TL;DR
- Thorn returns as an exotic hand cannon requiring multi-step quest completion
- Quest involves finding weapon remnants and gathering class-specific materials
- Multiple completion paths available: PvE activities or Crucible PvP matches
- Material gathering can be optimized through specific activity selection
- Complete quest unlocks powerful poison-effect weapon with story significance
Acquire a formidable dark weapon through dedicated effort.
The exotic hand cannon Thorn previously dominated Destiny’s competitive Crucible matches with its distinctive poison-inflicting rounds. These toxic projectiles continued damaging opponents even after successful elimination of the weapon’s user. Bungie reintroduced this iconic firearm during Season 6, presenting Guardians with a challenging multi-stage mission to obtain this legendary darkness-imbued weapon.
This Thorn exotic quest arrived as part of the Jokers Wild expansion within Destiny 2’s Annual Pass, becoming available following the March 12 weekly reset. Beyond reintroducing Thorn to the game universe, the questline further develops the narrative surrounding the Drifter, the mysterious and potentially antagonistic character overseeing Destiny 2’s Gambit game mode. Thorn originally served as the primary weapon of the notorious antagonist Dredgen Yor, ultimately vanquished by Shin Malphur wielding his legendary firearm, The Last Word. During the previous season, players obtained The Last Word while discovering clues about Hive efforts to reconstruct Thorn. These attempts appear successful, potentially carrying significant storyline consequences moving forward. Explore our comprehensive lore examination for complete details about Thorn and The Last Word’s intertwined history.

Similar to other recent exotic weapon pursuits in Destiny 2, securing Thorn represents a substantial time investment. The process demands considerable gameplay repetition, though developers have implemented flexibility by providing alternative completion methods: players can choose between PvE activities like Nightfall Strikes or Escalation Protocol, or opt for player-versus-player combat in the Crucible. However, one particularly demanding Crucible objective requires significant dedication to overcome.
This comprehensive guide details everything necessary to obtain Thorn, including initiation points and numerous techniques to accelerate progress.
Before initiating the questline, locate remnants of a Shadow of Yor’s firearm. This involves finding Shin Malphur’s hidden campsite, referenced within lore items connected to Aunor, the Warlock transmitting warnings about the Drifter throughout Season 6. Journey to Trostland within the European Dead Zone to begin your search.
After retrieving the Melted Hunk of Metal from the campsite, deliver it to Banshee-44 at the Tower to advance to subsequent stages.

The reconstruction process demands collecting various class-specific materials. Initial requirements include Hadronic Essence, previously utilized by Warlocks for equipment enhancement. Obtain these components by eliminating Warlock opponents in Crucible matches, finishing bounties on Io, or completing Nightfall Strikes. Nightfall completions provide the fastest progression, awarding 15 Hadronic Essence per run—completing this phase in four strikes. Bounty completion and Warlock eliminations yield slower progress, providing five Hadronic Essence per activity.
Following Warlock materials, anticipate requirements for Titan and Hunter components. The subsequent phase necessitates Plasteel, another material from Destiny’s earlier upgrade systems. Acquire Plasteel through bounties on Titan, defeating Titans in Crucible combat, or finishing Blind Well events within the Dreaming City. Mirroring the previous stage, bounties and eliminations grant five Plasteel each, while Heroic Blind Well completions provide 10 Plasteel. With a 50-unit requirement, five Blind Well runs will suffice, simultaneously progressing Petra Venj’s Gateway Between Worlds weekly bounty.
Final material collection involves Hunter-derived Sapphire Wire. Mars serves as the primary PvE destination, requiring Escalation Protocol level completions. Among PvE methods, Escalation Protocol offers the slowest individual progress, yielding merely 5 Sapphire Wire per level completion. However, combining this with two Ana Bray bounties enables step completion within one full Escalation Protocol run (seven levels), since bounties also provide 5 Wire each. Alternatively, pursue Hunter eliminations in Crucible, though current quest popularity makes Escalation Protocol the more efficient approach.
Efficiency Maximization Techniques
Coordinate Nightfall Strikes with fireteam members pursuing similar objectives to streamline Hadronic Essence collection. Select strike modifiers that align with your loadout strengths to ensure rapid completions.
Common Player Mistakes
Avoid attempting Escalation Protocol solo—this significantly extends completion time. Instead, leverage public event instances where multiple Guardians naturally congregate.
Advanced Crucible Approaches
For PvP-focused progression, utilize game mode selection strategically. Control and Clash typically offer more consistent elimination opportunities compared to competitive playlists.
Time Investment Estimates
Expect approximately 3-5 hours for material collection phases when employing optimized methods. Crucible-focused approaches may extend to 6-8 hours depending on match outcomes and opponent composition.
Weapon Performance Insights
Once acquired, Thorn delivers exceptional performance in both PvE and PvP scenarios. Its Mark of the Devourer perk inflicts damage-over-time while temporarily preventing enemy health regeneration.
For comprehensive weapon mastery beyond Thorn, explore our detailed BF6 Weapons Unlock Guide covering additional armament options.
Action Checklist
- Locate Shin Malphur’s camp in Trostland, EDZ to retrieve Melted Hunk of Metal
- Deliver the metal fragment to Banshee-44 at the Tower
- Collect 60 Hadronic Essence via Nightfall Strikes (4 runs), Crucible Warlock kills, or Io bounties
- Gather 50 Plasteel through Blind Well, Titan bounties, or Crucible Titan eliminations
- Acquire 35 Sapphire Wire via Escalation Protocol levels, Hunter bounties, or Crucible Hunter defeats
- Complete final quest steps to obtain your Thorn hand cannon
No reproduction without permission:SeeYouSoon Game Club » Destiny 2 Thorn Quest Guide: All The Steps To Quickly Get Your Weapon Of Sorrow Complete guide to unlocking Thorn in Destiny 2 with optimized strategies and time-saving tips
