Destiny 2 Spire of the Watcher: How to Complete the Persys Boss Fight

Persys, Primordial Ruin is the final boss of Destiny 2’s Spire of the Watcher Dungeon, and though it’s not a direct lift from another activity like Akelous is from the Garden of Salvation Raid, it’s still nothing to take lightly.

As a boss-level Wyvern, it’s armed with a suped-up Warp Lance attack and more health than is probably necessary. Plus dozens of Goblins, Supplicants, Hydras, and the occasional Minotaur make your life even harder.

To defeat Persys, you need to follow the pattern set down in previous encounters, with a twist. You’re still connecting Arc node conduits, but Persys itself needs to be in the reactor room, and then you need to shut the door behind it to stun the Vex and make it vulnerable to damage. Only then will the door re-open, and Persys will charge at you for about twenty seconds before going immune again, and the whole process repeats.

We’ll cover how to get to the damage phase and some tips on weapon types.

How to Complete the Persys, Primordial Ruin Boss Fight in the Destiny 2 Spire of the Watcher Dungeon

Starting this final encounter is simple. You either shoot Persys as it stares at the reactor or get too close to it.

Once the fight begins, Persys will chase the closest player to it around the arena, firing its Warp Lance at every opportunity. You’ll notice the various Arc nodes in the starting room: you’ll be powering these with the Arctrician buff gained from the Minotaurs that spawn on either side of the room in designated areas.

The cadence of the fight goes like this:

• Persys enters the starting room, and the large central door closes.
• Two Hydras spawn. Killing them allows the Minotaurs to spawn.
• You take the Arctrician buff to activate the five nodes in the center area to open the main door.
• You activate two of the four sets of Arc nodes, one on either side of both the starting and reactor rooms.
• You lure Persys back into the reactor room, then shoot the five central nodes again to force isolation. Guardians can be trapped this way too.
• The reactor flashes, Persys becomes vulnerable, then turns around and charges you.
• After about twenty seconds, Persys’s shields go back up, and the cycle repeats.

We’ll cover the order of each set of nodes from left to right. The leftmost set will be “far left,” and the ones nearer the center will be “close left.” The same terminology works for the right side.

Far Left Arc Nodes in the Persys, Primordial Ruin Boss Room

You need to shoot all five central nodes quickly, as they’re connected by red wires, denoting they’re on a timer. Once they’re all active, the main door will open. Activating them also opens the covers on the starting nodes you’ll need to shoot on both sides. There will always be one per side, but which of the two will vary.

Here’s the order to shoot the far left Arc nodes. Other node orders will be presented without preamble.

• The first node is on the back left pillar, farthest from the large central door.
• The second node is higher up on the wall across from the first.
• The third node is on the roof of the left side Minotaur spawn area.
• The fourth node is high up in the corner next to the smaller left-side door.
• The fifth node is attached to an angled piece of machinery on the left side closest to the central door in the reactor room. The node sits over the death pit beyond the railings.
• The sixth node is on the other side of the room from the fifth, below one of the glowing blue panels.

Close Left Arc Nodes in the Persys, Primordial Ruin Boss Room

• The first node is on the front left pillar closest to the large central door.
• The second node is near the floor to the right of the smaller left-side door.
• The third node is directly to the left of the smaller left door on the reactor side.
• The fourth node is hanging above the death pit, attached to a piece of machinery. It’s below the edge of the railing on the left side.
• The fifth node is next to the fourth, a little more toward the back of the room.
• The sixth node is at the far back of the reactor room beneath a blue-angled panel.

Far Right Arc Nodes in the Persys, Primordial Ruin Boss Room

• The first node is on the back right pillar closest to the large central door.
• The second node is on the floor of the right side Minotaur spawn area.
• The third node is high up in the corner next to the smaller right-side door.
• The fourth node is on the ceiling on the right side of the reactor room near a large pillar that goes from below the platform to the ceiling.
• The fifth node is almost directly below the fourth, attached to the wall below and to the right of the central platform.
• The sixth node is at the far back of the reactor room beneath a blue-angled panel.

Close Right Arc Nodes in the Persys, Primordial Ruin Boss Room

• The first node is on the front right pillar closest to the large central door.
• The second node is near the floor to the left of the smaller right-side door.
• The third node is directly below the central door platform in the reactor room.
• The fourth node is below and to the right of the central reactor platform, hanging out over the death pit beyond the railing.
• The fifth node is attached to one of the thin machinery towers near the back-right of the room.
• The sixth node is beneath a blue-angled panel at the far back of the reactor room.

With two Arc conduits active, you’ll need to lead Persys into the reactor room, where it will be drawn to that reactor. Retreat to the starting room, close the central door, and wait for the stun.

Best Damage Options for the Persys, Primordial Ruin Boss Fight

As a Wyvern, Persys has a sometimes difficult-to-hit critical spot, so while Linear Fusions are still technically the best option, you’ll likely be more consistent with Rocket Launchers. Your best setup, then, goes something like this.

• One player with Gjallarhorn, a Fusion Rifle with Vorpal Weapon, and either a Sniper Rifle or breach-loading Grenade Launcher.
• Two other players with Legendary-grade Rocket Launchers (Hothead is the best choice, but anything that can roll with Explosive Light and/or Clown Cartridge is a worthwhile option), Witherhoard or another Grenade Launcher, and a Fusion Rifle with Vorpal Weapon.

If you’re not comfortable running double Special weapons, having a subclass element SMG like Mida Mini-Tool or Funnelweb is viable here. Having Thundercrash on a second Titan if you have two and one can offer Weapons of Light.

If you have a Warlock, they should probably be using Well of Radiance, with Nova Bomb as a backup if there are two Warlocks in the party. One of your Hunters, if around, should have Tether, while another could use Celestial Nighthawk Golden Gun or Blade Barrage. The Arc Hunter Super Gathering Storm is also an excellent second option, though Arcstrider melee builds are harder to use with all the Supplicants in the encounter.

Once you’re equipped and know how the encounter works, it’s down to executing the mechanics and dealing enough damage to take Persys down. He’s got an excessive amount of health, so even with a solid setup, it might take you two or three phases to beat him. It is possible to one-phase Persys, but you need to both have an optimal build and perfect execution, so it’s not a consistent thing in most cases.

That’s about everything you need to know about beating Persys, Primordial Ruin Boss Fight in the Destiny 2 Spire of the Watcher Dungeon. It’s a lot, but the rewards — which includes the new Hierarchy of Needs Exotic bow — are well worth it. For more about Destiny 2 Season of the Seraph content, or the game more generally, check out our guides hub.