Even if you’re a beginner, you probably know raids are THE endgame in Destiny 2. A Fireteam embarks on a difficult quest to defeat a final boss, and when it succeeds, the feeling of accomplishment is beyond comparison. And if you’re a veteran, Master Raid Challenges will push you to your limits, too.
This guide covers and ranks all the raids currently available in Destiny 2, their weekly rotation, and more.
Destiny 2 Weekly Raid
Every week, a different raid is part of the weekly rotation, which means it becomes infinitely farmable and offersa Pinnacle reward upon completion. The official Destiny 2 Raid this week is (you can find the entire Raid and dungeon rotation here):
Raids also reward a unique set of armor per class and, in most cases, a unique Exotic item, such as a Sparrow, Ghost Shell, or Ship. You can find all Destiny 2 loot tables here.
All Destiny 2 Raids in order
These are all the Raids in Destiny 2 that are still available and playable today:
| Art | Raid | Location | Power Level | Rewards | Requires |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Crota's End | Legends | 1770 | Loot Table |  Free-to-Play |
 | Root of Nightmares | Neomuna | 1770 | Loot Table |  Lightfall |
 | King's Fall | Legends | 1600 | Loot Table | Free-to-Play |
 | Vow of the Disciple | Throne World | 1600 | Loot Table |  The Witch Queen |
 | Vault of Glass | Legends | 1600 | Loot Table | Free-to-Play |
 | Deep Stone Crypt | Europa | 1600 | Loot Table |  Beyond Light |
 | Garden of Salvation | Moon | 1600 | Loot Table |  Shadowkeep |
 | Last Wish | Dreaming City | 1600 | Loot Table |  Forsaken Pack |
Keep in mind that many raids were removed from the game in 2020. Raids were perhaps the biggest victims of the Destiny Content Vault. As of today, five raids (including raid lairs) have been put into the DCV.
How many raids are there in Destiny 2?
If we exclude the raids that were removed from the game, there are currently 8 raids in Destiny 2.
Destiny 2 free raids
Destiny 2 features a few raids that are completely free and do not require any DLC or Season Pass. For all the New Light players out there who still haven’t purchased an expansion, these three raids can be accessed for free.:
- Crota’s End
- Vault of Glass
- King’s Fall
Destiny 2 Raids ranked by difficulty in 2024
If we had to rank all Destiny 2 raids based on difficulty, this would be our tier list from easiest to hardest:
| Raid | Mechanics | Verdict |
| Deep Stone Crypt | Easy | Easiest raid today |
| Vault of Glass | Easy | Easy raid with simple mechanics |
| Root of Nightmares | Easy | Easy raid with simple mechanics |
| Crota’s End | Easy | Average difficulty raid with easy mechanics |
| Last Wish | Medium | Average difficulty overall |
| Garden of Salvation | Medium | Average difficulty overall |
| Vow of the Disciple | Hard | Hard raid with complex mechanics |
| King’s Fall | Hard | Hardest raid today |
Destiny 2’s Easiest raid?
The easiest raid in Destiny 2 is hands down, the Deep Stone Crypt raid. The raid basically features the same mechanic for all encounters, and once you’ve understood what each augment does, the raid is incredibly straightforward.
To be fair, Vault of Glass is not too far behind, featuring very simple mechanics, too (hell, some encounters barely have a mechanic at all).
The best raid in Destiny 2?
Difficulty isn’t everything—fun factor, uniqueness, and loot matter too! So, with all aspects considered, how do the raids compare? Let’s take a look.
8. Vault of Glass
The first Destiny 1 raid to enter the world of Destiny 2, Vault of Glass has struggled endlessly with trying to live up to new standards. Sadly, it has never really hit the mark.
With five main encounters, an encounter-like maze transition in the middle, and an entrance arena, Vault is one of the lengthier raids Destiny 2 has to offer. However, most of these consist of surface-level mechanics—if they contain any mechanics at all.
The music and environment featured in the activity also don’t hold up too well. While the raid does have its fans, Vault of Glass just doesn’t compare to the experiences we’ve come to expect today. The sole light in the darkness for Vault is its loot. While it does have its misses, Fatebringer is absurdly strong in all areas of the game, and Vex Mythoclast is a potent option as well. Plus, Vault of Glass is still awaiting a loot reprisal to update perk pools and make the weapons craftable, meaning its loot could become even stronger very soon.
In the end, Vault of Glass just doesn’t hold up to other experiences we have in the game today. With easy mechanics, sterile environments, and encounters that end up being nothing more than ad clear, this raid is easily the weakest in the game.
💠 You can find the definitive Destiny 2 Vault of Glass Loot table here.
7. Garden of Salvation
While we originally planned on ranking this raid higher on this list, Garden of Salvation is in such desperate need of updates that we felt it deserves this ranking.
Starting with what Garden of Salvation does right, the music and art direction here are spot-on. With some of the most stunning environments in the game, the visuals alone are enough of a reason to consider running the raid.
Sadly, Garden’s strengths end there. While the final boss is an exception, the other encounters in the raid sadly choose to utilize the overdone motes mechanic instead of playing into the tether system fully. The loot here is also abysmal, except for Divinity (which has also seen a reduction in popularity due to recent nerfs).
Even though some people may enjoy running Garden of Salvation here and there, the raid doesn’t meet standards set by other experiences we’ve received in the past. While it may be fun to run a couple of times, a raid with the primary appeal of sightseeing is something we can’t rank any higher.
💠 You can find the definitive Destiny 2 Garden of Salvation Loot table here.
6. Crota’s End
The most recent reprised raid from Destiny 1, Crota’s End simply doesn’t live up to modern standards set by past raids.
As with all other reprised raids that have entered Destiny 2 throughout the years, Crota’s End had some sweeping changes made to it in terms of mechanics. However, even with these changes, the activity is generally regarded as fairly boring. With encounters that are drawn out by waiting for the Chalice to charge (which is done by either standing still or clearing ads, mind you), Crota’s End is relatively stale.
Loot from Crota’s End is also a major pain point. With very few options ever worth chasing (and no chance of a loot reprisal any time soon), motivation to run this raid has quickly run dry.
Overall, Crota’s End just doesn’t compare to other more unique raids we’ve seen recently. And while some people may enjoy it due to its relatively chill nature, we believe other raids accomplish that better.
💠 You can find the definitive Destiny 2 Crota’s End Loot table here.
5. King’s Fall
King’s Fall has always been in a bit of a weird spot when it comes to general appeal. While many enjoy it for its diversity of mechanics, others find running it to be a drag.
Compared to the three we listed below this, King’s Fall is pretty complex in terms of mechanics. Even so, some encounters (namely, Warpriest and Daughters) last far too long for how simplistic they are.
Factoring in loot, however, boosts the ranking of King’s Fall by a fair margin. While there aren’t any must-haves in the loot pool, the weapons available from King’s Fall aren’t bad choices either.
Taking everything into consideration, King’s Fall is perhaps the most average of all the raids. While some love the raid for one reason or another, we believe that there are much more well-rounded experiences out there.
💠 You can find the definitive Destiny 2 King’s Fall Loot table here.
4. Root of Nightmares
Receiving a fair bit of backlash upon initial release, Root of Nightmares has now solidified itself as a chill and easy experience.
Mechanically, Root of Nightmares is nearly as simplistic as something like Crota’s End. However, this raid uses that to its advantage, creating an experience that is easy and quick to run with a group of friends.
Loot wise, Root of Nightmares isn’t bad either. Nessa’s Oblation, Koraxis’s Distress, Briar’s Contempt, and Rufus’s Fury all have situations in which they excel. Plus, Root of Nightmares features one of the strongest exotic weapons Destiny 2 has to offer: Conditional Finality.
Being a chill experience with some solid loot to go along with it, Root of Nightmares is exactly what it tries to be and nothing more, placing it just above average on this list.
💠 You can find the definitive Destiny 2 Root of Nightmares Loot table here.
3. Deep Stone Crypt
Perhaps the most balanced experience out of all the currently available raids, Deep Stone Crypt has very little to hate.
With arguably the best soundtrack and coolest setting out of any available raid, Deep Stone Crypt starts off strong. Plus, the mechanics build perfectly on top of one another from encounter to encounter, creating an activity full of momentum and action.
The loot from the raid is also worth mentioning. While some options are undoubtedly worth skipping, Heritage, Succession, Commemoration, and Bequest all have found unique spots within the PvE meta.
While we wouldn’t consider it the strongest raid Destiny 2 has to offer, Deep Stone Crypt is a solid experience you’ll find yourself wanting to run time and time again.
💠 You can find the definitive Destiny 2 Deep Stone Crypt Loot table here.
2. Vow of the Disciple
Few seem to consider Vow of the Disciple their favorite raid, but it has so many strengths that simply cannot be ignored.
While the raid can get stale from a mechanic standpoint after frequent runs, each encounter feels unique and exhilarating in its own way. From the chaotic nature of the third encounter to what is arguably the most MMO-like final boss Destiny 2 offers, Vow of the Disciple is always a joy to run.
With all that said, what really makes Vow of the Disciple stand out among its competition is loot. Forbearance and Cataclysmic are some of the best legendary weapons the game has ever seen, while Insidious, Deliverance, and Collective Obligation each have their unique places in the meta as well.
Sure, Vow of the Disciple has its weaknesses, but they’re nothing compared to the endless list of strengths the raid has to offer. Even if you’re not a fan of its gameplay, this raid has loot that will be strong for years to come, making it #2 on our list.
💠 You can find the definitive Destiny 2 Vow of the Disciple loot table here.
1. Last Wish
While it has its fair share of haters, Last Wish easily deserves the top spot on this list.
With a total of four unique bosses and six encounters, Last Wish is the longest raid Bungie has ever released. Riven, the final boss of the raid, is also arguably the best raid encounter to exist (assuming you don’t do the far-too-common cheese strategy). Additionally, the setting and music are both impeccable, combining together to give you that “storming the castle” feeling.
Last Wish also recently had its loot reprised, generating some of the strongest weapons the game has to offer. While the raid also has some unbelievably weak choices, Apex Predator is at the top of the PvE meta right now, and Nation of Beasts is a solid choice as well.
Some may dislike it for its length or high mechanical complexity, but we’re of the belief that Last Wish is the most complex, unique, and overall best raid Bungie has ever released.
💠 You can find the definitive Destiny 2 Last Wish Loot table here.
How to do Raids in Destiny 2?
There are several raids of varying difficulty that you can tackle to get great loot. But how does one do a raid? To help you out getting started, here are some tips from an experienced raid sherpa!
Find the right team: You need a total of 6 people to do a raid, so either ask your clan, use LFG, or use the Bungie app to find fellow players who also want to do the raid of your choosing. Be sure to say that you want to learn how to do the raid or that it’s your first time so people can explain the mechanics to you if needed.
Learn the basics beforehand: Try and understand the mechanics beforehand. Several awesome YouTubers make quality guides covering the basic mechanics for each raid. It will make the whole raid go smoother if you have an idea of what to expect.
Bring a variety of weapons: Each raid has at least 2 boss fights (Most have 2 or more) as well as parts where players need to kill lots of enemies. So bring high DPS weapons, such as Gjallarhorn or Izanagi’s Burden, and a variety of Supers, i.e. (1 Well of Radiance, 1 Ward of Dawn, 1 Thundercrash, 2 Mobius Quiver, 1 Nova Bomb)
Remember to have fun! This is seriously the most important part. Raids are supposed to be fun but challenging content you do with friends. There is no better feeling than beating a boss for the first time with your friends and everyone having a good time.
Do the dungeons: Last but not least, it is worth learning to do dungeons first. They are generally easier and require only 3 players. Prophecy is an excellent entry point and is free to play!
Before you go…
Dungeons are an excellent step between Nightfalls and raids while also giving you unique loot and experiences. Be sure to check out our complete guide on Dungeons!
