Destiny 2: Nightmare Containment Guide

Image: Bungie & Activision via HGG / Brett Moss

Human Made

Penned by Brett Moss

I've been playing video games pretty much nonstop ever since I got my first 360. I love arena shooters, MMOs, and MOBAs, but I'll pretty much try any kind of game.

Reviewed by Ashley Johnson

This season’s seasonal activity is different from the ones we’ve seen in the last few seasons, as it’s actually an “event” instead of a matchmade game mode. This event, called Nightmare Containment, brings with it two new sets of weapons and an entire new location to explore.

In this article, we’ll discuss the Nightmare Containment event, the weapons you can receive from it, and the location that comes along with it. Let’s get started!

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How to Start the Nightmare Containment Event

To start the Nightmare Containment event, all you have to do is go to the Derelict Leviathan (the new location) and interact with the Nightmare Harvester. In most cases, the event will already be in progress when you arrive, so you can just jump right in. 

Nightmare Containment is a six-player activity, but your fireteam is limited to a maximum of three while at the Derelict Leviathan. You’ll have to play with at least three random players, but this doesn’t usually pose a problem. It’s an easy enough event, and it’s rare for a group to not be able to complete it!

Do note, however, that there are two different ways in which you can arrive on the Derelict Leviathan. If your intention is to farm Nightmare Containment, you’ll want to choose the “Containment” option. This is intended for players that plan to do the event instead of simply exploring the Leviathan. This is what the “Castellum” option is for, allowing you to explore the side areas, search for Opulent Chests, do patrols, and defeat high-value targets. Since there is a six-player maximum on the Derelict Leviathan, you don’t want to run off and abandon those who are trying to do the event if you’re in the Containment mode.

Nightmare Containment Event Overview

The Nightmare Containment event is luckily not too complicated. For the most part, players simply have to defeat targets indicated on their HUD and kill bosses when they spawn. The event cycles through three phases, each with a boss or mini-boss the team needs to kill. The final boss occurs at the end of stage three and will require heavy team DPS to take down.

What is Unstable Essence?

One thing to be aware of throughout this event is the Unstable Essence buff. This buff allows you to do more damage to Nightmare enemies, which are the main form of enemy you’ll face here. You can acquire this buff by picking up dark red orbs that drop from weaker Nightmare enemies. We saw a lot of this buff in Shadowkeep, and it seems to function the same way here. Whenever you see one of these orbs, be sure to pick it up. It isn’t uncommon to find them laying around, as many players don’t know what they do and don’t bother picking them up.

Nightmare Containment Phases

Nightmare containment consists of three phases. Two end in standard yellow-bar mini-bosses, and the other is the final boss phase. The first two phases require players to kill various weaker yellow-bar enemies that spawn throughout the phase, some of which will drop Cores of Dread (pictured below).

Pick these Cores up and deliver them to where the Nightmare Harvester was planted (it will give you an icon on your HUD). Delivering these Cores is essential to progressing the event, and doing so will also reward you with a Scythe. The Scythes are fun weapons to use and also progress a triumph required for the seasonal title.

The boss phase is pretty straight forward and is phase-locked, meaning you can’t melt the boss instantly. There are several bosses for this event on a weekly rotation, but each centers around the same premise. You’ll DPS the boss until it loses a third of its health, then you’ll have to complete a brief side objective (shooting crystals, killing a small wave of enemies, etc.). Other than that, it’s a pretty standard boss experience. I recommend using whatever DPS weapons you prefer — any are viable here since the boss doesn’t have a ton of health.

Nightmare Containment Rewards

Nightmare Containment has two sets of rewards: the standard Haunted weapons that drop from the event itself and the Opulent weapons that come from the Opulent Keys that it can reward.

The Haunted weapons consist of:

• Firefright (Auto Rifle, pictured above)
• Tears of Contrition (Scout Rifle)
• Nezarec’s Whisper (Glaive)
• Without Remorse (Shotgun)
• Hollow Denial (Trace Rifle)
• Bump in the Night (Rocket Launcher)

For the Opulent weapons, which are re-issued versions of the Menagerie weapons, we have:

• Calus Mini-Tool (SMG)
• Drang (Baroque) (Sidearm)
• Beloved (Sniper Rifle)
• Austringer (Hand Cannon)

For a more detailed rundown of all the Haunted and Opulent weapons, check out our Season of the Haunted Weapons Guide.

To get the Haunted weapons, all you have to do is complete the activity. The Opulent weapons come from Opulent Keys, which have a chance from dropping from completing the activity. In regards to rewards, there are two other aspects to be aware of — Vestiges of Dread and Opulent Chests.

What Are Vestiges of Dread?

Vestiges of Dread are a form of currency tied to the Nightmare Containment activity. To use them for rewards, interact with the Nightmare Harvester after defeating the final boss of the activity. It costs 500 Vestiges of Dread to do this, which will reward you with additional event rewards (usually a Haunted weapon or an Opulent Key if you’re lucky).

Where are the Opulent Chests?

To find the Opulent Chest that corresponds to your Opulent Key, read its description in your inventory. Each one has a clue that relates to a specific Opulent Chest. There are two different locations: the Pleasure Gardens and the Royal Pools.

Here are the six different clues you can get.

1. Among the ruins (Pleasure Gardens)

This chest is by a few “ruined” columns. It can be somewhat hard to find, but just turn left as soon as you enter the Pleasure Gardens from the Castellum and you’ll find it.

2. Guarded by a loyal companion (Pleasure Gardens)

This is one is right by a statue of a large creature. It’s in the open and easy to spot. From the Castellum entrance, this chest is in the back of the area. It’s slightly to the left of the big statue.

3. By fallen greatness (Pleasure Gardens)

This one is also out in the open, right near a statue of Calus’s head. When entering the Pleasure Gardens from the Castellum, turn right to find this chest.

4. At the feet of greatness (Royal Pools)

This one is right by the entrance to where you come into the Royal Pools from the Castellum. It’s beneath the large statue near the entrance.

5. Where water used to fall (Royal Pools)

This one is in the back right corner of the area, by where a waterfall was in the Leviathan raid. Look in the back left section of the area to find it.

6. Among stately columns

This one is inside the room in the Royal Pools area, just past the “At the feet of greatness” chest. It is between two tall columns inside the room. To get into this room, just go right from the entrance.

Join the High Ground

Thanks for reading this guide on the Nightmare Containment event! This event is a lot of fun, so hopefully it won’t be too tedious grinding for the weapon patterns you’re probably hoping for. Be sure to check out our other Destiny 2 guides and leave suggestions for other articles you’d like to see in the future!

Happy gaming!

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