Raids inDestiny 2are the main draw of the endgame experience, and players will typically agree that the best content in the game is the raids, as there is nothing quite like them. They provideexcellent Exotic rewardsand some solid weapons. The game features a combination of all-new raids and others that are ‘reprised’ from the firstDestiny.
Certain raids are better than others, and the community largely agrees on this. However, there is much debate about how these raids should be ranked. This article will rank them using several metrics, considering their loot quality, difficulty, and the player experience when running them.
Updated on July 19, 2025 by Paul Woodward:Raiding inDestiny 2is a highly rewarding experience, and players who take on these challenges and emerge victorious can return to the Tower with some truly unique and powerful loot to show off. While Bungie has recently added unique and interesting activities like Dual Destiny, raids will doubtlessly remain a favorite endgame activity regardless of what the future holds with the next two Episodes andDestiny 2 Codename Frontiers.
Atheon, Time’s Conflux
Raid Exotic:
The Vault of Glass is a pretty simple raid, but this isn’t a surprise considering that it was the first raid in the entire series. While there are somestrategies players can employto make their time easier, players will typically agree that the Vault of Glass is incredibly easy to complete. While this may appeal to many players, there are plenty of raids that provide a challenge while not being too hard.
The loot quality from Vault of Glass is pretty poor. Fatebringer is the only offering players should chase, as the other weapons are outclassed massively by their competition. If Vault of Glass weapons ever got a perk refresh and an origin trait, then perhaps that could change, but only time will tell. While the player experience may be okay, a lot of Vault of Glass is standing around, waiting for the encounter to progress further while clearing ads. Confluxes clearly show this, and the whole Raid simply feels slow in comparison to other raids.
Conquer the Sanctified Mind
While Garden of Salvation can be enjoyable, there are too many things ‘wrong’ with it to warrant running it. Players are not interested in contending with frustrating mechanics and bad loot. Players can use some tips and tricks to mitigate the frustration with the tether mechanic byagreeing on a tether order, but when playing with an inexperienced group, things can become difficult fast. There is a lot happening at once, and a single mistake can easily cause a wipe.
Garden of Salvation also comes with awful loot. Aside from the raid ExoticDivinity, there is practically nothing interesting on offer from this Raid. Until Bungie decides to refresh these weapons, players will remain uninterested in them. The player experience is marred by either the boring mote mechanic or the non-user-friendly tether, and despite how beautiful the raid may look, Garden of Salvation isn’t a raid to run if players are looking for a chill experience.
Crota, Son of Oryx
In comparison to other Destiny 1 raids brought toDestiny 2, Crota’s End got some significant improvements. Back in Destiny 1, Crota’s End was seen as a glorified strike. But with the release of Season of the Witch, Crota’s End became a proper raid with mechanics that one would expect to see in an endgame activity, albeit they aren’t at Salvation’s Edge level of complexity. While some of theweapons are pretty solid options,the mechanics are simple to follow from the first to the last encounter. The primary mechanic of Crota’s End is the ‘Chalice of Light’, except the mechanic is waiting and killing enemies until it fills up for someone to take it.
The first encounter of Crota’s End can be tricky, as players need to navigate through a dimly lit cave filled with holes, infinitely spawning Thralls, and swinging pendulums that can do a lot of damage. All the while, they must be juggling the Chalice of Light among the raid team. While this may sound intense, Crota’s End is also quite an easy raid, as there often isn’t too much going on at once, so players can take their time and easily one-phase the bosses. Of course, this will be the preference for some players, but players who enjoy more complex raid will be left disappointed.
Oryx, The Taken King
King’s Fall was a fantastic raid inDestiny 1, and it did not disappoint when it made its triumphant return inDestiny 2. Theloot from this Raidis pretty solid, with Zaouli’s Bane being great in PvE and Defiance of Yasmin being one of the top PvP snipers. There’s something for everybody in King’s Fall.
However, King’s Fall feels like a remarkably long raid despite having only five encounters, but if good loot is the goal, King’s Fall is definitely a raid worth checking out. Each encounter will challenge players in new ways, so long as they bring communication to the table. With four bosses, this raid feels like a classic fromWorld of Warcraft.
Nezarec, Final God of Pain
Root of Nightmares may be one of the most controversial raids in the game’s history thanks to itsnotoriously low difficulty. While this may be a plus in some players' eyes, to many, it marred the experience of the raid as the combat challenge was simply too easy, and the mechanics were not challenging enough to create an enjoyable experience.
However, for some, Root of Nightmares becomes a raid that is fun to run with friends or strangers. The loot is also great, withConditional Finalitybeing one of the game’s best PvE and PvP weapons. It’s also safe to say that Root of Nightmares is gorgeous, with the landscape and raid’s soundtrack being some of the best the game has to offer. Not only that, but Root of Nightmares is the perfect place to start for players who have never done a raid before, as every encounter is easy to understand.
Taniks, the Abomination
Deep Stone Crypt is the epitome of a ‘chill’ raid. The stakes in this raid feel lower than others, and the excellentstorytelling throughout Deep Stone Cryptenriches the experience. Deep Stone Crypt also comes with some of the best weapons the game has to offer, with Heritage and Succession being two of the most potent Legendary weapons in the entire game.
Alongside the brilliant loot is the awe-inspiring space and the excellent soundtrack from Michael Salvatori. The experience of hearing one of the most beautiful tracks in the game while gazing out at the infinite horizon of space is something to behold and almost feels magical for the first time. While the low difficulty may bore some players, to many, Deep Stone Crypt remains one of the most pleasant raid experiences inDestiny’s history.
The Witness
Given how high the stakes were, it made sense that the raid would be part of the climax ofThe Final Shape. Before players had any hope of unmaking the Witness, they would first need to break its hold on the Traveler. This meant storming the Monolith, the place where the Witness’s influence on the Pale Heart was at its strongest. From a gameplay standpoint, Salvation’s Edge has the most difficult and unforgiving mechanics ever seen in aDestinyraid combined with strict timers. During Contest Mode, less than 700 teams managed to beat the raid.
The most notorious encounter in this raidis Verity, which can easily destroy most LFG groups due to how complex it is. Verity demands perfection, and a single mistake can cause a wipe. While the Witness is easier than Verity, it can be tricky if players are too slow to get out of the Witness’s attack during the damage phase or if their DPS is subpar. Even over a month after release, any group trying to teach this raid or attempt a carry can easily take two to three hoursifthey are lucky. Yet despite the difficulty, completing this raid is easily one of the most satisfying feelings in all ofDestiny 2. After Root of Nightmares, players asked for a harder raid and they certainly got one.
Rhulk, the First Disciple
Vow of the Disciple has it all. It has good loot, a decent difficulty level, and a wonderful experience for players, with excellent landscapes and an incredible soundtrack. Forbearance is incredibly powerful, and Cataclysmic still holds on as one of the best Linear Fusion Rifles in the entire game.
The main thing that brings Vow of the Disciple down is the lack of ingenuity in the encounter design. Vow of the Disciple features a unique design centered around symbols, but this can repeat itself somewhat, making some moments feel pretty monotonous. However, this can easily be overlooked with how awesome it is to fight Rhulk in his arena and how must-have the weapons are from this raid.
Queenswalk
It would almost be criminal not to rank Last Wish first. The oldest raid that hasn’t been sunset or vaulted, unique toDestiny 2,still holds strong as one of the greats. Boasting six encounters, Last Wish retains solid pacing despite being a very long raid. The area is beautiful, and Riven is truly an excellent boss battle, provided players don’t cheese her for an easy win.
The weapons from Last Wish are also top-drawer. Apex Predator, The Supremacy, Nation of Beasts, and Techeun Force are all brilliant weapons, with some being the best options in the game. It’s incredibly safe to say that Last Wish is the greatest raid Bungie has ever made, even if the day one race to complete it was the hardest in the series' history, leading only to a select few receiving therarest emblem inDestiny 2.
