Rhulk, Disciple of the Witness, is a big enemy in Destiny 2’s The Witch Queen game part. They are the main bad person in the Vow of the Disciple raid. Rhulk is important because they work for the Witness, who is a secret and strong Darkness leader. Rhulk is tough and makes players in Destiny 2 face a hard time. They are a big test for players in Destiny 2.
Rhulk’s Origins and Backstory
Rhulk comes from the old group of Lubraeans, who were attacked and nearly wiped out by the Hive millions of years ago. He is the last one from his people. Because of this, Rhulk has sworn to get back at the Hive. He joined the Witness and got special powers in return for wanting revenge.
The Witness gave Rhulk new abilities and control over the Darkness. He called himself the “First Disciple” as he was the first to follow the Witness. Rhulk worked with the Witness to shape the Hive and other Darkness servants across the universe.
For many years, Rhulk grew to dislike the Traveler and the Light it brings. He saw Guardians as a problem and wanted to get rid of them. However, the Witness told him not to attack humans directly to avoid the Traveler’s attention.
Rhulk’s history with the Witness was a secret until Guardians came to his Pyramid during the time of Savathun. Through things they found, Guardians slowly learned about Rhulk’s fall from grace and how he turned evil.
Rhulk’s Abilities and Powers
Rhulk has super strong powers given by the Witness. He uses Darkness to do really strong attacks. He’s also much stronger and faster than normal.
Some of Rhulk’s notable abilities include:
- Superhuman Strength and Speed – Be really strong and fast. He can break rocks and move super quickly.
- Darkness Manipulation – He can make it into beams, shields, and weapons. This can stop abilities that use Light.
- Deepsight Vision – Rhulk perceives electromagnetic wavelengths and subtle energy signatures beyond normal perception. He can track targets through solid objects.
- Stasis Control – Rhulk can create Stasis crystals and freeze targets at an atomic level, disrupting causal energy flows.
- Teleportation – Rhulk can instantly translocate across space without traversing the distance in between.
- Durability – Rhulk’s physical form can withstand immense punishment, even continuous bombardment from six Guardians simultaneously.
- Self-Resurrection – If killed, Rhulk can reconstitute his body and return to life by drawing on the Darkness.
These powers make Rhulk an extremely dangerous foe. Guardians must break his connection to the Darkness if they hope to defeat him permanently.
Rhulk’s Pyramid on Savathun’s Throne World
After stealing the Light for herself, Savathun was imprisoned in a crystalline cocoon by the Witness as punishment. Rhulk was dispatched to Savathun’s throne world with orders to prevent her return at all costs.
To achieve this, Rhulk parked his personal Pyramid in the swirling vortex above Savathun’s palace. This ominous black Pyramid served as Rhulk’s base of operations for protecting the cocooned queen.
Rhulk’s Pyramid contained many secrets and clues about his past. Statues, relics, and Lubraean texts depicted his history with the Witness. Data logs provided insights into his indoctrination by the Darkness.
The most important area was the Upended, where Savathun’s crystalline prison sat under Rhulk’s constant watch. This remote corner of his Pyramid became the staging ground for the Witness’ plans and the site of Rhulk’s final showdown with the Guardians.
The Vow of the Disciple Raid Encounter
After defeating Savathun, Guardians learn of the Pyramid hovering above her former palace. Driven to confront this unknown threat from the Darkness, they plan a daring raid into the depths of Rhulk’s lair.
The Exhibition Encounter
The first encounter occurs in the initial entry hall of the Pyramid, known as the Exhibition. Rhulk taunts the Guardians from the shadows, sending Disciple-style enemies against the fireteam.
Surviving this onslaught and activating all beacons allows entry into the inner recesses of the Pyramid. This area houses statues and relics hinting at Rhulk’s past and his bond with the Witness.
Platforming Section
Past the Exhibition lies a challenging platforming section leading to the Upended. Guardians must brave narrow beams and floating islands while contending with explosive Cursed Thrall and laser barriers that instakill the unwary.
Coordinated jumps, skillful shooting, and quick reflexes are critical to traverse this plunging puzzle section of the Pyramid. Death means starting the section over, so precision and patience here are vital.
The Upended
At the bottom lies the Upended, with Savathun’s crystalline prison still intact. Three Nightmares representing Rhulk’s painful past must be defeated to progress.
Destroying each Nightmare spawns a Standard Bearer who must be killed before damaging the next Nightmare. Speed and target priority are crucial in this DPS check.
With the Nightmares shattered Rhulk’s Darkness barrier on the prison falls. The crystal cocoon can finally be destroyed by the Guardians’ bombardment.
Rhulk Boss Encounter
Freed from her cage, Savathun gifts the Guardians increased power before vanishing. Rhulk finally emerges for a direct confrontation, enraged at her escape.
Rhulk employs many devastating attacks and abilities against the Guardians:
- Stomp attacks that launch players
- Beam slams that instantly kill
- Drained Light zones that negate abilities
- High mobility teleportation around the arena
Guardians must stay constantly on the move while fighting back with everything in their arsenal. Immunity shields during damage phases force players to dunk taken relics to break his defense.
Once Rhulk’s health is depleted, he revives with an even more punishing onslaught of Darkness attacks. The team must repeat the relic dunking process while surviving his desperate fury.
Finally, with Rhulk staggered a second time, players unleash their strongest supers and heaviest weapons to finish him for good. Removing this sinister agent of the Witness deals a major blow in the battle against Darkness.
Rhulk Loot and Rewards
Defeating Destiny 2’s most challenging raid boss offers fittingly powerful rewards. The main prizes Guardians can earn in Vow of the Disciple include:
- Collective Obligation – Exotic Void pulse rifle with stacking buffs from allies
- Forbearance – Exotic Void grenade launcher that creates spreading Void detonators
- Submission – Stasis submachine gun with potential for high-damage stacks
- Insidious – Adaptive frame Solar pulse rifle with excellent PvE capabilities
- Deliverance – Rapid-fire Arc fusion rifle with Demolitionist and Chill Clip perks
- Lubrae’s Ruin – Void Glaive with Unstoppable mod intrinsically built-in
- Class Armor – High stat roll class items, one for each class
The armor and Lubrae’s Ruin are guaranteed drops for completing the raid’s challenges. The other weapons have a chance to drop from hidden chests, encounters, or the final boss.
For committed raiders seeking the best gear, Vow of the Disciple offers some extremely powerful weapons worth grinding for. The exotic Collective Obligation and Forbearance have strong potential for endgame PvE damage output.
Importance to Destiny 2 Lore
Beyond just the loot and boss fight, Rhulk serves a key role in advancing the epic sci-fi lore of Destiny 2. As the Witness’ First Disciple, his backstory provides critical glimpses into the nature and philosophy of the Darkness.
The Witness is positioning itself as the main antagonist driving future plots and expansions. Rhulk represents one of the earliest known beings corrupted to its will, so his history sheds light on how the Witness operates and what its endgame goals may be.
Rhulk’s hatred of the Traveler matches that of his mysterious master. Learning what turned the last of the Librarians against the Light hints at the Witness’ own motivations in its cosmic war against the Gardener and Winnower’s creation.
Guardians also receive hints that Rhulk’s downfall may lead to cracks forming in the Witness’ previously solid control over its pawns. This could be a pivotal turning point in the eternal struggle for the fate of all life in the universe.
Rhulk Boss Fight Strategies and Tips
Preparing for the epic showdown against Rhulk is key to surviving Destiny 2’s most mechanically complex and punishing raid boss. Here are some top strategies and tips for overcoming the Disciple’s deadly onslaught:
- Team composition – Bring a mix of add clear, survivability, and high burst damage. Invis Hunters, Well Warlocks, and Ursa Titans excel here.
- Callouts – Constant communication on his teleports, lever positions, and damaged phases is mandatory. Missing callouts can quickly lead to wipes.
- Stay mobile – Never remain stationary or clumped up. Keep moving and use the entire arena to avoid his ground slams and ranged attacks.
- Interrupt draining – Quickly stagger and disrupt him during drain phases before he negates all ability regen.
- Lever dunk timing – Dunk taken relics the moment his shield drops for maximum DPS uptime. Don’t delay too long or waste potential damage.
- Add control – Swiftly eliminate adds during DPS phases so they don’t overwhelm the arena and drain ammo.
- Survivability – Save survival abilities like Wells and invisibility for emergencies. Staying alive outweighs a bit of damage.
- Patience – Don’t panic if he seems unstoppable at first. Remain focused and consistent, and he will eventually fall.
Following these tips will help teams endure Rhulk’s devastating capabilities. With practice and persistence, even this powerful Disciple can be overcome by the combined might of six elite Guardians working in unison.
Conclusion
Rhulk stands as the toughest foe faced by Guardians in Destiny 2’s raids to date. This ancient Disciple wields lethal Darkness powers and a deep hatred of the Light. Overcoming his cunning tactics and unrelenting onslaught in Vow of the Disciple pushes fire teams to their absolute limit.
Yet the secrets unveiled and the downfall of this key lieutenant of the Witness marks a potential turning point in the endless conflict. Piecing together his history provides insights that may prove invaluable in the coming clashes between Light and Darkness.
For those seeking the ultimate challenge that Destiny 2 PvE offers, battling Rhulk delivers an epic encounter requiring skill, strategy, and perseverance. His defeat offers sweet rewards for the few strong enough to overcome this paragon of the Darkness. Guardians who persevere through wipe after wipe will emerge forever changed, having fulfilled their Vow of the Disciple.