Destiny 2: Shadowkeep - How to get the Xenophage Exotic Machine Gun
A new Exotic weapon is available in Destiny 2: Shadowkeep which introduces a Solar machine gun into the mix.
Now that you've got your hands on the Leviathan's Breath Exotic Bow, it's time to go on the hunt for a new machine gun to tear it up in PvP modes.
The Xenophage Exotic Machine Gun comes with the Pyrotoxin Rounds Intrinsic Perk, where it fires high-powered explosive ammunition. It also has the Rangefinder trait, where aiming this weapon increases its effective range and zoom magnification, and increases projectile velocity.
It deals Solar damage and uses Heavy Ammo, obviously, so it’ll pack quite a punch. As always, there are several quest steps to work your way through to get it, so let's get started.
How to get the Xenophage Exotic Machine Gun
First up, you'll need to visit Eris Morn on the Moon. Alongside opening up the new Dungeon, she'll be the one who gives you the quest to get started. Head through the portal beside her once you've completed a memory quest or make your way to the Enduring Abyss on foot or by Sparrow.
Fast travel to Sorrow’s Harbor and head up to the top of the steps into the Scarlet Keep. Go through the door on your left, by the glowing crystals, and you'll eventually reach a point where you can drop down to a platform below. Instead of doing that, hug the wall to the right and look up to see a platform above - that's where you want to go.
Either way, once you're there you'll see four statues. Approach the one closest to you on the right and interact with it - it should read Emerge from the Dark. You'll be activating them in an anti clockwork pattern, which is:
- Front right
- Back right
- Back left
- Front left
A chest will then spawn giving you the quest, Emergence, and the first step is called The Journey.
For this section, head over to Anchor of Light on the Moon. You'll need to collect a special orb and use it to light six lanterns in a specific order. You can find the bright orange ball encased in black rock in a building to the left of the area, Northwest of the A in Anchor.
You need to place the orb on six different pads. Pick it up and head to the orange, spiky pad on the ground directly behind it to Light Your Path. To find the rest:
- Go through the door to your left and go right up the hill till you see a doorway in the rocks to the left, past a Vex enemy to find the next one on the platform above.
- Head back the way you came and go in the small, yellow building to the left to find the left of the door, in the corner.
- Go back through the door and enter the top level of the large yellow building opposite. Drop down to the level below to find another pad on the beams.
- Exit the building and head to the two yellow buildings on your left, by the rock face. Youll find a pad on the roof of the one on the righthand side.
- Finally, go left from there towards the big circular building. You'll find the last one sitting on top of its roof. Once you've lit them all, you'll get a message saying "You are ready to emerge from the dark" and a nav point will spawn.
- Interact with the nav point to Emerge from the Dark and get the Pathfinder step.
This step involves heading into Lost Sectors on the Moon and solving puzzles by shooting symbols. You can only access these areas after you've defeated the boss at the end and heading through a locked door.
You'll see a three by three grid of runes that you need to shoot in a specific order. Big props to the Raid Secrets Reddit for figuring out the correct order.
| Lost Sector | Solution |
|---|---|
| K1 Crew Quarters | Top right, middle left, centre, bottom middle, bottom left |
| K1 Communion | Bottom left, bottom right, top middle x2 |
| K1 Logistics | Top left, bottom left, middle right, centre |
| K1 Revelations | Middle right, middle left, centre x2,middle left, top middle, bottom middle, centre |
Doing this correctly will unlock the next step, Descent. You'll need to have unlocked the Pit of Heresy Dungeon, so check out our guide on how to do that. Progress through the first fight, then go through the door on the left that has no runes on it. Head through it and activate the rune inside.
Keep going until you reach the Hive Totem and Pariah Ogre. Jump down off the cliff edge to find the plate with the runes on it. Platforms will appear, so jump over them to grab the same ball of light from earlier then head back through the right-hand hallway.
You'll eventually reach a red door with two lanterns beside it. Light them both then head inside to fight the 970 Power Wizard inside. You'll receive four Dread buffs during this battle: Abyssal, Thunderous, Fiery or Neutral. When you have a Dread buff, you need to grab the orb in the centre of the area and deposit it into the correct corner of the room.
- Neutral: Front left corner of the top level
- Fiery: Back right corner of the bottom level
- Thunderous: Front left corner of the bottom level
- Abyssal: Back left corner of the top level.
Correctly depositing an orb will give you the Vengeance buff for around 20-25 seconds which makes your abilities and weapons of the corresponding type deal more damage.
Defeat the Pit of Heresy boss, return to Eris and hand over the Hive Bug and the Xenophage Exotic Machine Gun is yours. Well done!
The Festival of the Lost has started, with new Halloween themed cosmetics to earn. You'll be returning to the Haunted Forest this year and you'll be able to get your hands on the Braytech Werewolf Legendary Auto Rifle.
If you're new to Destiny 2, you can check out our Forsaken guide here as well as how to find Lost Sectors and cache codes.
You can also check out our guides on how to get the Leviathan's Breath Bow and Deathbringer Rocker Launcher.
Now that the Garden of Salvation raid is complete, it's time to tackle the Eyes on the Moon quest and unlock the Vex Offensive. For more Shadowkeep guides, check out our pages on how to get the Deathbringer Exotic Rocket Launcher and Divinity Exotic Trace Rifle how to complete the Nightmare Essence Cleansing and how to get Phantasmal Fragments, Cores, and access Nightmare Hunts.
You can also check out where to find the hidden Jade Rabbits and all the dead Ghosts and how to complete the Lunar Spelunker Bounty.