Just days after the release of Destiny 2’s latest expansion, a new Night Fall will be introduced as part of this update. Lightfall will feature the Root of Nightmares raid, probably the biggest and most significant part of this major patch. With so little information to go about the upcoming challenge, players are left to wonder what they should expect from the Root of Nightmares. Fortunately, we have some details to help us speculate what Guardians will be facing in the raid.
What We Know from Official Posts and Announcements
Initially, Bungie kept a tight lip regarding the upcoming Root of Nightmares. Being a Night Fall mission, the lack of details has excited players even more as fans start to theorize what it would contain. We see what players should expect from the raid just days before the release.
Recently, Bungie released a picture of the upcoming raid on their official Twitter account featuring a Fireteam consisting of six Guardians. The group stands in front of a gaping hole in the Terraformed Pyramid. The Witnesses’ command ship has been overtaken by flora after the Traveler fired a beam against it during the Collapse.
Based on the post, we can safely assume that the setting for the raid will be in the Pyramid, which is also the main ship of Nezarec. This Disciple has been long thought to have died after the Collapse as bits of his remains were scattered throughout the system and were eventually recovered from being turned into tea. However, recent interactions in the Lightfall expansion have pinpointed Nezarec as a significant figure for this chapter.
As the name of the Nightfall mission implies, the raid will explore the depths of the Pyramid and determine the cause of all the Nightmare that has been occurring throughout the solar system. On the tweet, the caption states that players must confront an ancient threat that has been carried through from an unknown time and place, which would fit Nezarec’s profile.
While the Dark Disciple will appear in the Root of Nightmares, it is entirely possible that he is not the main enemy in this raid. Lightfall’s main antagonist is Calus, who seeks to join the Witness by forging a connection with the Darkness using the Pyramid. An agent of the Emperor could be the potential primary boss of this fight.
We can only imagine a vague picture with these little details. However, it provides us with a sense of what we should expect from the raid. Fortunately, there is other data-mined information that we can use to speculate.
Datamined Information About Root of Nightmares
While there was no official information about the raid available a few days ago, many data miners, including well-known Ginsor, were able to get his hands on some details that would paint us a pretty good picture. While there are no leaks about the loot, there are posts featuring potential encounters in the raid. The most notable one is the log regarding Nezaric and the Explicator.
A picture featuring an encounter list shows that players will meet and defeat two bosses. These figures are Nezaric and the Explicator, whose role in the raid is still unknown. However, the most shocking detail in this sequence is a line showing an objective wherein Guardians need to “fuel Nezarec’s return.” This detail hints at a possibility that the Dark Disciple will be resurrected to turncoat from the Witness.
Based on the encounter list, it seems that the Explicator will be the main boss of the raid because they will be the last enemy you will need to defeat. The Fireteam will fight this figure twice, once before the fight with Nezaric and one more time after or during the resurrection. The potential goal of the whole raid might be to fight for control or influence over the Disciple.
How to Prepare for the Raid
Since this new Nightfall mission is part of the latest expansion, players will need the Light Fall DLC to access this raid. While there are no level requirements posted yet, players should assume that their item level should not be below 1770 to ensure that they survive this raid. Reaching this gear score is attainable by completing the Light Fall campaign on Legendary difficulty.
Potential Rewards for Root of Nightmares
We do not have a definitive list of the raid loot for Root of Nightmares. However, we know the potential rewards coming from this Nightfall mission, so players should expect some new powerful sets. Here is what we know about the potential rewards for this Light Fall raid:
- Class-based Raid Armor
- New Legendary Weapons
- Exotic items and Raid Emblem
- Special mods based on the Root of Nightmares
Release Date of the Root of Nightmares
While the Light Fall expansion was released on February 28, the Nightfall mission will go live later. The raid will be available to the DLC on March 10, 2023. The Contest Mode will be live for 48 hours, a type of difficulty many groups participate in to be dubbed as the first world clears of the latest raids. Raiders have until March 12 to determine who will be the first team to complete the Root of Nightmares on this difficulty.
The Light Fall Expansion
The Root of Nightmares mission is part of the latest Destiny 2 expansion, Light Fall. The expac focuses on the arrival of the Witness to Sol, who aims to bring the Second Collapse of humanity. His latest disciple, Emperor Calus, aids the Voice of the Darkness. As Guardians, you will travel across the Solar System to defend civilization against the Shadow Legion.
There are tons of new places to go and new classes to use. The expansion will also feature the advanced secret society in Neptune, Neomuna. There will also be new raids and new Exotic equipment available during the whole update, so players should arm their selves for whatever the Witness will throw at them.
Lightfall is available in two options: the standard edition and the one with the Annual Pass. If you want to participate in the upcoming Root of Nightmares mission, you must make sure you own the DLC. Stay tuned for any further announcements regarding the forthcoming Night Fall raid.