Unlocking the Touch of Malice: A Destiny 2 Guide
The simple answer to getting the Touch of Malice quest is: You can’t in Destiny 2. Unlike its initial iteration in Destiny 1, the Touch of Malice is no longer acquired through a quest chain. Instead, it’s a random drop from defeating Oryx, the final boss of the King’s Fall raid. This means no lengthy scavenger hunts, no intricate puzzles – just pure, unadulterated raid boss takedowns and a healthy dose of luck. Let’s delve deeper into how to maximize your chances and what to expect.
Understanding the New Acquisition Method
The transition from a guaranteed quest reward to a random drop signifies a fundamental shift in how Destiny 2 handles its exotic weapons. While some may lament the loss of the engaging questline from Destiny 1, the new system offers a more straightforward, albeit luck-dependent, path to obtaining the Touch of Malice.
This approach emphasizes repeated engagement with the King’s Fall raid. Every week, guardians can test their mettle against Oryx, hoping for that coveted drop. The lack of a guaranteed method fosters a sense of anticipation and excitement with each successful raid completion.
Maximizing Your Chances of Getting Touch of Malice
While luck is a primary factor, there are ways to improve your odds of acquiring the Touch of Malice:
- Run the King’s Fall Raid Weekly: As you can only attempt to get the Touch of Malice once per character each week, running the raid on all three of your characters triples your chances.
- Coordinate with a Raid Team: A well-coordinated and experienced raid team can efficiently clear the raid, minimizing the time investment for each attempt.
- Understand the Oryx Encounter: Knowing the mechanics of the Oryx encounter inside and out allows for faster and more consistent clears, maximizing your weekly attempts.
- Consider Master Difficulty: While the drop rates for Touch of Malice are the same on both Normal and Master difficulties, some players believe Master difficulty might have a slightly increased drop rate due to its increased challenge, although this hasn’t been officially confirmed. The Adept weapons are certainly an advantage.
The Touch of Malice Catalyst and “Reviving the Machine”
Once you’ve acquired the Touch of Malice, the journey doesn’t end there. The weapon possesses a Catalyst that significantly enhances its capabilities.
Starting the Catalyst Quest
The Catalyst quest, called “Reviving the Machine”, is unrelated to the original method of acquiring the weapon itself. To begin the catalyst quest, you need to travel to Valdrakken, and head to the Seat of the Aspects. You must find Watcher Koranos at the top of the highest tower. By speaking with him, you will receive the quest to begin.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some frequently asked questions about the Touch of Malice and its acquisition:
1. Is Touch of Malice still available in Destiny 2?
Yes, Touch of Malice is available in Destiny 2. It drops from Oryx, the final boss of the King’s Fall raid.
2. What is the drop rate for Touch of Malice?
While the exact drop rate is unconfirmed, community surveys estimate it to be around 5%. It’s considered a relatively rare drop.
3. Can I farm Oryx to get Touch of Malice?
Yes! When King’s Fall is the weekly featured raid, you can farm Oryx for Touch of Malice. This is the best way to get the weapon.
4. Is Touch of Malice better in Destiny 2 than Destiny 1?
That’s subjective. In Destiny 1, it was a guaranteed reward after a long quest, but in Destiny 2, it’s a random drop. Some prefer the certainty of the quest, while others find the raid grind more appealing. The weapon’s functionality has also been tweaked in Destiny 2, making it a powerful, unique, choice for end-game content.
5. How many times can I try to get Touch of Malice per week?
You can attempt the Oryx encounter once per week, per character. Having three characters allows for three chances each week.
6. Does difficulty affect the drop rate of Touch of Malice?
The stated drop rate is the same on both Normal and Master difficulty. The benefit to running Master difficulty is that you’ll have a better team that can clear it more consistently, in addition to earning Adept weapons as well.
7. How do I unlock the Touch of Malice Catalyst?
You get the quest to unlock the Catalyst from Watcher Koranos at the Seat of the Aspects in Valdrakken. The quest is called “Reviving the Machine”.
8. How many kills are required to complete the Touch of Malice Catalyst?
You need to defeat 500 enemies with Touch of Malice to fully unlock the Catalyst.
9. Does Touch of Malice have infinite ammo?
Technically, yes. While the magazine size is small (11 bullets), the weapon draws from your health to continue firing, effectively granting “infinite” ammo as long as you can survive the health drain.
10. Is Touch of Malice a good DPS weapon?
Yes, Touch of Malice can be a very effective DPS (Damage Per Second) weapon, especially against high-health targets, if utilized properly and paired with a healing source.
11. What are the best strategies for the Oryx encounter?
Key strategies involve managing the Light-Eater Ogres, detonating Corrupted Light bombs, staggering Oryx, and coordinating damage phases. There are countless guides and videos available to help master this encounter.
12. What is the “Reviving the Machine” quest?
This is the quest for the Touch of Malice Catalyst. It starts with Watcher Koranos at the Seat of the Aspects in Valdrakken.
13. Is there bad luck protection for Touch of Malice?
No, there is no known bad luck protection system in place for the Touch of Malice drop.
14. Can I get Touch of Malice from a King’s Fall carry?
Yes, if you participate in the Oryx encounter and the weapon drops for you from the final chest. Buying a carry service does not guarantee the weapon.
15. Where can I find more information about Destiny 2 strategies and communities?
There are numerous online resources, including the official Destiny 2 forums, Reddit communities like r/DestinyTheGame, and content creators on YouTube and Twitch. Learning extends beyond the game itself, with educators and researchers exploring how games can foster cognitive and social skills, as highlighted by organizations like the Games Learning Society ( GamesLearningSociety.org ).
By understanding the acquisition method, maximizing your attempts, and mastering the King’s Fall raid, you’ll significantly increase your chances of adding the coveted Touch of Malice to your Destiny 2 arsenal. Good luck, Guardian!