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Spire of the Watcher

Released
Location
Mars
Power
300 / 300Combatant / Activity
Route
3 encounters

Full route / first editionSource-reviewed · Not yet verified in game · Updated · What changed

Change history (2)
  1. Cosmetic

    Encounter list: The encounter list now also links the approach and traversal sections.

  2. New

    Whole guide: Published with the full route, roles, recovery and solo notes.

Main changes since the September 2026 rewrite, newest first. Corrections fix something that was wrong; site-wide layout changes aren’t listed. Source review means checked against the cited sources, not played.

Prepare for the whole route.

Prepare for the climb

Bring precise primary fire, ranged enemy control, healing and boss damage. Akelous rewards fast eye clearing; Persys demands room to move. Check current access and modifiers before launch.

Divide the circuits

Assign a runner to each cable and a third player to enemies and Minotaurs. Announce circuit completions before triggering damage. This is the standard route, not the historical Rite of the Nine variant.

Arctrician and circuit rules

Arctrician and circuit rules
MechanicExecution
ArctricianKill a Conduit Minotaur and step into its pool. The timed buff lets your shots activate nodes.
Yellow cablesBegin at the node marked by flashing arrows. Shoot connected nodes in order; successful activations extend the buff.
Red cablesActivate all nodes quickly, in any order. A slow sequence resets; locate every node before starting.
Lost progress?Completed yellow sections remain powered if the buff expires. Reacquire it and continue from the last lit section.

APPROACH / REESTABLISH POWER

Connect four circuits to the hatch.

At the outpost, trace the hatch’s four cables back to their arrow-marked starts. Take Arctrician and work from each start toward the hatch. Search inside and on top of both buildings, including the crawlspaces and roof rooms. Complete all four lines to open the central shaft.

Route reference ↗

Encounter list ↑
Ares Spire above the Martian outpost
Ares Spire above the Martian outpostBungie · Spire of the Watcher press kit

TRAVERSAL / REACTOR FIREWALL

Cross the suspended platforms.

Descend the shaft and use the upper-left vent to bypass the locked door. Follow the passages into the large hangar. Clear ranged enemies before crossing catwalks and suspended platforms to the central pillar’s lift. Climb through the control rooms; leave through the window near the rally point to begin the exterior ascent.

Route reference ↗

Encounter list ↑

The encounter route

01 / ENCOUNTER

Ascend the Spire

Complete two yellow circuits on each of three levels.

Encounter list ↑
Ascend the Spire, Spire of the Watcher
Ascend the SpireBungie · Shacknews / Sam Chandler

Encounter sequence

  1. Find both starts

    Take Arctrician from a Conduit Minotaur. Locate the arrow-marked nodes and follow the two cables around the tower. Look beneath platforms and behind supports for hidden nodes.

  2. Power the lift

    Complete both lines to activate the gravity lift. Refill Arctrician if it expires; you can continue the existing circuit.

  3. Repeat on the next levels

    On level two, use exterior platforms to pass around the electrical barriers. On level three, trace the cables carefully where they cross. Finish both circuits on all three levels, then collect the chest.

If the attempt breaks down

An unlit section indicates a missed node, not necessarily a full reset. Follow the cable backward from it. Deal with pursuing enemies before leaning over an edge to aim.

Encounter source & visual reference ↗

TRAVERSAL / THE SUMMIT

Climb from the control room to the roof.

Ride the lift into the control room. Use its console to open the route, then climb the upper catwalks and exterior ledges to the rooftop arena. Pause for the final Devilish Recording in the control room if collecting them.

Route reference ↗

Encounter list ↑

02 / ENCOUNTER

Akelous, the Siren’s Current

Power four fuel rods, break the eyes and damage the exposed core.

Encounter list ↑
Akelous, the Siren’s Current, Spire of the Watcher
Akelous, the Siren’s CurrentBungie · Shacknews / Sam Chandler

Encounter sequence

  1. Prepare the four circuits

    Destroy the Minotaur held by Akelous to start. Defeat Conduit Minotaurs for Arctrician. Follow each cable from the central structure to its platform’s fuel rod.

  2. Choose the damage platform

    Complete three rods, clear nearby Harpies and gather at the fourth. Finish that last circuit when everyone is ready; Akelous approaches the last activated rod.

  3. Break eyes, then shoot the core

    Quickly destroy all twelve glowing eyes to expose the central weak point. Damage while following the retreating boss along the platform toward the center.

  4. Brace for the blast

    When the shell closes and the boss overcharges, use cover and keep solid flooring behind you. Avoid jumping into the knockback. Repeat the four circuits if it survives.

If the attempt breaks down

Slow eye clearing leaves less time for core damage. Use an accurate, quick-firing weapon and reload before the last rod. Surviving the blast matters more than one final shot.

Encounter source & visual reference ↗

TRAVERSAL / PILLORY DESCENT

Open the red circuits and pass the fans.

Drop through the center route into the cell stack. In each circuit room, obtain Arctrician and shoot all five red-cable nodes rapidly. Order does not matter in the standard dungeon. Descend through the opened floor, using ledges between rotating fans. The final room’s nodes surround an electrical hazard; clear it to reach the reactor.

Route reference ↗

Encounter list ↑

03 / ENCOUNTER

Persys, Primordial Ruin

Seal the boss inside an armed reactor to remove its shield.

Encounter list ↑
Persys, Primordial Ruin, Spire of the Watcher
Persys, Primordial RuinBungie · Spire of the Watcher press kit

Encounter sequence

  1. Open the main door

    Kill both Incarcerator Hydras to spawn Conduit Minotaurs. Take Arctrician. Quickly shoot the five red nodes: four on the inner pillar faces and one above the central door.

  2. Charge the reactor

    Find the two newly opened yellow starting nodes on the outer pillar faces. Follow each cable into the reactor and activate its nodes in order. Hold the final endpoint until the team can lure Persys inside.

  3. Trap Persys, escape together

    Finish both yellow circuits with Persys in the reactor. At the purge warning, everyone retreats to the entry room. When the red nodes reopen, quickly shoot all five to seal the central door.

  4. Damage after the purge

    The purge strips the trapped boss’s shield. When the door opens, damage from the entry room while giving the advancing boss space. Repeat the full circuit cycle after immunity returns.

If the attempt breaks down

If Persys was outside the reactor, the purge will not expose it. If the red sequence fails, refresh Arctrician and retry while the window remains open. Keep moving to avoid Supplicant explosions.

Encounter source & visual reference ↗

Keep a safe next move.

Make progress in safe pieces

Finish one yellow line at a time and refresh the buff as needed. Before each red circuit, identify all five targets and clear an aiming position.

Protect the uninterrupted run

Practice fans and exterior jumps before a solo flawless attempt. At Persys, reserve an escape path before completing the second circuit. Begin fresh and read the exact triumph requirement.

Choose optional stops before launch.

Hierarchy of Needs

The Exotic bow can drop from Persys. Its catalyst is associated with Master completion after obtaining the bow; check your current catalyst objective.

Recordings and hidden chests

Six Devilish Recordings lie before Akelous. Hidden chests are in the suspended-platform section and final descent room. Use the linked routes for detours; reward schedules and full loot tables are outside this guide.

Keep the reference close.

Released 9 December 2022. This guide covers the standard clear. Source review excludes old Power targets, weapon rankings and reward schedules. Detailed optional routes are linked below.