Destiny: The Taken King – Touch of Malice Exotic Scout Rifle guide

You’ve got to think long and hard, about which Exotic weapon you want equipped in Destiny. You only get to have one such gun available between your primary, special and heavy options.

Exotic Weapons all come with unique perks and bonuses. But some of them come with bragging rights as well, as Destiny: The Taken King has one hell of a quest waiting for anyone foolhardy enough to tackle it.

I am of course, talking about the Touch of Malice Exotic Scout rifle, a weapon which balances life and death with every shot fired. It’s one of the more visually interesting designs in Destiny, but getting it is harder than something that is appropriately dense and durable for a witty analogy.

Dammit, it’s early. Anyway, here’s a breakdown of how to get it:

Step 1 – Shattered Past

Eris Morn will give you the Shattered Past quest in the game, which tasks you with collecting five Calcified Fragments. Thing is, you’re going to want to collect more than five. After you’ve collected 15 Calcified Fragments, she’ll then give you the Hunger Pangs quest.

This mission has you working to kill Brakus, a Taken Centurion who resides at the bottom of the Salt Mines in Bunker WAR-4. Go kill him already.

Your journey will start with the Shattered Past Quest from Eris in which she tasks you to obtain 5 Calcified Fragments.

Step 2 – The Old Hunger

When you first start the King’s Fall Raid, you’ll then unlock The Old Hunger from Eris. This quest requires you to get your hands on a few specific items, from the King’s Fall bosses:

• Blade of Famine from the Warpriest
• Shroud of Ir Anûk from the Deathsingers
• The Ravenous Heart from Oryx

Next, Eris will ask you to go gather up:

• 25 Wormspore
• 50 Hadium Flakes
• 50 Weapon parts

Weapon parts are easy enough to find, while Wormspore and Hadium Flakes can only be found on the Dreadnaught. Be prepared to open a LOT of chests.

Step 3 – Hunger Pangs

Once you hand over the goods, Eris will give you an Antiquated Rune, and you’ll then need to collect another 30 Calcified Fragments. Kill me now please.

You’ll need to talk to Eris again, and then hit the The Undying Mind Strike and kill Morgath, Lore-Keeper. Eris will then give you a Stolen Rune and ask you to get your hands on 45 Calcified Fragments while I go hang myself.

With all of those Calcified Fragments gathered, Eris will then tell you return to the Fear’s Embrace mission on Phobos and kill Mar-Zik, the Blightcaller. That Taken Wizard spawns when the Echo of Oryx is almost defeated, so keep your aim steady and kill the target.

Finally, finally, return to Eris and she’ll have your shiny new scout rifle ready for you.

Last Updated: September 22, 2015