A new Exotic mission is available in Destiny 2, titled Starcrossed. The content became available as part of Week 4 of the Season of the Wish. In Starcrossed, Guardians return to the Black Garden to take on the Vex and even recover a powerful new weapon.
Exotic missions have long combined some of Destiny 2‘s best elements into a rewarding, compact endeavor. Like Raids or Dungeons, each Exotic mission is unique, combining puzzle-solving, combat, and platforming for distinct rewards. However, before the Exotic Mission node existed in the Director, these gems vanished alongside their respective season.
Starcrossed may be available as of the Week 4 reset, but Guardians can’t just waltz right in. Before players can take on the new Exotic mission, they’ll need to catch up on Season 23’s story. That probably means playing some of The Coil activity and a few visits to Riven’s Lair.
How to start the Starcrossed Exotic mission
The Starcrossed Exotic mission won’t be available to Guardians until they reach a certain point in the Season 23 story. But that’s okay, as it’s impossible for players to miss. Once players get to step 28 of the seasonal Wishing All The Best quest, they’re asked to speak with Crow in the H.E.L.M.
Crow will inform players that they’ll need to return to the Black Garden to find one of Riven’s missing eggs. After this conversation, step 29 asks players to complete the Starcrossed Exotic mission. With this, a new node for the task will appear on the map for the H.E.L.M.
Sire’s Obligation
When players first enter the Starcrossed Exotic mission, they’ll find themselves in a large, cavernous area. Players can forge ahead by the branches and leaves on the left or the flower buds on the right. Guardians must shoot flowers enough so that they open; then, they can be used as a platform. Both paths ultimately lead to the same destination as the approach unifies ahead. Further up, a small squad of Vex defends the way out into the sunlight.
Outside, there are Vex and Taken enemies patrolling the lush zone. Moving forward, players will eventually encounter a blue circle of flowers before a barrier and an immune Taken Cabal. Standing in the circle provides Guardians with the Sire’s Obligation buff for 45 seconds. Sire’s Obligation marks targets protected by Dreaming City runes. It also allows players to dispel those barriers by defeating enemies protected by the runes.
Through the cave lies the first encounter of the Starcrossed mission. Guardians must open the way forward by defeating all of the shielded Taken Cabal Phalanx using the Sire’s Obligation buff. The catch here is that three different Dreaming City runes power the barrier, and order matters. Players must use the Sire’s Obligation buff to eliminate the shielded targets in the same order as the runes appear above the barrier. This is randomized with each attempt.
Dam’s Gift
After continuing on through the cave, players will come across a red circle of flowers. When standing in this circle, Guardians will gain the Dam’s Gift buff for 45 seconds. This buff allows players to traverse areas covered in red fog, similar to Egregore spores in the Presage Exotic Mission. Immediately after the first red flower circle, Guardians will run through some cramped vex architecture to try the concept out.
Once through, players will enter another open area with an encounter. Here, Guardians must use the Dam’s Gift buff to pass through red fog and eliminate Gatekeeper Wyverns. Once each Wyvern is defeated, a nearby shielded console becomes accessible that Guardians must interact with. Once all three consoles have been interacted with, the gateway near the entrance of the central chamber will activate.
The journey back to the gateway is perilous, with plenty of Vex accompanying a Malignant Wyvern and the boss Ixion, Covetous Mind. Once players fight through the enemy ranks, they can hop into the gateway and begin making their way through some Vex architecture. This path leads through a platforming section filled with moving bumpers and perilous leaps.
Crowned by Dragons
Players will emerge into another open arena. Here, both flower circles are present, and nabbing both buffs grants the Crowned by Dragons effect. Crowned by Dragons offers the effects of Dam’s Gift and Sire’s Obligation for 45 seconds. Passing through either color flower circle refreshes the buff. To pass through the next barrier, players must find three Taken Cabals, but they’re separated by red fog.
After bringing the barrier down, Guardians will get a brief respite and an opportunity for a Rally Banner. Pressing on, the boss Akardon, Pitiless Mind awaits players. Outside the arena are both red and blue flower circles for easy access to the Crowned by Dragons buff. There are Taken Cabal that must be eliminated to drop the boss’ shields. One is on the left side of the arena, and the other is opposite. Players can unload safely once the boss loses its shield but should still watch for occasional Detains.
With the boss defeated Guardians are free to head through a crack in the wall. This leads to Riven’s lost egg and a chest that rewards the Wish-Keeper Exotic bow.
