Hunting down the elusive NES006 specimen in Destiny 2’s Episode: Echoes is a challenge that tests even the most seasoned Guardians. Hidden near the rally flag in the perilous Battleground: Core, just before the final boss fight, this Vex Minotaur weapon-the Assimilated Torch Hammer-awaits discovery behind a geyser of Vex Radiolaria, tucked away in a shadowy corner. Ready your Proximity Sensor Alert, because tracking down NES006 is only the beginning of a demanding quest that will push your combat skills and patience to the limit.
In this Destiny 2 guide, I’ll walk you through how to find NES006, how to complete the subsequent “Specimen ID: NES006” quest, and the Failsafe Research Bay upgrades you’ll get from it.
Where to find NES006 in Destiny 2
The NES006 specimen in Destiny 2, known as the Assimilated Torch Hammer, can be found near the end of the Battleground: Core mission in the Episode: Echoes. Specifically, after reaching the rally flag, turn left to spot a large geyser of Vex Radiolaria behind a glass wall, where the specimen is tucked away in a corner just before the boss encounter. Since Battleground matchmaking is random, you may need to rejoin until you land in the Core Battleground to find NES006. Keep an eye on the Proximity Sensor buff on your screen to help locate it if you end up in other Battlegrounds. Once found, the specimen triggers a quest that requires defeating enemies with sidearms or auto rifles, using Solar or Arc damage, and generating Orbs of Power to complete.
NES006 is the Assimilated Torch Hammer, the weapon used by Vex Minotaurs, and you can find it in any of the Echoes Battlegrounds from this Episode.
I found mine in the “Core” Battleground, the final in the series of three. It’s at almost the very end of the mission, just before you jump down to face the boss. When you reach the rally flag, turn to your left and you’ll find a giant geyser of Vex Radiolaria behind the glass. You’ll find NES006, the Assimilated Torch Hammer, tucked in the corner.
While the Battleground matchmaking is random – meaning you can’t just select “Core” – you can back out and matchmake again until you eventually get the one you’re looking for. However, I’d recommend against this unless you’re in a Fireteam of friends, as it’s a rude move to pull on the other Guardians you matchmake with.
As you can only find the NES006 sample once per account, I can’t tell you exactly where to find the sample in the other two Battlegrounds. However, if you get a Battleground that isn’t “Core,” keep an eye on the left side of your screen for the “Proximity Sensor” notification to pop up. Use this sensor to find NES006 on your own.
If you happen to get the “Delve” Battleground, you can use Skarrow9’s video above to find NES006.
How to complete the ’Specimen ID: NES006’ quest in Destiny 2
To complete the “Specimen ID: NES006” quest in Destiny 2, first, ensure you have completed the Rising Chorus Act 2 quest to unlock the ability to find the specimen. Then, head to the Battlegrounds activities, particularly the Battleground: Core, where the NES006 specimen, known as the Assimilated Torch Hammer, can be found near the end of the mission just before the rally banner, tucked by a wall near a Ved Radiolaria geyser. Use the Proximity Sensor alert from Failsafe to locate it. After collecting the specimen, you must complete several objectives: defeat enemies using Sidearms or Auto Rifles, kill enemies with Arc or Solar damage, and generate Orbs of Power. These tasks are best completed in high enemy-density activities like Lost Sectors or Vanguard Ops. Once done, return to Failsafe at the H.E.L.M., place the specimen in the display tank, and claim your rewards, which include the Data Format Cipher and Combat Protocol Override.
Once you return to Failsafe and get the “Specimen ID: NES006” quest, you’ll have a lot of busywork to do in order to earn its rewards. Here are the three major steps, which you have to do in a set order:
- Get sidearm or auto rifle final blows
- Get Arc or Solar final blows
- Generate Orbs of Power
The easiest and fastest way to do this is in the Shuro Chi raid encounter in Last Wish. Use the Wishing Wall to warp to Shuro Chi and kill all the enemies over and over again. Khvostov, the new Exotic auto rifle from The Final Shape expansion, is great for both the auto rifle step and the Orbs of Power step (assuming you put the Kinetic Siphon mod in your helmet first). For Arc and Solar final blows, try weapons like Riskrunner or Ticuu’s Divination.
If you don’t want to do Shuro Chi, running Lost Sectors on Nessus or any other activities in the world will get these objectives done eventually.
Once you finish generating all the Orbs of Power and head back to the HELM, you’ll unlock two upgrades from Failsafe:
- Data Format Cipher: Unlocks additional engrams when opening Echo Chests.
- Combat Protocol Override: Detects the presence of high-value targets in Echoes Battlegrounds. Defeat the high-value target for bonus rewards.
How can I locate the hidden NES006 specimen before facing the boss in Destiny 2
To locate the hidden NES006 specimen in Destiny 2, head to the Battleground: Core during the Episode: Echoes mission. Near the end of the mission, just before the boss fight, reach the rally flag and then turn left. There, behind a large geyser of Vex Radiolaria glass, you will find NES006 tucked away in a corner. If you are not in the Core Battleground, watch for the “Proximity Sensor” notification on your screen, which indicates when you are near the specimen in other Battlegrounds. Note that Battleground matchmaking is random, so you may need to rejoin matchmaking multiple times to land in Core if you want the most straightforward location.
What visual cues indicate the NES006 specimen’s hiding spot in the Core Battleground
The key visual cues for locating the NES006 specimen in the Core Battleground of Destiny 2 are as follows: After reaching the rally flag near the mission’s end, turn left to find a large geyser of Vex Radiolaria glass behind which the specimen is hidden in a corner. This spot is just after the “trap” section with multiple spinning laser blades and near a blocked-off wall by a stream of Radiolaria. Additionally, players should watch for the “Proximity Sensor” buff on their screen, which activates in the room before the traps and guides you toward the specimen’s location. These environmental markers-geyser of Radiolaria, proximity sensor alert, and the corner near the rally flag-are the main indicators that point to NES006’s hiding spot in the Core Battleground.
