Prepare for this Tier 3 Public Event with a Light level close to or above 300. The battle begins with Thalnok spawning in the center of the rift platform with a pair of Hive Wizards guarding his flanks. There will also be a Swordbearer in the middle of the room on the lower level, along with several lesser Taken mobs for an added level of distraction. Like Crota, Thalnok will have a shield and is immune to damage while the shield is active. When the shield is down, Thalnok can only be damaged by the Swordbearer’s weapon, so you must obtain the Relic from the Swordbearer before taking on Thalnok at all.
The first order of business is to take out the Wizards. The Wizards will replenish Thalnok’s shield in increments, and can also do damage to whoever comes near the boss. Focus on eliminating the Wizards, and bring along a Solar damage weapon to deplete their shield and health bars more quickly.
With both Wizards eliminated, shift your attention to the Swordbearer in the center of the room. Work with your teammates to take out the Swordbearer, causing him to drop a Relic. A member of your team must pick up the sword Relic, while the rest of the squad focuses fire on taking down Thalnok’s shield. When Thalnok’s shield drops, he will follow along by going down on one knee. This is when the person with the Relic (sword) must begin to do damage, hacking away with the R2 or Right Trigger. When Thalnok stands back up, have your squad quickly take his shield down a second time, getting in another run of attacks with the sword before it despawns.
Once Thalnok regains his shield and the Swordbearer’s Relic despawns, the mobs respawn and the process starts over again. Kill the Wizards, take out the Swordbearer, lower Thalnok’s shield and try to finish him off. A well-coordinated team will usually repeat this sequence once after the initial attempt, but don’t worry if it takes your team a bit longer. There is still enough time to get several sequences in if necessary.
After you defeat the Fanatic of Crota, a chest will emerge on the center platform with various goodies, including Calcified Fragment 47 (possibly). Each team member will receive a reward for completing the Court of Oryx, but keep in mind that the player who activated the Tier 3 rune will earn rewards of greater value.
If you plan to continue your journey right away, visit our Destiny: The Taken King Walkthrough and Guide. We’ll help you through almost any event that Bungie can throw at you.
