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Destiny 2: Lightfall raid start time

Learn the start time of the Destiny 2: Lightfall raid, The Root of Nightmares, as well as its recommended Power, and how to prepare for the raid.

Sam Chandler

February 21, 2023 9:00 PM

Bungie

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Destiny 2: Lightfall is rapidly approaching, or if you’re reading in the future, already here. With its arrival comes yet another highly anticipated event: the release of a Day One raid. The Lightfall raid, called The Root of Nightmares, will be no different, with would-be victors lining up at the gates to jump in once the race begins. Gather your fireteam and prepare some snacks, because the Lightfall raid start time is nigh.

The Root of Nightmares - Lightfall raid start time

The Root of Nightmares Lightfall raid release time is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. PT / 12:00 p.m. ET on March 10, 2023. This is a Friday morning, which might not work for a lot of players but it ensures more Bungie developers are on-hand in the event something goes wrong.

Previously, the launch of the Vow of the Disciple raid was plagued with issues over the first couple of hours, and because it was a weekend raid, there weren’t many Bungie members present to address the problems in a timely manner. This saw the Day One Contest Mode get extended by 24 hours to make up for the downtime.

The Root of Nightmares Power cap & Contest Mode

The Root of Nightmares Power cap is 1780. Previous day one raids have limited players' Power to 20 points below the encounter and the same holds true with Lightfall's raid. The Power cap for the Vow of the Disciple raid was 1530, 20 points below the Power cap. With Lightfall’s Power cap sitting at 1800, and the Legendary campaign awarding 1770 gear, players won't have far to climb to reach the Contest Mode Power cap.

Speaking of Contest Mode, this time the special mode will be active for 48 hours instead of the typical 24. This will hopefully give more players an opportunity to dive in and complete the raid, especially those who may have prior commitments on a Friday. Those who complete the raid within this time limit and claim the Triumph will earn an emblem. Additionally, completing the raid before March 21 allows users to purchase a themed raid jacket and pin.

However, a World First run can only have one winner. The first fireteam to beat all encounters, open the final chest, and return to orbit will receive a wrestling-style belt for all six members.

Preparing for The Root of Nightmares Lightfall raid

If you’re already looking forward to Lightfall, there’s a good chance you’ve started the preparation process. For those that want some tips, we’ve got a guide on how to prepare for Lightfall. This covers Bounty hoarding, stocking up on resources, and unlocking Catalysts, patterns, and more.

The process of preparing for Lightfall will get you in a great spot to start the raid when it drops. However, there are more things you need to do once the expansion arrives. Firstly, your old builds will be rendered useless thanks to the new Loadouts, mod updates, and buildcrafting changes. Getting your builds in order will be a high priority.

Secondly, a new expansion will bring new weapons. We’ll be keeping an ear to the ground in a bid to see what is outperforming all others. Check back with us for more insight, but for now, focus on acquiring weapons that feel good to use – like Wendigo GL3, which is available by farming Grandmaster Nightfalls.

Finally, keep in mind that the release of a new raid always comes with some slight hiccups. Anticipate server issues and slowdown with tools like Destiny Item Manager. Plan around this by preparing your Guardian the night before with the weapons you’ll need on raid day.

The release of the Destiny 2: Lightfall raid, The Root of Nightmares, is almost here. The raid has the same start time as previous raids, beginning at 9:00 a.m. PT / 12:00 p.m. ET. Set your alarm and ready your Fireteam because it all kicks off on Friday, March 10. Check out the Shacknews Destiny 2 strategy guide for more help for the new expansion and raid.

Sam Chandler

Head of Guides

Hailing from the land down under, Sam Chandler brings a bit of the southern hemisphere flair to his work. After bouncing round a few universities, securing a bachelor degree, and entering the video game industry, he's found his new family here at Shacknews as Head of Guides. There's nothing he loves more than crafting a guide that will help someone. If you need help with a guide, or notice something not quite right, you can message him on X: @SamuelChandler