Complete Destiny 2 The Final Shape guide to help you stop the end of the universe

Destiny 2
(Image credit: Bungie)

With this Destiny 2 The Final Shape guide, you'll be able to delve into the Pale Heart, unlock its secrets, and battle the Witness with ease. While the campaign is quite straightforward, it's not without a few challenges, and as it standard for Destiny 2 expansions, it spits you out into a quest-filled endgame that unlocks some excellent missions, activities, and loot. Despite the stakes being high with the end of the universe approaching, there's still time to get new Exotic weapons, help out new characters, and plunder the Pale Heart, so here's everything you need to know when playing Destiny 2 The Final Shape.

Destiny 2 The Final Shape review

Destiny 2 The Final Shape the Witness

(Image credit: Bungie)

This expansion is an excellent addition to one of the best FPS games of the decade, providing a great payoff for Bungie's flagship title. In our Destiny 2: The Final Shape review, we said: " Even with some classic endgame grinding repetitiveness, it's an incredibly well-executed expansion that nicely rounds off a decade-long journey, making it Destiny 2's best."

You can play Destiny 2: The Final Shape on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, and PC (via Steam and the Epic Games Store).

Destiny 2 The Final Shape missions and quests

Destiny 2 The Final Shape Iconoclasm mission start

(Image credit: Bungie)

The Final Shape campaign is tough in places, especially on Legendary difficulty, and the last mission – Destiny 2 Iconoclasm – is a great example, so make sure you know exactly it works for a smooth completion of the climactic lead up to the endgame.

After that, you'll be swiftly introduced to Micah-10 in Destiny 2 and her Ghost hunting missions, namely the repeatable Destiny 2 Alone in the Dark quest. As you carry on into the endgame and reach certain quests, you'll also need to know how Destiny 2 Cooperative Focus mode works for the last few campaign missions. To round out the entire story of The Final Shape, you'll then have to complete the 12-player Destiny 2 Excision activity, which you can also complete on Grandmaster difficulty if you’re up for the challenge and bonus loot.

Destiny 2 The Final Shape Pale Heart collectibles

The Pale Heart is a massive, linear location that houses the entire campaign for Destiny 2 The Final Shape, but it still has plenty of secrets and items that you must gather or collect to help in other quests and pursuits:

  • Destiny 2 Memory Vestiges: These come in Light and Darkness flavors and are obtained from Cysts and corrupted chests respectively. Once you have five of one type, they'll automatically combine into a memory that leads you to a Prismatic Fragment chest.
  • Destiny 2 Traveler Collectibles: Also known as Visions of the Traveler, these pocket Traveler orbs can be collected and placed in the Lost City Tower, helping you to unlock the Exotic Khvostov and learn a little more about the Traveler itself.
  • Destiny 2 Lost Encryption Bits: Found in the nine Pale Heart Region Chests and in all six Cysts, all the Lost Encryption Bits combine into a code that unlocks the Legendary Khvostov which you need for the Exotic version of the weapon.

Destiny 2 The Final Shape Prismatic Fragments

Destiny 2 Prismatic Fragments subclass screen Warlock

(Image credit: Bungie)

There are 21 Destiny 2 Prismatic Fragments to get in The Final Shape. You'll have six of them right off the bat, but the other 15 need to be found in the Pale Heart. Some are hidden away in missions, some are locked behind completed memories, and some are unlocked by solving puzzles like these ones:

Destiny 2 The Final Shape Exotics

Destiny 2 Exotic Khvostov auto rifle

(Image credit: Bungie)

The Final Shape adds several highly unique Exotics to Destiny 2, from the game's first Exotic Class items to a special sword with random Exotic perk rolls. All of these are obtained through Exotic quests unlocked after completing the campaign of The Final Shape, each requiring you to complete various other missions and objectives which are also linked in this guide. Here are all the Exotics from The Final Shape:

  • Destiny 2 Ergo Sum: A special-ammo sword that has randomly rolled Exotic perks and Frames. You get it from the Destined Heroes quest.
  • Destiny 2 Microcosm: The first heavy-ammo and Kinetic-damage Trace Rifle, Microcosm is a powerful beam weapon that shreds shields. Complete the Convalescence: Budding quest to get it.
  • Destiny 2 Khvostov: The classis weapon makes a return in Exotic form again, this time with excellent stats and powerful, ricocheting bullets. Explore the Pale Heart for numerous collectibles to reveal and unlock the chest containing it.
  • Destiny 2 Prismatic Exotic Class item: Each Class gets an armor piece that rolls with two random Exotic perks, but it works with Prismatic Subclasses only. You need to complete the Destiny 2 Dual Destiny quest to unlock it initially, but then there are other ways to get random rolls after.

Is The Final Shape the end of Destiny 2?

Destiny 2 The Final Shape Witness

(Image credit: Bungie)

No, The Final Shape is not the end of Destiny 2. The aftermath of The Final Shape is being explored in three Episodes – Echoes, Revenant, and Heresy – which are a different take on the previous seasonal model. The Final Shape is, however, the end of the "Light and Darkness Saga", which is Bungie's term for Destiny's first decade that began with Destiny 1 in 2014.

© GamesRadar+. Not to be reproduced without permission.

Will Sawyer
Guides Writer

Will Sawyer is a guides writer at GamesRadar+ who works with the rest of the guides team to give readers great information and advice on the best items, how to complete a particular challenge, or where to go in some of the biggest video games. Will joined the GameRadar+ team in August 2021 and has written about service titles, including Fortnite, Destiny 2, and Warzone, as well as some of the biggest releases like Halo Infinite, Elden Ring, and God of War Ragnarok.