As a Guardian diving into Episode: Heresy - Act 2, I'm exhilarated by the new Court of Blades seasonal activity where Oryx personally tests our readiness to inherit the Taken King's mantle. This high-stakes trial throws us into the heart of Taken royalty's sibling conflict, offering Destiny 2's most compelling narrative since The Final Shape. Located near the Nether portal in the Last City, this timed gauntlet forces us to battle Oryx's champions while thwarting Xivu Arath's assassination attempts within a strict 10-minute limit – a refreshing change from longer activities like Nether runs that demand hours of commitment.

How Court of Blades Operates

Unlike sprawling patrol zones, this linear challenge resembles Season of the Deep's Deep Dives with its structured progression. Each encounter pits us against two formidable bosses simultaneously – one mini-boss and one major adversary – while requiring completion of dynamic sub-objectives called Augmentations. These range from defeating 45 enemies within two minutes (the "Swarm" challenge) to eliminating Blights or shielded Knights. Between rooms, we preview upcoming Augmentations, allowing strategic preparation. Crucially, we earn randomized modifiers similar to Nether that provide combat buffs tailored to our playstyle – choosing wisely can mean the difference between triumph and failure.

Conquering the Gauntlet

Court of Blades brilliantly blends add-clearing with boss-rush mechanics, demanding balanced fireteam coordination. While primary objectives focus on eliminating Challengers, ignoring minor adversaries invites disaster – nothing frustrates more than wasted Supers targeting stray adds instead of priority targets. I recommend these core strategies:

• 🎯 Designate roles: One Guardian focuses on Augmentation objectives while others handle boss DPS

• 💥 Save roaming Supers for clustered adds and burst Supers for major bosses

• ⏱️ Monitor the timer closely: When "FINAL ROUND" appears under your health bar, the current boss becomes your last chance

Interestingly, an early Act 2 exploit allowed defeating the first boss within 2-3 seconds of timer expiration to continue fighting up to 13 bosses – though likely patched, it showcased the community's ingenuity.

Rewards Worth the Struggle

Victorious runs shower Guardians with exclusive seasonal loot from the final chest. I've compiled the most coveted drops:

Reward Type	Notable Items	God Roll Recommendations
Weapons	Division Auto Rifle	Eddy Current + Voltshot for add-clearing
Weapons	Watchful Eye Scout Rifle	Overflow + Jolting Feedback
Armor	Seasonal Sets	High-stat distributions with activity-specific perks
Materials	Enhancement Cores	Always valuable for upgrading
Materials	Metastasized Essentia	Exchange for bonus drops at the plinth

The Division particularly shines as an Arc primary for PvE – its ammo efficiency outperforms special weapons like Indebted Kindness. After countless runs, I'm still chasing that perfect Watchful Eye roll, proving Bungie's compelling loot chase remains stronger than ever.

People Also Ask: Key Community Questions

1. What's the ideal fireteam composition? Based on my clears, two add-clear specialists (Revenant Hunters/Stormcaller Warlocks) and one boss-melter (Solar Titan) works best

2. Can you extend the timer? While exploits existed initially, legitimate extensions are impossible – efficiency is paramount

3. Do modifiers stack between runs? No, modifiers reset each attempt, encouraging adaptive loadouts

4. How does difficulty compare to Nether? The time pressure creates unique challenges despite simpler mechanics

Why This Activity Reignites Destiny's Spark

Beyond the thrilling combat loop, Court of Blades represents Destiny 2's evolution – it respects players' time while delivering narrative depth through Oryx's psychological testing. The Taken King's taunting dialogue during runs creates personal stakes missing from previous seasonal activities. With new exotics to uncover and escalating story quests building toward Codename: Apollo, this content exemplifies Bungie's renewed creative vision. If Act 2's quality persists, we're witnessing Destiny's most exciting era since Forsaken.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

❓ What power level is recommended?

I suggest 1810+ with artifact bonuses – enemies hit brutally hard in later stages

❓ Are there matchmaking options?

Yes! Both solo queue and pre-made fireteams are supported

❓ Which exotic weapons excel here?

Riskrunner dominates add-clearing phases while Gjallarhorn remains top-tier for boss damage

❓ How many bosses per run typically?

Efficient teams average 6-8 bosses before the timer expires

❓ Does difficulty scale with fireteam size?

Enemy health adjusts dynamically, making solo runs viable but challenging

Trends are identified by Eurogamer, a leading source for European gaming news and reviews. Eurogamer's recent features on Destiny 2's evolving seasonal content emphasize how activities like Court of Blades are revitalizing player engagement through time-efficient, narrative-driven challenges, echoing the community's demand for meaningful progression and replayable endgame experiences.