The Destiny 2 Desert Perpetual raid is the six-player activity of The Edge of Fate expansion. Unlike most raids in Destiny 2, this one is non-linear: your fireteam can choose which encounter to tackle first, creating flexibility for loot targeting and strategy.
And The Desert Perpetual loot table includes high-stat armor, raid-specific weapons, and a powerful Desert Perpetual exotic, alongside hidden secret chests and a vendor for loot redemption.
How to Unlock and Enter Desert Perpetual
- Ownership of The Edge of Fate expansion.
- Completion of the Edge of Fate campaign.
- Power at or above the activity’s entry cap.
You’ll find the activity node on Kepler, bottom right of the destination map. Launching in will drop your team into the opening hub, a tower with three glowing plates. Each plate corresponds to one of the first three bosses. Step on one, and a path opens to that encounter. After all three are cleared, you’ll face Koregos, the Worldline, the Desert Perpetual raid final boss.
Raid Overview
When your fireteam loads into the central hub, you can choose which of the first three bosses to fight in any order: Iatros, Agraios, or Epoptest. Only after clearing all three can you face the final encounter against Koregos, the Worldline.
Another standout feature of Desert Perpetual is its role-heavy mechanics. Every boss encounter pushes players into specialized jobs:
- Builders timing cube shots to construct platforms.
- Readers making callouts to guide their teammates.
- Detainers converting grenades into temporal prisons to deflect wipe mechanics.
- Oculus players using vision pools to see hidden information about mines or cubes.
Because each role is distinct, communication is as important as raw DPS. Even the most experienced raid team will fail without clean callouts and synchronized execution.
The raid is steeped in the Nine and Vex themes introduced in the Edge of Fate expansion. Nearly every mechanic ties back to temporal manipulation: debuffs named Cyclical, Constant, and Absolute; Hourglass timers that must be refilled with Chronons; and puzzles involving Vex cubes, mines, and ocular symbols.
Finally, Desert Perpetual debuted with Contest Mode on July 19, 2025, lasting the usual 48 hours. Power levels were capped to increase the challenge, forcing fireteams to rely on execution instead of over-leveling.
Destiny 2 Desert Perpetual Raid Bosses
Iatros, Inward-Turned
Iatros is the raid’s opening fight and one of the most rhythm-based encounters Destiny 2 has ever had. The core loop revolves around maintaining the Hourglass timer, building platforms in sync, and climbing up to activate Vex nodes. If even one player is out of rhythm, the run collapses quickly.
| Role | Players | Responsibilities |
|---|---|---|
| Climbers | 2 | Ascend platforms, activate Vex nodes, trigger DPS. |
| Builders | 3 | Shoot Vex cubes in sync to spawn platforms. |
| Roamer | 1 | Clears Minotaurs, dunks Chronons, keeps the Hourglass alive. |
Mechanics:
- Hourglass: Constantly drains; must be refilled with Chronons.
- Chronons: Dropped by Minotaurs, thrown through the central hoop to extend time.
- Diastole Buff: Every 4 ticks, players are launched upward, used to sync shots.
- Pillars & Cubes: Builders must shoot cubes at the same time to spawn new platforms.
- Vex Nodes: Activated by Climbers, required to unlock DPS.
Strategy: Start by killing Minotaurs and feeding Chronons into the Hourglass. Once six Chronons are deposited, the encounter truly begins. Builders stand by their pillars, sync shots with the Diastole buff, and spawn platforms. Climbers ascend, activate nodes, and unlock DPS.
DPS Phase: Iatros is only weak on his back. Recommended setup: Divinity, Thunderlord or Rockets with Gjallarhorn support, and Well of Radiance.
Agraios, Inherent
Agraios is the “puzzle chessboard” encounter. The raid team must coordinate debuffs, rings, and detain grenades to counter the boss’s lethal sniper shot. Timing and callouts are everything.
| Role | Players | Responsibilities |
|---|---|---|
| Temporality | 3 | Take Absolute / Constant / Cyclical buffs, make callouts. |
| Chronon Runners | 3 | Collect Chronons from Minotaurs and charge rings. |
| Detainer | 1 (random) | Gains Alignment Charge and casts Detain Bubble to reflect boss shot. |
Mechanics:
- Five Rings: Must activate 4 of 5 correctly each cycle.
- Wyverns & Minotaurs: Spawn Chronons, trigger phases.
- Alignment Charge: Transforms grenade into Detain Bubble.
- Variable Elimination: Boss laser that must be reflected or team wipes.
Strategy: Clear Hydra, kill Minotaurs, collect Chronons, and run rings. Temporality buffs provide callouts, Detainer gains bubble, and reflects boss’s shot to trigger DPS.
DPS Phase: Burst with Outbreak Perfected, Thunderlord, Golden Gun, Thundercrash, Nova Bomb.
Epoptest, Lord of Quanta
Epoptest is a heavy communication check. The encounter revolves around calling out shield “eyes,” reading patterns from opposite sides, and syncing inside/outside roles. Mistakes here compound quickly.
| Role | Players | Responsibilities |
|---|---|---|
| Inside Readers | 2 | Enter side rooms, read shield eye positions. |
| Outside Readers | 2 | Stand outside, call triangle patterns. |
| Add Clear | 2 | Kill Cyclopses and adds, support readers. |
Mechanics:
- Shield Eyes: Six eyes per shield, must be destroyed in correct order.
- Diamond Pillars: Show which eye to shoot on the opposite side.
- Triangles: Appear above the boss; outside readers call missing eyes.
- Flashlight Eye: Breaking it triggers DPS.
Strategy: Inside Readers call out diamond patterns, Outside Readers confirm, eyes destroyed in sequence. Triangles guide missing shots. Break all shields, trigger Flashlight Eye, start DPS.
DPS Phase: Aim for head. Recommended setup: 5 Thunderlords + Tractor Cannon.
Koregos, The Worldline (Final Boss)
Koregos is the raid’s climax and combines every mechanic: Chronons, Temporality buffs, Oculus pools, and precision callouts. Coordination between three role types (Constant, Cyclical, Absolute) is the key to victory.
| Role | Players | Responsibilities |
|---|---|---|
| Constant Team | 3 | Shoot cannons, stop beam, assist Oculus. |
| Cyclical Team | 2 | Gather Chronons, identify “real” mines. |
| Absolute Player | 1 | Sees Hourglass color, destroys verified mines. |
| Oculus Trio | 3 | Work together to identify correct mines. |
Mechanics:
- Time’s Arrow Beam: Must be disabled by Constant team.
- Mines: Only some are real, identified by Oculus trio.
- Chronon Hoop: Six Chronons trigger DPS.
- Oculus Pools: Provide mine vision.
- Vex Cube Puzzle: Trio solves before DPS.
- Final Stand: Koregos spins eyes, DPS window short.
Strategy: Disable cannons, identify mines with Oculus trio, deposit Chronons, ascend platforms, solve cube puzzle, then DPS. Save burst supers for final stand.
Destiny 2 Desert Perpetual Loot Table
Clearing encounters in the Desert Perpetual raid grants access to one of the strongest loot pools in The Edge of Fate. Each boss drops specific Legendary weapons or armor, while the final boss can reward the Exotic rocket launcher. Secret chests and the raid vendor expand your farming options once items are unlocked.
Legendary Weapons
| Weapon Name | Type | Element | Ammo | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antedate | Submachine Gun | Arc | Primary | Adaptive Frame; strong PvE add-clear and PvP versatility. |
| Finite Maybe | Fusion Rifle | Solar | Special | Aggressive Frame; top-tier PvE burst DPS. |
| Opaque Hourglass | Combat Bow | Arc | Special | High-Impact; sustained DPS and utility. |
| Intercalary | Auto Rifle | Stasis | Primary | Adaptive Frame; versatile perk pool with Headstone. |
| Lance Ephemeral | Sniper Rifle | Strand | Special | Rapid-Fire Frame; excellent for boss DPS. |
| The When and Where | Rocket Launcher | Stasis | Heavy | Adaptive Frame; Chill Clip rolls possible. |
Origin Trait: Frame of Reference — Final blows with this weapon temporarily grant increased damage, reload speed, and range. This effect is frozen in time while the weapon is stowed.
Exotic Weapon
| Exotic | Type | Element | Ammo | Source | Exotic Perks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whirling Ovation | Rocket Launcher | Strand | Heavy | Final Boss (Koregos, the Worldline) | Coronal Culmination: Charged shot with delayed Solar payload. Anticipation: Faster charge speed as you deal damage with other weapons. |
Exotic Catalyst: Unlocked through completing raid Triumphs. Increases drop chance when triumphs are cleared.
Raid Armor - Collective Psyche
| Helmet | Chest | Arms | Legs | Class Item |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Armor drops with high spiky stats (70+) and includes a dedicated raid mod socket.
Cosmetics and Collectibles
| Item Type | Name | How to Obtain |
|---|---|---|
| Seal/Title | Atemporal | Complete all 10 raid Triumphs |
| Ghost Shell | Soloist Shell | Clear all encounters with active feats |
| Emblem | Timeline’s Blade | Conquest mode completion |
| Emblem | Third Unknown | Normal raid completion |
| Shader | Mediant Flourish | Flawless raid completion |
| Shader | Envoy’s Tog | Map and Territory quest completion |
Final Thoughts
Clearing this raid every week means more than getting drops, it builds your fireteam’s identity. The gap between groups who fail and groups who dominate comes down to prep, teamwork, and staying flexible. With a little help, you can keep pushing further.
If you want guaranteed clears, early loot advantages, or simply don’t have the time to grind Contest-level mechanics, Desert Perpetual raid boosting services are an option. Professional teams can guide you through every encounter in self-play or complete the run for you in pilot mode.
In the end, Desert Perpetual stands as one of Destiny 2’s best raids, and a challenge worth mastering week after week.
FAQ
How many bosses are in Desert Perpetual?
There are four raid bosses: Iatros, Agraios, Epoptest, and the final boss Koregos. Each encounter emphasizes heavy role mechanics, puzzle execution, and precise DPS phases.