What is Pantheon in Destiny 2? Raid gauntlet explained

The Into the Light update for Destiny 2 is packed full of content, from new weapons to new activities. One of the additions will be the Pantheon challenge, and here’s everything you need to know about this upcoming raid boss gauntlet.

What is the Pantheon challenge in Destiny 2?

The Pantheon challenge is one of the features of Into the Light. It’s tailor-made for avid raiders. Pantheon pits you and your squad against multiple bosses in quick succession.

The challenge begins with four bosses, but Bungie will expand on it, adding more enemies and making a steeper Power delta, starting with the fireteam five points below. Pantheon also has different modifiers, plus a few changes from the regular raids. You may find more powerful enemies than you’re used to, but taking them down grants a bigger score. There’s also a bonus points timer, which will grant you Platinum rewards if you complete it within the time limit. This seems to grant you an Adept raid weapon.

Despite the bump in difficulty, players also have a few positive modifiers to help them succeed. Surges are active, so make sure to match them for bigger damage numbers. Guardians can also use both the Class Warfare and Shot Caller modifiers, which help benefit their damage. Surges apply to all challenges and rotate weekly.

Pantheon rewards in Destiny 2

As a reward for completing the challenge, you can get raid Exotic weapons, Adept weapons, Deepsight versions of the Raid weapons, and emblems you may not have earned yet. Several unique rewards, including the four new emblems, will be locked behind corresponding Triumphs. And if you get all the Triumphs done and complete the Seal, you’ll earn the Godslayer title.

Completing an encounter in Pantheon grants you an assortment of raid weapons, potentially including an Adept variant depending on your performance.

The Pantheon is tied to the Divine Weaponry quest, which offers players a “raid Exotic selection.” Our first Pantheon clear of Atraks Sovereign let us choose between Eyes of Tomorrow and Touch of Malice. As a bonus, you can earn Spoils of Conquest through your Pantheon score, similar to Nightfall score-based objectives, and even from triumphs.

This challenge seems to be a way for you to catch up on the loot you’ve missed or weren’t able to get as the game prepares for The Final Shape. Bungie has already revealed a catch-up feature for players who have been away from the game for a while, and this appears to do the same, but on a different level.

Pantheon challenge one: Atraks Sovereign (-5)

The first Pantheon challenge brings four bosses from different raids. Though none of them are final bosses, some of them might be tricky if accidents happen (Unstable Light, anyone?). The first bosses are:

Encounters:

• Golgoroth (King’s Fall)
• Caretaker (Vow of the Disciple)
• Macrocosm (Root of Nightmares)
• Atraks-1 (Deep Stone Crypt)

Modifiers:

• Power delta: enemies are five levels above you.
• Surge: Solar, Strand
  • Surges seem to rotate weekly, so check before launching the mission.
• Special modifier: Class Warfare
  • Using class abilities increases your fireteam’s damage output and reduces incoming damage.

Some differences here include a Tormentor on Macrocosm and Atraks, plus two Unstable Light debuffs on Golgoroth.

Pantheon challenge two: Oryx Exalted (-10)

Oryx Exalted brings a few more changes compared to Atraks Sovereign. The most noticeable one from the get-go is the Power delta has become steeper, with guardians sitting at 10 levels below the enemies.

Encounters:

• Golgoroth (King’s Fall)
• Caretaker (Vow of the Disciple)
• Macrocosm (Root of Nightmares)
• Atraks-1 (Deep Stone Crypt)
• Oryx (King’s Fall)

Modifiers:

• Power delta: enemies are 10 levels above you.
• Surge: Solar, Strand
• Special modifier: Shot Caller
  • Landing multiple precision hits with a weapon using Primary ammo empowers Special and Heavy. Reduces incoming damage while active.

Oryx’s fight also has some changes, including droves of Blight-stealing Knights and a Tormentor.

Pantheon Challenge three: Rhulk Indomitable (-15)

Encounters:

• Golgoroth (King’s Fall)
• Caretaker (Vow of the Disciple)
• Macrocosm (Root of Nightmares)
• Atraks-1 (Deep Stone Crypt)
• Oryx (King’s Fall)
• Rhulk (Vow of the Disciple)

Modifiers:

• Power delta: Enemies are 15 levels above you.
• Surge: Solar, Strand
• Special modifier: Class Warfare
  • Using class abilities increases your fireteam’s damage output and reduces incoming damage.

If you thought one Rhulk was enough, the Pantheon version of this boss has another shadow of the Disciple whose only job is to follow guardians around and kick them into oblivion.

Final Pantheon challenge: Nezarec Sublime (-20)

Encounters:

• Golgoroth (King’s Fall)
• Caretaker (Vow of the Disciple)
• Macrocosm (Root of Nightmares)
• Atraks-1 (Deep Stone Crypt)
• Oryx (King’s Fall)
• Rhulk (Vow of the Disciple)
• Riven (Last Wish)
• Nezarec (Root of Nightmares)

Modifiers:

• Power delta: Enemies are 20 levels above you.
• Surge: Solar, Strand
• Special modifier: Shot Caller
  • Landing multiple precision hits with a weapon using Primary ammo empowers Special and Heavy. Reduces incoming damage.

Nezarec may finally earn his title as the Final God of Pain, and Bungie may get a redo of the controversial Root of Nightmares day one raid race. Some considered Root of Nightmares to be too easy and simple, so the Destiny 2 devs have the room to tinker with the encounter by making it a bigger challenge.

Is the Pantheon going away after The Final Shape?

Yes, Pantheon will disappear with the next expansion. The Pantheon is meant to be a short-lived trial for players during Into the Light, which is in line with other elements of the Into the Light update.

Pantheon ends once The Final Shape‘s maintenance window begins on June 3. Players should strive to knock out as much as they can of Pantheon before it disappears.