D2-SK: Nightmare Essence Weapon Quests

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The Lectern of Enchantment may be accessed to create gear using Nightmare Essences through Nightmare Quests. Alternately, if you don't want to expend materials, you can farm the Nightmare Hunts (recommended power level 860), which have names that directly correspond to an Essence Quest. Note also that the final boss also has a chance of dropping Nightmare "elemental" mods.


Here are some Nightmare Hunt details for the first three "Hunts" available in Shadowkeep. For more detail, check out Ninja Pups' video: Nightmare Hunt Specific Quests & Loot Guide.

Nightmare Hunt: Anguish — Defeat the Nightmare of Omnigul. Potential drop: Essence of Anguish. Reward: Dreambane leg armor.

Nightmare Hunt: Despair — Defeat the nightmare of Crota, Son of Oryx. Potential drop: Essence of Despair. Reward: Dreambane class item.

Nightmare Hunt: Insanity — Defeat the Nightmare of the Fanatic. Potential drop: Essence of Insanity. Reward: Love and Death Solar grenade launcher.

Here's a list of the seven (7) Nightmare essence-related weapon parts (alphabetical by essence name), where to find them, and their respective rewards. All locational videos by Ninja Pups. Ensure your essence item is "tracked" in your Quests tab, which then highlights the part location in your HUD when it's nearby.

ESSENCE OF BRUTALITY

■   Complete activities on the Moon
■   Get kills using a hand cannon
■   Find weapon part: Necromantic Strand
■   Reward: Loud Lullaby (kinetic hand cannon)

Necromantic Strand location: Hall of Wisdom — Travel to Sanctuary and then head west to Archer's Line. Keep right and proceed through the domed building, and then down through the glowing green archway. Drop down and continue past the Hive wizard, near the entrance to the Hall of Wisdom. The Necromantic Strand is just past the pool of water, at the base of a short, upright protrusion.

ESSENCE OF FAILURE

■   Complete activities on the Moon
■   Get kills using an auto rifle
■   Find weapon part: Captive Cord
■   Reward: Arc Logic (arc auto rifle)

Captive Cord location: Lunar Battleground — Fast travel to Sorrow's Harbor. Go through the southeastern passage (i.e. keep to the right side), which takes you to the Lunar Battleground area. Proceed past this area until you come to a narrow, red-coloured bridge in the rock face. Motor on through the tunnel, past the open platform and across another red-coloured bridge. Bear right slightly and proceed up the hill, through a short rock cut, and find the Captive Cord on the roof of a building just right-of-center.

ESSENCE OF GREED

■   Complete activities on the Moon
■   Get kills using a machine gun
■   Find weapon part: Ethereal Charms
■   Reward: A Find Memorial (Arc machine gun)

Ethereal Charms location: Temple of Crota — This weapon part is fairly easy to obtain. Head to the Anchor of Light area, and use the pathway leading to the northeast. Proceed through the glowing green archway, into the Temple of Crota. When you arrive in the circular arena containing a giant obelisk, the Ethereal Charms part is near the far wall (left-of-center).

ESSENCE OF INSANITY

■   Get 100 grenade launcher kills in Vanguard strikes, Gambit or Crucible matches
     (dispatching Guardians grants the most progress)
■   Find weapon part: Bound Manacle
■   Reward: Love and Death (Solar grenade launcher)

Bound Manacle location: Gatehouse — Since you don't have to travel far, this part is also easy to obtain. Fast travel to Sorrow's Harbor and drive your Sparrow to the Hellmouth. Enter the Gatehouse from the northern section. Move through the cave until you reach the first large room with a Hive knight name Ehrathur, Eternal Blade. He's not so eternal since he's easily dispatched. Doing so will net you the Bound Manacle part.

ESSENCE OF JEALOUSY

■   Complete activities on the Moon
■   Get kills using a sword
■   Find weapon part: Ralnik's Hatchet
■   Reward: Night Terror (Arc sword)

Ralnik's Hatchet location: Traitor's Ketch — Head to the Anchor of Light area, and proceed to the southeast (right) to the crashed ship. Make your way past the various rooms until you find a Fallen captain known as Ralnik. When dispatched, the Ralnik's Hatchet weapon part will be yours.

ESSENCE OF OBSCURITY

■   Complete activities on the Moon
■   Get kills using a submachine gun
■   Find weapon part: Withered Plumes
■   Reward: Every Waking Moment (Void submachine gun)

Withered Plumes location: Circle of Bones — Fast travel to Sorrow's Harbor and ride your Sparrow to the Hellmouth. Enter the Gatehouse, and proceed through the tunnel to the Circle of Bones. Keep left, skirting the edge of the Hellmouth until you reach a dead end. The weapon part is sitting on a ledge.

ESSENCE OF VANITY

■   Complete activities on the Moon
■   Get kills using a sniper rifle
■   Find weapon part: Horned Wreath
■   Reward: Tranquility (kinetic sniper rifle)

Horned Wreath location: Chamber of Night — This one takes a while to reach. Fast travel to Sanctuary, and head eastward on your Sparrow. Proceed to the Anchor of Light area. Continue straight (i.e. go past the Temple of Crota access point) towards the Hellmouth, and enter the Gatehouse. In the first chamber, enter the doorway to the right. Proceed through the tunnel, across the room, and through a doorway on the other side. The subsequent tunnel is dark, so your ghost will provide a flashlight. Enter the Circle of Bones area. Keep right and enter the doorway on the right side. The tunnel will lead you to The World's Grave. Upon entering this room, look to the left and proceed through the doorway and into another room (Omnigul Nightmare arena). Go through the doorway on the right side of this room. The passage is long and dark (ghost will light your way). There are plenty of enemies along the way, and you can generally run by them. Eventually, you will reach a large cavern-like arena. The Horned Wreath part is off to the left, at the back of this area.

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