Rhulk - Destiny 2 Guide - IGN (2024)

Destiny 2: Into the Light's May 15 update makes the Pantheon raid gauntlet challenge even harder with the introduction of Rhulk, the final boss in the Vow of the Disciple raid. This new version of the encounter is called Rhulk Indomitable and adjusts the entire series of Pantheon encounters to a +15 Power difficulty, meaning that all of the enemies throughout the fights will be 15 Power higher than the players, so they'll take more damage and deal less. Follow our walkthrough for a guide to the encounter, a list of changes for the Pantheon version, and some general tips.

Rhulk Guide

Have at least one teammate use the Gjallarhorn exotic rocket launcher with its catalyst. Its innate perk Wolfpack Rounds causes each rouch to split into tracking cluster missiles upon detonation, and the Pack Hunter catalyst buff applies this to all non-exotic rocket launchers nearby. The remaining teammates should use the Izanagi's Burden exotic sniper rifle and a legendary rocket launcher for the DPS phases and whatever primary kinetic weapon they prefer for ad clear. Save your special and heavy ammo for the DPS phase. Have one or more Warlocks run Well of Radiance for the buff, and you can even consider having one player equip the Divinity exotic weapon.

There's essentially one role that everybody has to participate in:

• Pyramid Shooter/Force Leecher - Whenever a player shoots a pyramid shard above Rhulk, they gain the Leeching Force debuff. One of the players with this needs to get hit by Rhulk's energy beam to change this into Emanating Force. Players with either debuff will see a set of symbols on the pillar to the left.
• Symbol Callers - The players without either debuff will see a set of symbols on the pillar to the right. The fireteam needs to coordinate the matching symbol and deliver Emanating Force into the corresponding smaller totem at the back of the arena to push Rhulk's shield back.

Rhulk, Disciple of the Witness, is one of the most unique encounters ever featured in the Destiny franchise. When you enter the arena, you'll see Rhulk floating near the center protected by a large orange barrier. Approach the barrier, and you'll be tossed backwards as a large Darkness crystal spawns above Rhulk. The team will also begin incurring stacks of Pervading Darkness very quickly.

The main mechanic of this encounter includes juggling the Leeching Force and Emanating Force buffs (more on those below) and calling out the appropriate symbols to your team, as you've done throughout the entirety of this Raid thus far.

Whoever shoots the crystal will stop the Pervading Darkness from spreading to the team and incur the Leeching Force status for 45 seconds. While this status doesn't do anything on its own, it does allow you to survive Rhulk's giant laser attack.

When hit by his laser with the Leeching Force buff, it will turn into Emanating Force, which is extremely important for progressing this encounter. However, you never want the last person with Leeching Force to turn it into Emanating Force as the only way to get Leeching Force initially is by shooting the crystal above Rhulk, of which you have a limited amount before automatically wiping.

So, you'll instead need to split the Leeching Force status in two and pass it to other teammates. The strategy here is to have one person shoot the starting crystal, receive Leeching Force, and then stand on the large plate at the front of the arena. This will force two more crystals to spawn above Rhulk. Two different teammates should shoot the crystals to receive Leeching Force, and the first player will lose it. At this point, you've doubled Leeching Force and will need to continue splitting it while safely allowing one person to turn it into Emanating Force.

Have one person with Leeching Force stand in the way of Rhulk's laser to receive Emanating Force, while the other person holding Leeching Force should stand on the center plate and split it again with two additional teammates.

During this time, enemies will continuously spawn in the arena. The rest of the team should focus on killing them quickly. Eventually, two Glyphkeepers will spawn near the two large pillars in the arena, one on the left and one on the right.

After killing the Glyphkeepers, the leftmost pillar will display a set of three symbols that only the players with either Leeching Force or Emanating Force can see, while the rightmost pillar will display three symbols that the rest of the team can see.

As with the previous encounter, you're looking for the symbol in common amongst the two sets of three. When identified, someone without Leeching Force or Emanating Force should identify the same symbol on the smaller totems near the back of the arena. There are three totems on the left and three totems on the right. The symbol will be displayed randomly on two of those totems. Someone should direct the player with Emanating Force to one of those two small totems for them to dunk the Emanating Force into. This will push Rhulk's barrier back slightly.

You'll need to repeat the same process five more times (for a total of six) to push Rhulk's barrier back completely. At this point, Rhulk will invite the team up the large staircase into the arena above. Follow him up into the arena.

Inside this arena, there are four pillars, one on each corner. Each pillar is designated by an icon that can be used as a callout for your team. Standing at the top of the staircase, the bottom left icon is Traveler, top left is Pyramid, bottom right is Light, and top right is Darkness. Memorize these locations and callouts, as you'll need them soon.

This is the first part of the encounter where Rhulk will attack your team directly. First, he will lunge at someone, telegraphing it beforehand with an orange line on the floor.

Get out of his way to avoid this attack. Second, he will fire out his lasers in a large plus-shaped pattern. Avoid these by standing in between two of them. If you happen to get hit by the laser, you'll incur a bit of the Pervading Darkness debuff.

Lastly, if anyone gets too close to Rhulk, he will kick them with enough force to send them flying, potentially out of the arena. There are also Taken Thralls that will spawn in periodically, but they aren't much of a threat.

For this part of the encounter, Rhulk will place his glaive down on the ground after a dash attack and begin walking around. Whoever shoots and breaks his glaive will receive the Leeching Force status.

In the glaive's place will be a symbol that everyone but the Leeching Force person can see: either Traveler, Pyramid, Light, or Dark. Someone needs to communicate this to the Leeching Force player so they know which corner of the arena they will be heading to. The Leeching Force player needs to get hit by Rhulk's next laser and then dunk the Emanating Force buff into the corresponding terminal in the corner.

After depositing the Emanating Force buff into the correct receptacle, Rhulk will have a glowing yellow critical spot appear on either his shoulder or leg. Shoot this to damage him, but be careful not to accidentally shoot his glaive unless you want the Leeching Force buff.

You'll need to perform this sequence three more times for a total of four. If done correctly, Rhulk will become enraged and begin walking around the arena attacking more frequently. This is the actual damage phase, and your team has a limited time to deal damage to Rhulk, so let him have it.

If someone has Divinity it works well here as Rhulk can be hard to get critical damage on as he's moving around so frequently.

After the damage phase, Rhulk will drop to the ground and begin powering up. Get out of the arena as quickly as possible and run down the stairs. Otherwise, the barrier he summons will send you flying to your death.

Once down in the lower arena, repeat the same process as before to reach Rhulk's damage phase again. Eventually, you'll whittle his health down to the tick mark, beginning the Final Stand phase. You only have three chances to reach this point, or the party will wipe to the Enrage mechanic.

During the Final Stand, everyone on the team will receive the Pervading Darkness debuff. Kill Rhulk before everyone's Pervading Darkness reaches x10 stacks to complete the encounter.

Rhulk Pantheon Changes

In addition to the +15 Power shift, the encounter also has two more changes to increase the intensity:

• Each time you empower two totems with Resonance, a Tormentor spawns
• Before the DPS phase, Rhulk spawns a copy of himself