History of Root of Nightmares

Root of Nightmares is the Lightfall raid, released March 10, 2023 alongside the expansion. It takes place on the Witness's terraformed Pyramid ship at the Essence in Earth orbit.

Overview

• Type: Raid for 1-6 players (six-player fireteam intended).
• Recommended power: 1770 at launch (older figure).
• Variants: Standard and Master. There was also a Contest Mode at launch.
• How to launch: select it from the Director under Raids, or form a fireteam via the raid's Essence node. It is not sunset or vaulted as of the sources below.
• Theme: the Witness's servant Nezarec and the paracausal powers of Light and Darkness.

Core mechanics

Throughout the raid you take the Field of Light or Flux of Darkness buffs from seeds, then use them on matching nodes. Standing in an aura and shooting a seed grants a buff lasting about 20 seconds. Opposite-colour aura carriers create Refuge zones that protect against wipe mechanics.

Encounter 1: Cataclysm

Two players build networks of nodes by crossing between the Light and Dark sides and linking nodes with the buff, climbing floor by floor with a piston at the end of each. The other four clear Cabal waves, Psions and Tormentors. The wipe mechanic, Sweeping Terror, kills the team if nodes are not completed fast enough.

Encounter 2: Scission

The team splits into two groups of three, with a third "runner" crossing the chasm. One player per side holds that side's buff while the runner swaps back and forth, activating alternating plate sequences on both sides at the same time. The same buffs are used to kill specific enemies before the Imminent Expulsion wipe timer ends.

Encounter 3: Macrocosm (Zo'aurc, Explicator of Planets)

Players swap mismatched planets between sides of the arena, then deposit three planets in the correct positions to trigger damage. When the boss shows orange, stand on orange plates to deal damage; when white, use white plates. Each plate is usable once until all match the boss's colour.

Encounter 4: Nezarec, Final God of Pain

Complete the Light and Darkness node networks on both sides simultaneously to open the damage phase. A player must taunt Nezarec to draw aggro so the Nezarec's Hatred debuff does not kill the runners. Stun him by shooting his chest, then damage him in the open phase. Recommended Exotics in guides include Divinity and Gjallarhorn.

Rewards

Exotic shotgun Conditional Finality, class armor sets (Agony, Detestation and Trepidation), and Legendary weapons: Acasia's Dejection, Briar's Contempt, Koraxis's Distress, Mykel's Reverence, Nessa's Oblation and Rufus's Fury, each with an Adept version in Master. Guides also mention an Exotic Sparrow and Jumpship.

Related

See Lightfall and Raid. Mechanics above may have changed in later reworks; sources are launch-era.