Cataclysm is the first encounter in Destiny 2 Lightfall’s Root of Nightmare raid. In order to pass it, players in a party need to work together to ensure certain steps are completed simultaneously.
Getting there is the easy part. Turn left from where you spawn and follow the path in that direction, killing enemies in the process, until you find a set of stairs. Walk down and look for another set of stairs on the right. Head down and move towards the glowing orange light in the distance, taking you outside. Climb the iridescent roots, which will take you to an arena where the encounter begins.
Completing it, however, is a different story. That is, of course, if you don’t know how to do it.
Here’s everything you need to know to make the process as seamless and time-efficient as possible.
How to beat the Cataclysm encounter in Destiny 2 Lightfall
At the beginning of the encounter, you’ll notice a white orb glowing inside a field of energy on a platform. Shooting the orb when standing inside the field of energy will start the encounter’s sequence.
The first thing you’ll notice is it grants the team a buff called Field of Light. The second thing you’ll notice is it also grants the team a debuff called Sweeping Terror, which is essentially a timer that, if it reaches zero, will wipe the entire team.
The only way to prevent that from happening is by extending the debuff time by killing Tormentors, which spawn by meleeing two Psions out of their bubbles that show up around the arena. It will add 30 seconds to the timer, staving off a wipe.
So, players need to kill the Psions and the Tormentor repeatedly.
The main goal of the encounter, however, is to shoot all of the white orbs in the arena, which can only be done by players with the Field of Light Buff. The first one you shoot will project a white beam of light, pointing towards the location of the next one, and so on. If the directions aren’t showing, it means the Psions need to be cleared.
The best approach is to divide the team into two groups. The first group should consist of four players. Their focus will be killing any and all enemies that spawn, preventing the debuff from wiping the party.
The second group should consist of two players. Their focus will be running around and activating all the white orbs using the Field of Light buff. The most efficient method is taking turns since there will be less downtime.
Assuming everything is done correctly, you’ll eventually see a message saying ‘His hatred halts.’ This confirms the encounter is over. An exit point will appear near the starting point. Take it and resume the raid.
