As a Destiny veteran with over 1,000 hours logged, the Shattered Throne dungeon stands in my memory as one of the most striking and demanding activities ever introduced to the franchise.
Destiny 2‘s first-ever dungeon, The Shattered Throne presents a tricky challenge for players. This guide walks you through it with tips.
I‘ve completed this activity over 20 times across multiple characters. What keeps me coming back is the combination of intriguing lore behind the dungeon and the immensely satisfying feeling of overcoming its intense combat and mechanical challenges.
In this guide, I‘ll share everything I‘ve learned from those repeated attempts to help fellow Guardians brave the Shattered Throne and claim the precious gear within.
Dungeon Lore & Significance
Prior to diving in, it‘s helpful to understand the lore behind the formation of the Shattered Throne dungeon.
As covered in the Forsaken expansion campaign, Prince Uldren Sov helped free the Taken Riven, an Ahamkara wish dragon imprisoned in the Dreaming City. This unleashed the Taken curse – a blight that morphs the Dreaming City over 3 week cycles.
The curse originated in Mara Sov‘s throne world, a pocket dimension where she channeled cosmic power as Queen of the Awoken. Riven exploited the throne world to infect the Dreaming City. The resulting instability shattered Mara‘s throne world, creating the dungeon area now known as the Shattered Throne.
So when Guardians enter this dungeon, we are venturing into the ruins of Mara Sov‘s inner sanctum in an attempt to break the Taken curse. The enemies and environments reflect this lore significance – featuring scorns, taken, and awoken elements scattered among the shattered remnants of the throne room.
Now let‘s get into the actual dungeon itself…
How to Access The Shattered Throne
The Shattered Throne dungeon is only available to access every 3 weeks when the Dreaming City curse reaches its maximum strength.
When the curse is at its weakest, the dungeon disappears from the Dreaming City destination map. So keep an eye out for when it returns!
To enter, complete these steps:
- Fly into the Divalian Mists spawn point
- Head towards the Spine of Keres
- Before entering the Spine, hang left to see a cluster of floating rocks
- Jump across the rocks to reach a portal that leads to the Confluence secret area
- The portal to the dungeon will be along the left wall
- Interact with the portal to enter The Shattered Throne
The portal that gives access to the Shattered Throne dungeon
Recommended Power Level
The Shattered Throne hosts combatants with a power level around 590. As such, I strongly recommend going in with at least a 565-570 power level.
Higher power yields more damage dealt and reduced damage taken against enemies. This is crucial for surviving the onslaught of deadly Taken, Scorn, and Hive inside.
When I first attempted this dungeon shortly after unlocking the Dreaming City, my fireteam was around 550 power. We struggled mightily to stay alive against basic red bar enemies, much less the shielded yellow bars and bosses.
After grinding to 580 power, the activity felt immensely more manageable. So be sure to boost your level before braving this dungeon!
Fireteam Composition
While it‘s possible for extremely skilled players to solo The Shattered Throne, I highly recommend assembling a 3-person fireteam.
My preferred team composition:
- Warlock for Well of Radiance
- Titan for bubble shields
- Hunter for invisibility and add clear
This covers all the essential buffs/debuffs and enemy control needed to navigate each challenging area.
In a pinch, triple Hunter with Celestial Nighthawk works well too. The key is coordinating Supers and gear around key enemy types. Which brings us to…
Ideal Weapons and Supers
The Shattered Throne throws a wide variety of enemy races at you, so make sure your loadout is prepared to counter each.
For basic ads:
- Trinity Ghoul bow
- Riskrunner SMG
- Sunshot hand cannon
For shielded/tanky enemies:
- Arbalest anti-barrier rifle
- Jotunn fusion rifle
- Legendary rockets
For boss DPS:
- Sleeper Simulant linear fusion
- Whisper of the Worm sniper
- Falling Guillotine sword
Recommended Supers:
- Celestial Golden Gun (Hunter)
- Chaos Reach (Warlock)
- Thundercrash or Bubble Titans)
Packing the right gear makes a huge difference across each phase. Now let‘s get into the dungeon itself…
Dungeon Sections and Mechanics
The Shattered Throne takes Guardians through a series of interconnected areas, each with unique mechanics and combat challenges to overcome:
Section 1: The Descent
This initial area requires sure-footed jumping skills. Players must platform downwards while navigating narrow cliffs and gaps:
Careful jumping is required in the initial Descent section
Falling means returning to the start, so caution is critical. Use aerial maneuvering Exotics like St0mp-EE5 to provide more control. Take it slow and don‘t let the vampiric Thrall rushing you break your focus!
Section 2: Shadowed Barrier
After an ominous portal transition, you‘ll emerge in the Shadowed Barrier zone. Here the floor burns with hostile energy, forcing you onto scattered safe platforms.
This area also clouds your vision and inhibits jump/recovery abilities. The only respite comes from briefly standing in Wells of Light:
Shadow Thrall swarm the platforms, testing your situational awareness
Pay attention to sight lines so deadly snipers don‘t catch you off guard. Use your radar and pre-aim corners where Thrall spill out.
This segment tests your spatial mastery and adaptability to the restrictive mechanics. Precise jump-shooting is key to survival!
Section 3: The Revelry
After passing through a cascading portal, you‘ll emerge in The Revelry – an interwoven maze of temple structures brimming with enemies:
The Revelry tests your navigation and combat skills
This area houses the first major combat test. You must battle through waves of Scorn while decoding a sequence of symbols that lead from one temple to the next.
Each temple contains a dangerous boss that must be eliminated before a timer expires and wipes the fireteam. Work together to control adds so your team can focus fire on the bosses.
Call out symbols and enemy locations frequently. Employ area denial tools like grenades and Supers to manage the endless hordes. Use the temples for cover and stick close together!
Section 4: Vorgeth, the Boundless Hunger
After decoding the succession of symbols and eliminating the Labyrinth bosses, you‘ll enter a dark portal to face Vorgeth – an imposing Ogre empowered by Taken energy.
This fight features multiple phases with mechanics that can easily wipe an unprepared fireteam:
Phase 1:
- Eliminate the surrounding Taken Wizards to remove Vorgeth‘s immunity shield
- Wizard deaths provide a Damage Buff stack
- Stay aware of Vorgeth‘s damaging axion dart attacks
Phase 2:
- Vorgeth losses immunity; team shoot him with buffed damage
- Clear additional Wizards that continue spawning
- Watch for Vorgeth‘s aggressive melee and ground pound moves
With coordination to control adds and maximize Damage Buff uptime, you can wear down this deadly boss. But it remains one of the most demanding fights the dungeon has to offer.
Section 5: The Watchtower
Beyond Vorgeth lies a labyrinth of floating rubble and destroyed architecture leading to the Watchtower – a twisting spire with narrow ledges and snipers:
This floating tower tests your jumping accuracy
Make the tense ascent upwards, avoiding fatal plunges. Deal with exploding Thrall that can push you off edges. Exercise patience working past the snipers.
Reach the top to face one last trial – the true orchestrator of the curse…
Section 6: Dul Incaru
Atop the Watchtower‘s peak lies the ethereal throne of Mara Sov. Pass through the Awoken banner to enter the shattered Vestige where Dul Incaru awaits.
This elegant Hive wizard wields deadly dark power. Face her alongside her shadow knights to break the curse once and for all!
The boss fight has three phases requiring coordination:
Phase 1: Defeat the shadow knights simultaneously
Phase 2: Damage Dul Incaru before she completes her ritual
Phase 3: Repeat the process twice more to defeat her
Team shot knights and the boss herself. Use Supers and heavy weapons to maximize Damage Phase uptime. Survive Dul Incaru‘s deadly seeking projectiles.
Vanquish her to claim your rewards and complete the Shattered Throne!
Post-Completion Rewards
Triumphing over The Shattered Throne‘s myriad challenges earns you more than pride. The activity also unlocks:
- Powerful gear drops
- Dreaming City weapons and armor
- Petition quest for Wish Ender bow
- Corrupted Egg collectibles for exotic ship
- Solo/flawless emblem variants
I‘ve forged an entire gear set across my 30+ completions. The activity also becomes available for end game farming once the curse resets.
Plus wish Ender bow from the post-dungeon quest is a uniquely satisfying Exotic perfect for PvE.
Crucial Tips for Conquering The Shattered Throne
While overcoming this dungeon solo is an impressive flex, I strongly advise tackling it in a 3-person fireteam your first several times through.
Beyond sufficiently high Power level, keep these tips in mind:
Loadout:
- Pack Taken/Hive spec mods
- Carry long range options for Wizards
- Bring close range options for Thrall hordes
- Well of Radiance is extremely valuable
Execution:
- Call out areas and enemy locations
- Team shoot dangerous targets
- Conserve heavy ammo for bosses
- Don‘t let deaths create a spiral
With the right team and some practice, you can definitely clear this milestone Destiny 2 activity!
The journey won‘t be easy, but the exhilaration of overcoming the challenges within make The Shattered Throne one of the most rewarding experiences available to Guardians. I wish you luck in joining the elite club of triumphant players who braved the curse and survived!
Let me know if you have any other questions in the comments!
