies.
Your goal? Deposit nuclear cores to disable the security system.
Encounter Flow
1. Defeat enemies to earn Scanner, Operator, and Suppressor augments
2. Scanner locates core lockdown rooms
3. Suppressor stuns Overload Captains guarding cores
4. The operator shoots keypads to unlock rooms
5. Guardians dunk cores to progress the encounter
6. Server sweeper phases force the team to retreat to a safe room
Red Rover Challenge
This challenge introduces a twist: Guardians cannot shoot the same fuse twice in a row. Precise coordination is essential.
Tips for Success
– Assign clear roles and rotations for shooting fuses
– Use Anarchy, Witherhoard, or Blinding Grenades to add control
– Communicate clearly when stunning Overload Captains
– Save supers and heavy ammo for the server sweeper phase
– Chain revives if a Guardian falls in the wrong location
Loadout Recommendations
– Kinetic: Heritage (Reconstruction/Recombination) or Succession (Reconstruction/Vorpal)
– Energy: Ikelos SMG (Threat Detector/Surrounded) or Trustee (Reconstruction/Wellspring)
– Power: Anarchy, Xenophage, or Lament
– Subclasses: Well of Radiance, Bubble Titan, Revenant Hunter
Potential Rewards
– Legs of Beating Disciple (Hunter)
– Bindings of Confusion (Titan)
– Gloves of Remembrance (Warlock)
– Heritage (Slug Shotgun)
– Posterity (Hand Cannon)
You’ll prove your fire team’s mettle and coordination by mastering the Crypt Security encounter and the Red Rover challenge.
You’ll also earn some impressive loot to bolster your arsenal for the trials ahead.
Next up, the formidable Atraks-1 awaits in the vast space above Europa.
2. Atraks-1, Fallen Exo and the Copies of Copies Challenge
Prepare to embark on a deadly dance in the depths of space as you face Atraks-1, a formidable Fallen Exo. This encounter revolves around a unique mechanic – the Atraks-1 Replication debuff. Mastering this mechanic while juggling Operator and Scanner roles is crucial to your success.
Encounter Flow
1. Atraks-1 clones herself, spreading the Replication debuff
2. Guardians with debuffs must shuffle them to other clones
3. Scanners locate and call out the correct clones to damage
4. Operators disable Atraks-1’s protective domes
5. The team bursts down the clones containing the Replication
6. Atraks-1 retreats to the next area; the process repeats
Step-by-Step Breakdown
1. Initially, three Guardians will receive the Replication debuff from Atraks-1 clones
2. These Guardians must “copy” their debuffs to other clones by shooting them
3. Scanners identify which clones are safe to shoot (yellow outline) and call them out
4. Operators disable Atraks-1’s protective domes by shooting keypads
5. When all domes are down, the team focuses fire on the correct clones
6. If done correctly, no more than four clones will be active at once
7. After damaging Atraks-1, the team follows her to the next space and repeats
Copies of Copies Challenge
This challenge introduces an additional restriction: no more than four clones can be present at a time. Efficient debuff management is essential.
Tips for Success
– Assign clear clone numbers (1-4) for easy callouts
– Scanners should prioritize locating the correct clones
– Operators must stay vigilant and disable domes quickly
– Use supers and heavy ammo wisely to burst down clones
– Coordinate debuff swaps to prevent excessive clones
Loadout Recommendations
– Xenophage or Anarchy for sustain damage
– Slug shotguns (First In, Last Out, or Heritage) for burst damage
– Divinity for crit spot creation and damage boost
– Well of Radiance or Bubble for survival and damage
Potential Rewards
– Chest of Beating Disciple (Hunter)
– Plate of Descending Echo (Titan)
– Robes of Remembrance (Warlock)
– Trustee (Scout Rifle)
– Commemoration (Machine Gun)
By conquering the Copies of Copies challenge, you’ll prove your team’s mastery over the intricate mechanics of this encounter. Efficient communication and precise execution will see you through to victory. Onward to the final confrontation with Taniks, the Abomination!
3. Taniks, Reborn – Of All Trades Challenge
(an image of the above challenge)
As you descend into the depths of the Deep Stone Crypt, you’ll face the first of two encounters with the infamous Taniks, now reborn in a powerful mechanical form. This battle tests your team’s adaptability and role-swapping prowess, especially during the Of All Trades challenge.
Encounter Flow
1. Taniks summons nuclear cores that must be deposited
2. Scanners locate the correct deposit bins
3. Operators shoot keypads to unlock deposit tubes
4. Suppressors stun Overload Captains near the bins
5. Guardians deposit cores and DPS Taniks
6. The process repeats until Taniks is defeated
Of All Trades Challenge
This challenge requires each Guardian to perform each role (Operator, Scanner, Suppressor) at least once. Efficient role swapping and clear communication are paramount.
Tips for Success
– Assign clear role rotations before the encounter
– Communicate when picking up and depositing augments
– Use Anarchy, Witherhoard, or Blinding Grenades for add control
– Save supers and heavy ammo for DPS phases
– Stick to cover during radiation surges
Loadout Recommendations
– Kinetic: Heritage (Reconstruction/Recombination) or Succession (Reconstruction/Vorpal)
– Energy: Ikelos SMG (Threat Detector/Surrounded) or Trustee (Reconstruction/Wellspring)
– Power: Anarchy, Xenophage, or Lament
– Subclasses: Well of Radiance, Bubble Titan, Revenant Hunter
Potential Rewards
– Mask of Beating Disciple (Hunter)
– Helm of Descending Echo (Titan)
– Hood of Remembrance (Warlock)
– Succession (Sniper Rifle)
– Commemoration (Machine Gun)
Mastering the Of All Trades challenge is a testament to your team’s versatility and coordination.
By seamlessly swapping roles and executing mechanics, you’ll prove yourselves worthy of facing Taniks’s final form.
Steel yourselves for the last battle deep within the crypt.
4. Taniks, the Abomination – The Core Four Challenge
The final confrontation with Taniks, the Abomination, is a chaotic battle that demands split-second timing and precise execution.
The Core Four challenge adds an extra layer of complexity. It requires your team to dunk all four nuclear cores in a single phase.
Encounter Flow
1. Guardians use augments to spawn and deposit nuclear cores
2. Cores must be dunked in the correct order to avoid wipes
3. After four cores, Taniks becomes vulnerable to DPS
4. The process repeats until Taniks is defeated
The Core Four Challenge
To complete this challenge, your team must dunk all four nuclear cores before damaging Taniks. Communication and coordination are essential.
Strategies for Success
1. Assign two Guardians to each augment (Operator and Scanner)
2. Operators and Scanners call out the location of the correct deposit bin
3. Designated dunkers deposit the cores quickly and in the correct order
4. After four dunks, the entire team focuses fire on Taniks’s weak points
5. Use Anarchy, Xenophage, or Lament for optimal DPS
6. Well of Radiance and Bubble Titan provide survival and damage buffs
7. Repeat the process until Taniks falls
Tips for Maximizing DPS
– Activate damage buffs (Well, Bubble, Divinity) before DPS begins
– Focus fire on Taniks’s glowing red weak points
– Use Slug Shotguns or Snipers for precision damage
– Coordinate heavy ammo usage to maintain consistent damage
– Stagger supers and abilities to cover multiple DPS phases
Potential Rewards
– Cloak of Beating Disciple (Hunter)
– Mark of Descending Echo (Titan)
– Bond of Remembrance (Warlock)
– Descendent Seal and Title (flawless raid completion)
By conquering the Core Four challenge, you’ll cement your legacy as a true champion of the Deep Stone Crypt.
Your mastery over the mechanics, communication, and execution will echo through the annals of Guardians’ history.
Revel in your victory, and cherish the hard-earned rewards.
Tips for Maximizing Efficiency and Effectiveness
Certain strategies and principles will serve you well across all encounters throughout your Deep Stone Crypt challenge.
Implementing these tips will minimize wipes, optimize your performance, and conquer the challenges with style.
1. Communication is Key
– Use clear, concise callouts for locations, roles, and actions
– Establish a shared vocabulary for each encounter’s mechanics
– Listen actively and respond promptly to your teammates
2. Mastering Roles
– Familiarize yourself with each role’s responsibilities
– Practice role swaps and rotations in advance
– Adapt quickly to changing circumstances and team needs
3. Loadout Optimization
– Coordinate load-outs to ensure a balance of damage and utility
– Prioritize weapons with high burst damage and ammo efficiency
– Use mods like Protective Light and High Energy Fire
4. Ammo and Ability Management
– Coordinate ammo drops and distribution
– Save heavy ammo and supers for critical moments and DPS phases
– Use ammo finders and scavengers to maintain reserves
5. Spatial Awareness
– Memorize the layout of each encounter area
– Position yourself strategically to avoid danger and optimize damage
– Use cover and movement to your advantage
By embracing and adapting these general strategies to each encounter, you’ll elevate your team’s performance and confidently tackle the challenges.
Remember, efficiency and effectiveness are the keys to success in the Deep Stone Crypt.
Rewards and Loot Table
Conquering the Deep Stone Crypt challenges grants you bragging rights and access to various exclusive and powerful rewards.
From unique armor sets to legendary weapons, the spoils of your victories will elevate your Guardian’s power and style.
1. Armor Sets
– Chest, Legs, Helmet, Arms, and Class Item for each class
– Raid-exclusive mods and perks
– High-stat rolls for optimal performance
2. Weapons
– Heritage (Slug Shotgun) – Kinetic
– Posterity (Hand Cannon) – Energy
– Succession (Sniper Rifle) – Kinetic
– Trustee (Scout Rifle) – Energy
– Commemoration (Machine Gun) – Heavy
– Unique perks and combinations
3. Extras
– Infinite Descent Sparrow
– Distant Descendant Ghost Shell
– Deep Stone Crypt Shader
– Crypt Lander Transmat Effect
– Cryptic Legacy Emblem
4. Triumphs and Seals
– Descent into the Crypt Triumph
– Descendant Title and Seal (flawless raid completion)
These prestigious rewards will enhance your Guardian’s arsenal and showcase your mastery of the Deep Stone Crypt’s challenges.
Wear your hard-earned gear with pride, and let your achievements shine as a beacon to other Guardians.
Wrapping Up
Guardians, you now hold the knowledge and strategies to conquer the Deep Stone Crypt challenges.
Your journey through this guide has equipped you with the tools to succeed, from mastering roles and mechanics to optimizing your load-outs and communication.
Remember, the true reward lies in the loot and the bonds forged through shared struggles and triumphs.
Embrace the challenges, learn from your failures, and celebrate your victories.
So gather your fire team, descend into the depths of Europa, and etch your legend in the annals of Deep Stone Crypt.
The challenges await Guardians. Rise to meet them and claim your place among the champions.
May your aim be true, your resolve unbreakable, and your loot plentiful. See you in the raids, Guardians!
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