Obliterating in Risk of Rain 2 ends your run on your own terms while securing key character unlocks, bonus lunar currency, and alternate mastery skins without fighting the final boss. If you want to bypass Mithrix or need to finish a specific challenge, you have to loop your game, locate the elusive Celestial Portal, and navigate the platforming gauntlet to the ancient monolith.
Understanding how the system works saves you from wasting hours on ruined runs. Whether you're hunting down the Mercenary survivor or aiming for Monsoon achievements, mastering this mechanic changes how you approach long runs.
How to Reach the Celestial Portal
You cannot access the obliteration area on your first set of stages. The game requires you to loop your run at least once.
Complete Stage 5 (Sky Meadows) and interact with the outer ring of the Primordial Teleporter until it aligns with the planet rather than the moon. Defeat the boss, and step through to return to Stage 1. Once you're looping, keep playing until you reach any Stage 3 on your new loop.
After you defeat the boss on that Stage 3, look closely at the teleporter. A floating, translucent blue sphere known as a Celestial Orb circles the device. This sphere confirms that the Celestial Portal has spawned nearby. Complete the teleporter event, walk over to the glowing blue portal, and step inside.
Navigating A Moment, Fractured
Stepping through the portal transports you to A Moment, Fractured, a quiet, floating void filled with broken rock formations and starry backdrops. This area features zero enemies, letting you focus entirely on movement.
You must descend across a series of floating islands connected by glowing blue pathways. If your character lacks strong vertical mobility items like Hopoo Feathers or transit skills, take your time dropping down the platforms to avoid falling into the abyss.
At the bottom of the descent, you will find two massive stone monoliths split by a circular cavity: the Obelisk.
Activating the Obelisk
Approach the Obelisk and interact with it to read the prompt asking if you want to obliterate yourself from existence. Confirm the prompt once, and the game will ask you a second time to ensure you aren't misclicking.
Confirming the second time triggers an animation that destroys your character, ends the run, and grants you five lunar coins alongside progress toward specific game unlocks. If you change your mind at the last second, walk to the platform on the right side of the Obelisk to find a continue portal that skips the area and lets you keep playing.
Using Beads of Fealty for the Secret Boss
If you want more than a standard run ending, pick up the Beads of Fealty lunar item before heading to the Obelisk. You can find this item in Lunar Pods, purchase it at the Bazaar Between Time, or secure it as a rare world drop.
Carrying the Beads changes your destination when you confirm obliteration. Instead of ending your run peacefully, the Obelisk warps you to A Moment, Whole. Here, you must fight one of four randomized Twisted Scavengers. These powerful enemies possess inventory items that match player mechanics, making the fight genuinely difficult.
Defeating the Twisted Scavenger causes them to drop a Scavenger's Sack containing ten lunar coins. Once the fight concludes, your run ends in obliteration just like normal.
Alternative Obliteration via Seekers of the Storm DLC
If you own the Seekers of the Storm downloadable content, you have a second path to obliteration that completely skips the standard looping requirement.
Activate a Halcyon Shrine on any of the first three stages to open a green portal. Follow the Path of the Colossus through the subsequent stages until you reach the Prime Meridian. Defeat the False Son boss at the top, and offer any item to the Shrine of Rebirth. This action registers as an official obliteration victory, completing achievements and mastery challenges without stepping foot near the Obelisk.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Forgetting to align the teleporter: If you accidentally align the Sky Meadows teleporter to the moon, you get sent straight to the final boss arena, locking you out of looping for that run.
- Missing the Celestial Orb clue: Always check for the blue orb circling the teleporter on Stage 3 of a loop before you jump through, ensuring the portal actually spawned.
- Underestimating Twisted Scavengers: Bringing Beads of Fealty without a strong late-game build often results in a quick death that rewards zero coins instead of the payout.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to play on Monsoon difficulty to obliterate?
No, you can obliterate on any difficulty setting. However, obliterating while playing on Monsoon unlocks the alternate mastery skin for your chosen survivor.
Does obliterating count as a win?
Yes, the game logs an obliteration as a successful completion, yielding currency and fulfilling requirements for characters like the Mercenary.
Can I obliterate in multiplayer with friends?
Yes. If you play in co-op, only one player needs the Beads of Fealty to redirect the entire party to A Moment, Whole. When someone activates the Obelisk, the run ends for everyone simultaneously.
What happens to my items if I use the DLC method?
When you sacrifice an item to the Shrine of Rebirth in the Seekers of the Storm path, that item becomes available again for your next run if you activate the Artifact of Rebirth.
