Act II of Destiny 2’s Episode Heresy introduces an exciting new activity on the Dreadnought: the Court of Blades. This boss-rush mode echoes the original Court of Oryx from Destiny: The Taken King, challenging players to conquer familiar foes while navigating through a thrilling gauntlet of enemies. Here’s a detailed look at what the Court of Blades has to offer and how players can maximize their rewards.
### Understanding the Court of Blades
The Court of Blades presents a series of escalating challenges where players face off against a mix of minor and major bosses within a strict 10-minute time limit. At the start of each round, players can choose an Augmentation from either of the two statues placed in the arena. This Augmentation introduces unique conditions that players must adapt to throughout the battle, and different conditions can stack to create more complex challenges.
Players might encounter conditions like Banish, requiring them to swiftly defeat three Taken Wizards or face being teleported to an alternate arena to battle a miniboss for escape. Another condition, Sharpen, features an invincible Knight guarded by a shield which players must dismantle by using swords dropped by smaller knights. These tasks add layers to the already intense battle against major bosses.
After the timer expires, players return to the main courtroom to unlock the gateway to the final boss. The loot players receive upon defeating this boss is influenced by the number of phases they successfully navigated, rewarding skilled players with a cap of Platinum tier rewards after vanquishing at least 12 bosses, alongside potential bonus loot.
### Utilizing Armaments in the Court of Blades
Between phases, players return to the Court to regroup, resupply ammunition from the Heavy Ammo Crate, and activate Armaments using Runes collected from slain bosses. Players can select from six Armament options, each tiered from one to three, with higher tiers providing stronger effects that enhance melee attacks, elemental damage, or healing capabilities. Each Armament rotates between phases, allowing players to choose at least one during intermissions.
### Earning Bonus Loot in the Court of Blades
Upon completing the Court of Blades activity, players have the opportunity to deposit Metastasized Essentia, accrued during related activities, for additional rewards. A small black obelisk at the end of the courtroom allows players to bank this currency in exchange for extra loot, including weapons, armor, Infusion Cores, and Sigil Fragments for Tome of Want.
Enhancements to loot drops can also be achieved through the Mysterium section of the Shaping Slab, where inserting Runes can yield better weapon drops, a selection of weapons at the conclusion of the activity, and potential bonuses like damage resistance and increased Essence of Desire from loot chests.
As players gear up for the Court of Blades, they are set for a thrilling challenge that not only tests their skills but rewards them with exceptional loot and deeper gameplay experiences within Destiny 2.
