In week two of destiny 2 In Season of Defiance, Guardians can dive into anywhere in the Vex network and complete a new exotic mission called NODE.OVRD.AVALON.
It’s a pretty crappy mission and will take even dedicated players at least twenty to thirty minutes to complete on the first playthrough, although it’s probably easier with a Fireteam. The activity follows the design philosophy of Whisper and Zero Hour more than Season 19’s Seraph station, with more platforms and puzzle solutions.
In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about completing NODE.OVRD.AVALON.
How to complete Exotic Mission NODE.OVRD.AVALON in Destiny 2 Season of Defiance
The NODE.OVRD.AVALON mission is the third part of The Variable quest, after the discovery of six Vex data traces. Our guide to the greater search goes into finding these. The mission starts immediately after you talk to the blue-eyed Vex Harpy in the cave.
From the starting point, jump down into the data tunnel. The tunnel will take you into a small hallway that leads to a short gap. Jump across the gap and you’ll find yourself in a room with two upper platforms filled with white radiolaria liquid and a central, lower area with two side platforms to stand on. Go to the lower part and crouch through the hole on either side of the central pillar.
Screenshot of GameSkinny
Be careful as the openings have shutters which will likely kill you from the acceleration as they close. Go through the door in the center of the area behind the sliding shutters and turn in either direction. At the end of the hallway is another hallway that leads to a small room with a single harpy. Destroy the Vex and take the narrow passage nearby.
Screenshot of GameSkinny
Follow the passage until you reach a pit and jump down. Keep going straight until you reach another pit and jump down again. You’ll reach a place called the Variant Security Protocol, and it’s here you’ll learn the core mechanics of the mission.
How to enter access codes in exotic mission NODE.OVRD.AVALON
In the center of the arena in front of you is a digital structure from which a violet beam shoots up into the sky.
Screenshot of GameSkinny
Once the encounter begins and the objective changes to Enter Access Codes, look to the right of the platform. You will see two floating symbols similar to the ones you solved earlier the Vex Harpies puzzle during the Headlong mission.
Screenshot of GameSkinny
These symbols correspond to the Vex structures you must destroy to advance the puzzle, and are read from top to bottom. For example, if you see a diamond over a square, destroy it when the diamond structure appears around the pink laser column. Then destroy the cube. If you’re doing it right, continue and the Enter Access Codes step goes to 1 of 3.
Now more and stronger enemies will start spawning, with additional difficulty increases for the third code. The answer to the next two codes will also move around the arena. The second set is in the back left behind a pillar near the top Vex gate.
Screenshot of GameSkinny
The third set of symbols is almost directly opposite the second, behind a pillar to the left of the Vex Gate.
Screenshot of GameSkinny
Enter all three codes successfully and the barrier at the back of the arena will disintegrate. Defeat all of the Vex as you advance until you reach another access code section. The first set of symbols is on the left wall and is visible from almost anywhere.
Screenshot of GameSkinny
The second set of symbols hangs over a bottomless pit near the back right of the arena. You have to look over the edge to see them all.
Screenshot of GameSkinny
The third set of icons is to the left of the main path, near the center of the arena. As before, you’ll have to look over the edge to see them all.
Screenshot of GameSkinny
With the last icon set entered and access granted, you must defeat a new, tougher Vex wave, including a pair of boss-level Wyverns.
Defeating the Vex opens the way to the next platform section. Follow the path to your right, past the Vex Minotaur and through a small canal accessed from a series of small platforms at the end of the path.
Avoid the triangular shutters (which will likely kill you if they hit you as they close), then jump down and to the left from the top of Radiolarian Waterfall. Walk across the disappearing platforms and duck under the one accessible path on the left side of the passageway.
Beware that the sides of some parts of your ledge will try to eject you, but you can see which ones as they are a lighter shade of green and sticking out of the wall before they try to push you off.
Screenshot of GameSkinny
Keep going straight until you reach a man cannon on a small rise. Watch out for the death pits leading there. Bring the cannon into the arena in the first boss fight.
How to collect data and shelter and defeat the Data Nullifier in exotic mission NODE.OVRD.AVALON
There are two phases to this first boss encounter. The first is to collect data and seek protection. Collecting data is easy. Enemies called Dataholder (Corrupt) spawn alongside other Vex and drop pink particles when defeated.
Screenshot of GameSkinny
For the first part of the fight you need to collect eight and then 10 of these data motes and deposit them in the central Conflux. This will open a small pit in the middle of the arena and you will see “Protected Area!”. Text on the left side of your screen.
Stay in this zone until the timer hits zero and the bottom of the pit falls out, leading to a portal that will take you back into the fight. After the first two records, the Data Nullifier boss will come to fight you.
Screenshot of GameSkinny
Deal enough damage to the boss and he will retreat back behind his barrier. Clear the area of Harpy enemies, and you’ll need to collect ten and then 12 sets of Data Particles, following the same process as before. With both Motes sets down and the delete log avoided, you can finally kill the Data Nullifier.
Exit the arena at the back and jump past the wyvern, keeping to the wall on your left. Defeat or ignore the two hobgoblins and go through more shutters. Grab the man cannon you get across the gap and continue your way down. Make sure to always land on the platforms as they slide out of the wall.
Walk around the barrier until you see a large cylindrical structure in the distance. Look down over the ledge and take the long slide towards the structure. You will be ushered in and then take the portal there.
How to defeat Variant Stalker Brakion, Repurposed Mind
Destiny 2 veterans will remember most of this fight from the Sunset Strike called Pyramidion. Your goal here is pretty much the same: defeat Brakion.
Screenshot of GameSkinny
This giant Vex hobgobling will teleport around the arena as you fight it until you drain its health. It will teleport away on… health, and the portal behind the original arena will open. Take it to go to the next section.
Brakion will be behind a big barrier. To break it you need to enter more symbols. Go to the far right area of the arena and you will see a triangular window that will show you the five icons you need.
Screenshot of GameSkinny
Enter the symbols to lower Brakion’s shield, then take out another third of his health. The shield will come back up and you need to go left of the arena for a similar window on the floor for the new icons you need. Enter these correctly to make Brakion vulnerable again. It teleports away and the portal behind it opens. runaway
If damage is dealt to Brakion at this point, he will shatter, opening up his weak spot in the center of his chest and making him extremely aggressive. Brakion will chase you through the arena, shooting lasers, stomps and raining fire until it’s destroyed. Exploding fanatical enemies spawn here indefinitely, as do minotaurs. Damage the boss whenever possible until it is dead.
With Brakion dead (again), go to one of the Vex waterfalls with the neon blue Glaive in front of it and draw the weapon.
Screenshot of GameSkinny
After drawing Vexcalibur, the exotic mission NODE.OVRD.AVALON is officially complete. You’ll do it a few more times over the coming weeks to unlock additional Exotic Catalysts, but for now, be content with your latest acquisition. For more Destiny 2 Exotic content, check out our guides on Quicksilver Storm And ice curve Exotic catalysts and our guide to them Unfinished Business Exotic Quest. Our destiny 2 leads hub has more.
Featured image via Bungie
