While the Season of the Plunder only brought players a rerun of the King’s Fall raid, the 19th Season of the Seraph presented us with a brand new dungeon, Spire of the Watcher. This activity challenges three players to tackle raid-like encounters, solve puzzles, and put an end to a threat that has reappeared on Mars. As a reward for completing the dungeon, the Guardians will be rewarded with an impressive collection of Tex Mechanica weapons and armor, as well as the chance to receive a powerful Exotic Bow “Hierarchy of Needs” each week.
How to get access to the Spire of the Watcher?
The Spire of the Watcher dungeon was introduced alongside Year 5’s Season of the Seraph on December 9, 2022, and this is Destiny 2’s latest endgame offering. The dungeon focuses on pre-Collapse secrets buried beneath Mars and a Golden Age contingency plan. The storyline of this dungeon is a smooth preparation for the upcoming Lightfall expansion, which we all hope will not be the last one (according to some information, it won’t be, but there’s very little information about whether there will actually be a next expansion after Lightfall).
Before you start the quest, you will need to take certain steps. First, you have to buy the Witch Queen Deluxe Edition (or you have to upgrade your standard edition), the second option is to buy the Witch Queen dungeon key, which can be purchased in the in-game store for 2000 silver. With one of these options, you must make sure that you have completed the Witch Queen introductory quest, The Arrival (it’s free for all players).
How to start the Spire of the Watcher dungeon
Next, as it was with Duality, you must visit Ikora Rey in the Bazaar in the Tower and pick up the quest, Ares Desperado. The quest will open in both Normal and Master versions, which you’ll definitely want to do if you are looking for Hierarchy of Needs’ Catalyst. With the quest in your inventory and the Arrival completed, you can launch the Spire of the Watcher via Savathun’s Throne World.
At the beginning of the dungeon is recommended to have a power level of 1570 (1610 on the Master difficulty), but I still suggest having a slight advantage in strength level because, as is often the case with similar activities in Destiny 2, the enemies in the later stages will have a power level of about 1580-1590, which can be an unpleasant experience for unprepared beginners or if you pass dungeon in a group of two or solo.
You can go through the dungeon solo, some skilled players have already proved that this is more than possible, but for greater confidence in success, and especially if you’re hunting primarily for a chic reward, it’s better to go through the dungeon in a group of three players, at least for the first time.
What’s the best class for Spire of the Watcher dungeon?
The best class for Spire of the Watcher dungeon is undoubtedly the one you feel most comfortable playing, but like every season, the game sets its own trends, and this time the choice fell on Solar, more specifically, the best choice is the Solar Titan. He will be particularly good because of his solid and powerful healing potential when throwing and picking up hammers. This ability is a ranged attack with more or less infinite charges that guarantees health back on pick-up so long as it makes contact with an enemy. To make sure you’ll have an abundance of health even when taking significant damage constantly, consider combining the Sol Invictus and Roaring Flames Sunbreaker Aspects, or look into the Lorely Splendor Helm.
Another good option is Arc Hunter with Flow State and Lethal Current Aspects, for example. A universal and unambiguous option here still does not exist, in the end, it is up to you to decide.
The same goes for the choice of weapon, it all depends on your preferences and what kind of weapon you have, but there is a way to look at the Witherhoard grenade launcher in the Kinetic slot, some SMG in the Energy slot, and a good linear fusion rifle in the Power slot. Just in case.
So, you’re ready, and you can start the dungeon walkthrough.
Spire of the Watcher tactic
The opening encounter
The first encounter has a single goal: reestablish power. This is accomplished by defeating Conduit Minotaurs, acquiring the Arctrician buff, and shooting nodes in the correct sequence to complete a node circuit.
After loading into the dungeon and following the rocky path forward and around to the left, you’ll reach the first area with a lone Vex Goblin patrolling. As soon as your team begins to advance, enemies will start to appear – there will even be a couple of Cyclops blasting you and a whole bunch of Goblins and Harpies that will attack you from the rooftops.
At the opposite end of the area is a small power grid with four nodes around it, each emitting yellow wire or power cables. You need to follow each power cable until you get to the place where it stops, that’s where the origin node is, usually there will be a metal box with a flashing blue arrow on it. To activate it, you need to pick up the Arctrician buff from Conduit Minotaurs. To do this, you need to stand in the pool, where it drops. Follow the power cables from the center hatch to the generator. When it is done, the message “Arc node circuit completed” will appear. The enabled section of the cable between the nodes will glow blue.
In this manner, it is necessary to activate all four nodes in sequence. There is no need to worry about time, the activated area will continue to glow. But it is important to guess the correct sequence of nodes activation. And you need to keep in mind that there is a timer for the buff – 30 seconds + 5 seconds for a correctly activated node. If the timer has expired, you just need to pick up the buff again.
The opening encounter is a great chance to figure out these mechanics because it’s the basis for passing the entire dungeon.
Once you’ve successfully managed to activate all four nodes, you can walk through the unlocked door to the first proper encounter, the Spire Ascent.
Ascend the Spire
As before, Conduit Minotaurs will drop Arctrician buffs that are used to charge the nodes. Follow the cables along, charging nodes, and defeating Minotaurs as you climb the tower.
The Ascend the Spire encounter is basically the same as the opening encounter, the only difference is that this time you’ll have to climb the spire. Determine the starting node, pick up the Arctrician buff by killing the Conduit Minotaur, and start powering up the cables.
Here are the steps you need to take to pass the Ascend the Spire encounter:
- Defeat Conduit Minotaurs for the Arctrician buff
- Activate Arc nodes in sequence to charge elevators
- Climb the spire to the top
Once all the nodes are powered up, the elevator will take your fireteam to the next sector. There you need to repeat the whole process until you get to the top, where a reward chest is waiting for you.
Akelous, the Siren’s Current
The first boss you will meet in the Spire of the Watcher dungeon is Akelous, the Siren’s Current. The mechanics of this encounter are still the same, Arctrician buffs are used once again to charge nodes, only this time sending the current out to the ends of the boardwalks to activate a fuel rod, after that, you can start dealing damage to the boss.
Here are the steps you need to take to bring down Akelous in Spire of the Watcher:
- Defeat a Conduit Minotaur and gain the Arctrician buff.
- Shoot the starting nodes in the central area and shoot the Arc nodes along the cables to eventually activate all four fuel rods.
- All players must head to the last fuel rod that was activated. Akelous will fly over to this fuel rod and will begin to deactivate them all.
- Stand in front of Akelous and destroy all of its red eyes by shooting them – the eyes are weak, so any primary weapon is enough.
- Once all the eyes have been destroyed, Akelous will be vulnerable and can be damaged only by shooting its newly exposed central eye.
- Continue dealing damage to Akelous as it retreats toward the center of the arena. The damage phase will end when Akelous releases a large blast and overcharges its shields. Do not chase Akelous too much during this damage phase, as the blast it releases has a huge radius and can send you flying off the spire. Watch out!
- Repeat all these steps until Akelous crumbles.
Persys, Primordial Ruin
The final boss in the Spire of the Watcher dungeon is Persys, Primordial Ruin.
In the final encounter, you still need to activate nodes around the arena, but the final goal, in this case, is to activate a reactor core purge, which will make Persys vulnerable. Keep in mind that the red cables control the door, the yellow cables power the reactor.
The arena is divided into two sectors, one of which is the reactor sector and the other is the safe room. Therefore, retreat to the safe room where you can activate the nodes on the pillars and above the door to seal Persys in. Once the reactor purge is completed, the boss will be vulnerable for a short time.
Here’s how to arm the reactor purge, trap Persys, and defeat it in Spire of the Watcher:
- Defeat both Incarceration Hydras that spawn in the control room so that Conduit Minotaurs can spawn.
- Defeat a Conduit Minotaur and collect the Arctrician buff.
- Shoot the five red nodes in the control room (one on each of the four pillars and one above the central door) to open the central door leading to the reactor room.
- A few seconds after the door opens, two of the four starting Arc nodes for the yellow circuits in the control room will become active and can be powered up with Arctrician.
- Continue powering up the nodes along the circuit, following them into the reactor room to reach the end nodes.
- While the nodes are being powered up, Persys needs to be lured into the reactor room. If you’re doing this Dungeon solo, Persys will obviously be following you constantly, but if you’re in a fireteam, it’s a good idea to have one person dedicated to leading it into the reactor room.
- When both yellow circuits are completed, and the reactor core purge has been armed, all players must get to the control room.
- Shoot the red cable nodes to close all doors, preventing Persys from deactivating the purge. The reactor core will explode and remove Persys’ shield.
- After the central doors open, deal as much damage to Persys as possible as it marches into the control room. You’ve got roughly 20 seconds of damage time before Persys gets its shield back.
- Repeat these steps until Persys has been defeated.
With Persys dead and the Spire of the Watcher saved! Congratulations, you’ve completed this new dungeon! Make sure you collect your gunslinging gear drops from the chest.
Spire of the Watcher loot table
For newcomers unfamiliar with Destiny 2 mechanics and unaccustomed to such a large number of enemies, the dungeon may seem quite difficult, but the reward is worth fighting for.
| Ascend the Spire | Akelous, the Siren’s Current | Persys, Primordial Ruin |
| Long Arm
(Scout Rifle) |
Terminus Horizon
(Machine Gun) |
Wilderflight
(Grenade Launcher) |
| Seventh Seraph Carbine (Auto Rifle) | Seventh Seraph Officier Revolver (Hand Cannon) | Liminal Vigil (Sidearm) |
| Terminus Horizon
(Machine Gun) |
Arms | Hierarchy of Needs
(Exotic Bow) |
| Head | Chest | Plus, any weapon or armor from previous encounters |
| Arms | Class Item | |
| Legs |
Spire of the Watcher secret chests and collectibles
And last but not least, the secret chests and collectibles.
Most collectibles, as well as the first secret chest, are concentrated in the Spire Ascent encounter. Collectibles are needed to achieve triumph and also increase the chances of obtaining the dungeon’s Exotic, Hierarchy of Needs.
To find the first collectible, you need as soon as you get underground in the Spire Ascent encounter, to jump on the balcony to your left or right.
After walking down the main path, you’ll find a small alcove to squeeze through, follow the vents until you fall into a room with lots of openings in the floor. Go halfway and drop into a red-lit opening. There will be a green glow emanating, illuminating the area where you can drop into and find the second collectible.
Enter the room with the window to your right, overlooking the huge underground complex – this is the area through which you will have to walk on the platform.
Climb up to the platform on your left, glowing red at the top, which will lead you to a platform that extends deep into the huge complex.
Here you will have to walk across the platform by jumping between the various hanging platforms. It’s quite difficult to describe, but I hope you can do it with my help.
Once you get down to the scaffolding attached to the large pillar and climb up, spin around and jump around the pillar you just climbed up to see the platform hidden in the dark.
Follow it to see a screen with a blue sign on it that contains the third collectible, and keep walking to find another platform in the darkness to the side of another nearby pillar with the first of two secret chests. On your first pass, the chest is worth leaving because it only gives you rewards for the equipment you have earned.
Here you will have to defeat enemies or dodge them, and after jumping around the big pillar, you will get to the elevator.
Get up there to continue on it by walking some more on the platforms, and jump to the small platform in the left corner of the wall to find the fourth collectible before climbing up the elevator to continue on your way.
Before you jump and go up to start the first encounter, you can find the fifth collectible on the computer screen behind the Rally Banner placement ring, next to the sand-filled doorway.
The sixth collectible is directly between the first and second encounters.
The second secret chest can be found in Akelous, the Siren’s Current encounter, just before exiting it. The chest is hidden through a destructible vent – each corner has a ladder, but only one of the four allows you to descend into the hidden compartment.
And don’t forget that take it only if you’re satisfied with gaining gear that you’ve connected to the dungeon so far – if not, you can always collect it on the second playthrough.
Well, that’s it, have a pleasant passage, and Overgear, as always, is ready to help and keep you company.
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