Destiny 2 Exotic Thunderlord Quest: How To Get The Machine Gun (Back For A Limited Time)

Prepare for an exciting return to Destiny’s iconic Cosmodrome location through the limited-time Thunderlord exotic quest. This powerful lightning-infused machine gun, originally featured during the Festival of the Lost event, offers Guardians another opportunity to claim this devastating weapon before it disappears again.

The Thunderlord exotic quest has been reactivated with Destiny 2’s Update 2.2.1 as part of Arc Week celebrations. You have a strict deadline of April 23 to complete this multi-stage investigation. What makes this quest particularly valuable is the exclusive access to the Cosmodrome, a beloved location from the original Destiny that remains unavailable through any other content in Destiny 2. Missing this limited window means relying on the general exotic loot pool, where Thunderlord’s drop probability becomes exceptionally rare—estimated at less than 1% from most activities.

After the quest concludes, obtaining Thunderlord transitions to pure RNG through exotic engrams. This represents a significant time investment difference—what takes 1-2 hours through the quest could require dozens of hours grinding activities hoping for the random drop. The time-sensitive nature makes completing this quest a priority for any Guardian seeking powerful arc weaponry.

Initiate your Thunderlord acquisition by visiting Amanda Holliday located in the Tower’s hangar section. She provides Master Ives’ journal, launching a murder mystery investigation that spans multiple destinations. Master Ives served as the Cryptarch in Destiny’s Reef social space, and his untimely demise sets the stage for this engaging questline.

The journal Amanda provides contains scattered pages that Guardians must recover throughout the solar system. This investigation mechanic introduces players to lore elements while providing clear objectives for weapon acquisition. The quest structure demonstrates Bungie’s improved approach to exotic acquisition, offering guaranteed paths rather than pure randomness.

Understanding quest initiation timing is crucial—begin during active play sessions when you have 2-3 hours available to complete multiple stages consecutively. This prevents having to re-familiarize yourself with objectives when returning to the quest later.

Step 1: The Cryptarch’s Journal

Completing the initial journal collection phase presents multiple pathways to success. You need to acquire 10 missing pages through either defeating specific enemy types or obtaining legendary engrams from standard activities.

The most efficient method involves hunting Elite Fallen enemies within the European Dead Zone on Earth. These distinctive combatants display orange-colored health bars, differentiating them from Major enemies (yellow bars) and standard troops (red bars). Common mistakes include confusing Elite Fallen with High-Value Targets, which won’t progress your objective.

Legendary engrams obtained from Crucible matches, Gambit rounds, Strike completions, and other core activities also contribute page collection. However, the drop rate from activities varies significantly, making targeted enemy farming more predictable for time management.

For Guardians preferring alternative methods, the Tower Cryptarch offers direct page acquisition through legendary shard expenditure. Purchasing 10 engrams costs 250 legendary shards total, but this represents poor resource allocation given the availability of free alternatives. Legendary shards prove more valuable for weapon enhancement and other upgrades rather than bypassing easily completable objectives.

Optimized EDZ Farming Strategy

The most time-efficient approach for journal page collection involves participating in EDZ public events, particularly the Glimmer Mining activity. Triggering the Heroic version dramatically increases Elite Fallen spawn rates, potentially cutting completion time by 40-50% compared to random patrols.

Drop rates for journal pages from Elite Fallen average approximately 60-70%, meaning most public events yield 4-7 pages. Strategic positioning during Glimmer Mining events—focusing on the central extraction point where Elites continuously spawn—can complete this step within 15-25 minutes.

Avoid these common mistakes: wasting legendary shards on engram purchases, confusing enemy types, or attempting to farm in inefficient locations. The Winding Cove and Outskirts areas typically offer the most consistent Elite spawns during public events.

For Guardians with limited playtime, focusing on one or two well-executed Heroic public events proves sufficient. This optimized approach aligns with efficient class specialization strategies, where optimizing your loadout for area control and rapid enemy elimination further accelerates progress.

Advanced players should coordinate with fireteam members to cover multiple extraction points simultaneously during public events. This cooperative approach can reduce completion time to under 15 minutes while making the activity more engaging.

Remember that quest completion before the April 23 deadline guarantees Thunderlord acquisition, while postponement risks extensive future grinding through unreliable exotic drops. The complete gameplay guide mentality applies here—structured objectives with clear rewards beat random chance every time.

No reproduction without permission：SeeYouSoon Game Club » Destiny 2 Exotic Thunderlord Quest: How To Get The Machine Gun (Back For A Limited Time) Complete guide to unlocking Thunderlord in Destiny 2 with time-saving strategies and exclusive Cosmodrome access