Destiny 2: Echoes - Enigma Protocol Guide (2024)

Destiny 2: The Final Shape's first episode is filled with secrets. Named Echoes, this four-month long season has launched with two new activities: Breach Executable and Enigma Protocol. This second activity is hidden and isn't seen on the Director map, at least not at first. You'll need to find and unlock this mission first.

Fortunately, this mission is fairly easy to unlock, but beating it is another story. This guide will explain how to unlock the Enigma Protocol activity and cover every encounter in this rather difficult time trial, including a brief explanation on how to extend your time limit inside the mission.

How To Unlock Enigma Protocol

Enigma Protocol is unlocked by completing the "Encoded Log" quest from Failsafe. This quest is given to you after completing your first Arena: Breach Protocol mission and subsequent HELM visit. This quest will ask you to investigate the Well of Echoes in The Tangle. Make your way to the Well of Echoes and enter the structure. You should find a Minotaur in the depths of the building.

You will need to defeat this Minotaur by destroying nearby Vex cubes. They will usually be hiding behind walls. Break three of them to make the Minotaur vulnerable, then land the killing blow. Your HUD should then display a waypoint that leads down a crack in the floor. Descend to the depths of Nessus, and you should reach the entrance to the Enigma Protocol activity.

Extending The Timer

Excluding the high Power requirement, the toughest part of this mission is beating it within the time limit. You start the mission with a 60-second timer and must extend it by destroying crystals and Timekeeper Harpies. Each encounter typically spawns three crystals, and Timekeepers usually spawn a short way into a combat encounter.

Each crystal and Timekeeper extends your timer by 30 seconds. There's no upper limit for your timer, so be sure to break these crystals and Timekeepers when possible. If the timer hits zero, the mission restarts from the beginning. Bring a loadout with strong add clear and single-target DPS for a smooth run.

Enigma Protocol Walkthrough

The mission will begin right outside a Vex portal. Make sure your loadout is configured before you start. Once you enter the portal, the timer will start. You can also choose to start this activity with or without matchmaking. We suggest the former for most players.

For veteran players, Enigma Protocol is effectively the Expunge missions from Season of the Splicer merged into one level. Your goal is to complete each encounter within the time limit. This starts at 60 seconds, but you can extend it by shooting yellow crystals scattered across the map. The starting area has three you can break:

1. Directly in the path where you arrive.
2. To your right, hiding behind a pillar that's next to a power-up.
3. To your left, just before the first detain enemy spawns.

Once you cross the portal, you'll be presented with an orb that must be charged by standing inside of pillars of light. These rotate around the room every few seconds, so you'll need to stay on the move. Charging this orb also takes quite some time. Feel free to drop the orb on occasion to take care of any adds. Additional crystals can be found around the room, one in the middle, another diagonally across from spawn on an isolated pillar, and the last one above you on the right-half side of the room.

With the charged orb, deposit it at a nearby terminal to activate the gravity pad next to the spawn portal. Use the gravity launcher to start the platforming section. The next part is fairly linear and doesn't deviate too much. Simply follow the path, break any crystals you see, and you'll end up running through another portal.

Experimental Grid-2

The next combat encounter has nine immune Harpies you must destroy. Eliminate the Goblins on each side of the room to spawn orbs. Throw these orbs at any Harpy to remove its immunity shield. You'll need to do this a total of nine times to end the encounter. A Timekeeper will spawn to help you extend the timer, along with three crystals:

1. Directly behind you when you arrive.
2. On the ledge on the bottom-left corner of the arena.
3. Floating above the right pillar.

Walking through the portal will take you to yet another platforming section. Once again, follow the path, head right when the path diverges slightly, and break any crystals you find along the way; their spawns are somewhat random here. After a short walk, you'll enter a Sparrow racing section where you must navigate a short course. Drive over any blue lines you see to gain a major speed boost, and crash into any crystals you find on the path (if any spawn).

After this short race, you'll find yourself in Archival Grid-1. This room will pause the timer, so you have a second to reconfigure your loadout. This is also where you'll receive your first set of rewards. You can either reboot the sequence to restart the mission, or you can enter the portal to continue the run.

Yet another small army of Vex will be waiting for you in the next arena. Simply fight through the Vex as fast as you can, and avoid any lasers in your path. Three crystals should spawn in this area if you need more time. Run through the area, enter the circular room, and destroy any pink chests you find. They'll spawn Golden Age motes you must grab. A total of 20 are needed to end the encounter.

More platforming awaits you, but this is fairly straightforward. Follow the narrow path, crouch if you need to, and use the gravity lift to reach the next platform. Enter the right hole in the wall and proceed as normal. There should be a few crystals that spawn during this section you can destroy as well if you need more time.

Your fireteam must now eliminate a Minotaur boss in the same arena as Expunge: Delphi. There's virtually no cover here and a never-ending wave of adds, so play it safe. Fight on an isolated platform if you can, and kill the adds as quickly as possible. If they keep spawning, it'll make fighting the boss much harder.

The boss itself is a standard Minotaur with no mechanics. It will teleport at every health gate, but it's otherwise a generic Vex threat. Use your Super and Heavy weapon to damage the boss as quickly as possible. Three crystals and a Timekeeper will appear in this encounter; be sure to use the extra time well. Try to kill the boss with at least 60 seconds remaining for the next part.

It's almost over. The last section is another Sparrow race, this time taking you to a portal at the end of the track. Hop on your Sparrow and go as fast as possible, driving over speed lanes when possible. The timer ends when any member of your fireteam reaches the end of the track. Claim your rewards and return to Failsafe.