Destiny 2 Rite of the Nine Guide

Welcome to the Destiny 2 Rite of the Nine guide, Guardians! The new act in Episode: Heresy offers us a new way to play through old dungeons with its reward track and challenges. In this guide, we’ll give you all the details that you need to know about Rite of the Nine - when it starts, how to play, the rotation, rewards, etc.

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Check out our other Destiny 2 guides:

• How to Get Barrow Dyad
• How to Get Finality's Auger
• How to Get Chatterwhite Shader
• Kell's Fall Exotic Mission Guide
• How to Get Ice Breaker
• Vesper's Host Dungeon Guide

 

 

What is Rite of the Nine?

Rite of the Nine is the latest limited-time Destiny 2 dungeon event 2025, launching with Episode: Heresy Act 3. It puts the spotlight on dungeons—some of the game’s most challenging and atmospheric content—and reimagines how players can engage with them. Whether you're a solo Guardian who’s never touched a dungeon or a veteran looking for a tougher climb, Rite of the Nine aims to meet you where you are and offer something meaningful in return.

More than just a content drop, this event is a reflection of the developer’s evolving design philosophy. It borrows ideas from last year’s Pantheon raid challenge, filters them through the mysterious influence of The Nine, and packages it all in a more approachable, progression-friendly format.

A Dungeon Event for Everyone

One of the core goals behind Rite of the Nine is to make dungeon content feel less intimidating and more rewarding across the board. This means no paywalls, no dungeon keys, and no need for a pre-built fireteam. All three featured dungeons—Prophecy, Spire of the Watcher, and Ghosts of the Deep—are available to every player for free during the event’s run.

Here’s what sets Rite of the Nine apart from previous dungeon rotations:

• Free and open to all players, even those without expansions or dungeon keys
• Offers three different difficulty tiers, with guided options for beginners
• Weekly dungeon rotations keep the content fresh and focused
• All loot, including powerful Adept versions of weapons, is earnable through performance

So, basically, Rite of the Nine is a chance for all players (especially those who don’t buy dungeon keys) to try out dungeons.

The Nine and Their Mark on the Event

If you've spent any time tracking down Xûr or diving into the cryptic lore of Destiny, you’re probably familiar with The Nine—a shadowy group of cosmic entities whose motives are rarely clear. Rite of the Nine leans into that mystery, bringing back The Emissary, a familiar face from Trials of the Nine, and setting the entire event within a reimagined version of The Third Spire.

The Nine’s influence isn’t just visual or narrative—it’s baked into the loot itself. The 12 featured weapons come with a unique Gravity Well origin trait and a holographic aesthetic that channels the same strange, elegant energy that’s long surrounded The Nine. These details give the event a distinct flavor that sets it apart from other seasonal activities.

Building Toward Something Bigger

Rite of the Nine isn’t just a one-off experience—it’s a signal flare for where Destiny 2 is headed next. With the Frontiers era on the horizon, the devs are testing new ways to make high-level content more accessible without watering it down. If Pantheon was proof that hardcore challenges can be crowd-pleasers, Rite of the Nine is the next step: a system that teaches, tests, and rewards players across the full spectrum of skill. BLOG20

In short, this event serves three key purposes:

1. Celebrate and refresh dungeon content
2. Lower the barrier to endgame activities
3. Lay groundwork for Destiny’s future content model

Next up in our Rite of the Nine guide: we’ll break down how long the event lasts and what to expect from its rollout. Let’s dive into the timeline.

Release Date & Duration

The Rite of the Nine event release date is set to May 6th, 2025, almost a month after the launch of Episode: Heresy Act 3. Like other mid-episode events, it’s time-limited, but Bungie hasn’t dropped a hard end date just yet. Based on past formats like Into the Light, the event is expected to run until the close of Heresy—likely sometime in July 2025, right before the next major expansion (codenamed Apollo).

This gives Guardians roughly three months to dive into the content, level up through the different difficulty tiers, and chase down all 12 dungeon weapons—plus extras like Adept variants, emblems, and a new event Seal.

How Long You Have to Play

Once the event goes live on April 1, you’ll have a solid seasonal window to get your runs in. Based on Bungie’s current cadence:

• Start Date: May 6th, 2025
• Expected End Date: Early to mid-July 2025
• Duration: ~12–14 weeks (subject to change)

It’s worth noting that loot availability, weapon attunement progress, and triumphs tied to the event are all limited to this window. So if you’re eyeing that new Seal or want to chase specific Adept drops, don’t wait too long to jump in.

How to Play Rite of the Nine

One of the standout things about Rite of the Nine is how easy it is to jump in. Bungie has removed nearly every barrier that usually gets in the way of dungeon content. You won’t need to own a specific expansion. You won’t need a dungeon key. And you definitely won’t need to grind through older content just to unlock access. If you have Destiny 2 installed and updated, you’re good to go.

This event is fully free-to-play, which is a rare move when it comes to high-end activities like dungeons. That accessibility is a major part of what makes Rite of the Nine so appealing, especially for solo players or those who have never touched dungeon content before.

Where to Go First

Once the event is live, you’ll gain access to a special social space known as The Third Spire. This is your launchpad for everything Rite of the Nine-related. It’s where you’ll:

1. Talk to The Emissary to pick up event bounties and quests
2. Attune weapons to boost their drop chances
3. Launch into the weekly featured dungeon
4. Track your progression toward Triumphs and the event Seal

The space itself is a callback to the old Trials of the Nine era, but this time it’s been reimagined to support dungeon content. Each week, the featured dungeon will even appear visually in the skybox, giving you a glimpse of what lies ahead.

Before you dive in, make sure to do a quick check-in with The Emissary. She acts as the main vendor for the event and will help you:

• Grab bounties for extra XP and loot
• Track weapon attunement progress
• Collect event-specific gear and cosmetics
• Turn in Triumphs tied to the event Seal

That’s all it takes to get rolling. Whether you're curious about dungeon mechanics or ready to min-max your score runs, there’s a low-friction way in.

The Third Spire Social Space

The Third Spire is more than just a launch zone—it’s the heart of the Rite of the Nine event. If you’ve been playing since the Trials of the Nine days, you might get hit with a wave of nostalgia the moment you load in. But even if this is your first time encountering it, the space has been updated with a sleek new purpose: to serve as the central hub for dungeon activities during the event.

This eerie, dreamlike tower floats in a void that feels equal parts peaceful and ominous. It’s also where you’ll see The Emissary, a mysterious figure closely tied to The Nine. She acts as the event vendor and will be your go-to for rewards, upgrades, and progression.

What You Can Do in the Third Spire

Almost everything related to Rite of the Nine flows through this social space. Here’s what it offers:

• Pick up bounties and quests from The Emissary
• Attune to specific weapons to increase your odds of getting them as drops
• Launch into this week’s featured dungeon
• Turn in Triumphs and progress toward the event Seal
• Preview the weekly dungeon, which appears visually in the distant sky

The visual element is a nice touch—if you look out from the Spire, you’ll see that week’s dungeon rendered in the environment. It’s subtle, but it makes the space feel reactive and alive in a way most social areas don’t.

 

Weapon Attunement: Farming Made Smarter

One of the most useful systems available in the Third Spire is weapon attunement. If there’s a particular gun you’ve got your eye on, you can attune to it through The Emissary. This increases its drop rate, helping you farm it more consistently instead of relying entirely on RNG.

Here’s how it works:

1. Pick your target weapon from the pool
2. Spend resources to attune it (details vary by difficulty and drop tier)
3. Complete dungeons to increase your chances of earning it
4. Switch attunement later if your goals change

It’s a system borrowed from Into the Light’s Brave Arsenal and helps make grind-heavy activities like this feel way more manageable.

Bounties, Triumphs & the Event Seal

Progression during the event ties back into the Third Spire too. Each week, The Emissary will offer bounties that give you:

• XP
• Glimmer or materials
• Progress toward the event Seal
• Loot boosts or modifiers tied to the current dungeon

There’s also a unique Title/Seal tied to Rite of the Nine, earned by completing a list of Triumphs across different dungeons, difficulties, and weapon collections.

So even if you’re not gunning for god rolls or Adept loot, the Third Spire still gives you plenty to aim for—and rewards that feel worth the effort.

Weekly Dungeon Rotations

At the core of the event are three of the Rite of the Nine dungeons—Prophecy, Spire of the Watcher, and Ghosts of the Deep. Rather than giving players access to all of them at once, Bungie uses a weekly rotation system to spotlight one dungeon at a time. This structure encourages focus, eases farming, and spreads engagement evenly across the event.

Each week, one dungeon becomes the “active” dungeon, meaning that’s where you’ll run all three difficulty modes, farm for loot, and complete Triumphs tied to the Rite of the Nine event.

Here’s a quick breakdown of each dungeon’s style, complexity, and notable features:

This table gives you a solid idea of what to expect each week. Prophecy is generally the most approachable, Spire adds complexity and positioning, and Ghosts is where things get truly intense—especially on higher difficulties. 

Because each dungeon will return multiple times during the event’s lifespan, you’ll have more than one chance to go after specific loot or complete related Triumphs.

Difficulty Levels Explained

One of the best things about Rite of the Nine is how flexible it is. You don’t have to be a dungeon expert to participate, and you don’t have to hold back if you’re chasing the toughest challenges either. Bungie has introduced three distinct difficulty levels for each featured dungeon, offering tailored experiences based on your skill level, familiarity with mechanics, and loot goals.

These tiers—Explorer, Eternity, and Ultimatum—scale in complexity and reward potential, giving every Guardian a clear path forward whether they’re just learning the ropes or min-maxing their runs.

Here’s a quick snapshot of what each level offers:

Let’s break down what makes each difficulty level distinct.

Explorer Difficulty

Explorer is the most beginner-friendly tier. It’s built for players who are either brand new to dungeons or want a low-stress environment to learn mechanics. Think of it as guided dungeon training—minus the pressure.

• No darkness zones—so your team won’t wipe completely
• 5-second revive timer to keep the flow going
• Tooltips explain encounter mechanics as you play
• Waypoints highlight where to go next
• Helper platforms appear at key checkpoints (great for tricky jumps)

Explorer is perfect for solo players, new Guardians, or anyone curious about dungeons but unsure where to start.

Eternity Difficulty

Eternity sits right between Explorer and Ultimatum. It’s designed for players who are comfortable with Destiny’s dungeon mechanics and want a more traditional challenge. The added scoring system encourages efficient, smart play—without punishing you too harshly for mistakes.

• Standard dungeon mechanics
• Performance-based scoring for improved loot
• No severe modifiers like “Notswap”
• Encourages tight execution but allows mid-run loadout adjustments

If you’ve cleared a dungeon or two before, this is a solid middle ground—tough enough to keep things interesting, but not overwhelming.

Ultimatum Difficulty

This is the event’s top-tier difficulty—and it doesn’t pull any punches. Ultimatum is aimed at high-level players with solid builds, deep encounter knowledge, and a desire for top-end rewards. If you want Adept drops with flashy visuals and double perks, this is where you’ll earn them.

• Contest Mode-level difficulty, where your Power is capped
• The “Notswap” modifier, which drains all ability energy if you switch Exotics or weapons mid-run
• Encounters are scored based on survival—fewer deaths lead to better rewards
• Exclusive loot includes Adept weapons with enhanced visuals and perk pools BLOG20

Ultimatum isn’t just hard—it’s a test of preparation, coordination, and execution. If you're farming god rolls or going for the Seal, expect to spend serious time here.

Rewards & Loot Systems

Rite of the Nine brings a refreshing mix of style, strategy, and score-based grinding to Destiny 2’s loot game. While the core rewards are dungeon weapons, there’s more under the hood: performance-based loot scaling, visual upgrades, new weapon traits, and several cosmetic extras for those who want to go all in. Whether you’re chasing meta rolls or just vibing with the event’s theme, there’s plenty to earn—and a smarter way to farm it. Before we give you a Rite of the Nine weapon list for each dungeon, first, let’s talk about how to earn those rewards.

Score-Based Reward Scaling

Rite of the Nine uses a scoring system that adjusts your rewards based on how well you complete dungeon runs. This kicks in on Eternity and Ultimatum difficulty levels, where your final score is shaped by:

1. Deaths (fewer = better score)
2. Clear speed
3. Execution efficiency (like sticking mechanics cleanly)

Higher scores mean better loot, period. On Ultimatum difficulty, your score is directly tied to whether you earn Adept weapons—and even double-perk rolls are locked behind top-tier performance.

Gravity Well: A New Origin Trait

All 12 weapons available during Rite of the Nine feature an exclusive origin trait called Gravity Well, which is designed to keep you stocked and firing through long encounters.

What Gravity Well does:

• Automatically pulls nearby ammo bricks into your Guardian when you reload
• Works with both primary and special/heavy ammo
• Helps smooth out ammo drops in extended boss fights or solo runs

It’s subtle but super helpful—especially if you’re pushing high-difficulty clears where every bullet counts.

Adept Weapons With Galaxy-Inspired Visuals

The real flex pieces in this event are the Destiny 2 adept dungeon weapons, earned through Ultimatum difficulty. These aren’t just beefed-up versions of the base drops—they look completely different and come with some serious perks.

Adept weapon features:

• Double perks in key trait columns (more roll potential)
• Holofoil-inspired visual design, giving off a shimmering, cosmic aesthetic
• Tied to scoring thresholds, not RNG—you’ll need high performance to get them

The galaxy-themed look makes these weapons feel unique, even compared to other Adepts from past events like Pantheon or Trials.

Bonus Rewards: Cosmetics, Seal, and More

Rite of the Nine isn’t just about guns. There’s a solid set of extra rewards tied to Triumphs, completions, and high scores.

Here’s what else is on the table:

• Five new emblems, each themed around The Nine and the featured dungeons
• A limited-time Title/Seal, earned by completing a curated set of event challenges
• Weapon skins and visual variants, some tied to score milestones or dungeon difficulty clears

These are the kinds of rewards you’ll want to grab before the event ends—because there’s no guarantee they’ll return.

Up next: we’ll take a look at the full weapon lineup from each dungeon, so you know what’s worth chasing and where to find it.

Rite of the Nine Loot Pool By Dungeon

Rite of the Nine refreshes the loot tables of three iconic dungeons, bringing back 12 weapons in total—four from each. These aren’t just reruns either. Each weapon comes with updated perk options, a new origin trait (Gravity Well), and the potential for Adept versions if earned through high-tier clears.

Whether you're hunting for PvE staples, PvP standouts, or just trying to collect everything, here's the full breakdown of Rite of the Nine loot table for each dungeon.

Prophecy Dungeon

Prophecy is set in a surreal realm built by The Nine themselves, and its weapon pool leans into versatility with a mix of archetypes and elemental flavors. It’s also a great starting point for solo players or those new to dungeons.

Notable for: consistent PvE utility, smooth reload perks, and strong synergy with subclass builds.

Spire of the Watcher

Set in a Warmind facility with a wild-west-meets-arcology vibe, Spire’s weapon selection is all about range, control, and raw firepower. Expect solid long-range options and a few heavy hitters.

Notable for: scout rifle and machine gun enthusiasts, and Void/Arc synergy in endgame builds.

Ghosts of the Deep

This dungeon takes you deep underwater to battle the Lucent Hive in claustrophobic, ritual-heavy encounters. Its weapon pool has some of the strongest flavor in the game—and plenty of power to back it up. BLOG20

Notable for: burst damage, glaive utility, and weapon archetypes you don’t see often in Adept form.

With 12 weapons total and the ability to attune and target-farm any of them, Rite of the Nine offers one of the most focused and rewarding dungeon loot pools in recent Destiny history. Whether you’re in it for the fashion, the rolls, or the bragging rights, this lineup is stacked.

Conclusion

Rite of the Nine is more than a dungeon event—it’s a smart, streamlined way to bring players into some of Destiny 2’s best content. Free access, difficulty options, focused loot, and stylish Adept weapons all make it easy to dive in, no matter your skill level.

It’s also a preview of where the game is headed: more accessible, more rewarding, and more fun to grind. Whether you're here for the loot, the lore, or just to see what The Nine are up to—this is an event worth your time.

F.A.Q.