Destiny 2: How to beat Calus in Lightfall campaign

The time has finally come. After having squared off against the exiled Cabal Emperor since the conclusion of the Red War, it's time to put him down for good. Calus serves as the final boss for Destiny 2's Lightfall expansion. Expect a sharp incline in difficulty. The Emperor is playing for keeps. General tips for this fight are to be patient, don't use Strand, and be at or above the recommended Power Level of 1750.

Destiny 2 Lightfall Calus Boss Fight

Phase One

The first phase has Calus planted in the middle of the arena as he unleashes a volley of attacks against you. Plenty of mobs will spawn in as well as two Tormentors once Calus reaches two-thirds and one-third health.

The primary attacks that Calus uses are firing shots from his oversized gun. He will also frequently snap and summon a trio of bumblebees, akin to what appears from the Caretaker's casket in Vow of the Disciple. He will also drop a dome of Pervading Darkness that will kill once 10 stacks are reached.

To counter this, we need to make the most of the arena. There is the large central platform with three smaller platforms jutting off and forming a triangle. Forming a circle are three curved catwalks that link the smaller platforms. There will be three enemies on each platform that routinely respawn.

Related: All Destiny 2 Campaigns in Order

Carry something like a shotgun or fusion rifle to dispatch the platform guards quickly. These platforms are where we'll post up. There will be two chest-high barriers that we'll be hiding behind for the length of this fight. Titans and Warlocks will want to make use of their walls and wells to help mitigate damage. We recommend weapons like Le Monarque and Osteo Striga to damage Calus as they will also do damage over time.

Feel free to shoot the various enemies as the opportunity presents itself, but don't expose yourself as Calus can make short work of you. Once the Tormentor spawns, break out the heavy guns to drop them as quickly as possible. Failure to kill the Tormentors will allow them to join Calus in the second phase.

When Calus casts Pervading Darkness, hoof it to the other side of the arena to drop any stacks of the debuff. The dome won't stay around too long, but with two other platforms to post up on, losing one for a short period of time isn't the end of the world. Patience is the biggest key to this fight.

Related: How to get the Empowered Voices Emblem in Destiny 2

Phase Two

Once you've burned his health bar, Calus will change tactics. Head to the center platform as the smaller platforms and catwalk will be closed off. Calus now wields two swords and is hyper-aggressive. The trick to this fight is to never stop moving. There are small circular columns around the arena. Try to keep one between you and Calus as it can help protect you from his broad swings.

Even with loadouts, trying to swap to another in the menu is a death sentence. This is where weapons like Le Monarque and Osteo Striga pull double duty. The shotgun/fusion rifle can also shave off large chunks of Calus' health and special ammo should be dropping like it's going out of style.

Note that there will also be random enemies spawning during this fight as well. Dispatch them right away as even a random death resets the entire fight (both phases). Just keep moving, have a general idea where Calus is, and pop your super in case of emergency.

For more Destiny 2 goodies, check out Verglas Curve Catalyst – What it does & How to get – Destiny 2 on Pro Game Guides.