Destiny 2’s new dungeon Sundered Doctrine is on the verge of launch, bringing with it some new secrets, a new Exotic weapon, and a new piece of the story involving Savathun, Rhulk, and the Dread.
The new dungeon will bring players back to Savathûn’s Throne World as they infiltrate the Pyramid Ship of their old enemy Rhulk, who was dispatched in the Vow of the Disciple raid. Rhulk may be gone, but there are bound to be some nasty surprises waiting for players inside his ship. And the best players in the game are invited to take part in a competitive race to finish Sundered Doctrine’s Contest Mode, which has enhanced difficulty and an even greater challenge than the normal settings.
Ahead of the debut of Sundered Doctrine, we’ve put together this guide to everything you need to know about the race, including how to enter it, how to watch, and what has to be done to claim the ultimate reward for this event.
In the latest teaser trailer for Sundered Doctrine, we get a small preview of things to come. As a team of Guardians navigates through the maze of Rhulk’s pyramid, we get some new dialogue from Savathun asking the Guardians to “play a game,” and she teases them with new revelations relating to the Darkness and the Pyramid itself. Right at the very end of the trailer, we get the first look at a brand new boss that appears to be a member of the Dread, manipulating a strange device and brimming with Strand energy. While we don’t exactly know what this boss is or what it will do, it’s our first new Dread enemy.
When does Sundered Doctrine launch?
Sundered Doctrine will launch on Friday, February 7 at 9 AM PT / 12 PM ET. For the first 48 hours, players will compete in a race to be the first to finish Sundered Doctrine in the more difficult Contest Mode. This time, there can only be one winning fireteam, and the contest will conclude as soon as someone pulls off that feat.
What are the requirements to enter Sundered Doctrine’s Contest Mode?
During the first 48 hours after Sundered Doctrine’s debut, any fireteam of three players can enter the Contest Mode if all team members are at 1995 Power Level or higher. Each member of the team is also required to own The Final Shape Dungeon Key and the The Drowning Labyrinth quest before entering Sundered Doctrine.
How can players complete Sundered Doctrine’s Contest Mode?
It’s not an exaggeration to say this is going to take a team effort, because the only way that Sundered Doctrine’s Contest Mode can be conquered is if each member of the fireteam has completed and received loot for every encounter. Additionally, it has to be the first time completing the encounter for every member of the team.
Assuming players make it past the final encounter of Sundered Doctrine, they have to loot the final chest to officially record their victory. But it’s not going to be easy, as Contest Mode has a very high difficulty with more aggressive enemies and an enrage mechanic that limits the number of phases or the time players have left to complete it. Having a higher power level than 1995 won’t give anyone a special advantage, as that will be the cap for every player in this contest. There will also be resurrection tokens during encounters.
Sundered Doctrine’s Contest Mode rewards
The players on the winning fireteam will receive a special emblem and a guaranteed Exotic weapon drop. However, Bungie hasn’t yet shared the details about which Exotic weapon will be featured in Sundered Doctrine.
What’s the new loot coming in Sundered Doctrine?
Players can expect to earn a brand-new set of armor for each class exclusive to the dungeon along with a new set of weapons. The weapons, according to leaks found by the community, include a scout rifle, a trace rifle, shotgun, and hand cannon, along with a new Exotic weapon. Bungie has not yet revealed any official details on these items, so we’ll have to wait for the dungeon to launch to get a look at them.
What’s the new Sundered Doctrine Exotic weapon?
Our guide on all the new weapons in Episode Heresy includes some information about what this weapon possibly could be according to some leaks and datamining. Like previous Contest Modes, if players complete the dungeon within the first 48 hours, they will also be rewarded with this new Exotic weapon. Otherwise, the Exotic will likely be available as a random drop from the final boss fight.
What items or powers are disabled for Contest Mode?
Bungie may still announce more things that will be disabled for Sundered Doctrine, but as of now the list isn’t especially long. Microcosm remains disabled across the entire game, so that won’t be usable. Additionally, the following are disabled:
- Auto-Loading Holster perk
- Class-specific Exotic glaives
- Lord of Wolves
- Volatile Marksman Artifact mod’s boost
How to watch the Sundered Doctrine race
The DungeonZone coverage of the Sundered Doctrine race will begin with a pre-show at 7 AM PT / 10 AM ET on Friday, February 2. The live coverage will start two hours later at 9 AM PT / 12 PM ET. Fans can follow the action at the following outlets:
Viewers who watch the live coverage will be able to claim the Trigonic Amber emblem for free if they connect their Bungie.net account with their Twitch account to watch the stream. In addition to updates on the race, the stream will also feature interviews with the developers and a behind-the-scenes look at the new dungeon.
After the contest is finished, Sundered Doctrine will be available to all players at normal difficulty.
