Ultimate Guide to Barrow-Dyad Exotic Catalysts in Destiny 2

With the release of the third act in Destiny 2’s Episode Heresy, we stand on the brink of the finale for the Light and Dark Saga’s epilogue ahead of the Frontiers expansion later this year. This segment delves deeper into the ongoing confrontation between the Hive God siblings and culminates in a showdown with Xivu Arath. Alongside this climactic story, players can now unlock two new Catalysts for the Barrow-Dyad, an Exotic weapon that has seen significant enhancement in its add-clear and damage-per-second (DPS) capabilities since its initial introduction.

Differing from past quests, players must actively discover these new quest steps, which can involve a mix of detective work, effort, and a sprinkle of luck driven by random number generation (RNG).In this guide, we aim to lead you through the steps required to completely upgrade the Barrow-Dyad in Destiny 2.

Overview

Previously, we explored the secret quest to obtain the Barrow-Dyad introduced in Act 1. Since then, this weapon has transformed into a formidable tool for add-clearing and dealing DPS.

The Barrow-Dyad currently stands as one of the top weapons emerging from the post-Final Shape episodes, surpassing other notable weapons like Choir of One and Slayer’s Fang.

Each Catalyst brings a unique twist to how you utilize the Barrow-Dyad, making them all worthwhile to pursue. Moreover, the Taken path you choose slightly modifies the weapon’s behavior.

Post-Episode Heresy, the sole method to alter the weapon’s behavior will involve reshaping it at the crafting station in the Enclave.

To begin this journey, equipping the Barrow-Dyad during most Heresy activities will unlock a quest that eventually enables you to locate the Catalysts. If you’re inclined to use your preferred weaponry, feel free to engage with your usual loadout but switch to the Barrow-Dyad just before the activity ends.

Furthermore, it’s essential to gather all 18 Taken Osseous Fragments for the Dyadic Ascension quest to fully upgrade your Intrinsic Perk to “Panic Response V.”There are 12 fragments located within the Nether and an additional six in the new Sunless Cell strike.

High Impact Reserves

The first catalyst, High-Impact Reserves, unlocks by completing Expert Court of Blades with the Barrow-Dyad equipped. Upon doing so, you’ll obtain the Sharp Osseous Spine, which you must return to the Shaping Slab to receive the “A Needle’s Path”quest.

To begin, you must “master the Path of Resolve”by elevating your Shaping Slab: Resolve level to Rank 12 and acquiring the necessary upgrades through various activities.

To keep yourself on track, toggle the Taken orb beside the Shaping Slab to a deep, starry black. You’ll know you’re on the right path when eliminating enemies causes them to drop Sigil Shards as you progress.

While it’s possible to tackle the activity with your favored weapons, I strongly suggest using the Barrow-Dyad to familiarize yourself with its mechanics and capabilities.

For the completion of “A Needle’s Path, ”you must once again complete Expert Court of Blades equipped with the Barrow-Dyad and long-range weapons such as Scout Rifles, Linear Rifles, or Sniper Rifles.

Nevertheless, it’s feasible to finish this activity solo by entering the boss room and allowing the 10-minute timer to run out, after which defeating the boss concludes the activity.

Once complete, you’ll receive the High-Impact Reserves Refit to apply to your weapon. From here on, expect future quests to require specific weapons to accompany the Barrow-Dyad. To streamline your efforts, consider equipping required weapons along with the exotic for efficient runs.

Hatchling

The second catalyst, Hatchling, is particularly favored by Strand Warlocks seeking to build around the Hatchling mechanic. However, some prerequisites must be met first. You’ll need to hunt down and eliminate secret enemies found in ≤three≤ locations of the Nether: Trenchway, Hall of Souls, and Mausoleum.

These locations are the guaranteed spawn points in the Nether, so if you don’t spawn in one, a quick activity reload can help.

At the Trenchway, seek out a Taken Ogre miniboss. To summon it, you must light three braziers—one on the ledge and two adjacent to the door—found in the easternmost area near the large door.

The second target inhabits the Hall of Souls, specifically a Cursed Thrall named the Ravenous, nestled in a pool of sludge and Hive worms. Attract its attention without coming too close, as it will detonate. The objective involves evolving the Ravenous through its stages until you can finally defeat it as a Knight.

Lastly, you’ll locate the final secret in the Mausoleum. Here, four dead Cabal Phalanxes hang from a pit surrounded by Taken blights. Shoot the blights to free the Phalanxes, which will then transform into Taken Phalanxes for you to defeat.

Successfully completing all three required challenges awards you the Coalescence of the Deep Sky. Additionally, you can activate the nearby portal in the Mausoleum to loot chests containing the Coalescence.

Return to the Trenchway, navigating to the large canyon on the left side (assuming default spawn).Use your Ghost to reveal invisible platforms leading into a nook. When conditions are met, the panel will display “Rites of the Deep Tithe Found Worthy.”Otherwise, it will read “Rites of the Deep Tithe Found Lacking.”

Activating the portal grants access to loot chests containing the Coalescence of Sorrow along with Heavy Osseous Spine items.

Head back to the Shaping Slab to exchange the Heavy Osseous Spine for the “A Hammer’s Path”quest. Like before, this task requires elevating your Path of Ambition to Rank 12 to earn necessary upgrades.

Next, you’ll need to complete the Nether activity on Expert difficulty with the Barrow-Dyad equipped, using close-range weaponry such as shotguns, glaives, or swords. As in prior tasks, it’s advisable to hot-swap your loadout for ease of undertaking.

One For All

During the course of your activities, you will stumble upon six Taken Osseous Fragments scattered across the strike. Three are located in the initial region, two in the zone with the Taken Blights, and one situated before the Shrieker area.

To unlock “One For All, ” complete The Sunless Cell with the Barrow-Dyad equipped to earn the Trembling Osseous Spine, which can then be traded at the Shaping Slab for the “A Hundredfold Path”quest.

Subsequently, you will need to collect 10 Tithing Wormspawns that become available while you’re on the Path of Ambition. They can be found across various Nether zones, including the newly added Hull Breach, typically appearing two per region.

Be observant while navigating, as they’re often positioned right at the edges of your viewing range.

To conclude the quest, finish The Sunless Cell with the Barrow-Dyad while wielding SMGs, Auto Rifles, or Machine Guns. You know the routine!

Target Lock

Target Lock serves as the final Catalyst to unlock, but you must first meet several requirements.Progress through the story and finish the Act 3 Dossier missions. Following this, solve the Hive Rune puzzles found in The Founts.

Unlike its predecessors, the Founts and Hull Breach are not initial spawn points but rather secondary and tertiary locations, making the journey quite lengthy.

To initiate the first Hive Rune puzzle, locate three Hive symbols on the wall on the left side of The Founts (when facing the locked gate). Inside the room beyond, interact with rows of symbols according to the pattern from left to right to spawn a loot chest, thus completing the puzzle.

These puzzles vary, so I recommend entering a private “Exploration”version of the Nether to increase your chances of spawning them.

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The second Hive Rune will be found on a pillar next to the spawned chest; shooting it opens a door, directing you to navigate tunnels to eliminate a small Taken Blight.

As you navigate, you’ll accumulate stacks of Suffocating Terror, but rest assured, this will not hinder your objectives.

After looting the chest here, you’ll receive a Coalescence of the [Knife] item, essential for progressing to the next phase.

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Next, shift your focus to Hull Breach, a location reminiscent of Destiny 1’s Taken King era. Here, you may encounter varied reports on Toland’s ghost spawn locations.

At the far-left edge of the area, find Cabal crates housing a Taken ghost resembling Toland.Scan this ghost to spawn a Taken enemy, and once defeated, you will obtain a Skyburner code to unlock a forcefield beneath your current platform.

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Loot the chest here for another Coalescence of the [Knife].Following this, activate the portal leading to the catalyst quest, located at the opposite side of the area.

Upon opening the portal, access chests there to receive a Warped Osseous Spine, which can be exchanged for the “A Silken Path”quest.

For the completion, gather 10 Ravenous Wormspawns from across the Nether while on the Path of Resolve. These are also positioned similarly to the Tithing Wormspawns with two spawning in each region.

On finishing this, you’ll need to complete the Derealize Exotic Mission with the Barrow-Dyad equipped. Once this step is concluded, you will finally unlock the Target Lock catalyst, completing your collection of all four Catalysts.

Which Catalyst Is Better?

Each Catalyst serves a unique purpose, enhancing different playstyles within the game:

• The High-Impact Reserves Catalyst boosts damage by up to 25% when your magazine drops below 50%, though many players regard it as the least beneficial option.
• Hatchling and One For All excel at add-clearing. If optimizing Hatchling, consider pairing it with a Strand Warlock build centered on Threadlings.
• On the other hand, One For All is better suited for tackling general low to mid-tier content, allowing you to effectively dispatch groups of enemies.
• Finally, Target Lock is ideal for PvP or high-tier content, granting a maximum damage increase of 25% (20% in PvP) when focusing on a single target.

Overall, while each Catalyst has its benefits, in my experience, Target Lock stands out as one of the most advantageous perks for rapid-fire weaponry.

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