Ascendant Challenge This Week in Destiny 2: Location, Rotation, and How to Complete

The Ascendant Challenge is a weekly rotating activity in Destiny 2’s Dreaming City that provides players with new challenges and loot to chase each week. This ritual activity has its own loot pool containing Dreaming City weapons, armor, and materials.

In this comprehensive guide, we will cover everything you need to know about the Ascendant Challenge, including how to access it, the rotation schedule, and strategies for completing each unique challenge.

Key Takeaways:

• The Ascendant Challenge location changes each week on reset.
• You need to consume Tincture of Queensfoil to see the portal to the challenge.
• There are 6 different Ascendant Challenges that rotate weekly.
• Completing the challenge rewards Dreaming City loot.
• Pick up the Ascendant Challenge bounty from Petra Venj for extra rewards.
• Dying in the Ascendant Plane will return you to the Dreaming City.

What Is the Ascendant Challenge This Week?

This week, the Ascendant Challenge is Cimmerian Garrison in the Chamber of Starlight lost sector. Here is the rotation schedule for the next few weeks:

• Week of October 31: Cimmerian Garrison in Chamber of Starlight
• Week of November 7: Ouroborea in Aphelion’s Rest
• Week of November 14: Forfeit Shrine in Gardens of Esila
• Week of November 21: Shattered Ruins in Spine of Keres

The Ascendant Challenge changes every Tuesday reset along with other weekly rituals in Destiny 2.

How to Access the Ascendant Challenge Portal

To access the portal to the Ascendant Challenge, you first need to consume a Tincture of Queensfoil. This consumable can be acquired from:

• Public events and patrols in the Dreaming City
• Blind Well completions
• Purchase from Petra Venj

Once you’ve consumed a tincture, the portal to the Ascendant Challenge will become visible. The portal is located in the same lost sector as that week’s challenge.

For example, when the challenge is in Aphelion’s Rest, the portal will be inside the Aphelion’s Rest lost sector. Make sure you’ve cleared the lost sector first before looking for the portal.

Ascendant Challenge Rotation Schedule

There are 6 different Ascendant Challenges in total, each with their own objectives and platforming puzzles. Here is the full rotation schedule:

The challenges rotate in this order each week. The curse cycle also aligns with the rotation, going from weakest to strongest over 3 weeks.

How to Complete Each Ascendant Challenge

Here are strategies and tips for completing each of the 6 Ascendant Challenges:

Cimmerian Garrison (Chamber of Starlight)

This challenge takes place in the Chamber of Starlight lost sector. Clear the sector first, then look for the portal behind the chest.

• Platform carefully around the ascendant plane, avoiding deadly pits
• Take out snipers and phalanxes from a distance
• Ignore the shadow thrall and focus on navigation
• Defeat the boss knight to complete the challenge

Ouroborea (Aphelion’s Rest)

Found in the Aphelion’s Rest lost sector. Destroy blights shielding a crystal to complete.

• Use a strong heavy weapon for quickly destroying blights
• Clear the lost sector first before starting
• Focus only on the blights, ignore other enemies
• Stay away from knights when the last blight is destroyed

Forfeit Shrine (Gardens of Esila)

Deposit three orbs in the center, then defeat shadow knights.

• Grab the orbs around the arena and dunk them quickly
• Use your super against the deadly knights
• Be prepared to use short burst damage supers
• Take advantage of unlimited super energy

Shattered Ruins (Spine of Keres)

Complete a jumping puzzle, then defeat the boss.

• Take it slow on the jumping section
• Memorize knight and sniper locations
• Be careful of phalanx boops
• Use burst damage on the boss when you reach the top

Keep of Honed Edges (Harbinger’s Seclude)

Use a sword relic to defeat multiple knights.

• Grab the sword relic and use both light and heavy attacks
• Clear enemies quickly to maximize damage time
• Drop the relic to take out snipers from a distance
• 10 minutes to defeat all knights with the relic

Agonarch Abyss (Bay of Drowned Wishes)

Descend to the bottom and defeat two wizards.

• Carefully make your way down by jumping and falling
• Let Toland guide you if you get lost
• Focus only on the wizards, not other enemies
• Stay alive as you descend to the bottom arena

Ascendant Challenge Rewards

Completing the challenge will reward you with the following:

• Dreaming City weapons and armor
• Infusion materials
• Possible high-stat armor rolls
• Higher chance for exotic engram drops from ascendant chests

Additionally, picking up the weekly challenge bounty from Petra Venj provides the following extra rewards:

• Powerful gear
• Dark Fragments
• Destination materials
• Chance for the Secret Victories emblem

It’s highly recommended to grab this bounty each week before completing the challenge.

Tips for Completing The Ascendant Challenge

• Clear lost sectors first before starting the challenge
• Take it slow and focus on navigation, not enemies
• Memorize knight, sniper, and phalanx locations
• Use burst damage supers against bosses
• Equip swords for traversing gaps and blocking damage
• Don’t hesitate to retreat and reset if overwhelmed
• Ascendant Knights will heal if not damaged – stay aggressive

What Happens If You Die in the Ascendant Challenge?

If you die at any point during the Ascendant Challenge, you will be returned to the Dreaming City outside the portal. Unfortunately, this means you will have to restart the entire challenge again.

Your progress will not be saved within the Ascendant Plane, so try to be careful and stay alive!

For difficult challenges like the Keep of Honed Edges, it may take a few tries to fully complete it. Just be patient and keep at it.

Is the Ascendant Challenge Worth Doing?

With Destiny 2 gear now having a max power cap, you may be wondering if these Ascendant Challenges are still worth doing each week. The answer is yes!

Here are some of the reasons you should keep completing these challenges:

• Chance to acquire god roll Dreaming City weapons like Retold Tale and Sleepless
• Stat-focused armor farming thanks to high stat rolls
• Infusion materials from dismantling gear
• Petra’s weekly bounty rewards powerful gear
• Higher exotic drop rate from ascendant chests
• Fun weekly platforming activities and challenges
• Chance at the Secret Victories emblem

The Dreaming City weapons and armor also have some of the best looking designs in Destiny 2. With armor transmog, it’s the perfect time to collect a strong fashion game.

So don’t miss out on the Ascendant Challenge each week! It offers fun weekly challenges and the chance to collect some rare loot.

FAQ

How do you start the Ascendant Challenge?

To start, acquire a Tincture of Queensfoil from Dreaming City activities. Then look for the portal in the same lost sector as the current challenge. Consume the tincture to reveal the portal.

What happens if you die in the Ascendant Challenge?

Dying will return you to the Dreaming City outside the portal. Unfortunately, this means restarting the entire challenge.

Is the Ascendant Challenge weekly bounty from Petra worth it?

Absolutely! It rewards powerful gear, destination materials, and extra loot. Always grab this bounty before starting the challenge.

What’s the best loadout for the Ascendant Challenge?

For weapons, scouts and snipers excel at ranged combat. Swords help traverse gaps and block damage up close. Supers like Chaos Reach, Thundercrash, or Golden Gun provide burst damage against bosses.

How do you get the Secret Victories emblem from the Ascendant Challenge?

It has a small random chance to drop when completing the weekly bounty from Petra. Keep grinding the bounty each week and hopefully it will drop!

Conclusion

The Ascendant Challenge provides a weekly dose of platforming puzzles, combat challenges, and new loot to chase in the Dreaming City. Pay attention to the rotation schedule so you know which challenge is active on each reset.

Make sure to pick up Petra’s bounty before starting the challenge for extra rewards. And don’t hesitate to retry challenges if you fail or die on your first attempt. With practice, you’ll be conquering these ascendant trials in no time!

Let us know if this guide helped you successfully complete the Ascendant Challenge this week!