Winter's Run

Winter's Run
Game:	Destiny, Base Game
Player(s):	1 - 3
Location:	Venus
Destinypedia has a walkthrough guide for this level; see Winter's Run/Walkthrough.

"Those Fallen in the Ishtar Sink on Venus...story is they raided the Prison of Elders in the Reef. Got an Archon Priest. The Queen's bounty is high so we know it's powerful. We need to hunt this thing down before they fully restore its soul."

— Cayde-6

Winter's Run is a level 14 strike on Venus. The fireteam's objective is to infiltrate the House of Winter's lair and kill Aksor, Archon Priest.

The April Update introduced an alternate Level 41 version of this Strike that replaces the usual enemies with Taken forces. The boss of this version of the strike is Nixis, Hunger of Oryx.

Normal version

Enemies

Fallen

• Dreg
• Vandal
  • Stealth Vandal
• Captain
• Servitor
• Shank

Vex

• Goblin
• Hobgoblin
• Minotaur
• Harpy
• Hydra

Taken version

Enemies

Taken

• Taken Thrall
  • Consumed Thrall
• Taken Vandal
  • Consumed Vandal
• Taken Captain
• Taken Goblin
  • Consumed Goblin
  • Tortured Goblin
• Taken Hobgoblin
  • Tortured Hobgoblin
• Taken Minotaur
  • Tortured Minotaur
• Taken Psion
  • Consumed Psion
• Taken Phalanx
  • Devoured Phalanx
• Taken Centurion
  • Tortured Centurion

Walkthrough

It starts out normally enough. Proceed as normal until you reach the Ash Coves. In the Ash Coves there will be several Taken Blights in your way, with several Taken Minotaurs and Hobgoblins with them; defeat them with your Pikes or ignore and continue your way.

Winter's Run (Taken version)

Boss: Nixis, Hunger of Oryx

When you arrive the Archon Priest's cell is replaced with a massive Taken Blight that cannot be shot at. Fallen will be fighting with Taken, so it is best to clear them out before engaging the boss himself. Approach it and Nixis, Hunger of Oryx spawns. Like his Fallen counterpart he is a boss version of a Taken Captain with all of its abilities, plus the ability to summon lesser Blights for reinforcements.

Defeating him will be tough as he is more powerful than Aksor. Unlike Askor he tends to hide in the cave portion of the map so it is recommended you have a Nightstalker to tether him where you want and suppress his abilities, particularly the Taken Captain's shadow-blast.

Taken enemies here are more numerous than their Fallen counterparts, and will need perseverance to defeat them effectively; an awareness of where the Blights are will help prevent the debuff Shadow Touched, which suppresses your abilities. If you're not careful your team can be outflanked and overwhelmed. Like Aksor, the key is to take out reinforcements while damaging Nixis as quickly as possible.

Trivia

Winter's Run is thus far the only Taken version of a Strike that replaces the final boss with a Taken enemy. It is unusual in that it is not Askor who was Taken but another named character.