The Desert Perpetual is one of Destiny 2's newest six-player raids. To prepare, check the recommended power level, bring a flexible loadout and use voice chat. A self-play carry lets you play your own account while a Sherpa explains each encounter.
Last updated: November 3, 2026. Written by the Guardian Sherpa Team.
Quick answer: The Desert Perpetual is the six-player Destiny 2 raid from The Edge of Fate, released on July 19, 2025. You choose between three bosses, Epoptes, Agraios and Iatros, then unlock the final boss, Koregos. Clear callouts matter more than speed. A Guardian Sherpa carry lets you play your own account while a guide explains each encounter.
What is The Desert Perpetual raid?
The Desert Perpetual's standard version was released on July 19, 2025 with The Edge of Fate expansion, and an Epic version followed on September 27, 2025 with the Ash and Iron update; it is the only raid with an Epic variant (Destinypedia). It supports a fireteam of up to six Guardians, and Destinypedia lists a recommended power of 100.
Unlike older raids, you pick which of three bosses to fight first, and the final boss unlocks only after the other three on a first clear. One source's rotation calendar for 2026 excluded The Desert Perpetual from the featured-raid pool, so do not assume it is in the weekly rotation; check the in-game Director. Typical clear length depends on team experience, and we do not publish a fixed time.
The Desert Perpetual encounter guide
The Desert Perpetual starts in an intro area, then a hub where you choose among three boss encounters before the final fight. The order of the first three is your choice. Mechanics below come from public guides and wikis (Shacknews, Destinypedia) and describe general play, not guaranteed strategies; numbers such as timers can change with updates.
1. Epoptes, Lord of Quanta
Goal: Destroy shield eyes in the side rooms and middle, then damage the boss during the damage phase.
Roles: Two buffed players and a buddy in each side room, with two players staying in the middle for add control and crystal shooting.
Key mechanics: Defeating Time's Magistrates gives buffs from plates. Buffed players enter side rooms and shoot eyes in coordinated pairs from callouts, then shoot orbs and diamonds and finally the middle boss's eyes.
Common wipes: If side-room eyes are not shot almost simultaneously they regrow and shut, which usually causes a wipe. During damage, the boss is immune if both pulled players are not in the beams. The encounter challenge is not destroying the same Lens eye twice in a row.
Tip: Precision weapons help here. Outbreak Perfected and Thundercrash Titans were highlighted by one guide, but do not treat any build as mandatory.
2. Iatros, Inward-Turned
Goal: Fill the hourglass with Chronons and destroy Vex confluxes to build the platforms for damage.
Roles: Two Runners handle add clear and dunking, three Breakers shoot confluxes, one Jumper and one Climber handle the platforming.
Key mechanics: Defeat Time's Burden Minotaurs, dunk their Chronons through the purple ring and manage the hourglass timer. Breakers shoot confluxes once they have four Diastole stacks.
Common wipes: The boss favors areas where extra Minotaurs spawn and blasts nearby players, often Breakers. The wipe occurs if the hourglass runs out of Chronons. The encounter challenge needs three different players to interact with a different cube as climbers.
Tip: Keep Runners and Breakers distinct so Chronons are not wasted.
3. Agraios, Inherent
Goal: Charge portals with Chronons, align the correct buff and use a Detain grenade to block the sniper shot that starts damage.
Roles: Three buffed players, an aligned player, a Detain-holder and the remaining players collect Chronons.
Key mechanics: Defeat Hydras and Minotaurs, then charge portals. Three Temporality buffs (Absolute, Cyclical, Constant) match the snipers on the upper platforms. The Detain grenade is earned by running through the active portals.
Common wipes: Poor communication, because many callouts are needed before damage. The encounter challenge states that no one picks up a Cobalt Chronon until everyone has one.
Tip: Damage comes in up to three windows of about 15 seconds each, with Detain blocks between them.
4. Koregos, the Worldline
Goal: Fill the hourglass with six banked Chronons, activate the upper platform and deal damage through the eyes.
Roles: Constant players (three) read mine colors and destroy turrets. Cyclical players (two) check mine activity and collect Chronons. The Absolute player reads the ring color and destroys mines. On top, one player collects Chronons for the ring while others damage.
Key mechanics: The lower phase uses Constant, Cyclical and Absolute buffs to read mines and the central ring and destroy turrets. Temporal Oculus is activated on pillars, and the upper phase needs four cube interactions before damage starts. Avoid lasers and Arc pools while damaging.
Common wipes: Doing damage while standing in hazards. The encounter challenge requires each player to deposit a Chronon into the Hourglass. On a first clear this boss unlocks only after the other three, and it can be fought at any time afterward.
Tip: Rotate roles slowly between attempts so each Guardian knows their buff.
What roles and loadout work in The Desert Perpetual?
A six-Guardian raid works best when every slot has a clear job before the first room. The chart below uses generic archetypes. No specific weapon or subclass is mandatory, and the best loadout is the one you already know how to play well.
- Caller: reads timers and mechanics aloud so the team acts on one voice.
- Mechanic runners: handle the encounter-specific task, such as nodes, relics or chalices.
- Add control: keeps enemies off the mechanic players with wave-clear weapons and abilities.
- Boss damage: brings precision or Heavy weapons and saves Supers for damage windows.
- Flex support: revives, covers a missed slot and swaps in when someone falls behind.
Bring weapons for three jobs: adds, bosses and long-range threats. Pack at least one weapon you can use with Heavy ammo, keep a couple of utility abilities handy, and be honest with your fireteam about your role comfort. Decide who covers each Temporality buff in advance, and remember the three bosses can be taken in any order.
How do I prepare for The Desert Perpetual?
- Update the game and check the recommended power level in the in-game Director.
- Bring weapons for different damage needs and a build you know well.
- Use a headset so you can hear callouts.
- Turn on two-factor sign-in for your account.
- Agree on roles and a caller before you start.
- Pick a time window when you can play without interruption.
What are the most common The Desert Perpetual mistakes?
- Shooting side-room eyes at different times in Epoptes.
- Wasting Chronons in Iatros and Agraios.
- Standing in lasers or Arc pools while damaging Koregos.
- Skipping the pre-fight briefing and trying to learn mechanics mid-wipe.
- Spending Heavy ammo and Supers on adds instead of saving them for damage windows.
- Talking over each other, which hides the one callout that matters.
- Letting one player carry every mechanic, which makes a single death a team wipe.
What rewards does The Desert Perpetual offer?
The raid's exotic is Whirling Ovation (a Strand/Solar Rocket Launcher). Destinypedia also lists Skimmed Surface (Sparrow) and Soloist Shell (Ghost shell) as exotics. Completing the Epic feats earns the Atemporal badge and title, and the page lists the Third Unknown and Timeline's Blade emblems and the Envoy's Togs and Mediant Flourish shaders. Epic-only gear includes Cusp Sempiternal, Starscape Null, The Ever-Present and the Wayward Psyche Suit.
Drop tables, drop rates and rewards can change between seasons. Always confirm in game, and do not treat any drop as guaranteed on a given run.
How does a The Desert Perpetual carry work?
A Guardian Sherpa carry is a guided self-play run. You stay signed in on your own account and play every encounter yourself, while an experienced Sherpa joins your fireteam, explains each mechanic and helps the team stay on track. We never ask for your password on self-play orders. See the The Desert Perpetual raid carry for the options; it is listed from $69 for a full clear, and the flawless-goal option is $138.
- Pick the run type on the product page and check out.
- Open your private order page and confirm your platform, Bungie name and a time window.
- You can cancel for a full refund until a Sherpa accepts your order.
- A Sherpa accepts the order and sends a normal in-game fireteam invite at the agreed time.
- You play the raid together on your own account, with each encounter explained.
- After the run you have a 48-hour review window.
What is included, and what is not?
- Included: a guided, self-play run with an experienced Guardian, a private order page, encounter explanations and a 48-hour review window.
- Not included: account sharing or piloting (see our separate piloted listings if you want that), guaranteed drops, guaranteed completion times or any promise of in-game results.
What is a flawless run?
A flawless run is one finished without a death. We play toward that goal but cannot guarantee in-game results.
Is a carry safe for my account?
Self-play carries less risk than services that log in for you, but no provider can promise zero risk. Read our account safety page.
More raid guides
- Raid carry guide
- Last Wish
- Garden of Salvation
- Deep Stone Crypt
- Vault of Glass
- Vow of the Disciple
- King's Fall
- Root of Nightmares
- Crota's End
- Salvation's Edge
- The Desert Perpetual
New to carries? Read how a self-play carry works and see the FAQ.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a The Desert Perpetual carry cost?
A The Desert Perpetual self-play carry is $69 for a full clear and $138 for a flawless-goal run (no deaths) at Guardian Sherpa. Prices are shown before checkout, there are no hidden fees, and the WELCOME20 code takes 20% off a first order. See the The Desert Perpetual carry page for the current price.
How long does a The Desert Perpetual run take?
Time varies with the team, how many encounters are new to you and whether you choose the flawless goal. Your Sherpa gives an estimate on your order page before the run starts and explains each encounter as you go, which adds a little time but saves wipes.
What power level do I need for The Desert Perpetual?
Check the recommended power shown in the in-game Director for The Desert Perpetual and bring a character at or near it. Your Sherpa checks your character before the run and can suggest a quick power catch-up if you are under the recommendation.
Do I have to share my Destiny 2 login?
For self-play orders, no. You stay signed in on your own account and you stay signed in on your own account and join our fireteam through a normal in-game invite. On self-play orders we never ask for your password, your email login or your platform credentials. Piloted orders need secure account access, shared only after payment through your private order page. Read the account safety page for the full policy.
Can I cancel my order for a refund?
Yes, up to the moment a Sherpa accepts your order. Until then you can cancel from your order page for a full refund to the original payment method. After a Sherpa accepts, the customer-side cancel option closes, but our team can still cancel, refund or reschedule if something goes wrong. See the refund policy.
How do I book and what happens next?
Pick the run type on the product page and check out. You get a private order page where you confirm your platform, Bungie name and a time window. A Sherpa accepts the order, you receive a fireteam invite at the agreed time, and you play the activity together. Afterwards you have a 48-hour review window. The step-by-step guide covers each stage.
Does the carry include the Epic version of The Desert Perpetual?
The Epic version adds extra mechanics, tighter feats and Epic-only gear (Destinypedia), so it is a harder activity than the standard raid. Check the product page for exactly what the listing covers, and contact us before ordering if you want Epic help so we can confirm what applies.