Vanguard Op
Proving Grounds
Defeat Caiatl's Chosen aboard the Land Tank, Halphas Electus, on Nessus.
Proving Grounds is a Vanguard Ops Strike set on Nessus in the Arcadian Valley, introduced in Season of the Chosen. Guardians board the Cabal Land Tank Halphas Electus and defeat Caiatl's Chosen as part of the Rite of Proving, a ritual agreement between Caiatl and Zavala.
Overview
- Type: Vanguard strike (also appears as a Nightfall/Grandmaster variant in later seasons).
- Destination: Arcadian Valley, Nessus.
- Launch: Open the Nessus map in the Director and select the strike at the top of the map, or queue via the Vanguard playlist. During Season of the Chosen it was available straight away to season pass owners.
- Power: 750 (recommended power rises with the season).
- Players: 1-3 Guardians.
Encounters
- Watcher's Grave: fight through Vex and Cabal forces. A Cabal Colossus miniboss, Val Ozysas, guards the Land Tank entrance and is immune until you destroy its shield generator.
- Vehicle bay: wave fights including Interceptors and two Goliath Tanks.
- Maintenance area: several named Cabal leaders (Optus Vocca, Val Vinca'ar, Val Veorthus, Val Cempas).
- Power redirection: carry two power cores (about 30 seconds each) to the receivers.
- Final boss, Ignovun, Chosen of Caiatl: he throws homing fireballs (shoot them down) and becomes immune at two-thirds and one-third health until you destroy his shield generator. Rockets and swords are popular damage options.
It has more Cabal leadership than any other single mission (one Valus, six Vals, two Optus and one Chosen).
Rewards
Strike drops include armor sets such as Luminopotent and Smoke Jumper and weapons including Nameless Midnight and Cynosure. Killing all 10 named enemies completes the seasonal triumph "Eliminate Caiatl's Cabal".
Status
The activity remains available in the current strike rotation.
Rewards / drops
- Ahab Char
- Aurora Dawn
- Boomslang-4fr
- Convened Recurve
- Cynosure
- Drang
- Faustus Decline
- Haliaetus
- Jurisprudent
- Luminopotent Bond
- Luminopotent Boots
- Luminopotent Cloak
- Luminopotent Cover
- Luminopotent Cuirass
- Luminopotent Gauntlets
- Luminopotent Gloves
- Luminopotent Greaves
- Luminopotent Grips
- Luminopotent Helm
- Luminopotent Mark
- Luminopotent Mask
- Luminopotent Plate
- Luminopotent Robes
- Luminopotent Strides
- Main Ingredient
- Mercury-A
- MIDA Mini-Tool
- Nameless Midnight
- Nightshade
- Positive Outlook
- Prolonged Engagement
- Punching Out
- Qua Nilus II
- Service Revolver
- Shoreline Dissident
- Smoke Jumper Bond
- Smoke Jumper Boots
- Smoke Jumper Cloak
- Smoke Jumper Gauntlets
- Smoke Jumper Gloves
- Smoke Jumper Grasps
- Smoke Jumper Helm
- Smoke Jumper Hood
- Smoke Jumper Mark
- Smoke Jumper Mask
- Smoke Jumper Plate
- Smoke Jumper Strides
- Smoke Jumper Vest
- Smoke Jumper Vestment
- Unfall
Location: Arcadian Valley
Required for
Community guides & sources
Category: Activities · Last edited 2026-10-10 08:36:56 UTC