Pit of Heresy is Destiny 2's second-ever dungeon, and after the Monument of Triumph update (June 9, 2026) it is no longer a dusty relic — it got a brand-new exclusive loot pool and a Tier 5 farm when it's the weekly featured dungeon. It's still the home of the Xenophage Exotic machine gun, still one of the best solo runs in the game, and now one of the most efficient high-stat armor farms available. This guide covers all five encounters, the full 2026 loot table, the Xenophage quest, and solo tips.
Quick answer: Pit of Heresy is a 1–3 player dungeon on the Moon. To unlock it, complete Eris Morn's "The Deeping Wake" quest (clear Altars of Sorrow to at least Tier 3 and defeat 20 Nightmares). It has five stages — Necropolis, Tunnels of Despair, Chamber of Suffering, The Harrow, and the Cradle of Damnation (boss: Zulmak, Instrument of Torment). As of Monument of Triumph it drops its own Heretical Behavior weapons and the Apostate's Blade armor set, plus the Xenophage Exotic via the separate "The Journey" quest.
Destiny 2 - Dungeon Boost
Get dungeon boost in 10 minutes
Key Takeaways
- 5 encounters: Necropolis → Tunnels of Despair → Chamber of Suffering → The Harrow → Cradle of Damnation (Zulmak).
- Unlock: Eris Morn's "The Deeping Wake" quest — Altars of Sorrow Tier 3 + 20 Nightmare kills.
- 2026 loot refresh: new exclusive pool with the Heretical Behavior origin trait — Adamantite (Auto Rifle), Refusal of the Call (Glaive), Psychopomp (Grenade Launcher), Eyes Unveiled (Linear Fusion) + the Apostate's Blade armor set with 2/4-piece bonuses.
- Xenophage Exotic machine gun still comes from the "The Journey" quest, with secret boss Volmâr, the Tempted.
- Fully soloable, and one of the best focused high-stat armor farms in the game.
What is the Pit of Heresy and how do you unlock it?
Pit of Heresy released on October 29, 2019 during the Shadowkeep expansion and takes place beneath the Scarlet Keep on the Moon, in the region of Sorrow's Harbor. It was the second dungeon ever added to Destiny 2 (after The Shattered Throne) and, like it, rotates as a weekly free activity for all players.
To make it appear in the Director, you first have to finish Eris Morn's "The Deeping Wake" quest. That means playing the Altars of Sorrow public event on the Moon up to at least Tier 3, and defeating 20 Nightmares during the event. Return to Eris and the Pit of Heresy node unlocks permanently on your account.
The dungeon has checkpoints between encounters, so you can leave and pick up your run later — useful if you're grinding solo or your fireteam has to log off.
What changed with the Monument of Triumph update?
This is the part most old guides get wrong. On June 9, 2026, the Monument of Triumph update gave Pit of Heresy its own dedicated loot pool instead of reissued Moon gear. The bungie.net patch notes describe it this way:
"Heresy weapons and armor added as Pit of Heresy's exclusive loot pool. Xenophage is still obtainable through its related quest."
Three things matter for farmers in 2026:
- All Pit of Heresy weapons carry the `Heretical Behavior` origin trait — sustained damage or final blows on powerful targets grant bonus reload, handling, and damage, and you get it instantly (for longer) after a revive.
- The Apostate's Blade armor set has real 2-piece and 4-piece set bonuses (see the loot table below).
- When Pit of Heresy is the weekly featured dungeon, you can farm Tier 5 weapons and armor here — the highest gear tier, and the reason this dungeon is back in the endgame rotation.
All five Pit of Heresy encounters (full walkthrough)
Encounter 1 — Necropolis (the rune-and-sword puzzle)
Drop off the cliff into the first tower and clear the room to reach an Accursed Swordbearer. Killing it hands you a Hive Cleaver relic and reveals three runes — screenshot them, because that's how you know which towers to visit. (Don't linger; the Swordbearer respawns.)
Each matching tower contains a Disciple of the Broken Blade, and you kill it based on its type:
- Might of the Broken Blade (Knight) → light melee attack with the sword.
- Omen of the Broken Blade (Wizard) → heavy attack projectile (kill the two Revenant Wizards first).
- Oracle of the Broken Blade (Shrieker) → guard to deflect its shots back (clear the two Revenant Ogres first with a Rocket Launcher).
Clear all three correct towers and the exit opens with a chest. Then look for a hole in the wall to the right of the broken bridge — ignore the giant wall of doors.
Encounter 2 — Tunnels of Despair (avoid the ogres)
You drop into a dim maze patrolled by three Harrowing Pariahs — Ogres that cannot be killed. Duck into the small side tunnels (shoot through the red Hive membranes; Ogres can't follow you in). Inside, kill Heretical Knights, grab the Void orb each one drops, and dunk it in the vessel outside one of the three sealed doors. Deposit three orbs and the barrier breaks.
Encounter 3 — Chamber of Suffering (the debuff wave defense)
A wave-defense fight with six Hive runes to destroy. Same orb loop — kill Knights, dunk Void orbs — but now a stacking Curse of Suffering debuff builds on your team. Someone must stand under the Annihilator Totem or the team wipes, and depositing an orb clears your stacks (not the whole team's), so keep the orbs flowing. Watch for Boomer-wielding Knights on the high ledges.
Solo tip: snipe the orb Knights from range (a Vorpal Sniper or a Rocket like Gjallarhorn), sprint the orb to the totem with 5–10 seconds to spare, dunk, repeat.
Encounter 4 — The Harrow (the jumping puzzle)
A platforming section over the abyss. Find the towers whose runes match the sealed door, kill the Hive Wizard (and its guards) inside each one to clear that rune. The enemies are trivial — the jumps are the threat, so run a mobility subclass or a stronger jump for this stretch.
Encounter 5 — Cradle of Damnation (Zulmak, Instrument of Torment)
The boss recycles earlier mechanics. Kill Knights for swords, use each sword to defeat the matching Disciple (recommended order: Omen → Might → Oracle), and dunk three Void orbs. After the third orb, Zulmak becomes damageable and the floor around the central crystal glows green — you can only deal damage while standing in that green aura.
Critical: when Zulmak kneels and starts charging an attack, get off the crystal floor or you die instantly. Burst him with a heavy Sword like The Lament or Falling Guillotine between charges. Down him and you're rewarded — historically high-stat Dreambane armor, and in 2026 the new Apostate's Blade / Heresy pool.
If you're working through Destiny 2's dungeon list, our sibling walkthroughs cover the same encounter-by-encounter format: the Grasp of Avarice dungeon guide (how to get Gjallarhorn), the Warlord's Ruin dungeon guide, and the newer Vesper's Host dungeon guide (Ice Breaker).
Destiny 2 - Power Leveling
Get power leveling in 10 minutes
Pit of Heresy loot table (2026)
| Item | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Adamantite | Auto Rifle | Heretical Behavior origin trait |
| Refusal of the Call | Glaive | Heretical Behavior origin trait |
| Psychopomp | Grenade Launcher | Heretical Behavior origin trait |
| Eyes Unveiled | Linear Fusion Rifle | Heretical Behavior origin trait — great for DPS |
| Apostate's Blade (set) | Armor (Hunter/Titan/Warlock) | Drops from any encounter; 2pc + 4pc bonuses |
| Xenophage | Exotic Machine Gun | From "The Journey" quest, not the loot pool |
Apostate's Blade set bonuses: the set has both a 2-piece and a 4-piece bonus that lean into survivability and Sword play — a natural fit for a dungeon whose encounters hand you Hive Cleavers on every floor. Check the exact perk text in-game (or on light.gg's Monument of Triumph dungeon-gear page) when you build your roll, since Bungie tunes these bonuses in maintenance-mode hotfixes.
Timesaver tip: Farming the full high-stat Apostate's Blade set or chasing Tier 5 rolls on a featured week is a real time sink. If you'd rather skip the grind:
- Destiny 2 Carries & Boosts — dungeon runs, exotics, catalysts and more with a pro fireteam.
- Destiny 2 Raid Carries — day-one and weekly clears if raids are next on your list.
How do you get Xenophage in the Pit of Heresy?
Xenophage is not in the dungeon's normal loot pool — it comes from a separate Exotic quest called "The Journey." Start it at the four braziers/statues in the Anchor of Light on the Moon (activate them in order within the time limit). The quest then routes you through the Pit of Heresy to a hidden area, where you solve a rune/tile puzzle (shooting a panel flips the ones around it until they all match), light plates to open a hidden door, and fight the secret boss Volmâr, the Tempted. Beat Volmâr and Xenophage is yours — an explosive, precision-tracking heavy machine gun that's still a strong pick for majors and DPS.
Is Pit of Heresy soloable?
Yes — it's one of the most solo-friendly dungeons in Destiny 2 and a popular pick for the Solo Flawless triumph. Every encounter can be done alone: the Chamber of Suffering is the trickiest (manage the totem + debuff timer yourself), and Zulmak just requires patience and respecting the charge-attack tell. Recommended solo loadout: a long-range primary/special for orb Knights, a survivable subclass, and a heavy Sword or Rocket for Zulmak's damage phase.
FAQ
How do you unlock the Pit of Heresy in 2026? Complete Eris Morn's "The Deeping Wake" quest on the Moon — play Altars of Sorrow to at least Tier 3 and defeat 20 Nightmares during the event, then return to Eris. The dungeon then appears permanently in the Moon Director.
What are all the Pit of Heresy encounters? Five: Necropolis (rune + Hive Sword puzzle), Tunnels of Despair (dodge unkillable ogres, dunk orbs), Chamber of Suffering (debuff wave defense), The Harrow (jumping puzzle), and the Cradle of Damnation boss fight against Zulmak, Instrument of Torment.
What loot does Pit of Heresy drop now? After Monument of Triumph (June 9, 2026) it has an exclusive pool with the Heretical Behavior origin trait — Adamantite, Refusal of the Call, Psychopomp and Eyes Unveiled — plus the Apostate's Blade armor set. Xenophage comes from the separate "The Journey" quest.
Can you farm Tier 5 gear in Pit of Heresy? Yes — when Pit of Heresy is the weekly featured dungeon, its weapons and armor can drop at Tier 5, the highest gear tier.
Is Pit of Heresy good for solo players? Very. All five encounters are soloable and it's a common Solo Flawless target. The Chamber of Suffering (totem + debuff) is the main solo challenge; the rest reward patience over raw DPS.
Where does the Xenophage quest actually start? At the four statues/braziers in the Anchor of Light on the Moon. Activating them begins "The Journey," which then sends you into the Pit of Heresy toward the secret boss Volmâr, the Tempted.
Facts verified against bungie.net patch notes, Destinypedia and light.gg as of September 2026 (Monument of Triumph). Current-state: Destiny 2's final major update, Monument of Triumph, is live.
