RAID: Crota's End Guide Updated - 12/30/2014

Part 2: The Depths of Darkness Chest: Look for a door against the along the wall left of the spawn area. It can be in several different doors and may need some exploring along the wall to find the chest. Then return to start area if you wish to remove the weight of darkness buff. This is simple and easy minus the barrage of Thrall you will encounter. I recommend the Vex Mythoclast or if your a really good aim Fate Bringer. If you spin around you will see pillars of light. They help remove the "Weight of Darkness" so you can run and max out at x10. Basically your crawling if at x10. Very important that you reach these as a team since they last a very short time and stand against it for the effect. You will soon hear a charging sound if standing against it too long. It turns orange and soon red followed by a large explosion with many floating ghosts. Also the first guardians that get there should lay down covering fire for slower guardians. Look out for the following. 1 - Small holes 2 - Big holes 3 - Really big holes 4 - Thrall of all types 5 - Knights occasionally 6 - Vast dark expanses Soon I will have the exact directions to go when running from one pillar of light to another. It is simple if not knowing the order though many fails will happen and you can learn them by experience. As a group run to the pillars of light look for the other one to establish the next direction. When you reach the end you will see another broken bridge with a circle on the ground. Once activated you have to protect it and can stand behind it doing so. We successfully did this with 4 people and I do recommend a Titan bubble if you have one. You will see every type of hive enemy but wizards. Up to three Ogres will spawn in the distance and just look for the void beam they use to find them. When the bridge forms only one needs to make it to the light at the end of the tunnel to succeed. So I recommend running as a group as fast a possible when the bridge is fully formed. Part 3: Bridge and Sword Challenge (12/30/2014) The directions are based on how the area is seen from the spawn location looking across. Both sides are the same in respect to a floating totem on the left and right with a runic circle in the middle to form the bridge. This takes some serious coordination and also recommend the last two guardians across be self resurrection Warlocks. Also Hoovah brought up a good strategy, and that is the send a titan across first with flash bang grenades. He also suggested the weakest guardian go across first. Only when forming the bridge and holding it does one guardian need to be on each totem which will turn red and kill everyone if not there. The general idea of the getting 4 people across and have the last two go across was originated by Nyxx The Wry in out fire team then refined by the group. Steps to follow: 1: Place one guardian at each totem which will be the last across. 2: Designate the three guardians to go across first with the fourth guardian sole duty to form and keep the bridge formed until the sword carrier gets across. 3: The remaining guardians will kill a class of Knight called Sword Bearer. When killed Sword Bearer will drop a sword that grants one guardian the right to cross the bridge. On the other side you will encounter a Gate Keeper that only the sword can kill. Hoovah stated to not jump off the bridge, but simply run across it and the Gate Keeper will not agro right away. Use the RB attack to reduce the chance of making the Gate Keeper agro as well. Do attempt to kill them, but the remaining guardians should be able to finish it off. Also hide in the right side for better safety after this. 4: Once the 4 guardians are across to the other side they will perform steps 1 and 2. The remaining guardians on the original side will perform step 3. Tips: The 4 guardians at the other end will have 2 available to build the bridge. The reason is the Gate Keeper's keep spawning from our experience even if killed. So if one dies while dancing around them on the bridge builder they other one can finish the job. A Titan Bubble can be useful here as well. Also this side will see Wizards on the left, Acolytes, Knights, and Gate Keepers. NOTE: Providing the Gate Keepers do not keep spawning this is more than doable with 3 people if the Gate Keeper gets killed each time. The run with Hoovah they did not keep spawning and I will remove this once further tested. 5: If you are at this point then congratulations. In order to finish this kill the two Ogres that spawn and you are done. Chest 2: Upon leaving this area you will enter giant green doors as normal. This is a timed chest starts upon entering the doors. Kill the shriekers to drop the invisible barriers. There will be a door at the back of the hallway across a giant hole that you normally will jump into. As a fire team kill the minions as needed and get to this door. Only one needs to make it into the door and the rest can get back into it. Have at least two guardians who are simply running to this door. Once past final archway where the giant whole is a checkpoint is hit. So make it the first time. Part 4: Crota's Ceremonial Wizards Directions will be as you face out towards the broken looking moon. There are two methods of doing this depending on your fire teams gear load out and I am sure we are aware GJALLARHORN does wonders period. If you take longer than 3 minutes I believe a song of doom will be sang by the wizard in the force field room just above the door you exit. Plan A: All for one and one for all The entire fire team will proceed immediately out and up on the ledge to the left. Kill the Knight and then proceed into the big door on the left. There is a wizard in the next room over that needs to be wasted fast. Then kill the shrieker and run back out. You can all run down the stairs which is usually safer or turn to the right immediately and run to the other side. Once on the other side repeat the same steps. Ill put the official name up for this wizard in a bit, but this has a special name and must be obliterated to succeed past this point. Plan B: Split Teams This plan is same in regards to killing the initial wizard and then the shrieker. The initial batch of enemies is not bad if you make this fast and have at least level 31 guardians in each team and hopefully something on par with a GJALLARHORN. If timed right the force field will go down and both teams to obliterate the special wizard. Part 5: Defeat Crota Son of Orynx (12/30/2014) To start this everyone needs to stand on the circle around the giant traveler shard fragment. One doing this you will have a green glow around you and will not be hurt. Once activated move quickly to the chosen areas for the methods bellow. Also if you take to long he will go enraged and summon his glowing ball of doom known as Oversoul and ogres eventually. Ogres will occur as Crota takes a certain amount of the damage as well, typically near halfway. Hiding in the upper area or in the door bellow are up to you. I suggest the door for several reasons. First off is when Crota summons Oversoul it must be destroyed normally triggered by a guardian dying. If not you will all die by fire or something like that. Next reason is the Sword Bearer will typically wander around in the front of the door area towards to middle. The final reason is the team can focus fire towards Crota and his minions. You can not regenerate health. Along with the sword you will see towards the middle of the map a Chalice of Light. Going to guess some guardian imbued this item with light for the future guardians, maybe it was Eris Mourn. Any way this chalice is carried by one person and must be passed around. There are 3 times stages in this raid that have their own schedule. Crota as he walks around, sword bearer somewhat relies on Crota but mainly the Ogres when spawned. When the ogres are seen kill them asap as the sword bearer showing up is based on when they die. Does not always appear upon their death. Also right after the ritual is started the sword bearer must be killed asap and Crota must be dropped shortly after. There is part of the raid is very time dependent. So get synchronized as a team. Crota has shield that must be dropped by normal weapons. The sword must be ready to hit him right when this happens has you get maybe 2 swings before he gets back up again. Then run to safety. He does lose health when taking his shield down and then some more with the sword. If the fire team works fast enough you can drop Crota's shield to hit him with the sword twice again then run back to safety for the next sword. Generally hide off to the right of Crota near the rocks. If the fire team is fast enough the guardian with the sword will not get far. NOTE: The guardian with the sword can also carry the Chalice of Light when going after Crota. Time once sword bearer is near dead start breaking down Crota. Then when sword is picked up and the guardian with the sword is near drop him. NOTE: There will be boomer knights. In the pockets to the left and right of the bottom door have a sniper in each to kill them. Even though you have the Chalice of Light with the sword you are dropped near instantly. This helps prevent this problem. Only on boomer knight needs to be alive to kill in one well placed shot. This will be updated as experience grants for new knowledge and if this helps please throw a like up on the post. This raid overall is simpler in steps but is definitely harder. Also please leave constructive comments bellow. This guide is meant for A True Shepherd of Fire, but can help the community overall. Hope this helps everyone out. Currently working on a strategy that starts at the left door and works its way to center door. Once more solid method is established it will be up here.