Some people will say that there is no perfect Raid technique, maybe they're right, but I'd like explain how my group has been beating the Hard Raid, maybe get some tips and tricks from you guys, and get as close to possible to the perfect technique. The idea of this guide is to remove the confusion from the raid, leaving only the fun, so share around with your friends before your next attempt, and enjoy. Here is a link to my Crota's End Guide http://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/91730331 This will be a fairly in-depth guide to the raid (hopefully clearing up a lot of the misconceptions and unknown mechanics), that I will update as we find out better techniques, tips, and tricks. The first part of each section will be explaining basic mechanics. Hard mode only techniques will be marked with an asterisk*. Please leave a comment if this helps you, or if you have tips to share, and please bump helpful tips in the comments. I've only done this to help people. [b]Opening Raid Door[/b] Capture and defend the 3 sync plates. Only minotaurs can capture the plate. Once you have captured the plate you don't need to stand in it, just don't let minotaur's in. -2 People per plate, Middle plate is easiest as spawns are viewable from other plates. -Destroy minotaur's with heavy weapons, and call out minotaur spawns, <---This will be relevant throughout the raid. [b]Defending the Confluxes[/b] Defend confluxes from sacrifices on 3 separate occasions separated by large waves of enemies. 4 sacrifices=team wipe. There are 3 "lanes" with enemies spawning at the back of each and a conflux location in each. Defend Middle conflux for a few minutes then it will disappear, a large wave of enemies will appear that you must survive, then Left and Right conflux appears, defend, another large wave, all confluxes appear, defend, then survive the last large wave. Fanatics will leave "Poison" one the ground when killed, if you step in it you will be "Marked". The Templars "Ritual of Negation" spell is cast twice per conflux defend, once after large wave, and kills anyone Marked (also takes away super, so warlocks suicide if you are not going to make the cleanse). You can remove mark by going into the fountain of light at the back of Middle lane. -2 People per "lane" Left is most difficult. -Middle team moves forward to help defend Left and Right during second conflux stage. -*When "Templar Summons Legions" optionally hide in the spirit bloom chest room (a small opening in the wall near the Left conflux) until the wave disappears* [b]Oracles[/b] The Templar summons oracles that Mark you if they are not destroyed in ~10 seconds Fountain in Middle lane is still used for cleansing. Enemies continue spawning in same locations. Oracles spawn in 7 locations and follow the same pattern every time. Mid- Front Middle on stairs near conflux Left 1- Front Left on stairs Left 2 - Near conflux Left Left 3 - Back Left hidden near Templar Right 1 - Front Right Right 2 - Back Right on conflux platform right side Right 3 - Back Right on conflux platform left side Mid Left 2 Right 2 Left 1 Left 3 Right 3 Right 1 Right 3 Left 3 Right 2 Left 2 Mid Right 2 Right 1 Left 3 Left 1 Left 1 Right 3 Left 3 Left 2 Right 2 Right 1 Mid Right 1 Left 3 Left 1 Right 2 Mid Left 2 Right 3 Right 3 Right 2 Right 1 Left 3 Left 1 Left 2 Right 1 Right 2 Mid -2 People per lane, be sure you can see all oracle locations. -Destroy Hobgoblins that spawn on outer platforms ASAP. *Alternately this can be done with everyone on spawning platform, just spread out on the rocks so you can see multiple oracles, Right 3 and Left 3 can be destroyed from a small ledge beside the column on the right side of the spawn platform, have 2 people there. One warlock jumps down and misses platform to start oracle spawn, then revives up top.* [b]Templar[/b] A shield/relic is dropped where the fountain was, this shield has attacks similar to the sword of crota as well as the ability to Cleanse by holding the grenade button, and destroy the Templars shield with its Super ability which is fired with the super buttons. Both abilities use the same attributes to charge them, Discipline-Cleanse, Intellect-Super so consider this when choosing shield bearer. The idea is to take down the Templar shield with the relic super, and deal as much damage as possible before he teleports, regaining his shield. When his shield goes down 3 people will randomly be put in a containment field which you cannot leave, or you will die, it can be destroyed with bullets or melee. You can stop the teleport by standing inside the marker that appears when he is attempting to teleport, and by defeating the Templar without a single teleport, you can an extra Ascendant Material chest, although not recommended for Hard Mode. -5 people stay on spawning platform with good visibility of oracles and teleport locations. -Relic holder runs to Right conflux area and kills harpies as they spawn to charge super fast and take down shield regularly. Upon completion exit the room via the spirit bloom chest room, it has a normal chest inside, you can open it, as it has no effect on anything. At the back of the room there is a small opening, follow the tunnels all the way down, just before the final jump is a hidden room which contains the bonus chest. Another chest is after the final jump down, on the left in a large room. [b]Gorgon Maze and Jumping Puzzle[/b] There are multiple ways to complete this section, all of which are hard to explain with text. Remember chest on right. [b]Gatekeeper[/b] Looking from the door there is a Gate on the left and on the Right, inside each Gate is a Shield/Relic that needs to be obtained. You cannot enter until the Gatekeeper is destroyed, then standing on a sync plate will open the gate next to it. When you stand on a sync plate enemies will spawn, including Minotaur's who can capture the plate, and if they do, the gate will close, and an oracle will appear above the gate which will wipe the whole team in about 5 seconds (confirm time?). Inside the Gate is a copy of the same room with a Mars theme on the Left Gate and a Venus theme on the Right Gate. People must enter the gate, destroy another Gatekeeper, who will drop a Relic with the same abilities as the Templar Relic. Upon killing the first Gatekeeper, anyone who enters any Gate will become marked, and can only be completely cleansed once outside. Also upon first Gatekeepers death a Conflux will appear at the centre of the room (outside gate) and minotaur's will spawn on the back stairs, along with hobgoblins from the doors near sync plates. The conflux must be defended until both shields are obtained, brought through the gates, and a final large wave is defended against. -*Snipe Gatekeeper/Ads from door until it is safe to emerge* -2 in Mars portal 4 defend plate then -2 conflux 3 (including relic)venus 1 venus plate Alternately -3 per side: 1 always outside, 1 relic holder, 1 helper. -Immediately after opening the relic holder and helper of each side go in at same time. -Helper will put a clip of rockets / sniper into Gatekeeper, but must LEAVE BEFORE DOWNING as to avoid being marked. Helper is inside for a whole 5-10 seconds. -From there the relic players should position themselves by the relic as they kill the Gatekeeper then call out before to coordinate with other gate. -Important to get out before cleanse is needed, especially considering how many adds will be alive on Mars side. -All defend Conflux. -Shield bearers concentrate on Gates. [b]Atheon[/b] Atheon will come out shooting (pew pew), then freeze and teleport 3 random people into one of the Gates, the become marked, and a Shield/Relic appears at their feet. They must then destroy a sequence of oracles that spawn, along with a few enemies, while staying close together for easy cleansing, and make their way back out through the Gate, which should hopefully of been opened by the people who were not teleported. Outside Atheon remains frozen, but suicide bomber harpies spawn, harassing the team as they open the gate for the team inside, in hard mode they are also trapped in a containment field like the Templar as the teleport happens. Relic holder runs down and attacks enemies before returning to continually cleanse team. Once out you need to all cleanse before shield is taken, but you will have a HUGE buff to damage of Atheon starting when the last Oracle is destroyed and lasting until he takes the shield and teleports again. This buff (Times Vengeance) also reduces cooldowns immensely. Team Wipes-> Relic was dropped for 5seconds Nobody outside Gate Oracles not destroyed in ~10 seconds -Be sure not to equip AoE DoT grenades, as they move enemies including atheon, disrupting smooth operations. -Highest level picks up shield -Stay together while shooting oracles to make Cleansing easier. [u]Mars[/u]- grenade but don't shoot enemies, (grenades won't initiate they're sheilds) leave it for relic holder. [u]Venus[/u]- Give it all to the big guy before killing oracles, heavy, supers and grenades. [u]Outside[/u]- Ask where they are, open portal, stay up high, go in Gate if required, but 1 must be outside or wipe. -Relic holder leaves before the last oracle is destroyed, jumps to the middle rock uses super, then holds cleanse for the dome shield that can be shot through. -Titan uses Ward of Dawn near Gate exit, so everyone can get the Weapons of Light buff before heading to the shield on the rock. -Everyone jumps into that shield and uses high damage, but heavy is usually saved for venus. -At 2 seconds a Titan uses Ward of Dawn and everyone just chills until next teleport -Repeat until the big Megatron piñata pops, and everyone gets a Vex Mythoclast Word limit reached, Thanks for reading, I hope this helps someone.