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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsThis encounter-by-encounter walkthrough covers the reprised Crota’s End raid as it launched in Destiny 2’s Season of the Witch (Season 22) on September 1, 2023. The raid is built around one repeating team skill: manage the Chalice of Light, hand it off before its carrier is in danger, and reserve Enlightened players for the mechanic that needs them next.
The encounter mechanics and loadout examples below reflect the Season 22 guide published in September 2023, not a claim about the current weapon meta. Bungie’s current Activities page lists Crota’s End as a raid; check its in-game activity card for current activity details before assembling a team.
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Before you start: understand the Chalice
The Chalice of Light is the raid’s shared resource. Its meter fills while a player holds it. Once charged, another player can take it; the previous holder becomes Enlightened. The carrier should not keep a fully charged Chalice indefinitely: the 2023 guide says the carrier receives Engulfed in Light and must hand it off within 10 seconds or die. A player who spends Enlightened becomes Drained of Light for 45 seconds and cannot take the Chalice again during that period.
- Before a handoff: name the receiver and agree what the newly Enlightened player will do.
- At a Preservation Node: the Chalice can be deposited or retrieved. Some encounter steps require depositing it to unlock progress.
- Before spending Enlightened: check whether the next mechanic also needs an Enlightened player. Depending on the encounter, the buff can light a lantern, contribute to building the bridge, pick up a Hive sword, pass a barrier, Expunge an enemy, or damage the Oversoul.
In short: pass the Chalice before the carrier’s danger timer expires, and plan the next Enlightened action before using the buff.
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1. Hellmouth opening: learn the handoff rhythm
At the opening plate, have players take turns holding the Chalice until its meter fills. Pass it to make the previous carrier Enlightened, then have that player interact with the plate. Repeat the charge, handoff, and plate interaction until the bridge is built. This opening teaches the basic sequence used throughout the raid.
2. The Abyss: cross the lantern path
Move through the dark route of Hive lanterns to the far plate, build the bridge, then cross once the path is clear. Two debuffs create separate problems, so keep track of both:
- Engulfed in Darkness: a 60-second countdown that kills a player when it expires. Igniting a lantern or preserving the Chalice resets the timer.
- Weight of Darkness: stacks up to ten and slows movement. Standing near an ignited lantern gradually removes stacks.
- Move together along the route and keep the Chalice moving between players. At a Preservation Node beside a lantern, deposit the Chalice to unlock the next lantern group; retrieve it and resume the handoffs.
- Have an Enlightened player ignite the lantern. It explodes after a short delay, so use it to shed Weight of Darkness and move on rather than lingering.
- At the far plate, spend Enlightened to start the bridge. Defend against the encounter’s enemy wave—including Unstoppable Ogres, Hive Knights, and Thrall, as listed in the 2023 walkthrough—until the game indicates the route is open.
Historical challenge note: the Season 22 guide’s Conservation of Energy challenge required preserving the Chalice beside a lantern before lighting that lantern. Challenge requirements can change; check the active in-game challenge text.
3. Oversoul Throne Bridge: build, cover, and relay
The bridge encounter asks the team to maintain the bridge while moving players across in stages. Only a Chalice carrier or a Hive sword carrier can cross. While someone stands on the central bridge plate, cover the Annihilator Totems; allowing a totem to activate can wipe the team.
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- Assign a plate holder and players to watch each Annihilator Totem. Decide who will receive the Chalice and who will cross before starting construction.
- Have an Enlightened player begin building the bridge. The 2023 guide says additional Enlightened contributions can speed construction.
- Defeat the Swordbearer. An Enlightened player picks up the dropped Hive sword, crosses, and defeats a Gatekeeper. Gatekeepers can only be damaged with a Hive sword.
- Repeat the sequence to move more players across and defeat the remaining Gatekeepers. Keep totem coverage in place while the bridge is being built and used.
There are two workable approaches described in the Season 22 guide. A continuous relay cycles the Chalice and sends players across as each sword becomes available. Alternatively, prepare multiple Enlightened players before sending the first sword carrier; this can give the initial crossing more support, but requires extra coordination before the relay begins.
Historical challenge note: the guide’s Precarious Balance challenge called for crossing while the bridge was deforming. Verify the active challenge in game before attempting that condition.
4. Thrallway: clear the uphill route
After the bridge, push uphill through the barriers. Defeat the Shriekers to remove barriers and open the next stretch. Continue managing Chalice handoffs so Enlightened players can pass through the barriers, then deposit the Chalice at the end to open the next passage.
5. Ir Yut, the Deathsinger: find Wizards and beat the timer
Ir Yut is a timed damage encounter. In the September 2023 walkthrough, Dark Liturgy begins when a tower Wizard is defeated or after three minutes. If the Liturgy finishes before the team deals enough damage to reach the required health notch, the team wipes. The guide notes that the number of Wizards increases after damage phases; exact timing and spawn patterns are version-specific.
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- Open the arena: defeat the Blistered Knights and Shriekers to open the central crystal room and retrieve the Chalice.
- Split and scout: send players left and right to clear enemies while one player scouts and calls out the Wizards’ locations.
- Reach the Wizards: Enlightened players pass through the green barriers and kill the Wizards. The guide recommends defeating them close together in time: the first Wizard’s defeat removes Ir Yut’s shield and starts the damage window.
- Damage to the notch: regroup and damage Ir Yut until her health reaches the required notch before Dark Liturgy completes. If needed, an Enlightened player can use Expunge on her for a chunk of damage.
The 2023 guide cited Divinity and Leviathan’s Breath as a damage combination and described a Day One team strategy. Those are historical examples, not requirements or verified current best-in-slot choices.
6. Crota, Son of Oryx: break the shield and manage the Oversoul
Crota’s encounter combines Hive swords, restricted Chalice handoffs, a damage phase, and an Oversoul that must be assigned to a player before it appears.
- Summon the Swordbearer: defeat the tower Boomer Knights to bring out Ogres and a Swordbearer. Defeating the Swordbearer drops a Hive sword.
- Break Crota’s shield: an Enlightened player picks up the sword and hits Crota. The Season 22 guide says teams generally need two or three swords to break the shield. You can use swords one at a time for a controlled sequence, or coordinate several sword users to break it faster.
- Pass the Chalice during Presence of Crota: transfers are allowed only while standing in a beam of Light. Call out the beam and the next recipient before each handoff.
- Assign the Oversoul: during damage, an Oversoul appears. The 2023 guide says it wipes the team after 30 seconds unless an Enlightened player destroys it; destroying it also ends that damage phase. Have the assigned player ready, and coordinate the destruction with the team’s damage plan.
- Repeat, then finish: Crota returns to the encounter loop after damage phases. At final stand, prioritize the Oversoul and the remaining boss damage before the timer runs out.
Historical challenge note: the Season 22 guide described All For One as requiring three swords to be used at the same time to take Crota’s shield down. Check the active challenge text before building a run around that condition.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Season 22 guide loadout suggestions—not current requirements
These recommendations are from the Shacknews walkthrough published September 2, 2023 and updated September 5, 2023. They reflect Season 22’s sandbox; balance changes mean they should not be treated as current meta advice. None is a requirement to enter or clear the raid.
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| Encounter or role | Season 22 guide example | How to interpret it |
|---|---|---|
| Abyss survivability | Riskrunner | A historical suggestion for surviving the traversal; not mandatory. |
| Bridge Barrier Champions | Arbalest | A weapon example for that guide’s encounter setup. |
| Hive Knights | Shotguns | A close-range option cited by the guide. |
| Ir Yut damage | Divinity and Leviathan’s Breath | A historical damage combination, not a verified current recommendation. |
| Crota damage | Tractor Cannon to debuff Crota, with The Lament for sword damage | An example from the 2023 sandbox; current performance is not established here. |
| Class options | Well of Radiance and Burning Maul | Subclass examples mentioned in the guide, not required team composition. |
The guide also notes that multiple builds and playstyles can work. Choose weapons and subclasses that suit the current sandbox and your team’s ability to execute the mechanics.
What the 2023 launch figures do—and do not—show
Bungie’s September 14, 2023 recap reported 525,376 Guardians entered Crota’s End and 3,985,517 total hours spent in the raid during its launch-period reporting. The same recap counted 53,122,289 Guardian deaths, 248,041 Abyss clears, 145,207 Oversoul Throne Bridge clears, 78,742 Ir Yut defeats, and 37,720 Crota defeats. These are historical launch-week/Contest-period figures, not current player-population or encounter-clear statistics.
Bungie announced the reprised raid in its August 22, 2023 Showcase Recap and said it would be available to all players at no additional cost. Crota’s End returned on September 1, 2023. Bungie’s current Activities support page lists the raid; its June 9, 2026 Update 9.7.0 support guide says planned live-service content updates ended with that update and that content available as of it remains available, while stability hotfixes may still be released. For a run, rely on the current in-game activity listing for live details.
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