Hey Guardians, let me tell you about one of my favorite raid challenges in Destiny 2: The Grass Is Always Greener. It shows up during the Totems encounter in King's Fall, and even in 2026 it still makes fireteams sweat. I have run this challenge more times than I can count, and I want to break it down so you can knock it out without wiping for an hour. 🛡️
The Totems encounter takes place in an arena with three main rooms. Two rooms face each other, and each one has a Totem. The central chamber is where you bank stacks of Deathsinger's Power. You get that resource by clearing enemy mobs. Once you bank enough stacks, the door to the next area opens. The catch is that standing on a Totem platform will slowly kill you unless you have the Brand of the Weaver buff. That is the core mechanic that makes the challenge interesting.
In a typical run, if you have three players, one person defends a Totem while another keeps the central room clear. The third player grabs a Brand Claimer so they can steal the Brand of the Weaver. To get the Brand Claimer, you enter the central chamber and kill a Wizard and a Blightguard on the upper levels. Then you head to the other teammate defending the Totem and switch places. That rotation continues until you have enough Deathsinger's Power. 🔥
But The Grass Is Always Greener challenge changes the plan. According to YouTube creator gmeiners, you need a slightly different strategy. The challenge requires every Guardian in the fireteam to steal the Brand of the Weaver at least once. You cannot just let two dedicated runners handle everything. Everyone has to take a turn on the other side, which is where the name comes from. The grass really is greener on the other Totem. ⏳
Here is how I run it with a full fireteam of six. I assign an order before we start. Everyone needs to steal once, so I usually pair people up and rotate in a simple chain. Two players begin with the Brand on the left and right Totems. Two other players go to the center, kill the Wizard and Blightguard, and pick up the Brand Claimer. They then go to the Totems and steal the Brand from the current holders. Now the stealers have the Brand, and the original holders head to the center to get a new Brand Claimer. Those original holders then steal from the next pair. You repeat this until all six players have stolen the Brand at least once. After that, you can finish banking Deathsinger's Power and complete the encounter.
A quick table helps me keep track. I usually write it down or call it out.
| Step | What Happens | Who Acts |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Two players hold Brand on left and right | Players A and B |
| 2 | Two players get Brand Claimer from center | Players C and D |
| 3 | C and D steal from A and B | C and D |
| 4 | A and B get Brand Claimer | A and B |
| 5 | A and B steal from C and D | A and B |
| 6 | E and F get Brand Claimer and steal | E and F |
| 7 | All six have stolen, finish encounter | Everyone |
Some tips from my own runs. First, communication is everything. Call out when your Brand timer is getting low. Second, do not let the Brand expire. If it does, you die, and the challenge run gets messy. Third, keep the center room clear. If you get overwhelmed by mobs, you cannot safely grab the Brand Claimer. Fourth, do not deposit too much Deathsinger's Power before everyone has stolen. You need to pace the encounter so you do not accidentally finish early. Fifth, use survival tools like Well of Radiance, Ward of Dawn, or any healing grenades you have. Even in 2026, with all the new gear, a little extra survivability goes a long way. 💪
Common mistakes I see: someone forgets they have not stolen yet, or a player grabs the Brand Claimer but does not actually steal. Another mistake is trying to do too much at once. Slow down, follow the order, and make sure every Guardian gets their steal. If someone dies, you can recover, but it is easier to just stay alive.
Overall, The Grass Is Always Greener is not the hardest challenge in Destiny 2, but it does require coordination. Once you understand that everyone must steal the Brand, the rest is just a rotation. I hope this helps you and your fireteam clear it. Now go out there, defend those Totems, and remember: the other side might be greener, but it is also full of Hive. Good luck, Guardians. 🎮