You’re staring at the "Aquanaut" title, just one step away from finishing the Season of the Deep seal, and there it is—the "Rites of the Deep" objective. It looks simple. Too simple. Then you realize you've been grinding Salvage for three hours and the progress bar hasn't budged an inch. Honestly, it’s one of those Destiny 2 moments where the UI doesn't tell you the whole story, and you're left wondering if the game is bugged or if you're just doing it wrong.
Most people think Rites of the Deep Destiny 2 is just about playing the seasonal activities. It's not.
Well, it is, but with a very specific, annoying catch. You need to be the one performing the ritual actions. If your teammate dunks the heavy wrench or interacts with the Hive ritual plate before you do, you get nothing. Zero. Zip. It’s a literal race against your own fireteam, which, let’s be real, is the true endgame of Destiny 2 anyway.
What Rites of the Deep Destiny 2 Actually Requires
To clear this triumph, you need to complete ritual starts in both Salvage and Deep Dive activities. Specifically, you're looking at things like the Hive rituals in Salvage or the "Pressure Trials" activations in Deep Dives.
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If you’re running Salvage, you have to be the person who interacts with the Hive crystals or stands on the plates to initiate the encounter phases. If you're just standing there slaying out and killing thrall while "xX_GamerDad_Xx" does the mechanics, you aren't progressing your triumph. It feels a bit selfish to race for the objective, but that’s how Bungie designed this one. You’ve got to be fast.
The requirement is technically to "complete ritual starts," which sounds like a one-and-done thing. It’s not. You need dozens of these.
The Salvage Grind Strategy
In the Salvage activity, the ritual starts usually happen at the beginning of the "Defend the Ritual" or "Destroy the Crystals" phases. Look for the white waypoint markers immediately as a new encounter starts. Don't wait for the objective text to update on the left side of your screen. If you see a plate, stand on it. If you see a crystal, punch it or interact with it immediately.
I’ve seen players get frustrated because they’ve done 50 Salvage runs and they’re only at 40% progress. That’s because the activity is matchmade for six players. With six people all trying to do the same thing, your odds of being the "starter" are roughly 16%. Those aren't great odds if you're trying to respect your own time.
My advice? Run with a pre-made fireteam. Tell them you need the ritual starts. Most veteran players already have Aquanaut and won't care if you take the lead on the mechanics.
Deep Dives and the Pressure Trial Problem
Deep Dives are a whole different beast. To get progress for Rites of the Deep Destiny 2 here, you really need to be activating the Darkness Refrain (the "Tolman" or floating black orb).
When you start a Deep Dive floor, look for the little glowing orb tucked away in a corner. All three players have to interact with it to start a Pressure Trial. If you initiate it, that counts toward your "rites."
- Floor 1: Usually behind a pillar or under a grate.
- Floor 2: Often hidden near the entrance of the encounter room.
- Floor 3: Usually in plain sight but requires high-speed movement to beat your teammates to the "Invoke Darkness" prompt.
Deep Dives are significantly harder than Salvage. If you trigger the Pressure Trial, the enemy power level jumps significantly. If you're doing this with blueberries (random players), they might get salty. They might not be geared for a Tier 7 run. They might just want a quick clear for a seasonal challenge. But if you want that Rites of the Deep progress, you have to pull the trigger.
Why the Progress Feels Slow
Destiny 2 is notorious for "hidden" point values. The triumph doesn't say "Do 10 rituals." It just shows a bar.
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Actually, the math works out to roughly 1% per ritual start in some tiers, though it varies depending on whether you're in a Deep Dive or Salvage. Deep Dive completions of rituals seem to weight a bit heavier, but they take three times as long to set up. It’s a classic Bungie trade-off: do you want the easy, brain-dead farm that takes forever, or the high-stress, difficult farm that’s technically faster?
Equipment Check: Speed is Everything
Since you're basically competing with five other people in Salvage, you need to move. This isn't the time for a slow-moving, tanky Titan build unless you're using Lion Rampants.
- Hunters: Stompees or Strand Grapple. If you aren't grappling to the ritual site, someone else will.
- Warlocks: Icarus Dash is your best friend.
- Titans: Shoulder charge for the mobility burst.
Honestly, use a sword with Eager Edge. It’s controversial in social circles, but for Rites of the Deep, it’s a tool of the trade. If you can zip across the map the moment the encounter changes, you'll secure the interaction.
The Missing Context: Seasonal Legacy
Since we are now looking back at this content through the lens of the current sandbox, it’s worth noting that these activities are "legacy" content. This means the player pool is smaller.
That’s actually a good thing for you.
Fewer players mean a higher chance that you’ll be matched with people who are just there to test a new build or farm a specific weapon drop, rather than people sweating for the same triumph. If you find yourself in a lobby with two other people who clearly don't know where the Hive plates are, stay in that lobby. Do not leave. That is your golden ticket to finishing the Rites of the Deep objective in a single afternoon.
Common Misconceptions
People often think you need to wear the seasonal armor (the Techeun's Regalia or the Sunken seasonal set) to get progress. You don't. While wearing that armor increases your "Reputation" gains and helps with certain other seasonal challenges, it has zero impact on the Rites of the Deep triumph progress. Don't tank your stats just to wear low-roll seasonal gear for this specific goal.
Another big mistake is thinking that "Ritual" refers to the Vanguard/Crucible/Gambit ritual playlist. It doesn't. In the context of Season of the Deep, "Rites" refers strictly to the Hive-themed mechanics within the seasonal activities themselves. It's confusing because Bungie uses the word "Ritual" to describe half the things in the game, but here, it's all about Xivu Arath's influence under the waves of Titan.
Actionable Steps to Finish "Rites of the Deep" Fast
If you're tired of looking at that 85% progress bar, follow this exact sequence:
- Load into Salvage solo. Don't bring a full squad unless they are helping you.
- Equip a high-mobility loadout. Eager Edge sword is mandatory.
- Ignore the mobs. Your job isn't to clear the room; it's to be the first person to touch the objective.
- Look for the 'Interact' prompt. In the ritual phases, there will be a faint white glow. That is your target.
- Switch to Deep Dives for the final 10%. The "Invoke Darkness" orb at the start of each level counts significantly. If you can get all three players to hit it, you're golden.
Stop worrying about being a "team player" for this specific triumph. The game is asking you to be the ritual leader. Be the leader. Once you see that notification pop up at the bottom of your screen, you can go back to being the helpful guardian who actually clears the adds and revives the teammates who fell into the methane sea.
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Check your Triumphs under the Season of the Deep tab frequently. If the number isn't going up, you aren't the one "starting" the ritual. Adjust your speed, get to the plate faster, and you'll have that Aquanaut title before the next reset.