A Temple Strike is the second stage of the public-event cycle inside the Vaults of Atal'Utek: complete Temple Patrols to make a Strike available, finish the Strike, and complete two Strikes to trigger a zone-wide Temple Incursion. It is not a dungeon, an arena, or a quest you can start on demand from an NPC. The trigger belongs to the shared zone, so every player completing Patrols helps move the same activity cycle forward.
There are six different Temple Strikes. You need all six for Spike the Strike, while the quest Relentless Strikes asks you to complete any two. Most Strikes can be soloed by a well-prepared character, but three to five players make objectives and elite waves much faster.
Temple Strike Quick Facts
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What is a Temple Strike? | A small public zone event and the middle stage of the Vaults activity cycle |
| Where does it happen? | Inside the Vaults of Atal'Utek on the Coiled Isle |
| How do you start one? | Complete active Temple Patrols until the shared zone progress activates a Strike |
| How many Strikes exist? | Six different events |
| Recommended group size | Three to five players; strong characters can complete most Strikes solo |
| What happens after two Strikes? | A Temple Incursion becomes available and ends with a larger boss encounter |
| Main quest | Relentless Strikes: complete two Temple Strikes |
| Main achievement | Spike the Strike: complete all six unique Strikes |
| Why farm them? | Corrosive Coins, Zul'Jarra's Forces Renown, quests, achievements, and Incursion progress |
Temple Patrol, Temple Strike, and Temple Incursion Explained
The Vaults use a three-level activity loop. Understanding the order is the most important part of the guide because a Strike normally does not appear simply because you enter the zone.
| Stage | How it appears | Practical group size | What it advances |
|---|---|---|---|
| Temple Patrol | Rotating cogwheel vignettes appear around the Vaults; a new set cycles in periodically | Solo | Shared progress toward a Temple Strike |
| Temple Strike | Activates after the zone completes enough Patrol activity | Solo possible; 3–5 recommended | Quest and achievement credit; two completions lead to an Incursion |
| Temple Incursion | Triggers after two completed Strikes | Large public group; roughly 15–20 is comfortable | Zone-wide scenario, final boss, Incursion achievements, and rewards |
The number of Patrol completions is intentionally not hardcoded here. The live interface shows the relevant active objectives, while shard state and tuning can change. Follow the map markers and the zone tracker instead of relying on an old fixed counter.
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How to Unlock Temple Strikes
- Reach the Coiled Isle. Follow the Curse of Ula'tek campaign until the island and its underground activity area are available.
- Continue the Vaults introduction. Complete the story beginning around Vaults of Atal'Utek: Certain Doom; this opens the activity loop and introduces its progression systems.
- Enter the Vaults of Atal'Utek. Do not confuse the outdoor group area with the separate Venomous Abyss raid.
- Look for cogwheel vignettes. These are Temple Patrols and form the first stage of the cycle.
- Complete Patrol objectives. Kill targets, interact with objects, or finish the instruction shown in the local tracker.
- Move to the activated Strike. When shared progress reaches the required point, follow the new zone marker and join the event.
If you see no Patrol or Strike markers: finish the Coiled Isle and Vaults introduction on that character first. Changing shards cannot replace an incomplete unlock questline.
How to Start a Temple Strike
You do not speak to a permanent Temple Strike vendor or queue through Group Finder. A Strike is activated by the current shard's public-event progress. The reliable method is to contribute to the active Patrols instead of standing at a remembered Strike location.
- Open the zone map inside the Vaults and identify the active cogwheel Patrol markers.
- Choose the nearest cluster and complete the objective shown in the tracker.
- Continue to the next active Patrol rather than waiting at the finished marker.
- Watch the zone announcement, map, and objective tracker for a Temple Strike activation.
- Travel to the new marker immediately; public progress may already be underway.
- Complete the Strike's staged objectives and remain in the event area until credit appears.
Joining a group can place you on the leader's shard, but it does not guarantee that the desired Strike is active. For achievement hunting, ask whether the exact event is up before accepting a cross-realm invite.
All Six Temple Strikes
| Temple Strike | Core objective | Extra achievement value |
|---|---|---|
| Purifying Earth and Sky | Use empowered Earth and Sky Shrines to collect Impurity Orbs | Collect Soul Globes for A Lone Wanderer |
| The Underbelly | Enter the Underbelly and defeat the enemies inside | Hunt rotating named elites for Soft Underbelly |
| Overflowing Venom | Defeat serpent waves and disrupt rituals before the temple is overrun | Efficient mass-kill and Corrosive Coin progress |
| Ruuk'jar's Clutch | Enter multiple portals and destroy Ruuk'jar's Eggs | Rewards fast splitting and movement |
| Profane Pyres | Gather Wicked Spirits, burn them at Spirit Pyres, and use flame against Profaned Sarcophagi | Interaction-heavy event; avoid tunneling enemies |
| Cursed Depths | Open the way below the Seal of Wrath and eliminate threats in the cursed chambers | Movement and survival-focused underground clear |
Purifying Earth and Sky
Wait for the Earth and Sky Shrines to become usable, then interact with the objective and collect the Impurity Orbs required by the tracker. Do not treat this as a pure enemy-kill event: shrine use and orb collection are what move the bar. Large Soul Globes also appear during this Strike. Collect them whenever you see them because they advance A Lone Wanderer, a separate criterion required for the larger Vaults meta-achievement.
The Underbelly
Use the opening created by the event, enter the Underbelly, and clear the hostile forces inside. This is also the only practical window for Soft Underbelly. That achievement tracks several named elite enemies, and the available set may not be identical every time. Scan nameplates, check your achievement tracker before leaving, and expect to repeat the Strike rather than assuming one clear is enough.
Overflowing Venom
Prepare before the wave begins, then kill the serpents and interrupt or destroy the ritual activity identified by the tracker. Area damage is useful, but objective enemies and ritual targets take priority over scattered stragglers. Stack enemies when safe, rotate interrupts, and move out of persistent venom effects so the group does not lose time to deaths.
Ruuk'jar's Clutch
Wait for the portal stage, enter the available portals, and destroy Ruuk'jar's Eggs inside. A group should split across simultaneous portals instead of sending every player through the same one. Solo players should clear one pocket completely, return, and take the next portal. Movement abilities and quick target acquisition save more time than fighting every optional enemy.
Profane Pyres
Defeated enemies provide Wicked Spirits. Carry them to the Spirit Pyres, burn them, then take the resulting flame to the Profaned Sarcophagi. The common failure is continuing to kill enemies while interaction items sit unused. Assign at least one player to delivery, avoid dragging dangerous mobs onto interactable objects, and use the tracker to confirm which stage is currently active.
Cursed Depths
Help access the Cursed Depths, enter the chambers beneath the Seal of Wrath, and eliminate the marked threats. Stay with the route opened by the scenario and prioritize enemies that advance the objective. The confined chambers punish uncontrolled pulls, so interrupt dangerous casts, avoid chain-pulling around corners, and let slower players enter before the group clears too far ahead.
How to Complete Relentless Strikes
Relentless Strikes requires two Temple Strike completions and suggests a three-player group. The two events do not need to be different unless another objective specifically says so. For the fastest completion, accept the quest before joining the cycle, clear Patrols until a Strike appears, finish it, and stay on the same shard as players continue toward the second Strike.
- Track the quest before the first event starts.
- Remain inside the event area until completion credit appears.
- Do not leave after the first Strike: the zone is already progressing toward the second.
- If the counter does not advance, relog only after checking that the event actually completed and the quest was active.
Spike the Strike and Related Achievements
Spike the Strike requires one completion of each of the six named Strikes. It is also a criterion of Assault the Vault, the Vaults meta-achievement that awards the Venomous Coiler mount.
| Achievement | What to do during Temple Strikes | Best tracking habit |
|---|---|---|
| Spike the Strike | Complete all six unique Strike variants | Pin the achievement and note the missing event before shard hopping |
| A Lone Wanderer | Collect Soul Globes during Purifying Earth and Sky | Prioritize visible globes even when the main bar is nearly complete |
| Soft Underbelly | Defeat every required named elite while The Underbelly is open | Check criteria after every run; plan multiple clears |
| Assault the Vault | Finish the Strike achievements plus the remaining Patrol, Incursion, exploration, and Altar criteria | Use the meta page as the master checklist |
Do not leave achievement work until after the main objective. A fast public group can finish a Strike before you collect enough globes, tag the named elite, or carry an interaction item. Treat the secondary criterion as part of the route from the first minute.
Temple Strike Rewards
Temple Strikes belong to the broader Vaults progression loop. Completing them can provide Corrosive Coins, Zul'Jarra's Forces Renown, quest credit, achievement progress, and progress toward a Temple Incursion. Exact quantities may vary by reward state and activity tuning, so plan around sources and objectives rather than a permanent coin-per-minute promise.
| Reward | Why it matters | Important limit |
|---|---|---|
| Corrosive Coins | Supports the Vaults and Altar of Corrosion progression economy | Coins are not the same as Corrosive Souls |
| Zul'Jarra's Forces Renown | Advances the connected faction track | Credit and caps depend on the current reward source |
| Quest completion | Advances Relentless Strikes and other Vault objectives | Accept the quest before the event |
| Achievement credit | Leads toward Spike the Strike and Assault the Vault | The six unique variants must all appear |
| Incursion progress | Two completed Strikes unlock the next activity stage | The progress belongs to the active shard |
Fastest Temple Strike Farming Route
- Finish every unlock quest before beginning a farm session.
- Pick up Relentless Strikes and pin Spike the Strike if they are relevant.
- Enter a populated shard and complete the nearest Patrol cluster.
- Move continuously between cogwheel markers; do not camp a Strike location.
- Join the active Strike immediately and complete interaction objectives before optional enemies.
- Use Purifying Earth and Sky for Soul Globes and The Underbelly for named elites.
- Stay for the second Strike and the resulting Incursion to combine several reward goals.
- Before changing shards, record which unique Strike and achievement criteria you still need.
Temple Strike Not Spawning or Not Giving Credit
| Problem | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| No Patrol or Strike markers | The Vaults introduction is incomplete, or the map is showing the wrong layer | Finish the campaign gate and reopen the correct Vaults map |
| Only Patrols are active | The shard has not accumulated enough Patrol progress | Complete the markers instead of waiting |
| The desired Strike never appears | Strike variants rotate and the shard activated a different event | Finish the cycle, then try the next one or join a confirmed group on another shard |
| The event vanished on arrival | Other players completed it while you travelled | Start moving as soon as the announcement appears and avoid distant detours |
| No quest credit | The quest was not active, you arrived too late, or you left before completion | Track the quest, contribute to the event, and wait for the completion banner |
| No Spike the Strike credit | You completed a variant already recorded or missed final participation | Check the six individual criteria before the next cycle |
| Group invite changed the event | Joining moved you to the leader's shard | Confirm the event name and progress before accepting the invite |
| Underbelly elite is missing | Named elites can require multiple event windows | Track Soft Underbelly and repeat The Underbelly |
Solo, Group, and Role Tips
| Playstyle | Priority | Practical advice |
|---|---|---|
| Solo | Survival and objective speed | Use defensives early, pull in controlled groups, and favor interactions over optional kills |
| Tank | Stable enemy placement | Group enemies away from interactable objects and keep frontal attacks pointed away from players |
| Healer | Keep moving with the objective team | Do not remain behind with stragglers; dispel and stabilize players carrying event items |
| DPS | Priority targets and interrupts | Stop dangerous casts, kill ritual or objective targets, and avoid padding on enemies that do not move progress |
| Premade group | Split tasks without losing credit | Divide portals and deliveries, then regroup before the final stage |
For a broader look at the island, rare enemies, Curse Surges, and connected activities, use the Coiled Isle guide. This Temple Strike page stays focused on the exact start-and-complete intent rather than repeating the full zone hub.
Common Temple Strike Mistakes
- Waiting at a fixed spawn point: Patrol completion, not waiting time, advances the cycle.
- Calling every Vault event a Temple Strike: Patrols, Strikes, and Incursions give different credit.
- Ignoring interaction objectives: eggs, shrines, pyres, sarcophagi, and portals often matter more than raw kills.
- Leaving after one Strike: a second completion triggers the larger Incursion.
- Expecting all six in one session: unique variants rotate, so achievement completion can take several cycles.
- Missing secondary achievements: collect Soul Globes and hunt Underbelly elites while their windows are open.
- Joining random cross-realm groups: an invite can move you away from the event you wanted.
- Confusing Coins and Souls: both belong to the seasonal ecosystem but unlock different progression.
Temple Strike Completion Summary
Unlock the Vaults of Atal'Utek, complete cogwheel-marked Temple Patrols, and follow the newly activated Strike marker. Finish the event's real objective—not just nearby enemies—and remain until credit appears. Complete any two Strikes for Relentless Strikes, all six variants for Spike the Strike, and use Purifying Earth and Sky plus The Underbelly to advance their extra achievements. Staying through two Strikes also turns a short event farm into a full Patrol-to-Incursion reward cycle.
