Destiny 2's The Nether: A Roguelike Survival Saga

Oh boy, stepping back onto the derelict Dreadnaught in Destiny 2's latest episode felt like reuniting with an old frenemy—you know, the kind that hugs you and then steals your lunch money. As a Guardian who's seen it all, from Vex invasions to Hive tantrums, I gotta say, The Nether is a whole new beast. It’s not just another seasonal activity; it’s Bungie’s full-throttle dive into roguelike territory, where every run feels like a high-stakes game of chance. Imagine exploring this haunted spaceship, uncovering secrets for Eris Morn, and constantly dodging Taken goons, all while your health bar laughs at your feeble attempts to heal. Yeah, it’s that kind of party. And if you’re like me, you’ll spend the first few runs face-planting into walls, wondering why your Warlock Rift suddenly feels as useful as a chocolate teapot. But hey, that’s part of the charm—or so I tell myself between rage-quits. Now, let’s dive into the chaos and see how to not just survive, but thrive in this madness.

The Nether Modifiers: Where the Fun Begins (or Ends)

Man, these modifiers are like that one friend who ‘helps’ by setting your house on fire—pure chaos! The Nether is Destiny 2’s first true roguelike, meaning it ditches the usual hand-holding for brutal RNG. Key takeaway? You don’t regenerate health, period. Nada. Zip. Instead, enemies drop these little Healing Orbs that heal you just enough to make you think you’re safe, only to get smacked down again. It’s like the game’s whispering, ‘Hey, remember that time you thought you were good at this? Good times.’ And oh, the Famine modifier means ammo drops are rarer than a polite Crucible opponent—seriously, I’ve spent whole encounters punching Thrall because my guns were empty. Then there’s Extinguish: die with no revive tokens, and it’s game over, man. Back to orbit you go! 😅 Plus, with High Pressure in the mix, you’ve got limited revives, so teamwork isn’t just nice; it’s mandatory. I swear, these modifiers turn every run into a stress test for your sanity.

Restoring HP: A Comedy of Errors

Alright, let’s talk about health, or lack thereof. In The Nether, your HP bar is basically a drama queen—it doesn’t budge unless you feed it those elusive Healing Orbs. And lemme tell ya, those orbs are shy little critters; they drop from enemies and breakable pots, but heal so little that I’ve had moments where grabbing one felt like putting a band-aid on a broken leg. Passive healing? Forget it. My Warlock’s Rift is out here feeling neglected, like a forgotten pet, ’cause it barely scratches your inflated health pool. Stuff that chunks out health restoration—Devour, Recuperation, Cure—works better, but even then, it’s hit-or-miss. Pro tip: spec into damage resistance mods and play like a scaredy-cat. Avoid damage like it’s your ex at a party, and if you’re Amplified, you’re golden. But honestly, nothing beats the sheer panic of seeing your health dip low while an Ogre stares you down. Good times, right?

Pressure Encounters: When the Ship Screams ‘Hurry Up!’

Picture this: you’re cruising through the Dreadnaught, looting chests and feeling like a space pirate, when suddenly—bam!—the pressure’s building. That’s your cue that a wipe mechanic is about two minutes away, and if you don’t destroy all three Taken Blights fast, it’s lights out for the whole fireteam. These Blights aren’t guarded, but they’re sneaky little buggers, hiding in corners like they’re playing hide-and-seek. I remember one run where my team got distracted by a shiny relic, and we wiped with seconds to spare—talk about a facepalm moment. 🚨 So, drop everything when that notification pops; those Blights won’t destroy themselves, and failure here is more embarrassing than tripping in the Tower.

Nether Difficulty Variants: Pick Your Poison

Now, for the difficulty levels—Advanced and Expert. Think of Advanced as the ‘welcome mat’ with matchmaking, so you can jump in with randoms (bless their hearts). But Expert? Oh, it’s like the game flipped a switch and said, ‘Let’s make ’em cry.’ Champions galore, Overcharge cranking up the heat, and Banes that’ll have you cursing the Darkness. No matchmaking means you better bring friends or LFG like a pro. Here’s a quick comparison of what you’re in for:

Modifier	Advanced	Expert
Power Level	Starts at 0; -5 per room	Starts at 0; -5 per room
Champions	None	Barrier, Overload, Unstoppable
Overcharge	Disabled	Enabled
Banes	Disabled	Enabled
Nether Rules	No health regen; Healing Orbs spawn	Same as Advanced
High Pressure	Limited revives; pressure events	Same as Advanced
Famine	Reduced ammo drops	Same as Advanced

And don’t forget the exploration playlist for solo players—pressure mechanics are off, but everything else is fair game. No matchmaking here, though, so if you’re flying solo, prepare for a lonely trek.

Nether Activity Walkthrough: Three Rooms of Chaos

Down to brass tacks: The Nether is a three-phase roguelite where you roam the Dreadnaught, complete objectives, and hunt for secrets. It’s kinda like Deep Dive or The Coil, but with more ‘oops, I died’ moments. Each section has three objectives you can tackle in any order—use your Ghost to find them, ’cause without it, you’re wandering like a lost puppy. Pull out Ghost, and bam, a white diamond points the way. Encounters vary by ship zone, but here’s the usual suspects:

• Defend the objective: Stand on plates and fend off Dread waves. Simple, until it’s not.

• Deposit relics: Grab floaty relics and stuff ’em into statues. Easy peasy, unless a Subjugator interrupts.

• Subjugator duo: Fight two baddies; only one’s vulnerable at a time. Annoying? You bet.

• Spore destruction: Spot orange spores on walls and blast ’em. Satisfying, in a destructive way.

• Tormentor boss: Collect Darkness shards to weaken it, then go to town. Boss fights here are no joke—adds swarm you like bees to honey, so hug that cover!

But don’t just rush encounters; explore! Hidden chests and secrets are everywhere, dropping Sigil Shards. These shards are gold for upgrading your Tome of Want, giving permanent buffs for future runs. Grab ’em all—I learned the hard way that skipping one is like leaving money on the table. Every run wraps up in three rooms with a boss fight; no timers, but stay cautious. Win, and you’re rewarded with loot and a triumphant return to orbit. Lose, and well, back to square one.

The Nether Rewards: Loot Galore!

After all that blood, sweat, and tears, the rewards better be worth it—and they are! Completing runs nets you rep with the Essence of Desire vendor in Eris’ place, plus chests shower you with Sigil Shards for those sweet Tome upgrades. Seasonal weapons and armor? Yeah, they drop like candy if you’re lucky. My haul’s included some slick Heresy gear that’s perfect for fine-tuning builds. So, even after a wipe-fest, you walk away feeling like a champ.

In the end, The Nether’s a wild ride—brutal, unpredictable, but oh-so-addictive. It leaves you wondering: is the risk worth the reward? Only one way to find out. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got some Blights to destroy before they wipe me again. Happy hunting, Guardians! 🎮