Destiny 2 Rite of the Nine overview: Weapons, emblems, and more!
Here’s everything you need to know about the Rite of the Nine event in Destiny 2: dungeons, weapons, schedule, and details on the new Pantheon for dungeons.
Table of Contents
Key takeaways:
- Current weekly dungeon: All 3 dungeons are available.
- Event type: Limited-time PvE activity featuring 3 classic dungeons — Spire of the Watcher, Ghost of the Deep, and Prophecy.
- Difficulty options: Three modes available — Explorer, Eternity, Ultimatum that suit all skill levels and offer diferent rewards.
- Dungeon loot: Each dungeon includes 4 reworked weapons with 9 new Perks and Adept variants.
- Availability: Completely free for all Destiny 2 players and available until the release of The Final Shape: The Edge of Fate on July 15.
Rite of the Nine is a limited-time PvE Destiny 2 event that launched on May 6. It brings back three classic dungeons back with a fresh twist for both casual and competitive play. With less than a month until its release, details remain scarce. It’s also means to be a prologue for the Edge of Fate story.
Check out the official trailer for the event, and let’s get started!
Related posts:
What is Rite of the Nine
Rite of the Nine is a dungeon run event similar in some ways to Pantheon, but focused on dungeons. If you’re familiar with Pantheon, you’ll have a basic idea—just add longer dungeon gameplay, and you get Rite of the Nine. This is a time-limited event, so be sure to check it out while it’s available, especially if you have fond memories of classic dungeons.
The event also brings back The Third Spire, serving as the central hub for all Rite of the Nine activities. Here, players can choose their dungeons, weapons, and perks. Dungeons will rotate weekly, with the featured dungeon being marked by a monument within the distance of the social space.
The Emissary of The Nine returns as the event vendor, offering quests, bounties, and various dungeon-related rewards. A new currency called Nonary Manifolds Currency will be introduced, along with 5 new emblems, a new memento, a brand-new seal with associated triumphs, and the title of Eternity.
Best of all—Rite of the Nine is completely free to play. You don’t need dungeon keys or even good gear to join (at least in Explore mode).
How to start Rite of the Nine
When you log into the game, you’ll notice the Eternity tab has been updated. Launch the Rite of the Nine node to be transported to the Third Spire. Once there, you can interact with The Emissary—but don’t forget to claim the nearby chest! It contains 3 weapons from a dungeon, a full set of Max Power Legendary armor, and a few Exotic items.
This is especially great for new or returning players, as this gear can jumpstart your progression.
The Emissary
The Emissary is the main event vendor during Rite of the Nine. You can interact with her to claim your daily bounties, get event-exclusive Emblems, a unique Shader, and complete quests that guarantee a Shiny Weapon reward.
Rite of the NIne quests
After completing Rite of the Nine on any difficulty this week, you’ll finish the “First Watch” mini-quest, which prompts you to claim a reward from The Emissary. Head to The Emissary to begin receiving your guaranteed shiny Spire of the Watcher weapon. After a brief dialogue, take the elevator behind The Emissary and ascend to the first platform, where a chest will grant you a guaranteed shiny Wilderflight weapon.
Once this step is complete, the weekly quest chain ends, and you’re free to farm Rite of the Nine for bonus rewards or go for a Gold Score completion. You’ll be able to complete the same style of quests for the Ghosts of the Deep and Prophecy dungeons once they enter the rotation.
Rite of the Nine dungeons
A standout feature of Rite of the Nine is the return of classic dungeons, now both farmable and offering unique guaranteed rewards through weekly quests. Based on the chest placements in the Third Spire, the current rotation is: Spire of the Watcher → Ghosts of the Deep → Prophecy.
While all three dungeons will feel familiar to veteran players, each has been refreshed with new mechanics, balance changes, and updated visual cues to fit the current meta and sandbox design. Expect fresh challenges even in these well-known encounters.
Spire of the Watcher
Spire of the Watcher is the only Destiny 2 dungeon with a wild west theme, featuring a Tex Mechanica-inspired aesthetic, cowboy-style armor, and a unique showdown against Vex enemies in a retro-futuristic facility on Mars. For more information check out this Spire of the Watcher guide to learn more about the vanilla version of this dungeon outside the Rite of the Nine event.
Ghost of the Deep
Ghosts of the Deep is Destiny 2’s first underwater dungeon, set deep beneath Titan’s ocean. Its eerie atmosphere, Hive rituals, and a chilling encounter with Oryx’s Lucent Ghost make it a haunting experience. Check this Ghost of the Deep guide to learn more about the vanilla version of this dungeon outside the Rite of the Nine event.
Prophecy
Prophecy is the only Destiny 2 dungeon set in the realm of the Nine, featuring a surreal, dreamlike landscape with shifting colors, gravity-defying platforms, and mysterious celestial beings guiding the way. For more information check out our Prophecy weapon guide to learn more about the vanilla version of this dungeon outside the Rite of the Nine event.
Rite of the Nine dungeon rotation schedule
Current Rite of the Nine dungeon: All 3 dungeons are available.
The Rite of the Nine dungeon rotation schedule is as follows:
| Dungeon | Start date | End date |
|---|---|---|
| Spire of the Watcher | May 6 | May 20 |
| Ghosts of the Deep | May 20 | June 3 |
| Prophecy | June 3 | June 17 |
| All 3 dungeons | June 17 | July 15 |
This is the updated dungeon rotation, hotfixed in response to Destiny 2 community backlash.
Rite of the Nine bonus drops schedule
Some weeks during the Rite of the Nine event feature increased weapon drops and additional bonuses. Let’s highlight those weeks below:
| Dungeon | Start date | End date | Bonus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spire of the Watcher | May 13 | May 20 | Increased weapon drops |
| Ghosts of the Deep | May 27 | June 3 | Increased weapon drops |
| Prophecy | June 10 | June 17 | Increased weapon drops |
| All 3 dungeons | July 8 | July 15 | Lootapalooza (all rewards bonuses enabled & a new way to spend Nonary Manifold) |
Rite of the Nine difficulties
Rite of the Nine features three difficulty modes, offering different challenges and rewards for both new and experienced players.
Explore Mode
- This is the base difficulty, designed for newer players looking to experience the dungeons with added guidance.
- Mechanics and buffs now include in-world tooltips, similar to The Nether and Deep Dives.
- Active nodes in Spire are marked, helping players identify which ones to shoot.
- No Darkness Zones, meaning no full wipes, and a 5-second respawn timer ensures a smoother experience.
- Waypoints are here to guide players between transitions.
- Platforms spawn dynamically, making it easier for trailing players to catch up.
Eternity Mode
- A step up in difficulty, Eternity Mode adds a scoring system.
- Expected to provide a moderate challenge compared to the other modes.
- Score-based encounters: Fewer deaths will mean higher scores. Surviving is essential.
- Higher scores lead to better weapon drops, including double perks and Adept variants.
Ultimatum Mode
- This mode is built for experienced players, offering the toughest challenge.
- Some encounters are changed to provide new experience for toughest players.
- Harder difficulty, is comparable to the Contest Mode level.
- Notswap modifier: Swapping Exotic armor, Kinetic weapons, or Energy weapons drains all ability energy.
- Score-based encounters: Fewer deaths will mean higher scores. Surviving is essential.
- Higher scores lead to better weapon drops, including double perks and Adept variants.
How to earn Nonary Manifolds currency
Destiny 2’s Rite of the Nine introduces a new event currency: Nonary Manifolds. Learn more about it in our guide here:
If you’ve been collecting Curio of the Nine during Season 26, you’re in luck—they can now be exchanged at a 1:32.5 ratio for Nonary Manifolds!
Note
This is the only use for Curio of the Nine, so don’t hesitate to redeem them all for maximum rewards!
Nonary Manifolds function much like Onslaught Trophies of Bravery, serving as a bonus reward currency you can trade for loot at the Third Spire.
After completing Rite of the Nine dungeon, you’ll be able to redeem your Manifolds by interacting with a special chest located on the right side. It takes 250 Nonary Manifolds to unlock the chest and earn an extra weapon drop. This is not the only use of Nonary Manifolds, as you can also unlock rewards from The Emissary directly.
Note:
From July 8 to July 15, a special Lootapalooza event will take place within Rite of the Nine. During this week, players can spend Nonary Manifolds in a new way, though the exact details are still unknown.
Rite of the Nine scoring system
While playing dungeons on Eternity or in Ultimatum Mode, you’ll notice a scoring system in place—Gold, Silver, and Bronze Tiers. Maintaining the highest score is straightforward but demanding: the key is avoiding deaths. You can still hold a Gold Tier if only one player dies, but two deaths will drop you to Silver, and the same rule applies from Silver to Bronze. That’s why it’s crucial to aim for a clean, efficient run.
Of course, the real highlight of Rite of the Nine is the loot. Completing a dungeon with a Gold Score can reward you with up to 3 Adept weapon drops. Even better, each dungeon has a unique Emblem awarded exclusively for achieving Gold Tier—a true badge of honor.
Note
It appears that deaths during solo runs do not lower your score tier, allowing you to aim for Gold Tier completions in both Eternity and Ultimatum Mode without penalty.
Push for perfection, and earn the best rewards!
Rite of the Nine loot: Weapons and cosmetics
Rite of the Nine introduces 12 reworked weapons and 4 new weapons from each dungeon, all featuring a Nine-themed design with exclusive Perks and a unique origin trait. The new origin trait—Gravity Well (reloading this weapon automatically gathers nearby ammo).
Similar to Into the Light, Rite of the Nine will introduce rare shiny weapon variants. Bungie refers to these as Holofoil weapons, featuring a distinct animated skin. Additionally Adept versions of each weapon can drop with multiple Perks in each column.
You can farm weapons and even tweak your chances at getting your preferred weapon in the Third Spire. While in it you can interact wigh holographic weapons behind the Emissary, interracting with it will significantly increase your chances at getting the desired weapon variant.
Note:
You can only farm weapons from the currently active dungeon. For example, you won’t be able to farm Prosecutor from Ghosts of the Deep while Spire of the Watcher is in rotation, and vice versa.
For a deeper dive, check out the Rite of the Nine weapons tier list to see which rewards are worth prioritizing in your grind.
Spire of the Watcher weapons
| Name | Type | Ammo | Element |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liminal Vigil | Sidearm | Primary | Stasis |
| Long Arm | Scout Rifle | Primary | Arc |
| Terminus Horizon | Machine Gun | Heavy | Arc |
| Wilderflight | Grenade Launcher | Special | Void |
Prophecy weapons
| Name | Type | Ammo | Element |
|---|---|---|---|
| Judgment | Hand Cannon | Primary | Stasis |
| Prosecutor | Auto Rifle | Primary | Arc |
| Relentless | Pulse Rifle | Primary | Strand |
| A Sudden Death | Shotgun | Special | Void |
Ghosts of the Deep weapons
| Name | Type | Ammo | Element |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cold Comfort | Rocket Launcher | Heavy | Stasis |
| Greasy Luck | Glaive | Special | Solar |
| New Pacific Epitaph | Grenade Launcher | Special | Stasis |
| No Survivors | Submachine Gun | Primary | Solar |
Rite of the Nine gear
Rite of the Nine also offers unique gear from the Gift from the Nine chest, near the Emissary.
Rite of the Nine emblems
Rite of the Nine will also feature new Emblems:
- Foretold – Earned by getting gold score in Prophecy dungeon
- Esper – Earned by getting gold score in Ghosts of the Deep dungeon
- Seer – Earned by getting gold score in Spire of the Watcher dungeon
- Nine-Crowned – Unknown
- Immortality – Unknown
For more information regarding the new Emblems and how to unlock them, check Rite of the Nine Emblems guide!
Conclusion
Rite of the Nine isn’t just a remix of familiar dungeons—it’s a bold experiment in creating a truly level playing field for all Destiny 2 players. As Guardians dive into these reimagined challenges, we’ll see how different playstyles rise to the occasion across each difficulty. Beyond the gameplay, the event also serves as a narrative bridge, subtly tying together the final beats of Act 3 with the looming Edge of Fate expansion on the horizon.
We’ll update the article as soon as new information becomes available for upcoming rotating dungeons. In the meantime, if you’re looking to complete any dungeon, check out Destiny 2 dungeon boost options.
Good luck out there, Guardians!
Comments
No but why did I get the armor at 2020 light level tho, way higher than my gear level going in, but I seen someone else get stuff at 0 light level