Destiny 2

Raid Encounters Tier List - Community Rankings 2026

Every active raid encounter ranked by community consensus - based on fun, mechanical depth, and replayability. Covers Last Wish, Deep Stone Crypt, Vow of the Disciple, Salvation's Edge, and more.

Community Consensus All Active Raids 2026 Rankings Ranked by Fun + Mechanics
Top 3 Raids Overall
1
Last Wish
Epic length, best boss in the game (Riven), stunning visuals, and timeless replayability. Community's all-time favorite and the gold standard for raid design.
2
Salvation's Edge
Innovative mechanics, climactic story payoff vs. The Witness, and high engagement throughout. The Verity encounter divides opinion but the overall package is top-tier.
3
Deep Stone Crypt
Balanced fun, strong mechanics from start to finish, great atmosphere, and the best in-game music. Edged out Vow of the Disciple for accessibility and consistent quality.
How This Tier List Is Ranked
Fun and Replayability

Encounters with tight pacing, hero moments, and coordination without chaos score highest. S-tier encounters make players want to run the raid again immediately.

Mechanical Depth

Roles that matter, no one sitting out. S/A-tier encounters give every player a meaningful job and reward learning over repeated runs.

Difficulty Balance

Challenging but fair for LFG groups. B/C-tier often suffers from health-gate DPS grinds, pure ad spam, or repetitive loops with no payoff.

Nostalgia vs. Current State

Tiers reflect current 2026 experience, not day-1 difficulty. Power creep has made some old encounters easier, which shifts rankings versus community memory.

S
S-Tier - Peak Encounters
Best in class - mechanics, fun, and replayability all top-tier
Riven
Last Wish
Community's favorite boss with epic scale, unique mechanics, and visuals. The legitimate version is often called one of the best encounters ever made.
Atraks-1
Deep Stone Crypt
Highly praised for innovative space-jumping and replication mechanics. Excellent flow and replayability - nobody is standing around waiting.
Taniks, the Abomination
Deep Stone Crypt
Dynamic final boss with evolving mechanics across phases. Community loves the fight and the loot synergy makes it worth farming.
Rhulk
Vow of the Disciple
Epic and demanding 1-2-3 mechanics with major lore payoff. One of the most memorable boss fights in the game's history.
The Witness
Salvation's Edge
Climactic finale with epic scale, layered mechanics, and the best story payoff in Destiny 2. A landmark community highlight.
A
A-Tier - Great Encounters
Solid mechanics and fun - worth going out of your way to play
The Vault
Last Wish
Iconic puzzle-like encounter with strong teamwork and tension. Highly praised for engagement and the feeling of coordination paying off.
Queenswalk
Last Wish
Climactic heart run with high stakes and coordination. Rewarding finale though it can get chaotic with LFG groups.
Templar
Vault of Glass
Iconic Oracle and shield mechanics feel fair and engaging. Strong community love - holds up well with D1 nostalgia and tight design.
Crypt Security
Deep Stone Crypt
Augment-based roles build momentum well. Great intro encounter with strong music and setting that pulls everyone into the raid.
Desolation / Descent
Deep Stone Crypt
Atmospheric traversal with good tension throughout. Solid mid-raid pacing that keeps energy up between big encounters.
Exhibition / Collection
Vow of the Disciple
Unique relic-running with high coordination demands. Feels fresh and intense - one of the better mid-raid encounters in recent memory.
Nezarec
Root of Nightmares
Strong final fight with conditional mechanics and the Conditional Finality exotic tie-in makes it worth farming repeatedly.
Oryx
King's Fall
Iconic platforming and brand mechanic with an epic feel despite its length. A landmark encounter from the original D1 era.
Substratum
Salvation's Edge
Strong opener with unique resonance mechanics and great pacing. Sets the tone for the whole raid effectively.
Dissipation / Herald of Finality
Salvation's Edge
Engaging boss with solid mechanics and significant story weight. Builds well toward the finale.
Repository
Salvation's Edge
Puzzle-heavy with excellent teamwork requirements. Builds tension effectively and rewards communication.
B
B-Tier - Decent Encounters
Functional but flawed - not a reason to pick the raid, not a reason to avoid it
Gatekeeper
Vault of Glass
Classic relic/portal mechanic is nostalgic but the ad density feels dated against modern encounter design.
Atheon
Vault of Glass
Timeless super-time mechanic but relies too heavily on relics. Solid but clearly shows its age compared to modern encounters.
Sanctified Mind
Garden of Salvation
Better final encounter in the raid with unique mechanics and good visuals. Carries the raid for most players.
The Caretaker
Vow of the Disciple
Chaotic but repetitive symbol and scourge mechanics. Mixed opinions on length - enjoyable once but drags on repeat runs.
Root of Nightmares Encounters
Root of Nightmares
Very easy and chill with light mechanics. Good for quick runs but lacks depth for players who want a challenge.
Crota Encounters
Crota's End
Nostalgic chalice and sword mechanics are fun for speed runs but feel dated in the modern Destiny 2 context.
King's Fall Encounters
King's Fall
Diverse variety but some encounters like Warpriest and Daughters drag without the spectacle of Oryx.
Verity
Salvation's Edge
Extremely complex inside/outside puzzle. Loved by experienced players for depth; genuinely frustrating for new or casual fireteams.
C
C-Tier - Skippable Encounters
Playable but uninspired - the low points of their respective raids
Consecrated Mind
Garden of Salvation
Repetitive motes-based mechanics with tether elements that feel uninspired. Less mechanically interesting than most other raid encounters.