Embark on a secretive and thrilling journey through Destiny 2’s shadowy Nether to unlock the coveted Barrow-Dyad Exotic SMG. Hidden behind the elusive “Taken Path” questline and culminating in the intense “Derealize” Exotic mission, this weapon demands cunning, combat prowess, and puzzle-solving skills. Ready to dive into the mysteries scattered across the solar system and claim one of the game’s most intriguing new Exotics? Here’s your complete guide to start the quest, conquer the challenges, and upgrade your Barrow-Dyad to its full potential on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox.
In this guide, we’ll explain how to get the Barrow-Dyad Exotic SMG, including how to start the “Taken Path” Exotic quest so you can start your hunt.
How to get the Barrow-Dyad Exotic in Destiny 2
To get the Barrow-Dyad Exotic SMG in Destiny 2, start by loading into The Nether activity and look for a hidden Taken Blight, which can spawn randomly in locations like the Hall of Souls, Trenchway, or Mausoleum. Enter the Blight and solve the teleportation puzzle by standing on a plate and following whispered directions to reach a new area where you collect a Taken Osseous Fragment. This fragment triggers the “The Taken Path” quest, which leads you through a lengthy questline involving exploration, combat, and puzzle-solving across the solar system. Completing the quest culminates in the “Derealize” Exotic mission on the Dreadnaught, where you face a final boss to claim the Barrow-Dyad. Afterward, you can continue with the “Dyadic Ascension” quest to upgrade the weapon’s perks and catalysts.
To get the Barrow-Dyad Exotic SMG in Destiny 2, you’ll need to do the following:
- Find “The Taken Path” quest inside the Dreadnaught during The Nether (we go into exactly how to do that below).
- Complete the lengthy Exotic quest by hunting down secrets around the solar system.
- This will eventually unlock the “Derealize” mission, which will net you the Barrow-Dyad Exotic submachine gun just ahead of the final boss.
- You’ll then gain access to a quest called “Dyadic Ascension,” which will help you upgrade your Intrinsic perks.
Below, we’ll explain how to start the “Taken Path” Exotic quest so you can get on your way for the rest.
How to start ’The Taken Path’ Exotic quest
To start “The Taken Path” Exotic quest in Destiny 2, you need to find a hidden Taken Blight during a run of the activity called The Nether. This Blight can randomly spawn in locations such as the Trenchway, Hall of Souls, or Mausoleum on the Dreadnaught. Once you locate the Blight, jump into it to be teleported to an ascendant plane where you’ll find a lone plate on the floor. Stand on the plate and follow the directional whispers that appear on your HUD, which will teleport you to a room where you can collect a Taken Osseous Fragment. After collecting the fragment, return to Eris Morn’s apartment in the Last City and interact with the Shaping Slab to officially unlock “The Taken Path” questline, beginning your journey to obtain the Barrow-Dyad Exotic SMG.
Unlike many other modern Exotic missions in Destiny 2, there is absolutely no warning or indication that an Exotic quest is available for you to pick up in-game when you login. Instead, you’ll need to find a secret item in the Dreadnaught during the Nether activity.
When you load into the Nether, there seems to be a chance that an unusual Blight will spawn in with you somewhere in your starting area (the game randomly selects one of the Dreadnaught zones to be your starter area). While it appears these Blights can appear in any area, we can only confirm one location: the Hall of Souls.
Load into a private version of The Nether over and over again until it serves you up the Court of Oryx area, the Hall of Souls. Inside, head to the middle platform where you normally fight the boss of this area. Run through the hall with the Thrall statues until you’re looking at where you load in for the King’s Fall raid, but don’t cross the bridge. Instead, look up and to your right. If you see a large Blight ball latched onto the strut near the ceiling (like in the image above), you’ve found it. If not, load back in until you find the Hall of Souls and the Blight.
Clear the enemies out of the area to make it easier to maneuver, walk up to the strut the Blight is attached to, and pull out your Ghost. You’ll see some invisible platforms leading up to the Blight. Climb them and jump into the Blight (or just grapple into it if you have Strand). You’ll now find yourself in the “Blighted Cyst” and will need to complete a small puzzle.
How to solve the ’something whispers’ puzzle
To solve the “something whispers” puzzle in the Barrow-Dyad Exotic quest in Destiny 2, you need to follow a sequence involving a rune circle and directional whispers. First, step on the plate facing the rune circle and shoot the rune circle. Then, step off the plate in the direction indicated by the whisper text that appears in your HUD. Doing this correctly will teleport you through the correct portal. After teleporting, collect the Taken Osseous Fragment in front of you, then return through the portal to the Nether to continue the quest or exit to proceed with the Exotic questline.
Inside the Blighted Cyst, you’ll see a green barrier in front of you with a blank rune on it, a directional plate under the rune, and a Taken portal to your left. Avoid the portal and stand on the plate. If you stand on it long enough, the rune will display a symbol and broadcast to your UI “something whispers to the right.”
Shoot the rune and walk off the plate to your right as you do it. This will teleport you to the other side of the barrier. If you’re with any friends, make sure they do the same.
Once on the other side, go to the elevated table sitting inside the Blighted Cyst and interact with it. You’ll pick up the Taken Osseous Fragment, an Exotic “redeemable” item that has no indication on where you should go next. Open your Director and head to the Shaping Slab in Eris’ apartment. Talk to it and you’ll pick up “The Taken Path,” an Exotic quest that promises to eventually reward you with the bizarre Barrow-Dyad Exotic submachine gun.
What secret steps lead to the elusive Barrow-Dyad in Destiny 2
The secret steps to obtain the elusive Barrow-Dyad Exotic SMG in Destiny 2 begin by loading into the Nether activity until you spawn in the Hall of Souls, located near the Court of Oryx on the Dreadnaught. From there, you must locate a hidden Blight ball clinging to a struts near the ceiling, clear enemies around it, and use your Ghost to reveal hidden platforms that let you ascend into a Taken portal. This action unlocks the “Taken Path” Exotic quest.
Next, the quest sends you across various locations to solve puzzles, break curses (Curse of Revenge, Curse of Urgency, Curse of Endurance), and collect Nether Taken Osseous Fragments. After completing these steps, you undertake the secret Exotic mission called “Derealize,” where you face challenging combat encounters to finally claim the Barrow-Dyad.
Following acquisition, you can embark on the “Dyadic Ascension” quest to upgrade the weapon’s intrinsic perks, enhancing its power and uniqueness. Additional secret Exotic Catalysts for the Barrow-Dyad, such as High Impact Reserves, require completing specific hidden objectives like finishing an Expert Court of Blades activity while wielding the weapon.
In summary, the Barrow-Dyad questline involves:
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Spawning in the Hall of Souls and finding the secret Blight in the Nether.
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Unlocking the Taken Path quest via Eris Morn’s Shaping Slab.
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Breaking multiple curses and collecting Taken fragments.
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Completing the “Derealize” Exotic mission.
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Upgrading the weapon through Dyadic Ascension and secret Catalysts obtained via further hidden challenges.
What hidden clues reveal the starting point of the Barrow-Dyad quest
The hidden clues revealing the starting point of the Barrow-Dyad quest in Destiny 2 center around the Nether activity, specifically the Hall of Souls near the Court of Oryx on the Dreadnaught. Players must repeatedly load into the Nether until they spawn in this area and look for a large, unusual Taken Blight orb attached to a support beam near the ceiling. This Blight is not always present, so persistence is key. Once spotted, clearing nearby enemies and using your Ghost reveals invisible platforms that allow you to ascend and enter the Blight, teleporting you to a secret area called the Blighted Cyst.
Inside the Blighted Cyst, players encounter a green barrier with a blank rune and a directional plate on the floor. Stepping on the plate while shooting the rune triggers a teleportation to the opposite side of the barrier, where you can collect a Taken Osseous Fragment. Returning to the Last City, interacting with the Shaping Slab in Eris Morn’s apartment activates the “Taken Path” quest, which ultimately leads to the Barrow-Dyad Exotic SMG.
These subtle environmental cues-the hidden Blight orb, invisible platforms, rune and directional plate puzzle-are the secret markers that guide players to the quest’s starting point.
