Destiny: House of Wolves – Prison of Elders: Hive arena tips and strategies

Breeze through Prison of Elder's Hive-infested cavern by way of our awesome ‘cheese’ combined with more honest-to-goodness fireteam tactics.

How to beat Destiny: House of Wolves’ Prison of Elders Hive arena

With Cursed Thrall looming, Wizards raining electric death, ‘boomer’ knights and multiple rampant Ogres, the Hive arena feels hella daunting. This whole mess is easily contained however with smart positioning and a little bit of cheek. For the most part you can stay clear of the labyrinthine death trap that comprises the central area, instead defending one spot as a 3-man unit before craftily bamboozling the incoming Hive to stay out of the frame while you complete Critical Objectives.

The best cheese spot in the Prison of Elders Hive arena

It won’t take you long to figure out that jogging around the central pool is the worst plan ever, ever. Ogres spawn to blast life-sapping beams of dark energy, reaching into the distant corners. Knights pin you down with mortar-like Boomers. Wizards hover above the raised rocks, raining electrified death while the Cursed Thrall prowl tunnels beneath. Acolytes aim their deadly ranged attacks to pick off stragglers. Luckily you can ignore absolutely all of this by sprinting to the far left corner of the arena immediately upon breaking loose from the air-lock. A barricaded shelter provides clear line-of-sight across most of the map, the only place that’s obscured only becomes relevant with Splinter Mine Critical Objectives in play (see juicy details on the latter under Objective Tactics).

Best routes around the Hive arena

Before the round even starts, it’s a good plan to trigger as many trip mines as possible before digging in for the fight. If you split up to take a three-pronged route to the safe house mentioned above this can help out later under exceptional circumstances. Honest and truly there isn’t any one particular safe route through the Hive arena, only one cleared by RPGs should another Guardian suggest running to collect ammo supplies. There is, however, a very handy hiding spot beneath the steps as you head left out of the air-lock. Though not completely off the enemy radar, ducking in here will buy you a good few seconds’ respite, long enough to recoup lost shields (if operational), and even sneak out to poke your weapons over the verge that overlooks the mystical pool of eternal badness. When all else fails, and assuming there are few of the bigger threats present, dashing around the outskirts of the arena, hugging the wall, puzzles the hell out of the Thrall in pursuit. If you’re Last Guardian Standing with energy levels flashing red just go for a jog, it might save everyone’s life.

Beating the objectives – strategies and tactics

It was during such a perilous flight as mentioned above that a PSN friend (Johny_Barbarain_) discovered a time-saving cheese that we shall now share with you. Some Guardians may have noticed that sometimes the majority of Hive enemies do not appear at the beginning of a Critical Objective wave. This makes it a cinch to disarm Splinter Mines before the room is filled with disgruntled Majors. The trick is to have one Guardian stand above the door immediately to the right of the air-lock as you exit, or towards the back of the room to the right as viewed from the shelter. He/she must do this while leaving a couple of smaller enemies alive at the end of the previous wave. Once in position, shoot the stragglers.

Somehow the Hive army that would usually emerge from the door beneath is stopped in its tracks while Splinter Mines A, B and quite often C appear in their set locations. As soon as your appointed doorman abandons the post, the Hive comes rushing in with a vengeance. Make sure you’ve got a full bag of rocket-propelled grenades to down Wizards and fell Knights in the blink of an eye.

There may soon come a time where this cheese no longer works (is patched out), meaning that you’ll need to run the Critical Objectives legitimately. In which case, an invisible Hunter or Ward of Dawn protected Titan are best options to hold an objective point. At least one Guardian should thin the ranks by sending in rockets, ideally those propelled from Gjallarhorn. It also helps to pre-empt the appearance of the far distant Splinter Mine from the shelter by sending a Guardian on ahead while drawing agro from the rest of the room. It’s possible for them not to draw attention to themselves by lying low and creeping under the Splinter Mine when it appears.

Tips for best load-outs to beat the Hive

Fatebringer is a clear winner here once again, owing to its Firefly perk that enhances the already explosive results of critical damage to Thrall. Vault of Glass favourite Vision of Confluence remains a handy Scout Rifle to have around at all times, chipping away at Wizard shields most effectively before they start bombarding your position. The solar-charged Legendary auto-rifle Abyss Defiant fulfils its role of disorientating Wizards under sustained fire, but since auto rifles have become so weak the benefits are slight. By far the strongest Crota primary is Oversoul Edict that chews through a Knight’s Wall of Darkness shield, ensuring that they’re taken down swiftly as. If you’re bringing Hunger of Crota as opposed to Gjallarhorn for your RPG slot, exotic Icebreaker is a better choice than Legendary Blackhammer in the secondary slot, partly because of the guaranteed damage but also handy if Variks has enabled the Juggler modifier restricting ammo drops. Light of the Abyss Fusion Rifle is handier than shotguns Found Verdict or The 4th Horseman, simply because you’re not intending to go toe to cloven hoof with the Hive remember. Best leave heavy machine guns behind; there’s little chance to stay put and aim the things because, well, Wizards + Knights + Ogres.

Class tips for the Hive arena

For the standard rounds, which do not include the boss fight against Urrox, Warlocks are the least handy of Guardians to clear objectives. Hunters are by far the most effective talents to have around, and a team comprising at least two can sneak invisible to disarm Splinter Mines without breaking a sweat. Their rapidly-building Super also allowing Vanish when activated. Hunters are notoriously fragile though, so at least one Titan in support is the ideal.

Go to our House of Wolves guide.