Before entering the Black Garden, it is important to understand the raid’s primary mechanics. Nearly every encounter builds upon these systems in some way.
Tethers are the defining mechanic of Garden of Salvation.
Throughout the raid, players connect themselves between a tether box and an objective in order to transfer energy.
When a tether is activated, a beam of energy links nearby players together. The chain continues through each connected Guardian until it reaches its target.
Proper positioning is critical, as players can accidentally intercept or break a tether if they stand in the wrong location.
Most encounters require the fireteam to create tether chains quickly and accurately.
Several encounters require players to collect and deposit motes.
Motes are dropped by specific enemies and must be gathered before they disappear.
Depending on the encounter, motes may be used to activate objectives, unlock damage phases, or rebuild portions of the arena.
Losing motes can significantly delay progression.
Enlightened is a temporary buff obtained during certain encounters.
This buff allows players to damage specific enemies and interact with encounter mechanics that would otherwise be immune.
Teams should always know who currently has the Enlightened buff and how it is being used.
Angelics are powerful Vex units that frequently serve as gatekeepers throughout the raid.
Many mechanics cannot progress until Angelics have been defeated.
Because they often appear during critical moments, eliminating them quickly should be a priority.
Relay structures appear throughout the raid and serve as important objective locations.
Players frequently use relays for tethers, mote deposits, and encounter progression.
Protecting relay locations is often just as important as defeating enemies.
Garden of Salvation contains a hidden series of puzzles tied to the Divinity Exotic quest.
These puzzles can be completed during a normal raid run and culminate in a special reward near the end of the raid.
The main guide will notify players whenever they are approaching a Divinity puzzle location, while the complete puzzle walkthrough is covered in the dedicated Divinity guide.
Before entering the Black Garden, it is important to understand the raid’s primary mechanics. Nearly every encounter builds upon these systems in some way.
Tethers are the defining mechanic of Garden of Salvation.
Throughout the raid, players connect themselves between a tether box and an objective in order to transfer energy.
When a tether is activated, a beam of energy links nearby players together. The chain continues through each connected Guardian until it reaches its target.
Proper positioning is critical, as players can accidentally intercept or break a tether if they stand in the wrong location.
Most encounters require the fireteam to create tether chains quickly and accurately.
Several encounters require players to collect and deposit motes.
Motes are dropped by specific enemies and must be gathered before they disappear.
Depending on the encounter, motes may be used to activate objectives, unlock damage phases, or rebuild portions of the arena.
Losing motes can significantly delay progression.
Enlightened is a temporary buff obtained during certain encounters.
This buff allows players to damage specific enemies and interact with encounter mechanics that would otherwise be immune.
Teams should always know who currently has the Enlightened buff and how it is being used.
Angelics are powerful Vex units that frequently serve as gatekeepers throughout the raid.
Many mechanics cannot progress until Angelics have been defeated.
Because they often appear during critical moments, eliminating them quickly should be a priority.
Relay structures appear throughout the raid and serve as important objective locations.
Players frequently use relays for tethers, mote deposits, and encounter progression.
Protecting relay locations is often just as important as defeating enemies.
Garden of Salvation contains a hidden series of puzzles tied to the Divinity Exotic quest.
These puzzles can be completed during a normal raid run and culminate in a special reward near the end of the raid.
The main guide will notify players whenever they are approaching a Divinity puzzle location, while the complete puzzle walkthrough is covered in the dedicated Divinity guide.
Divinity Puzzle #1 becomes available before reaching this encounter.
Players working toward Divinity should complete the puzzle before proceeding.
See the Divinity Guide for the complete puzzle walkthrough.
Summon the Consecrated Mind is the first major boss encounter in Garden of Salvation.
The fireteam must collect motes, defend relay structures, and use tether mechanics to progress through the encounter while preventing Vex sacrifices.
This encounter introduces many of the core systems that appear again later in the raid and serves as a foundation for the remainder of Garden of Salvation.
The encounter takes place in a large arena divided into multiple lanes.
Relay structures are positioned throughout the area and serve as important objective locations.
Enemy waves continuously attack the relays while the fireteam works to collect motes and progress the encounter.
Defeated enemies drop motes that must be collected and deposited.
Depositing enough motes progresses the encounter and unlocks future phases.
Lost motes can significantly delay completion.
Relays serve as defensive objectives throughout the encounter.
Vex enemies attempt to sacrifice themselves at active relays.
Too many sacrifices can quickly create problems for the fireteam.
Players must create tether chains to activate important objectives and progress the encounter.
Proper positioning is critical because accidental movement can break the tether.
The Consecrated Mind periodically appears and influences encounter progression.
Managing its mechanics correctly is necessary to reach the final phase.
Begin by assigning mote collection teams and relay defenders.
Defeat enemies, collect motes, and deposit them at the appropriate relay locations.
While mote teams are operating, other players should defend active relays and prevent Vex sacrifices.
As mechanics progress, use tether chains when required and continue depositing motes until the encounter reaches its final phase.
Maintain control of relay locations and complete all required objectives to defeat the encounter.
The most common cause of failure is allowing too many Vex sacrifices at relay locations.
Many teams also lose valuable motes by rushing collections or dying while carrying them.
Clear communication between mote teams and relay defenders significantly improves consistency.
Complete Embrace the Light without killing Cyclops enemies after they spawn.
The fireteam must leave the Cyclops alive while still completing the encounter normally.
The challenge is mostly about restraint and positioning.
When Cyclops enemies appear, avoid damaging them and focus instead on completing tether activations, defeating required enemies, and preventing Vex sacrifices at the relays.
Because the Cyclops remain active, players should avoid standing in exposed sightlines for long periods of time. Use cover when possible and move deliberately between tether positions.
The encounter mechanics do not change, but survivability becomes more important because dangerous enemies are intentionally left alive.
Most failures occur when players instinctively destroy a Cyclops as part of normal add clear.
Before starting the encounter, remind the fireteam that Cyclops enemies must be ignored.
Accidental damage from supers, explosive weapons, or roaming add-clear abilities can also fail the challenge, so players should be careful with weapons and abilities that may hit the Cyclops unintentionally.
The first secret chest in Garden of Salvation can be obtained immediately after completing Evade the Consecrated Mind.
See the Secret Chest Guide for the full walkthrough and location details.
Because this chest can only reward previously acquired Garden of Salvation weapons and armor, it becomes more valuable as you unlock additional loot from the raid.
Divinity Puzzle #2 becomes available before reaching this encounter.
Players working toward Divinity should complete the puzzle before proceeding.
See the Divinity Guide for the complete puzzle walkthrough.
The second encounter introduces the tether mechanic more directly and serves as the first major coordination test of the raid.
The fireteam must activate Vex structures, defend relay points, and build chains in order to summon the Consecrated Mind.
Unlike the previous encounter, success depends heavily on positioning and communication.
The arena consists of several relay locations connected by pathways.
Each relay serves as both a defensive objective and a tether point.
Players will frequently move between relays while defending against Vex attacks.
Relays must be activated using tether chains.
Players position themselves between relay boxes to transfer energy and activate the structure.
Successfully activating relays progresses the encounter.
Certain enemies can only be defeated effectively while players possess the Enlightened buff.
This buff is gained through interaction with the relay system and must be maintained throughout the encounter.
Players should always be aware of who currently has Enlightened available.
Vex enemies periodically attempt to sacrifice themselves at relay points.
Allowing too many sacrifices causes the encounter to fail.
Defending relays is therefore just as important as completing mechanics.
Begin by activating the first relay using the tether mechanic.
Once active, defend the relay while defeating incoming Vex enemies.
As additional relays become available, create tether chains and activate them in sequence.
Players who gain Enlightened should focus on enemies requiring the buff while the rest of the fireteam manages sacrifices and general enemy control.
Continue activating relays and defending objectives until the Consecrated Mind appears.
Successfully completing all relay activations summons the boss and finishes the encounter.
Most failures occur because tether chains are formed incorrectly.
Players should avoid unnecessary movement while a chain is being created, as even small adjustments can break the connection.
Many teams also underestimate the importance of sacrifices and become overly focused on mechanics.
Maintaining control of relay locations is essential for success.
Every player must participate in every tether throughout the encounter.
Whenever a tether is activated, all six members of the fireteam must be connected to the chain.
The easiest way to complete this challenge is to keep the entire fireteam together whenever a tether is required.
Before activating a tether, have all six players form a chain between the relay and the objective. Once everyone is connected, complete the tether normally.
Because multiple tethers occur throughout the encounter, consistency is more important than speed.
Teams should verify that every player is connected before each activation rather than rushing the mechanic.
The most common failure occurs when a player stands too far away from the chain and is not connected when the tether activates.
Many groups also fail the challenge because players begin moving before the tether has completed successfully.
Take a moment before every tether activation to confirm that all six players are participating.
Complete the encounter while preventing Vex from successfully sacrificing at relay locations.
Assign dedicated relay defenders and prioritize enemies moving toward active relays.
Mote teams should continue collecting and depositing efficiently, but protecting the relays must remain the highest priority throughout the encounter.
Because sacrifices are often caused by players becoming distracted by mote collection or boss mechanics, maintaining awareness of relay locations is essential.
Most failures occur when multiple enemies reach a relay simultaneously while the team is focused elsewhere.
Another common issue occurs when defenders leave a relay unattended while helping with other mechanics.
Strong communication between relay defenders and mote teams makes this triumph significantly easier.
Additional Champions appear throughout the encounter and dramatically increase pressure on relay defenders.
Mote collection becomes more dangerous due to increased enemy density and incoming damage.
Because losing motes can delay progression significantly, teams should prioritize survival and consistency over speed.
Relay defense becomes even more important than on Normal difficulty, as Champions and stronger enemy waves can quickly overwhelm an unprepared team.
Fireteams attempting Master difficulty should focus on controlling the battlefield, maintaining clear communication, and executing mechanics cleanly before worrying about maximizing damage output.
Divinity Puzzle #3 can be completed during this traversal section.
Players pursuing Divinity should complete the puzzle before continuing deeper into the raid.
See the Divinity Guide for the full puzzle walkthrough.
Undergrowth is the traversal section connecting Summon the Consecrated Mind and Sanctified Mind, Sol Inherent.
While not a traditional encounter, this area contains platforming challenges, enemies, Divinity puzzle opportunities, and important progression paths through the Black Garden.
Because several hidden objectives are located here, players should take their time and ensure all desired goals have been completed before moving forward.
The Undergrowth consists of a large network of interconnected pathways suspended throughout the Black Garden.
Players must navigate between platforms, tunnels, and vegetation-covered structures while progressing toward the next encounter.
Several routes appear similar, making communication important for players unfamiliar with the area.
After completing Summon the Consecrated Mind, proceed through the newly opened path leading deeper into the Garden.
Follow the route through the Undergrowth while navigating platforming sections and defeating enemies along the way.
Several optional areas branch away from the primary route. Players working on Divinity or other objectives should ensure these locations are explored before advancing.
Continue progressing until reaching the next encounter arena.
The most common cause of deaths in the Undergrowth is rushing platforming sections.
Many players also accidentally advance too far and pull teammates forward before hidden objectives have been completed.
Before leaving the area, confirm that all Divinity objectives and collectibles have been completed.
Divinity Puzzle #4 can be completed before beginning this encounter.
Players pursuing Divinity should complete the puzzle before starting the fight.
See the Divinity Guide for the complete puzzle walkthrough.
Consecrated Mind, Sol Inherent is the third encounter of Garden of Salvation and serves as a major evolution of the mote and tether mechanics introduced earlier in the raid.
The fireteam must collect motes, defend relay structures, manage Enlightened buffs, and coordinate tether activations while pursuing the Consecrated Mind through a series of phases.
Unlike previous encounters, the boss itself becomes a more active threat and demands constant attention throughout the fight.
Success depends on strong communication, efficient mote collection, and disciplined relay defense.
The encounter takes place in a large rectangular arena divided into several lanes.
Relay structures are positioned throughout the battlefield and serve as important objective locations.
The Consecrated Mind moves between various positions around the arena while enemies continuously attack the relay network.
Players obtain the Enlightened buff through tether interactions.
This buff allows players to defeat shielded enemies that would otherwise be immune to damage.
Managing Enlightened assignments is critical throughout the encounter.
Specific enemies drop motes that must be collected and deposited.
Depositing enough motes progresses the encounter and prepares the next phase.
Lost motes can significantly delay completion.
Relay structures must be protected from Vex sacrifices.
Allowing too many sacrifices can jeopardize the encounter and create unnecessary pressure on the fireteam.
The Consecrated Mind moves throughout the arena and periodically exposes weak points that must be destroyed.
Successfully responding to these mechanics is required to continue progressing the encounter.
After completing the required mote and relay objectives, the Consecrated Mind becomes vulnerable.
The fireteam should gather and maximize damage before the boss retreats and mechanics begin again.
Multiple damage phases are typically required.
Begin by assigning mote collection teams and relay defenders.
Acquire Enlightened buffs and use them to eliminate shielded enemies as they appear.
Defeat designated enemies, collect motes, and deposit them into the appropriate relay structures.
Throughout the encounter, defend relays from incoming Vex and prevent sacrifices whenever possible.
When the Consecrated Mind exposes its weak points, destroy them quickly to advance the encounter.
After enough progress has been made, prepare for the damage phase.
Group together, activate damage buffs and debuffs, and deal as much damage as possible before the phase ends.
Repeat the process until the Consecrated Mind is defeated.
The most common cause of failure is poor Enlightened management.
Teams often struggle when shielded enemies are left alive for too long, preventing important mechanics from being completed.
Another common issue occurs when relay defenders become distracted by mote collection and allow sacrifices to occur.
Maintaining clear role assignments throughout the encounter dramatically improves consistency.
The Consecrated Mind must only be interrupted by destroying the same weak point throughout the entire encounter.
Once the first weak point is chosen, every subsequent interruption must use that same location.
If a different weak point is destroyed, the challenge fails.
Before beginning the encounter, decide which weak point the team will use for every interruption.
Most groups choose either the left shoulder, right shoulder, or center weak point and commit to that location for the entire encounter.
Whenever the Consecrated Mind prepares its attack, focus all fire on the selected weak point and ignore the others.
Consistency is more important than speed. As long as the same weak point is destroyed every time, the challenge remains active.
The most common cause of failure is a player accidentally damaging a different weak point.
Explosive weapons, roaming supers, and abilities with large splash damage can unintentionally hit multiple weak points and invalidate the challenge.
Before each interruption, remind the fireteam which weak point is being used and ensure everyone focuses their damage accordingly.
Complete the encounter while maintaining efficient relay management and avoiding unnecessary sacrifices.
Keep relay defenders assigned throughout the encounter and prioritize enemies approaching relay locations.
Strong communication between mote collectors and defenders helps ensure that no area becomes overwhelmed.
Most failures occur when relay defenders abandon their positions or when teams become overly focused on boss damage instead of mechanics.
Maintaining relay control throughout the fight is more important than shortening a damage phase.
Additional Champions appear throughout the encounter and significantly increase pressure on relay defenders and mote teams.
Enlightened management becomes less forgiving because shielded enemies survive longer and punish mistakes more severely.
Enemy density increases substantially, making relay defense one of the most important aspects of the encounter.
Teams should prioritize survival, Champion control, and mechanic execution over aggressive damage strategies.
A clean encounter with multiple damage phases is often more successful than attempting to force a shorter completion at the expense of mechanics.
Secret Chest #2 can be obtained during this traversal section.
See the Secret Chest Guide for the full walkthrough.
Divinity Puzzle #5 can be completed after defeating Consecrated Mind, Sol Inherent.
Players pursuing Divinity should complete the puzzle before continuing.
See the Divinity Guide for the complete puzzle walkthrough.
Divinity Puzzle #6 can be completed during the traversal section leading to the final encounter.
Players pursuing Divinity should complete the puzzle before entering the Sanctified Mind arena.
See the Divinity Guide for the complete puzzle walkthrough.
Divinity Puzzle #7 is completed immediately before claiming Divinity near the end of the raid.
Players pursuing Divinity should ensure all previous puzzles have been completed before beginning the final encounter.
See the Divinity Guide for the complete puzzle walkthrough.
Sanctified Mind, Sol Inherent is the final encounter of Garden of Salvation and serves as the culmination of every major mechanic introduced throughout the raid.
The fireteam must collect motes, rebuild portions of the arena, defend relay structures, create tether chains, and coordinate damage phases while preventing the Sanctified Mind from overwhelming the battlefield.
Success depends on communication, efficient mote management, and precise tether execution.
The encounter takes place in a large arena divided into two primary sides.
Throughout the fight, portions of the floor are destroyed by the Sanctified Mind and must be rebuilt using tether mechanics.
Relay structures are positioned at the front of the arena and serve as important objective locations throughout the encounter.
Portal locations allow players to travel to distant islands where motes are collected.
Specific enemies on the outer islands drop motes.
Players must enter portals, defeat enemies, collect motes, and return to the main arena.
Depositing enough motes activates relay structures and progresses the encounter.
The Sanctified Mind periodically opens portals to distant islands.
Teams enter these portals to collect motes before returning to the main arena.
Efficient portal rotations are critical to encounter success.
Relay structures serve as deposit locations and tether anchors.
Protecting these relays remains a major priority throughout the encounter.
The Sanctified Mind destroys sections of the arena floor during combat.
Players can use tether mechanics to rebuild missing platforms.
While rebuilding is not always required, maintaining enough safe terrain significantly reduces encounter difficulty.
Tethers are used for rebuilding platforms, activating relay structures, and beginning damage phases.
Accidental tether connections can disrupt mechanics and create unnecessary complications.
After sufficient motes have been deposited and the encounter mechanics have been completed, the Sanctified Mind becomes vulnerable.
The fireteam must create a tether chain to begin damage.
Once damage starts, maximize damage output before the boss becomes immune again.
Multiple damage phases are typically required.
Begin by assigning portal teams and relay defenders.
When portals open, send designated players to collect motes while the remaining players defend the arena.
Deposit motes into the appropriate relay structures and continue progressing mechanics.
As the Sanctified Mind destroys sections of the floor, rebuild platforms when necessary to maintain safe movement throughout the arena.
Continue collecting motes and defending relay locations until both relays have been activated.
When the damage phase becomes available, create the required tether chain and begin damaging the boss.
After the damage phase ends, repeat the process by collecting additional motes, rebuilding terrain, and preparing for the next damage opportunity.
Continue cycling through mechanics until the Sanctified Mind is defeated.
The most common cause of failure is poor mote management.
Lost motes often delay progression and force additional mechanic cycles.
Many teams also struggle with accidental tether connections that interfere with rebuilding or damage phase preparation.
Another common issue occurs when too much of the arena is allowed to remain destroyed, making movement increasingly difficult as the encounter progresses.
Clear role assignments and consistent communication greatly improve success rates.
Players may only deposit either 10 motes at a time or 0 motes at a time.
Deposits of 5 motes are not allowed.
Every successful deposit must be a full stack of 10 motes.
Assign players to collect complete stacks of 10 motes before returning to deposit.
Because the challenge prohibits partial deposits, communication between portal teams becomes extremely important.
If a player dies while carrying motes, the team should recover carefully rather than rushing deposits and risking challenge failure.
Most teams assign specific players to collect full stacks while others focus on defending relays and controlling enemies.
The most common failure occurs when a player deposits fewer than 10 motes.
Another common issue occurs when a player accidentally loses motes and attempts to deposit a partial stack to compensate.
Before every deposit, verify that the player is carrying a full stack of 10 motes.
Defeat the Sanctified Mind using its own Cyclops to destroy the tethered Vex structures.
Throughout the encounter, manipulate Cyclops positioning and attacks so they destroy the structures required for the triumph.
Because this objective requires planning throughout the encounter, assign players to monitor Cyclops locations and coordinate their movements carefully.
Most failures occur because Cyclops are killed too quickly or because their attacks miss the required targets.
Patience and communication are more important than speed when pursuing this triumph.
Additional Champions appear throughout the encounter and significantly increase pressure on both portal teams and relay defenders.
Enemy density is higher, platform management becomes more important, and mistakes during mote collection are much more punishing.
Portal teams should prioritize survival and safe mote collection rather than attempting to rush objectives.
Damage phases require stronger coordination due to increased incoming damage and the greater difficulty of maintaining arena control.
Teams attempting Master difficulty should focus on consistent mechanic execution, Champion control, and communication rather than attempting to shorten the encounter through aggressive strategies.