How to solve the Imbaru Engine puzzles in Destiny 2

How to access the Imbaru Engine in Destiny 2

The Imbaru Engine is a space important to Savathun, the Witch Queen. Here, anyone who falls victim to her machinations and schemes creates a tithe that increases her power. With her (apparent) demise in the Witch Queen expansion, it is now used as a testing ground for Guardians.

This luminal space exists within her Altars of Summoning, and is first accessed as part of week 5 of the Bladed Path quest. Once the space is unlocked you can enter by opening the Director, navigating to the H.E.L.M. and selecting the Imbaru Engine location at the bottom.

How to solve the Imbaru Engine test of Cunning in Destiny 2

The first test within the Imbaru Engine is the Test of Cunning. This is a battle of wits against Savathun, sending you to open a series of chests, deciphering which hold treasure and which are deceptions.

This begins on step 33 of the Bladed Path quest. First, visit the Lectern of Divination in the Athenaeum (accessed through the portal in the H.E.L.M.), and collect the minor arcana card 'A Gift of Cunning'.

Next, enter the Imbaru Engine via the Director. Here you will see two chests. One will be the real one, the other a trap set by Savathun. The tell will be which is marked with this Hive Rune.

Open the correct chest and a new group will spawn. Now track down the two chests marked with the symbol. Note that the Hive Runes won't always be in plain sight, you may need to climb or duck around surfaces to see find them.

Once all of the correct chests from this phase have been found one more wave will spawn. Find the symbols once again, and open all of the correct chests. Once you've done so you will pass this test of Cunning, and be gifted loot and lore as a reward.

How to solve the Imbaru Engine test of Strength in Destiny 2

The Test of Strength begins with the minor arcana card 'A Gift of Strength'. However, unlike the previous step, the card won't just be given to you; it must be found.

Launch the Savathun's Spire activity from the H.E.L.M. in the Director. Advance all the way portal puzzle near the end of the mission. Once you arrive in the final room of portals look at the wall near the rightmost portal. The card will be on the ground, ready to be picked up.

Now enter the Imbaru Engine. You will ride a pair of lifts into the same room where the Test of Cunning took place. Complete the Test of Cunning, then locate the door near where the first chests spawned. Interact with it and it will open, allowing you to ascend the Tower further. As you go, keep looking for doors that open when you approach. Avoid the some traps and you will reach a lift leading to a tall room with a series of arrows on the ground.

There will be a glowing orb of light on the ground that you can interact with to start the test. A number of Hive enemies will spawn on each of the arrows. Your objective is to kill specific ones, in the right order.

First you will need to know where to start. Walk up a small ramp and interact with the glowing sphere to gain Deepsight Vision. This will reveal white footprints leading to the first enemy. Take this out, and look to where the arrow points for your next target.

Continue ahead following this pattern. If at any time you kill the wrong target a number of invincible Shriekers will kill you, and you'll have to start the puzzle again.

Eventually you will be led into a smaller chamber. Here the pattern shifts. Kill the first enemy, but this time skip the next one, and take out the one after instead. Continue eliminating every second enemy in the chain ahead, and eventually a message will appear announcing 'You have conjured war'. This indicates you've passed the test of strength, and the mission will conclude.

How to solve the Imbaru Engine test of Navigation in Destiny 2

In order to take on the test of Navigation you will first need to acquire the Minor Arcana card A Gift of Navigation.

Enter the Alters of Summoning activity via the H.E.L.M. in the Director. One of the sections where the battles takes place houses a Hive Statue holding a crystal. Shoot the crystal to reveal the card for you to collect. Now go to the Athenaeum aboard the H.E.L.M. and interact with the Lectern of Divination to unlock the card.

Now return the Imbaru Engine. You will ride a pair of lifts into the same room where the Test of Cunning took place. You can complete the test of Cunning for some XP, but it isn't required. Open the door leading towards the Test of Strength, but stop when you reach the door to enter its room.

There is a second door nearby on this level. Enter it to ascend a second hallway, and ride a gravity lift up to the top of the structure. Locate a narrow staircase leading to an open door, and 'activate hive magic' when promoted to start the Challenge of Navitation.

You will be in a round room with various hive symbols around you. The goal of the test is to shoot the correct symbol to activate a series of portals, and pass through them. Passing through an incorrect portal will kill you and restart the test.

Look behind the doorway you entered and note the type and location of the symbol. Find which portal has the same symbol in the same location, and shoot the symbol using an element that matches its color. The portal will open, pass through it, and repeate the process.

After you pass through the second portal the test will become more difficult. Additional symbols will be obscuring some of the shapes, you will need to move around and find angles that allow you to see the true symbols near the portals so that you can locate and shoot the correct one and advance through the portal.

The final room is even more challenging. As before, look towards where you start to find the shape you are to reference. The rest of the hive symbols will be floating in the center of the room. Now you will need to jump to the various platforms to line them up with the various doors. When you are in the spot with the correct perspective there will be a symbol that corrresponds with the reference, and you can shoot it with the correct element to open the last portal.

Pass through this final portal and the Test of Navigation will be complete.

How to solve the Imbaru Engine test of Lies in Destiny 2

The final challenge in this battle of wits is the Test of Lies. As before, this begins with a minor Arcana card. This is found atop a pillar in the Altar of Feracity section of the Altar’s of Summoning.

Once you collect the card you will need to visit the Athenaeum to unlock it. Next, launch the Imbaru Engine and proceed up the spire until the doorway that leads to the Test of Navigation. At the base of the staircase leading to that entryway will be a glowing portal. Step through it.

Once you are on the other side you will be in a room with three braziers. You will need to collect the flames for each to activate them, scattered across the main Season of the Witch Activities. Each brazier will offer a hint where to find the flame.

This flame burns with the mist below…

One of the flames is here in the Imbaru Engine itself. You can exit the way you can in and use the black portals to descend the spire, or launch the Imbaru Engine again from the director to go back to the beginning. Go to the room with the test of cunning and put the door leading towards the other tests at your back. Look up and to the right to spy a green flame. Find yourself a path to platform up and activate it to take it.

This flame burns within the Altars of Summoning…

The next one is easy to locate. Launch the Altars of Summoning activity, and head towards the main building that houses the Altar of the Sword. Next to the door will be a sphere that grants Deepsight. Activate it and a series of platforms will appear. Follow these up to find and take the flame.

This flame burns within the halls of the Spire…

The last flame is the most difficult. It’s recommended to go into this activity with a fireteam of people you know, otherwise you run the risk of random guardians pulling you into the final encounter before you take the flame.

Fight through the Spire as normal and defeat the bosses in the first two encounters as usual. Eventually you will reach the jumping puzzle with the portals and three hive symbols. Proceed until the last series of jumps on round platforms before the four doorways. There will be a Deepsight orb.

Activate the Deepsight and turn back toward the directions you came from. Platforms will be visible near the tower. Use them to jump around the tower to find the flame tucked around the other side. Grab it, and either finish the spire or jump straight to the Imbaru Engine.

Return to the room with the three braziers, and active each to relight them. This will open a door leading to the final puzzle room. Activate the plate in the middle to begin the Test of Lies.

The perimeter of the room will be lined with hive runes. A glowing triangle will appear at the front of the room. Your job is to activate the correct symbols in order, and check your answer at the triangle.

The first three symbols come from the front half of the room, and activate left to right:

Next, turn towards the rear of the chamber, the next set of symbols all come from this half of the room. Activate them in this order:

Activate the triangle, and the puzzle will be cleared. A room will open, some story will ensue, and the final secrets of Savathun (for now) will be laid bare. Nice job!

Good luck completing the Imbaru Engine puzzles!