Look, the Encore exotic mission is a massive, shifting labyrinth that feels more like a mini-raid than a standard seasonal activity. If you're hunting for the Destiny 2 Encore secret chest locations, you’ve probably already realized that Bungie didn't make this easy. This mission, tucked away in the HELM and tied to the Episode: Echoes storyline, is packed with Vex geometry that looks the same no matter which way you turn.
You need these chests. Seriously. They aren't just for extra glimmer or some random world drops you'll dismantle immediately; they are the gatekeepers for the Choir of One exotic auto rifle catalysts and various intrinsic upgrades. Missing one means your build isn't hitting its full potential.
Why the Destiny 2 Encore Secret Chest Hunt is Different
Most missions have chests hidden behind a fake wall. Encore is weirder. It uses a "Connection" and "Partition" buff system that forces you to juggle colored triangles like some sort of cosmic intern.
The mission actually has multiple versions—Overture, Concerto, and Coda. Depending on which week you're running it, the path changes. This is where most people get tripped up. They follow a guide from week one and realize the portal they need simply isn't there. It’s frustrating.
The First Major Hurdle: The Connection Buff
Before you even see a Destiny 2 Encore secret chest, you have to master the logic of the nodes. You'll grab a green "Connection" buff. This allows you to interact with specific Vex terminals. If you see a chest behind a glass wall, you can't just punch it. You usually have to find a terminal, deposit the buff, and hope the platforming puzzle that follows doesn't send you screaming into the radiolarian fluid.
The first real secret chest often hides right after the first major combat encounter in the jungle area. Instead of following the objective marker like a loyal soldier, you’ve gotta look left. There’s a narrow ledge. It looks like "out of bounds" territory. It isn’t. If you drop down there, you’ll find a small cave housing a terminal. This is a classic Bungie move—hiding the solution in the one place you're trained not to look.
Breaking Down the Chest Locations
Let’s get into the nitty-gritty. You’re looking for specific triggers.
The initial secret chest is tied to the "Pillar" puzzle. Once you've cleared the first room with the planetary researchers’ corpses (cheerful stuff, right?), look for a Vex plate. Standing on it starts a timer. You have to jump across the chasm and hit three different nodes before the timer expires. If you’re playing on a Warlock, use Icarus Dash. If you’re a Titan, Lion Rampant is your best friend here. Hunters? Just don't miss.
The Lab Puzzle Chests
Deep within the Ishtar facility, you'll find the "Research Lab" areas. This is where the Destiny 2 Encore secret chest hunt gets technical. You'll find a room with multiple portals.
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- Grab the Connection buff from the center.
- Look for the portal that isn't glowing.
- Deposit the buff in the terminal next to it.
- Run through and kill the Minotaur quickly.
Once that Minotaur is down, it drops a "Partition" buff. Take that back to the main room. This lets you open the door to the actual chest. Most players forget to bring the buff back. They just kill the Minotaur and wonder why the chest is still locked. Don't be that player.
The "Coda" Chests and the Vex Nodes
As the weeks progressed, Bungie added more chests to the Coda version of the mission. These are specifically for the later catalysts. There is one particularly annoying chest located in the "Great Step" area. You have to navigate a series of invisible platforms that only appear when you're holding a specific buff.
Honestly, the easiest way to find these is to listen. Vex chests have a very distinct high-pitched hum. If you’re wearing headphones, turn the music down to 2 or 3 and crank the sfx. It sounds like a digital buzzing. If you hear it, stop moving. Look up. Nine times out of ten, the Destiny 2 Encore secret chest is on a ledge directly above your head that requires a very specific jump.
Dealing with the Deletion Walls
In the later sections of Encore, specifically during the race through the collapsing Vex network, there’s a secret chest hidden behind a wall that periodically deletes anything touching it. You have to timing-slide through the gap. It's tight. If you have high mobility, it’s easier, but it’s mostly about learning the rhythm of the Vex pulses.
The Choir of One Connection
You aren't just doing this for fun. Every Destiny 2 Encore secret chest you open contributes to the "Specimen" quests back at the HELM. Failsafe needs these data points.
Opening these chests unlocks the ability to craft different versions of the Choir of One. This gun is a monster in the current meta, especially with the Destabilizing Rounds or Onslaught catalysts. But you can't get those catalysts unless you've done the secret chest runs on Expert difficulty.
Yes, Expert difficulty makes the puzzles harder. The timers are shorter, and the enemies hit like trucks. If you're going for the Expert chests, bring a Fireteam. Trying to solo the platforming puzzles while a Wyvern is sniping you from across the map is a recipe for a broken controller.
Common Mistakes People Make
Most people think they can just run the mission once and get everything. You can't. The chests are time-gated based on your progress in the "A Rising Chorus" questline. If you haven't finished Act 3 of the Episode, some of these terminals won't even respond to you.
Another big mistake is the "Buff Swap." In the final puzzle before the boss, you have to swap Connection and Partition buffs between players. If you're solo, you have to run back and forth. It’s tedious. If you lose the buff because you fell off a ledge, the chest might despawn for that run. You’ll have to restart the instance. It sucks, but that’s the Vex for you.
Summary of the Best Path
To be efficient, don't hunt these chests on your first playthrough. Do a "story run" to get the layout. Then, come back on a dedicated secret run.
Focus on the jungle ledge first. Move to the Ishtar lab portals next. Finally, tackle the Great Step invisible platforms. Ensure you have the "Access Code" items from Failsafe’s previous quests, or the terminals will just give you an "Access Denied" message, which is the most annoying text in all of Destiny 2.
Final Technical Check
Before you head in, check your quest log. Do you have "Specimen ID: NES007" or "NES009" active? These are the specific quests that track chest progress. If your inventory is full, the quest items from the chests might go to the Postmaster, but sometimes they just vanish into the void. Clear your inventory.
The Destiny 2 Encore secret chest grind is a test of patience. It’s about noticing the slight glimmer on a Vex wall or the strange pattern of lights on a terminal. Take it slow, keep your buffs active, and watch your step on those disappearing platforms.
Once you have all the chests, head back to the HELM. Talk to the terminal next to Failsafe to socket your new intrinsics. This will allow you to reshape Choir of One at the Enclave on Mars. You'll want to swap to the Command Frame or the various Refit options depending on whether you're playing PvP or high-end Grandmaster Nightfalls.
Get your Fireteam together. Load into the HELM. Select Encore: Coda. Good luck, Guardian. You're going to need it for that final platforming section.
Next Steps for Your Loadout:
- Check Quest Progress: Ensure Act 3 of Episode: Echoes is fully updated in your quest log.
- Equip Mobility Gear: Use St0mp-EE5, Lion Rampant, or a sword with Eager Edge to make the secret jumps easier.
- Clear Inventory: Make room for the "Specimen" items so they don't get lost in the Postmaster.
- Monitor the Buffs: Always keep an eye on the left side of your screen to ensure your Connection or Partition buff hasn't timed out before you reach the terminal.