Destroyer

This article is about the dragon minions. For the attribute combination, see Destroyer (prefix).

A destroyer troll.

“

Destroyers care only about killing. They are forged from the molten heart of their master—Primordus, first of the Elder Dragons to rise. The dwarves forestalled his coming, but at a terrible price. They are all but gone now, and Primordus is rising to destroy all races.

— Caithe

The destroyers are the minions of the Elder Dragon Primordus, primarily found in the Depths of Tyria and near volcanic locations. They have spent the last 250 years waging war with the dwarves and any other inhabitant of the Depths, forcing some races like the asura and the skritt to the surface. Destroyers are capable of appearing anywhere in Tyria due to Primordus' constant underground activities.

Destroyers are often named after what they are targeting. For example, the Destroyer of the Last Forge assaults the Forge in Thunderhead Keep, while the Destroyer of Hope aims to kill a dragon who is sympathetic to mortals. However, a few destroyers have instead been given names referring to fire in general such as Aestus and Ignis.

Physiology

While other dragon minions are often corrupted versions of living creatures, destroyers are mostly mindless beings created from rock and fire; they appear as mockeries of living creatures, such as harpies or trolls.

Despite destroyers' seeming mindlessness, destroyer champions have been shown to direct their minions to fight strategically such as using feint attacks to draw attention away from their true target, or focusing on specific targets in combat such as the Destroyer of Life targeting Eir Stegalkin with its bow when she had attacked it first.

Although Primordus prefers creating minions directly out of stone, he is also capable of corrupting living beings into destroyers albeit with more difficulty. When a living being is encased by rock, their body turns into lava, creating a corrupted creature. Harnessing magic directly from Primordus via a ritual subjects living beings to Primordus's corruption, gradually liquifying the affected beings' innards; those who survive the process become destroyers or destroyer-like beings connected to the hive mind as is the case with a Stone Summit splinter group. It is also possible to instantly transform living beings into destroyers by shooting them with unfiltered dragon energy as seen with Inquest experiments in the Crucible of Eternity.

In addition, the Destroyer Queen has created destroyers using egg-like pods, a feat previously thought impossible or at least not widely known. The Destroyer of the Last Forge has created similar egg-like pods that hatch into lava elementals.

Destroyers are often capable of dealing heavy damage in melee combat and are also known to make use of fire magic, and are sometimes immune to burning. Sufficient application of force is enough to defeat any destroyer, after which it will break into nothing more than a pile of stone and ashes. Among strongest observed destroyers are obsidian destroyers which are tougher and deal more damage than regular destroyers.

With the death of Primordus, less powerful destroyers cooled down and became inactive, whereas champions and lieutenants remained active and continued to harass Tyrians.

History

Early history

The first known mention of destroyers can be found in dwarven texts such as the Tome of the Rubicon, where they are referred to as 'Great Destroyers', likely in reference to Primordus's herald. Afterwards, Primordus's minions do not seem to have been documented until soon after the god Abaddon's death where they began to appear around Tyria, even appearing in the Depths of Tyria beneath Kaineng City in Cantha.

Destroyers during this time period could be found centered in several locations such as a destroyer hive in the Tarnished Coast; in charr shamans' strongholds in the Blood Legion Homelands, where they were worshipped as gods; and in the Central Transfer Chamber, the hub of the asura gate network, and the location of Primordus.

After the Great Destroyer's death in 1078 AE, the destroyers remained unaccounted for for around a century. However, in 1220 AE, the destroyers became active once again with Primordus's awakening. They assisted the Elder Dragon in driving out several races living underground, including the asura, murellows, and skritt, and took over underground settlements like Quora Sum and other lost asuran cities. After driving these races out, the destroyers were held back by the dwarves who had turned into stone.

After Gadd's death, several destroyers were sealed in his lab with containment units keeping them trapped. They were led by a destroyer crab matriarch and remained trapped until 1325 AE.

A splinter group of the dwarven Stone Summit attempted to prevent themselves being turned into stone by resorting to rituals described in the ancient tomes found in the tomb of Duncan the Black, which resulted in them being either corrupted into destroyer-like minions or turned into ash.

Around the time of the awakening of Kralkatorrik, destroyers began appearing around the northern wall of the tengu Dominion of the Winds, some even emerging inside of the Dominion, with many tengu warriors being called to fight the invasive destroyers. A large volcanic fissure also erupted nearby, with many destroyers burrowing out of it in a similar manner to the destroyer hive in the Tarnished Coast.

During the Thaumanova Reactor explosion, a powerful destroyer crab appeared along with several other destroyers, attacking a nearby karka, but was defeated by Inquest personnel.

Edge of Destiny

In 1319 AE, a group of destroyers attacked a human village, burning it to the ground. Observing this village was Caithe, a sylvari firstborn, who searched the village for survivors. During her search, she encountered Faolain, another firstborn and leader of the Nightmare Court, a group of rebel sylvari. They encountered an injured villager who described the destroyers as "roaches, colored black and with bodies of fire". He was then killed by Faolain.

Sometime after, Caithe, Logan Thackeray and Blood Legion Tribune Rytlock Brimstone had taken refuge in an underground cavern to save themselves from ogres and their pet hyenas and were swept away by an underground river. The river led into a ruined dwarven city, destroyed by thousands of attacking destroyers, seemingly coming from a hive. They then found the skeleton of a dwarf, with stones that formerly made up a destroyer scattered near him. Wielding Sohothin, Rytlock awoke a number of destroyers with the flames of the sword, their joints transforming into lava and insectoid heads twisting towards him, fire blazing in their eye sockets and from their mandibles.

The group then teleported through an asura gate, with three of the twelve destroyers following them traveling through the gate as well. Transported to a grassy meadow, the destroyers burnt plant life with every step they took but were only empowered by Sohothin. One of the destroyers was stomped on by Rytlock after Logan made it fall into a ditch and the other had water splashed on it, causing the magma on it to solidify into rock. Caithe then killed the minions of Primordus, noting that their necks were all magma and thus easy to cut.

While paying their billet for releasing a chained grizzly bear from a bearbaiting show, the group, now named Edge of Steel, faced off against a massive destroyer harpy named Racogorrix as entertainment for the queen of Kryta, Queen Jennah. Racogorrix was described as "having the shape of a woman, with the talons and wings of an eagle, with enchanted shackles and a metal muzzle fastened across its mouth".

Racogorrix, released by its handlers, sent a shockwave through the arena, and fired a burst of flames towards Caithe. Logan was thrown into Racogorrix by Rytlock and the destroyer harpy launched another burst of fire past Logan. He then bashed its brow with his hammer, lava and rock pouring out. He then decapitated the harpy, causing its joints to cool into stone, winning the match.

After the formation of Destiny's Edge later that year, a destroyer champion named the Destroyer of Life, forged of magma and stone, arose in the marshes to the south of Wildflame Caverns, a location where destroyers would later attack, and began to serve as a replacement to the Great Destroyer. It caused a volcano in the region to begin erupting destroyers. Surrounding this volcano lay a sea of lava boiling with half-formed destroyers, with the volcano's caldera containing white-hot magma. However, in 1320 AE, the Destroyer of Life was slain by Eir Stegalkin with one of its own arrows.

With its death, the nearby destroyers became weakened, their conduit to Primordus killed, and the sea of magma became regular, non-elemental lava. Snaff then froze the caldera, transforming it into basalt, with the same happening to the sea of magma.

Personal story

In early 1325 AE, while testing the Infinity Ball, an asuran invention that would allow the user to catch a glimpse of a future, a portal opened, causing shrunken destroyer trolls, destroyer crablings, strong destroyer harpies and a strong, oversized destroyer crab to appear; however, these destroyers were killed by the researchers testing the device.

Around that time, destroyers began to infest several locations across Central Tyria, including Skrittsburgh and the Feral Dens, with the former destroyer attacks being led by a powerful destroyer crab and an oversized destroyer crab similar to the one from a future summoned by the Infinity Ball.

The destroyers attacking the Feral Dens were led by a unique destroyer queen that could lay eggs. The destroyer attacked the skritt of the Feral Dens after they stole some of its eggs and was soon killed by centaur explosives.

Within Calx's Hideout in Metrica Province, after an ancestor of the asuran scientist Calx accessed his lab, a group of powerful destroyer trolls composed of obsidian attacked, obliterating anything within the cave.

In Pinion Pass, a Durmand Priory encampment, two unique giant destroyer crabs that served as near-perfect copies of regular crabs in terms of abilities appeared, attacking the encampment. After they were killed, Scholar Pekk collapsed a cavern that the destroyers were frequently crawling out of.

Later that year, a champion of Primordus, the Destroyer of Worlds, was captured by Inquest asura and given as a peace offering to the dredge of Sorrow's Embrace, alongside several other destroyers which were then transferred to the Crucible of Eternity, a large Inquest base. After the commander of the Pact raided Sorrow's Embrace, they encountered it and killed it.

Within Sector Zuhl, a dredge mine abandoned after it was attacked by destroyers, several volatile destroyers appeared, exploding upon touching any nearby creatures. Bursts of fire flew out of the lava, though it is unknown if this was related to the destroyer attacks. At regular intervals, swarms of destroyers would attack anything nearby. An unusually tough massive destroyer troll appeared within the core of the cavern, attacking any nearby adventurers, but was killed.

Within Maelstrom's Bile, the core of an active volcano, several destroyers gathered and one was enhanced by magic given to it by an asuran device but killed shortly after being enhanced. Another creature of this type appeared several years later in the same location.

In the Crucible of Eternity, a lab devoted to the study of destroyers was built, and beneath it an extensive compound containing an evolved destroyer alongside other destroyers, with the lab being broken in a raid, releasing the detroyers. However, they were killed before they could reach the surface.

Living World Season 3

In 1329 AE, Primordus moved to the Ring of Fire islands to consume the magic of the fallen Elder Dragons Zhaitan and Mordremoth. Primordus augmented its destroyers with this new magic, changing the destroyers found on the islands, their flames turning green and gaining the ability to use death or plant magic. Destroyers could then be found throughout the island chain, with the ones in Ember Bay being led by the Molten Dominator, a champion of Primordus imbued with Zhaitan's magic, though this champion was later killed.

During the hatching of Aurene, the scion of Glint, in the same year, the Destroyer of Hope attacked her egg, leading many plant and death-imbued destroyers but was eventually killed with the assistance of Lazarus.

With the ley magic released by the deceased Elder Dragons, several destroyers of varying shapes and sizes were driven mad by the absorbed magic and begun attacking nearby adventurers. Despite these destroyers being killed, however, more destroyers were corrupted by this magic. Crazed destroyers imbued with Zhaitan and Mordremoth's magic could also be found in Ember Bay.

In Draconis Mons, where Primordus gathered magic, the destroyers were led by molten desecrators, which were in turn commanded by Destroyers Aestus and Ignis, two wyvern-like destroyers with the ability to fly. They were killed by adventurers, but gained strength after the other's death.

Path of Fire

In the dwarven ruins of Fortune's Vale, several destroyers unaffected by Zhaitan and Mordremoth's death and plant spectrums appeared, infesting the ruins and trapping scholars of the Durmand Priory and one of two remaining dwarves known to the surface world, Rhoban. Another destroyer, also named Ignis, appeared to the north of the ruins, crazed by ley magic.

Living World Season 4

In 1331 AE, a champion of Primordus referred to by the Inquest as Destroyer Crematus was captured by the Inquest, cloned and used in experiments on dragon minions, fighting at first by itself and then alongside other dragon minions. Despite its efforts, it failed to defeat adventurers breaking into its containment facility.

While battling an Awakened version of Commander Lonai, the Pact Commander was teleported to Mount Maelstrom, where a destroyer resembling both the one that had appeared there several years ago and Destroyer Crematus had appeared. It served mostly as a minor annoyance as the two fought, however, and did not do much damage.

The Icebrood Saga

After the Elder Dragon Kralkatorrik's magic was released into Tyria and part of it absorbed by the now-ascended Aurene, the imperator of the charr Blood Legion hosted a rally and fled north into the Far Shiverpeaks, where he had his elite Steel Warband carve a path through to Darkrime Delves, a dwarven ruin. As they went through the Stoneward Halls, a former Stone Summit base, they encountered the corrupted remnants of the Stone Summit fighting alongside destroyers and a massive construct similar to the Iron Forgeman.

Within the Darkrime Delves, destroyers appeared to challenge them but more prevalent in the delves were Jormag's icebrood, preventing the destroyers from going too far into the delves.

In late 1333 AE, tremors began occuring all over Tyria, from a Deldrimor garrison in Thunderhead Peaks to the gates of the Flame Citadel. The Pact Commander met up with Taimi in Rata Sum, where several now-evolved destroyers attacked the ports and a lab, being driven away from both, but a variety of destroyer resembling the type found in Mount Maelstrom and the molten desecrators appeared but was defeated by the Commander and their allies, including Jormag's champion, Ryland Steelcatcher.

In the Eye of the North, Councillor Phlunt conjectured that Primordus had evolved to encompass the Zhaitan and Mordremoth magic, with the destroyers evolving along with it, allowing them to retain their orange coloration.

The destroyers then attacked Soren Draa, outside of Rata Sum, where their assault was led by the Destroyer of the Ironhammer Line, with this champion first appearing in the Wildflame Caverns. Soon after that invasion's defeat, another destroyer champion, with this one named the Destroyer of the Crystal Fields. attacked Skrittsburgh and Watchful Source, skritt and sylvari settlements respectively. Another champion attacked Lion's Arch's northern gate, Applenook Hamlet and Ascalon Settlement, with this champion being the Destroyer of the Great Bridge, a destroyer harpy with the ability to summon fiery tornadoes. After these champions' defeats, destroyers stopped attacking Soren Draa and the Ascalon Settlement, though the attacks on Skrittsburgh continued.

Types

See also: Category:Destroyers

• Amplified Destroyer
• Apocalypse Bringer
• Braham
• Champion Death-Touched Destroyer
• Champion Destroyer Crab
• Champion Destroyer Crabling
• Champion Destroyer Harpy
• Champion Giant Destroyer Crab
• Champion Ignis
• Champion Imbued Aberration
• Champion Molten Desecrator
• Champion Rotting Destroyer
• Champion Stone Summit Crusher
• Champion Stone Summit Drake
• Champion Stone Summit Drake Rider
• Champion Vine-Touched Destroyer
• Clashing Champions
• Death-Touched Destroyer
• Destroyer Burster
• Destroyer Crab
• Destroyer Crab
• Destroyer Crabling
• Destroyer Fiend
• Destroyer Harpy
• Destroyer Hatchling
• Destroyer Matriarch
• Destroyer Melter
• Destroyer Queen
• Destroyer Soldier
• Destroyer Troll
• Destroyer of Earth
• Destroyer of Worlds
• Destroyer of the Crystal Fields
• Destroyer of the Great Bridge
• Destroyer of the Ironhammer Line
• Destroyer of the Last Forge
• Destroyer of the Last King
• Destroyer of the Last Shields
• Destroyer of the Third Fortress
• Elite Death-Touched Destroyer
• Elite Destroyer Crab
• Elite Destroyer Emberknight
• Elite Destroyer Fiend
• Elite Destroyer Harpy
• Elite Destroyer Melter
• Elite Destroyer Soldier
• Elite Destroyer Troll
• Elite Destroyer of the Last Shields
• Elite Rotting Destroyer
• Elite Stone Summit Cannoneer
• Elite Vine-Touched Destroyer
• Evolved Destroyer
• Giant Destroyer Troll
• Legendary Destroyer Aestus
• Legendary Destroyer Ignis
• Megadestroyer
• Molten Dominator
• Obsidian Destroyer Troll
• Primordus Experiment
• Pyroxis
• Reaper of Flesh
• Rotting Destroyer
• Shrunken Destroyer Troll
• Simulacrum of Destroyer Crematus
• Stone Summit Crusher
• Stone Summit Ranger
• Stone Summit Warder
• Veteran Corrupted Destroyer
• Veteran Death-Touched Destroyer
• Veteran Destroyer Crab
• Veteran Destroyer Crabling
• Veteran Destroyer Fiend
• Veteran Destroyer Harpy
• Veteran Destroyer Lieutenant
• Veteran Destroyer Melter
• Veteran Destroyer Soldier
• Veteran Destroyer Troll
• Veteran Destroyer of Hope
• Veteran Giant Destroyer Crab
• Veteran Rotting Destroyer
• Veteran Stone Summit Cannoneer
• Veteran Stone Summit Crusher
• Veteran Stone Summit Demolitionist
• Veteran Stone Summit Drake
• Veteran Stone Summit Drake Rider
• Veteran Stone Summit Ranger
• Veteran Stone Summit Warder
• Veteran Vine-Touched Destroyer
• Vine-Touched Destroyer
• Volatile Destroyer Crab
• Volatile Destroyer Crabling
• Volatile Destroyer Harpy
• Volatile Destroyer Troll
• Volatile Egg
• Weakened Destroyer

Gallery

Concept art

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Related achievements

• Festival of the Four Winds 2014: Destroyer Destroyer — Kill 50 destroyers in the Crown Pavilion. (3) (Historical)
• Crown Pavilion: Destroyer Destroyer — Kill 50 destroyers in the Crown Pavilion. (3)
• Four Winds Customs: (Annual) Destroyer Destroyer — Kill 50 destroyers in the Crown Pavilion. This achievement can be completed once every year. (0)
• Marshaling the Deldrimor Dwarves: Daily Deldrimor Enemies — Kill 20 destroyers. (0) (Historical)
• Daily Icebrood Saga: Daily Destroyer Hunter — Defeat 25 destroyers in open missions. (0)

Notes

• Destroyer foes found in game are generally melee fighters, with some varieties possessing some abilities akin to fire magic area of effect spells. Burning is most commonly caused condition used by destroyers which they are also resistant to in Central Tyria. Destroyers used in later content such as Living World Season 3 and The Icebrood Saga are affected by burning, however.

Trivia

• Corrupted Stone Summit dwarves in Forging Steel and Darkrime Delves are seen riding drakes who also have possible signs of corruption, but it is unknown whether the drakes are actually corrupted or not. Using living drakes would be very unusal from the perspective of destroyers, who are commonly considered as mindless killers, and even from the perspective of Elder Dragon servants in general. On the other hand, as Primordus usually does not corrupt living beings (with some notable exceptions), the drakes being turned into destroyers would be unusual too.

See also

• Bestiary

Associated items

• Destroyer weapons
• Destroyer Core
• Destroyer Fragment
• Destroyer Lodestone
• Destroyer Shard
• Destroyer Sliver
• Hardened Destroyer Core
• Hardened Destroyer Core
• Pulsating Destroyer Heart
• Mini Braham, Champion of Primordus
• Mini Destroyer Crab
• Mini Destroyer of the Last King
• Mini Vine-Touched Destroyer Crab

Associated objects

• Amped Destroyer Core

References

The Guild Wars Wiki has an article on Destroyer.

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Elder Dragons