Darksiders II Guide Walkthrough Side Quests
The Crucible
Death’s adventure takes him to many realms, but not every area within these worlds is vital to completing his quest. This special chapter has been created specifically for those who wish to explore the optional content in Darksiders II. Every side quest available to the Pale Rider is detailed here, and is presented by quest-giver for easy reference.
The Crucible
Death receives a special invitation to visit the Crucible after he defeats the mighty Guardian at the end of the Forge Lands. This is not the first side venture that the Pale Rider can explore, but the Crucible is unique in that it can be visited from any realm.
What is the Crucible?
The Crucible is an epic combat arena consisting of four stages. Each stage presents Death with 25 predetermined waves of enemies, and each wave is more challenging than the last. The Reaper receives special rewards for reaching milestones within the Crucible:
- Complete Stage I (Waves 1-25): Heartstone Talisman
- Complete Stage II (Waves 26-50): Abyssal Armor Boots
- Complete Stage III (Waves 51-75): Barbed Defilers
- Complete Stage IV (Waves 76-100): Abyssal Spaulders, Assassin Talisman
- Complete All 100 Waves in One Sitting: Aftermath
- Defeat Wicked Killington: Elemental Talisman
Unlocking the Crucible
After defeating the Guardian, you receive an anonymous Tome message. Visit the Tome at Tri-Stone (or any other Tome) to find a special invitation to the Crucible in your inbox. This invite comes with a Tarot Card that serves as a pass, allowing you to challenge the Crucible’s first 25 waves. You’ll receive additional Tarot Cards as you reach various milestones within the game, as detailed in the following table.
Tarot Cards
| Card | Unlocks | Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| The Fool | Waves 1-25 | Defeat the Guardian |
| The Emperor | Waves 26-50 | Defeat the Wailing Host |
| Strength | Waves 51-75 | Defeat Samael |
| The Devil | Waves 76-100 | Advance Death to Level 25 |
| Death | Wave 101 | Beat Waves 1-100 in a single visit to the Crucible |
| The World | Bragging Rights! | Defeat Wicked Killington in Wave 101 |
Clearing the Crucible
As you can see, completing the Crucible is quite a feat. Knowledge is power, so use the following table to help you prepare for each level of the Crucible:
Crucible: Stage I (Recommended Level: 15-20)
| Wave | Enemy I | # | Enemy II | # | Enemy III | # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Construct Warrior | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 2 | Construct Warrior | 5 | — | — | — | — |
| 3 | Construct Adjunct | 3 | Construct Warrior | 3 | — | — |
| 4 | Construct Champion | 1 | Construct Adjunct | 2 | — | — |
| 5 | Construct Champion | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 6 | Stinger | 5 | Stinger | 5 | — | — |
| 7 | Prowler | 4 | — | — | — | — |
| 8 | Prowler | 5 | Prowler | 4 | — | — |
| 9 | Stalker | 1 | Stinger | 5 | Stinger | 5 |
| 10 | Stalker | 2 | Prowler | 3 | — | — |
| 11 | Tainted Construct Adjunct | 5 | — | — | — | — |
| 12 | Construct Sentinel | 1 | Tainted Construct Warrior | 3 | — | — |
| 13 | Tainted Construct Champion | 1 | Tainted Construct Warrior | 5 | — | — |
| 14 | Construct Sentinel | 1 | Tainted Construct Champion | 2 | — | — |
| 15 | Gharn | 1 | Tainted Construct Warrior | 4 | — | — |
| 16 | Stinger | 30 | — | — | — | — |
| 17 | Savage Prowler | 2 | Tainted Construct Adjunct | 4 | — | — |
| 18 | Savage Stalker | 1 | Stinger | 5 | — | — |
| 19 | Tainted Construct Champion | 1 | Savage Stalker | 1 | — | — |
| 20 | Savage Stalker | 2 | Tainted Construct Champion | 1 | — | — |
| 21 | Tainted Construct Champion | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 22 | Corrupted Rideable Construct | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| 23 | Gorewood | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| 24 | Gharn | 1 | Ghorn | 1 | — | — |
| 25 | Gorewood | 1 | Tainted Construct Champion | 2 | — | — |
Crucible: Stage II (Recommended Level: 20-25)
| Wave | Enemy I | # | Enemy II | # | Enemy III | # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 | Skeleton | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 27 | Skeletal Archer | 5 | — | — | — | — |
| 28 | Skeletal Warrior | 4 | Skeletal Archer | 2 | — | — |
| 29 | Skeletal Champion | 1 | Skeletal Warrior | 5 | Skeletal Champion | 1 |
| 30 | Skeleton Champion | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 31 | Nightmare Prowler | 5 | — | — | — | — |
| 32 | Nightmare Stalker | 2 | Nightmare Prowler | 4 | — | — |
| 33 | Skeleton Champion | 1 | Nightmare Prowler | 4 | — | — |
| 34 | Skeleton Champion | 2 | Nightmare Stalker | 1 | — | — |
| 35 | Undead General | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 36 | Wraith | 5 | — | — | — | — |
| 37 | Lich | 1 | Wraith | 3 | — | — |
| 38 | Scarab | 20 | — | — | — | — |
| 39 | Lich | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 40 | Scarab | 8 | Scarab Hulk | 2 | — | — |
| 41 | Skeletal Champion | 4 | — | — | — | — |
| 42 | Abomination | 1 | Wraith | 3 | — | — |
| 43 | Abomination | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 44 | Scarab Hulk | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 45 | Bone Giant | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| 46 | Undead General | 1 | Skeletal Champion | 2 | — | — |
| 47 | Tormentor | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| 48 | Bone Giant | 1 | Skeletal Champion | 2 | — | — |
| 49 | Undead General | 1 | Tormentor | 1 | — | — |
| 50 | Tormentor | 1 | Bone Giant | 1 | — | — |
Crucible: Stage III (Recommended Level: 25-30)
| Wave | Enemy I | # | Enemy II | # | Enemy III | # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 51 | Corrupted Angel | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 52 | Ayfid | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 53 | Corrupted Angel | 3 | Ayfid | 1 | — | — |
| 54 | Corrupted Champion | 1 | Corrupted Angel | 4 | — | — |
| 55 | Corrupted Champion | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 56 | Corrupted Construct Warrior | 8 | — | — | — | — |
| 57 | Sychophant | 2 | Corrupted Construct Adjunct | 3 | — | — |
| 58 | Corrupted Champion | 2 | Corrupted Angel | 4 | — | — |
| 59 | Corrupted Angel | 6 | Corrupted Angel | 3 | — | — |
| 60 | Sychophant | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 61 | Undead Scarab | 16 | — | — | — | — |
| 62 | Undead Prowler | 4 | Undead Scarab | 5 | — | — |
| 63 | Undead Scarab Hulk | 1 | Nightmare Prowler | 3 | — | — |
| 64 | Undead Stalker | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 65 | Undead Scarab Hulk | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 66 | Legion Soldier | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 67 | Legion Champion | 1 | Legion Soldier | 1 | — | — |
| 68 | Legion Soldier | 4 | — | — | — | — |
| 69 | Maelstrom | 1 | Legion Soldier | 2 | — | — |
| 70 | Maelstrom | 1 | Legion Champion | 1 | Legion Soldier | 2 |
| 71 | Ice Skeleton | 12 | — | — | — | — |
| 72 | Nightmare Prowler | 3 | Ice Skeleton | 5 | — | — |
| 73 | Maelstrom | 1 | Nightmare Prowler | 3 | — | — |
| 74 | Maelstrom | 1 | Nightmare Stalker | 2 | — | — |
| 75 | Argul / The Deposed King | 1 | — | — | — | — |
Crucible: Stage IV (Recommended Level: 30+)
| Wave | Enemy I | # | Enemy II | # | Enemy III | # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 76 | Skeleton Warrior | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 77 | Undead Prowler | 5 | Skeletal Warrior | 5 | — | — |
| 78 | Skeletal Champion | 5 | — | — | — | — |
| 79 | Skeletal Champion | 3 | Undead Prowler | 4 | — | — |
| 80 | Undead Stalker | 3 | Skeletal Archer | 5 | — | — |
| 81 | Wraith | 4 | — | — | — | — |
| 82 | Abomination | 1 | Wraith | 3 | — | — |
| 83 | Sychophant | 1 | Skeletal Champion | 3 | — | — |
| 84 | Sychophant | 2 | Abomination | 1 | — | — |
| 85 | Tormentor | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 86 | Corrupted Champion | 1 | Corrupted Angel | 3 | — | — |
| 87 | Fleshburster | 6 | — | — | — | — |
| 88 | Corrupted Champion | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 89 | Fleshburster | 12 | — | — | — | — |
| 90 | Ayfid | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 91 | Corrupted Angel | 8 | — | — | — | — |
| 92 | Maelstrom | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 93 | Legion Champion | 1 | Legion Soldier | 3 | — | — |
| 94 | Maelstrom | 1 | Corrupted Champion | 1 | — | — |
| 95 | Legion Champion | 1 | Maelstrom | 1 | — | — |
| 96 | Corrupted Custodian | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| 97 | Gorewood | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| 98 | Bone Giant | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 99 | Suffering | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| 100 | Absalom / Avatar of Chaos | 1 | — | — | — | — |
Uber Crucible Build
The good people at Vigil have recommended the following build to help you reign supreme in the Crucible. Don’t worry if you’ve chosen different skills; simply visit Vulgrim to purchase a Respec for a modest fee, and then select the following skills to gain an advantage in Darksiders II’s daunting arena: