Guardians, gather 'round! In the ever-evolving world of Destiny 2 as of 2025, snagging the Microcosm kinetic trace rifle is like trying to untangle a sentient ball of yarn—messy, thrilling, and rewarding only for the persistent. This bad boy, the first kinetic trace rifle ever, debuted with The Final Shape expansion and still packs a punch against shields, Torments, and Subjugators, while dishing out Super energy like candy at a parade. But oh, the quest to unlock it? It's a marathon disguised as a sprint, requiring you to conquer the campaign, cozy up to Micah-10 in the Lost City, and dive headfirst into the Convalescence questline. Think of it as a cosmic scavenger hunt where the prize is a weapon so efficient, it could slice through red tape at a bureaucracy convention. 😎 Ready your Ghosts and fireteams—this ain't no solo stroll in the Pale Heart!
The Starting Point: Campaign Completion
First things first, you must complete The Final Shape campaign. No need to sweat the 12-man Excision mission; just defeating The Witness in Iconoclasm will do the trick. Once that's dusted, tackle the Queens, Part I adventure—part of the Ergo Sum quest—to unlock the Convalescence quests at Micah-10. Picture this as the warm-up lap before the real race, where you're prepping for the main event: Rootbound, Underbrush, Greenery, and Budding. Completing each rewards you with a Deepsight Resonance Pattern for a random Pale Heart weapon, making it worth the grind.
Convalescence: Rootbound
Kick things off by finding a Lost Ghost in The Forgotten Deep—it's marked on your map, so no getting lost in the cosmic weeds. Once retrieved, high-tail it back to Micah-10 and interact with the nearby fracture. Simple, right? Like finding a needle in a haystack if the haystack was made of stardust. This quest introduces you to Lost Ghosts, setting the stage for the chaos ahead.
Convalescence: Underbrush
Next up, hunt for a Flickering Blessing mod by cracking open chests scattered across the Pale Heart. Each chest is a mini-loot piñata, bursting with potential. Once snagged, open the Traveler's Blessings menu to slot it in—think of it as plugging in a USB drive that suddenly grants you superpowers. Then, return to Micah-10 to probe another fracture. Easy peasy, with a dash of Cyst Trials to spice things up.
Convalescence: Greenery
Time to get hands-on! Start by opening Overthrow chests—each one chips in 15-30% progress toward your goal. After that, protect a Ghost from enemy swarms in a Ghost Event, and cap it off with the Sword Dance Cyst in The Landing. Imagine this phase as herding cats through a laser maze, but with more explosions and loot. It's all about teamwork and persistence, guardians!
Convalescence: Budding
Now for the main course: Budding. This isn't your average mission—it's a Cooperative Focus extravaganza that demands a pre-made fireteam, as solo runs are a no-go. Picture it like a synchronized dance routine on a tightrope, where missteps lead to wipes. These missions rerun campaign levels with nasty modifiers and unique mechanics. Fail to coordinate, and you'll be staring at a respawn screen faster than a blink. Here's a quick cheat sheet of the mechanics:
| Mechanic | Description |
|---|---|
| Glyphtouched | One player gets randomly chosen. They can't see symbols, so teammates must relay info like frantic radio operators in a spy movie. 🎧 |
| Berserker | These Scourge of the Past spawns appear periodically. Approach, and they generate a force-field—slowing you like sinking in cosmic molasses. Destroy weakspots simultaneously to progress. |
| Fracture | The Witness debuffs a random player with stacks. At 7+, mobility tanks; hit 10, and it's instant death. Pass it around like a hot potato before it detonates! 🔥 |
Ascent Mission
Start with Ascent, where Berserkers debut. After the snowy section, deal with Fracture—pass it at 7 stacks to avoid crippling anyone. Before the boss, coordinate with the Glyphtouched player to dunk symbols. This phase is like navigating a minefield while blindfolded, but teamwork makes it a breeze.
Dissent Mission
Search for Zavala using Veiled statues, with wizards adding chaos in the temple room. Stick together, as being under-light turns this into a game of dodgeball with magic missiles. The mechanics here? They'll test your fireteam's bond harder than a trust fall exercise.
Iconoclasm Mission
The only mission sans Fracture, but it amps up the challenge. Defeat The Witness with twists: the Glyphtouched player can't descend, and Taken barriers block paths. Kill Berserkers as a team and shoot pyramid crystals simultaneously to clear them. Grabbing Aegis? It's guarded now, so coordinate like a well-oiled machine. Think of it as defusing a bomb with multiple wires—one wrong move, and boom!
Wrapping Up and Claiming Microcosm
After conquering all three Cooperative Focus missions, return to Micah-10 in the Pale Heart to claim your prize: the mighty Microcosm. This kinetic beast not only shreds shields but boosts your Super game, making it a must-have for endgame content. As of 2025, it's still a meta favorite, especially with Cenotaph Mask or Lucky Pants swaps. So, guardians, gear up, laugh off the wipes, and remember—every epic quest is just a story waiting to be told over ramen in the Tower. 🎉