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Modifiers And Recommended Loadout
Locate Sathona's Temple
Descend Into Sathona's Temple
Continue The Descent
Forge The Caldera
Defeat The Warden
Outlast The Illusion
Escape
The Cunning is the sixth mission in the Destiny 2: The Witch Queen campaign. Players will need to delve deep into an ancient temple to uncover additional clues as to how Savathun stole the Light. It's one of Destiny 2's tougher campaign missions, although it can easily be beaten with the right loadout.
Related: Destiny 2 The Witch Queen: The Mirror Legendary Mission Walkthrough
Tons of Scorn Chieftains are present in this mission, making their allies immune to all damage. Bring a good Void weapon, consider speccing for damage resistance or invisibility, and prepare to fight dozens of enemies at once. This guide will go over the modifiers to this mission on Legendary and Master, suggest a few weapons and subclasses you should use, and we'll provide tips for every single encounter in this mission.
Modifiers And Recommended Loadout
Legendary | |
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Power Level | 1,440 |
Mettle | Your effective Power is capped at 1,425 |
Legendary | Heavily shielded and highly aggressive combatants appear in great numbers. |
Chaff | Radar is disabled. |
Galvanized | Combatants have more health and are more difficult to stun. |
Empath | Enhanced radar. Take increased damage from melee. |
Master | |
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Power Level | 1,580 |
Scorched Earth | Enemies throw grenades significantly more often. |
Champion Foes | You will face Overload and Unstoppable Champions. |
Champions: Mob | This mode contains additional Champions. |
Equipment Locked | You will not be able to change your equipment after this activity starts. |
Match Game | Enemy shields are highly resistant to all unmatched elemental damage. |
Famine | All ammunition drops are significantly reduced. |
Shielded Foes | Arc, Solar, and Void shields are present. |
Legendary features an onslaught of Void-shielded Chieftains and a rather tough miniboss. You'll want to bring a loadout that has good add-clearing potential or crowd control. Melee units hit especially hard in this mission, so keep your distance.
Master features Overload and Unstoppable Scorn alongside the swarm of Chieftains you'd find on Legendary. The miniboss in this mission can one-shot you unless you have a ton of damage resistance, so play cautiously. A loadout that damages foes from long range is highly recommended.
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Subclass | |
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Hunter | Nightstalker |
Titan | Bottom Tree Sunbreaker |
Warlock | Voidwalker or Shadebinder |
Hunters should use Nightstalker for this mission. You'll want to spec for Invisibility and Devour, allowing you to stay safe during the last few encounters of this mission. If you don't have a means of going invisible, challenging the snipers in this mission becomes nearly impossible.
Titans should use Bottom Tree Sunbreaker for its Sunspots and Sun Warrior buff. Killing enemies with your abilities will spawn a Sunspot that deals great damage over a small area. The Scorn in this level spawn in a few predetermined areas, making Sunspots incredibly strong for killing adds. If survivability is an issue, use Crest of Alpha Lupi.
Warlocks can't go wrong with Voidwalker or Shadebinder. Voidwalkers should take advantage of Contraverse Hold and overcharged grenades to kill enemies, while Shadebinders should use Osmiomancy Gloves and the Bleak Watcher Aspect to lock down entire sections of the map.
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Weapons | |
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Le Monarque | Kills adds from a distance and can use Volatile Rounds. |
Leviathan's Breath | Counters Unstoppable Champions and deals great damage to Champions. |
Linear Fusion Rifles | Great DPS from range, and it's especially useful for the final boss. |
Dead Messenger | Counters all shield types and has good add-clearing potential. |
Le Monarque is almost impossible to top for this mission. It counters the dozens of Void shields present, can clear hordes of Scorn with just a few arrows, and can take full advantage of Volatile Rounds.
Leviathan's Breath is a solid pick for countering Unstoppable Champions if you don't want to use a double Primary loadout or Glaive. When this weapon gets a buff next season, it'll likely be one of the best Heavy weapons for this mission you can use.
Linear Fusion Rifles are especially useful for defeating the Ahamkara boss at the end of the level. They deal great damage to majors as well.
If Artifact mods permit you to use just one anti-Champion weapon, feel free to give Dead Messenger a try as well. It's excellent at killing fodder enemies and breaking all shield types.
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Locate Sathona's Temple
You'll spawn just outside the Temple of the Wrathful. Hop on your Sparrow and make your way through the tunnels. Shoot any spores on the walls to light the way.
Inside the temple will be a small pack of Scorn. There aren't any Lucent Lightbearers here, just your standard fodder enemies. Stick to the back of the room, eliminating the Chieftains from a distance. On Master, this Chieftain is an Overload variant, so have your Overload counter ready. Don't push up too close, and always play near cover. When everyone's dealt with, hop through the portal at the end of the temple to start the first encounter.
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Descend Into Sathona's Temple
Encounter Breakdown | |
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Objective | Defeat the Scorn guarding the path. |
Notable Enemies | Scorn Chieftains, Abominations |
Shields | Legendary: Void, Arc |
Master: Void, Arc | |
Champions (Master Only) | Overload and Unstoppable |
Before you start shooting the Scorn overlooking the area, be sure to plant a Rally Flag. When ready, take out the two snipers in front of you. Jump onto the platform, then use your new vantage point to snipe away at the Scorn below. Only push forward when most of the fodder enemies are dead.
You'll need to push through an onslaught of Scorn Raider, Chieftains, and Abominations. There are Overload Chieftains and Unstoppable Abominations on Master difficulty, so keep that in mind. You'll find the tough units on platforms directly above the path. When it's safe, head onto these platforms to quickly kill the two Chieftains (Overload Champions on Master). Using your Super at this part is highly recommended. Wait for the onslaught of Ravagers to spawn, then toss a grenade near the platform's stairs to kill most of them when they funnel to you. If that doesn't work, backtrack until you have enough distance to kill them all.
The end of the path houses an Abomination—Unstoppable on Master—guarding a bridge. Your Heavy weapon should make short work of them, but don't get too aggressive; stick to cover. Adds will begin spawning on the bridge shortly thereafter, including an Abomination or Unstoppable variant on Master. Lure the adds towards you before doing anything, separating them from the Abomination. If you haven't used your Super yet, do so now. Grenades work well too. Clear out the adds, kill the Abomination from a distance, then proceed forward to find Sathona's Temple.
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Related: Destiny 2 The Witch Queen: A Complete Guide To Weapon Crafting
Continue The Descent
Savathun has locked her lair behind a series of Deepsight puzzles you'll need to solve. For this mission, Deepsight Orbs will reveal five symbols you must shoot within the 30-second period. The first one is simple enough, spawning five symbols in front of you. Shoot all of them to open the path forward.
The next section drops you in the center of a rather cramped cave. Interact with the Deepsight Orb, then look at the following areas to destroy each symbol:
- Symbol #1: Spawns right in front of the Deepsight Orb.
- Symbol #2: Turn around and look slightly up. You'll find the symbol nested in a corner near the ceiling.
- Symbol #3: Run to the corner Symbol #2 was at. Turn around to find a symbol hiding near a pillar.
- Symbol #4: Look directly under the Deepsight Orb. The symbol is facing the entrance.
- Symbol #5: Found on the pillar to the right of the Deepsight Orb. You can clearly see it from Symbol #2's location.
Proceed through the newly-revealed path. You'll find yourself in a square room with a horde of Screebs attempting to charge you. Try to funnel them near one end of the room before using a grenade or AoE weapon to kill them. A Chieftain will spawn at the other end of the room, upgraded to an Overload variant on Master. If you killed the Screebs, the Overload shouldn't be a big threat. Kill the other adds in the room, deal with the Chieftain, then make your way into the temple proper.
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Forge The Caldera
Scorn Raiders are currently bugged and deal twice as much damage as intended. Play this section cautiously, sticking to cover whenever possible. Raiders take top priority whenever you see them. Once they're nerfed next season, this section won't be nearly as difficult.
The path into the temple is blocked off by raised drawbridges and a small army of Scorn. You'll need to carve a path through them. Before you descend into the temple outskirts, be sure your weapons are reloaded and your abilities are charged; it's about to get hectic.
Right as you descend, you'll come across multiple Scorn Raiders and two Chieftains—Overload variants on Master. Kill the Raiders first, then work on the Chieftains. Consider using your Super or Heavy weapon against them, as both Chieftains spawn close to each other.
You'll find a Deepsight Orb to the left of where you dropped down from. Hop across the terrain to activate it. Jump to the first platform, and you should see all five symbols you need to shoot. Breaking them will reveal a second Deepsight Orb. Interact with that second orb to make your way further along the bridge.
This second section of the bridge is guarded by a group of Scorn Raiders and an Abomination—an Unstoppable variant on Master. You'll want to immediately find cover from the Abomination and kill it. Raiders will be beside you and on the other end of the arena. Kill these Raiders as soon as you can, but don't stray too far from cover. When their crossbow begins to glow purple, duck back into cover.
Make your way to the Raiders you just killed. You'll find another Abomination and a Chieftain. On Master difficulty, they'll be upgraded to Unstoppable and Overload Champions, respectively. This is the perfect time to use your Super and Heavy ammo to burn through these enemies quickly. If they prove too punishing, take them out from a distance as you did with the Raiders earlier.
Across the way will be yet another Deepsight Orb. Using this orb will lead you to another orb. The second orb will project five symbols yet again, although they're extremely easy to find. Break all five symbols, activate the third and final orb, then make your way across to the raised drawbridge.
Lower The Drawbridge
Lowering the drawbridge will require you to stand on a Hive plate for a short duration. Scorn will spawn to your left and right throughout this section, although they all need to funnel down a set of stairs on each side. Stasis users can easily freeze the Scorn here, and other subclasses can rely on grenades to get the job done. No Champions or particularly tough enemies spawn here, although you should find cover if things get dicey. If you aren't on the plate, additional enemies cannot spawn.
When you've lowered the drawbridge, yet another group of Scorn will spawn. One of them will be a Chieftain, swapped for an Overload variant on Master difficulty. Try not to get sniped by the Raiders here. Kill the enemies from safety, then make your way inside. You'll find two Abominations (Unstoppable variants on Master) inside. Try to lure them outside if you're attempting to solo flawless this mission. Otherwise, just burst them down with your Heavy weapon. Cross the internal bridge when you're ready for the next encounter.
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Related: Destiny 2: Every Possible Way To Obtain Spoils Of Conquest
Defeat The Warden
Encounter Breakdown | |
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Objective | Defeat the Warden boss. |
Notable Enemies | Scorn Chieftains |
Shields | Legendary: Void |
Master: Void | |
Champions (Master Only) | None |
When you start the encounter, Scorn Chieftains will begin to spawn in each corner of the arena. The Warden will spawn in the center, acting as a tanky Scorn Raider that can instantly kill you on Master. It two-shots you on Legendary, so you'll want to be careful regardless.
Focus on killing the Chieftains first, as they can make all nearby allies invulnerable with their totems. You'll want to slowly chip away at the Warden's HP after you've dealt with the adds. Removing a large percentage of the Warden's HP will spawn additional adds near the center and edges of the arena. Enemies that spawn near the corners of the arena tend to have a wind-up spawn animation, so you have a few seconds to prepare whenever this happens.
Ramp Cheese
There's a ramp located at the back-right corner of where you came from. You can hide under this ramp during any add-focused phase to kill the enemies from safety. When the Warden attempts to snipe you, duck into cover.
Removing most of the Warden's HP will make it immune for a short duration and spawn a major wave of enemies. Stick to one corner of the arena, and use your abilities and Super to quickly kill the Chieftains and Ravagers. If they close the gap, you won't last long. Killing all of the adds will make the Warden vulnerable once again. Burst down the Warden with your Heavy weapon to finish the fight.
Acquire The Worm Familiar
With the Warden dead, you'll need to grab the Hive Worm held by the statue dead center of the arena. Interact with the Deepsight Orb that's beside the Rally Flag you planted earlier. Look ot the left of the arena to find all five symbols. Shoot them, climb up the platforms that spawn, then interact with the next Deepsight Orb. Shoot the vertical line of symbols, and you should now be able to grab the Worm off of a nearby platform. Once you grab the Worm, prepare for yet another boss fight.
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Outlast The Illusion
Encounter Breakdown | |
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Objective | Defeat the Ahamkara illusion. |
Notable Enemies | Scorn Chieftains, Abominations, Screebs |
Shields | Legendary: Void |
Master: Void | |
Champions (Master Only) | None |
Grabbing the Worm Familiar will set off a trap, spawning the illusion of an Ahamkara from where you originally came from. This Ahamkara acts similar to Riven of a Thousand Voices from the Last Wish raid, spewing a deadly stream of fire at your location whenever it can. After the Ahamkara breathes fire, shoot its glowing mouth to deal damage. When the mouth glows orange, you can damage the illusion.
This Ahamkara is surprisingly easy to kill. Stick to the two pillars right in front of the boss, and you should be able to avoid the boss' fire attacks with little issue. Peak around the pillar to damage the boss, and repeat. You'll need to remove three chunks of its HP to finish the fight.
Between each DPS phase will be an add-clearing phase where a swarm of Scorn will spawn near the Ahamkara. Grenades and Supers are your friends here. Feel free to use any abilities you have to quickly clear these enemies out. Champions aren't present here on Master, but there are a plethora of Chieftains, Abominations, and Screebs that spawn during these phases. If you get overwhelmed, retreat further into the temple to create some distance. The Ahamkara won't come back until all of the adds are slain, so take your time. Remove all three health chunks from the Ahamkara to finish the fight.
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Escape
Landing the final blow on the Ahamkara will cause it to scream, blinding you temporarily. The arena will be covered in a green haze shortly afterward, and you'll be given a debuff called "Suffocating Haze." You have three minutes to escape or the mission fails. Run to the Deepsight Orb beside a nearby ramp to reveal the path out of the temple. Hop onto the Scorn Pikes in the next room, and follow your HUD. Enemies will block the path, but you can drive past most of them on Legendary. On Master, you might want to dedicate a few seconds to killing them.
The very end of the path will house an elevator, protected by a pack of Scorn. Two of these enemies are Chieftains, upgraded to Overload Champions on Master. This is the perfect time to use your Super and Heavy weapons. Burst down the Scorn as fast as you can; there isn't much cover for playing defensively. Legendary players can book it for the elevator if they find it safe. Master difficulty requires that you kill the Champions to get a Platinum rating, so defeat them first before using the elevator. Using the elevator will end the mission.
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Next: Destiny 2: The Witch Queen Complete Guide And Walkthrough