Destiny rarely gets new Exotic Missions, and they offer a guaranteed route to exclusive weapons. If you’re struggling with the first “Echo” Exotic quest, check out our Destiny 2 Encore Exotic Quest guide which goes over how to get the Choir of One, all Puzzles, Encounters, and how to start it.
Table of contents
How to start the Encore Exotic Quest
The Encore Quest is time-gated, and you cannot access it until you’ve completed all steps of the Echoes: Act II questline. There are 28 steps, but they shouldn’t take too long, even if you’re playing catch-up.
Once you have access to Echoes: Act III, you can grab the mission from Failsafe in H.E.L.M. Open the map, and you can select the Encore Exotic mission from the H.E.L.M Map at the top.
Now you know how to start the quest, let’s go over each encounter step by step.
Encore Exotic Quest Guide
Encore is a tricky mission, especially if you’re playing solo. It’s a good idea to bring a long-range weapon, as there are a ton of flying enemies to deal with. I used The Call Strand Sidearm and No Hesitation Solar Auto Rifle.
I also brought an Apex Predator Rocket Launcher as my heavy option, which worked well against all the large targets.
How to get into the Vex Lair
The puzzles in Encore start from the moment you begin the quest, as the entrance to the rest of the level isn’t clearly visible. Defeat the Vex outside, then look to your right.
You can see a large spherical structure (pictured above). Jump on top of it and drop down the hole through its core. You can climb the walls to the far right of the map and drop down, but a well-timed double jump should be fine.
Follow the tunnel and into the first jumping puzzle sequence.
Jumping Puzzle
Fortunately, this section isn’t as difficult as The Whisper Exotic Quest. Jump into the hole pictured above, and watch out for the obstacles that pop out of the walls. There’s no time limit or respawn restriction, so feel free to take your time.
Once you’re through the gap, crouch and press into the wall on your left as you continue forward.
When you run out of usable floor, look down and jump to the platform in the image above.
Investigate the Conductor’s Domain
Jump down to the ledge to the right and walk until you reach the far side of the room. There’s an entrance far above you (pictured). Use the elevators to hitch a ride to them.
If you’re playing in a group, going one at a time is a good idea as there’s not much room.
You’ll find a similar room layout when you reach the top. Keep using the elevators to head as high as possible. When you reach the top, there are a few long, narrow corridors to slide down. Keep pressing forward until you get to a sheer drop.
You must jump to the structure in the picture above. This area is far less complicated than it looks. Don’t jump to either side. Instead, look at the wall directly in front of you.
There are blocks that move up and down. You can slip under them, but the idea is to use them as elevators and continue ascending.
The room at the top has a sneaky trick that can send you all the way back if you’re not careful.
When you reach the room in the image above, turn right toward the purple glow instead of left. If you follow the left path, it loops around. You’ll eventually reach a bright area outside with a machine with a green symbol above it. Ignore it for now and head right.
Defeat the enemies, and you’ll encounter the mechanic used throughout the rest of the quest.
Vex Modules
The Vex Module mechanic is more straightforward than it looks, but you do have to remember a few things. The green items are “connection modules,” which cause platforms to appear nearby. If you see an arrow pointing up, it means you can collect a module, and down means you can place one.
You can only hold one module at a time and can make puzzles flow easier with a fireteam.
Your first task is to turn the three diamonds on the wall from red to grey (pictured above). You can do this by using the green module in different vessels in the room.
A tower will appear if you use it on the vessel closest to the Diamonds. Interact with the tower, and the first Diamond will change color. Take the module into the next room and repeat the process.
The final Diamond is underneath where you activated the first tower.
Once all three Diamonds are grey, put the green module in the same machine you activated for the first tower, and the wall will open.
Get the Connection Module
Enter the new passageway and follow it until you reach the green module (pictured above). A laser wall will appear when you grab the module, chasing you out of the room. Run as fast as you can, and don’t stop to fight the enemies.
You can place the green module in the first vessel you interacted with to unlock the door. Make sure to take a green module with you and head outside.
Remember that vessel you couldn’t do anything with from earlier? Place your module inside to continue the quest. The module spawns a vast platform you can use to traverse the gap.
Pursue the Shadow Legion
There’s only one way through the following section, so follow the path and use the cannons to get around. Head up the tractor beam and into the first encounter of the Exotic Quest.
Battle the enemies until a champion spawns. The champion will drop a yellow module, which you can use on the vessel in the center of the room.
A door will open, letting you head deeper into the stage. The next room is full of Samples you can extract. It’s not required, but the Exotic drop rate is pretty high, so it’s worth it. Walk into the tractor beam at the back of the room once you’re ready.
Blue Module Puzzle
The next area isn’t too complicated, but it’s tough to figure out when the Vex are constantly spawning. You’re introduced to the final blue module type here, which opens portals. Think of them like a switch that turns portals on or off.
Battle enemies until a champion drops a blue module, then place it in the vessel to open the portal.
Defeat the enemies inside, as the champion will drop a blue module. Use it on the portal on the back wall (pictured above). There’s also a green module up for grabs from the vessel in the room. Take it, head into the portal, and place it on the machine inside.
An inactive portal and an empty blue vessel will appear. You can’t do anything here for now, so return to the main room. Grab the blue module and take it to the portal to your left, which connects to the starting room.
Grab the blue module from inside and take it to the inactive portal to progress.
Defeat Eexonios, Pledged To Yirix
Eexonios is the first boss encounter of the quest and is thankfully light on mechanics. Damage the boss until it flees, grab the blue module from the middle of the arena, and use it to access the portal.
You must chase the boss through several rooms, no matter what it throws at you. Be careful, as you must take down Tormentors and a small army of trash mobs. Grab blue modules as they drop, and continue your pursuit.
Despite the module mechanic, the battle is pretty linear. Keep your distance if your health is low, take down the boss, and move to the next section.
Into the Portal
The entrance to the following section is well hidden and is above ground level through a narrow passageway (pictured above). There are a couple of waves of Vex reinforcements to deal with, but no respawn restrictions to worry about.
You can grab more specimens after dealing with the second room of enemies. Head through the dual portals and into the Ishtar Research Facility.
Ishtar Research Facility
If it’s your first time here, you must trigger a story sequence by interacting with the Degaussed Exomind in the picture above. You can walk around the corner into the next area after the voice line concludes.
Drop onto the platform, resupply at the rally banner, and prepare for the final encounter of the Encore Exotic quest.
Disrupt the Choral Mind
This encounter is a culmination of everything you’ve learned so far. Beware that the boss can bug out, making it impossible to complete the battle. During my first attempt, the boss just hung midair in an unreachable position until we reset.
First, you must get the boss to appear. Defeat the champion Vex, grab the green module, and place it on the vessel.
A Tower will appear, as will the boss. Take back your green module and use it on the vessel on the floating platform closest to the boss.
Each time you place the green module, you’ll spawn a platform you can use to travel around the arena.
Stand in the circle until it fully activates to make the boss vulnerable. Shoot the triangle on the Choral Mind’s shield to enter the first damage phase.
The Choral Mind can teleport but is mechanically the same as a regular Hydra. Throw everything you have at the boss; it will phase away before you deal the killing blow.
Use the blue and green modules
With the boss on the run, the arena will be split into four quadrants by a laser grid you cannot pass. At this point in the fight, a pair of blue and green modules will be in play. To avoid the lasers, you can use these to daisy chain platforms around the map.
Each quadrant has a portal, and two can be opened at any time as you have so many modules. It’s a pain to traverse the arena with all the gunfire and mob spawns, but you have the tools to do it.
Keep an eye on where the boss has moved. If you’re lucky, the Choral Mind will only move one quadrant away so you can head through the portal and deal the killing blows.
Once the boss is defeated, you’ll earn the Choir of One Exotic Auto Rifle for your troubles. You can also collect the quest for its Catalyst from Banshee in the Tower. The Catalyst is locked behind a Legendary completion of the Encore Exotic Quest, where a fire team is an almost mandatory requirement.
Once you’ve completed the Exotic Quest, why not take on the Act III tasks with your shiny new rifle?
Published: Aug 27, 2024 06:51 pm