How and where to use the Strange Key – Destiny 2

As some players dive into Destiny 2‘s Bungie 30th Anniversary Pack content for the first time, they may wonder about the purpose of the Strange Key. Found on Xur’s personal reputation rewards track, its use is outwardly vague. However, the Strange Key is just a piece of a much greater whole. It plays a vital role in one of the most intricate homages Bungie has ever orchestrated. It also paves the way toward the powerful Forerunner Exotic sidearm.

The Bungie 30th Anniversary Pack was released in 2021, just before the release of The Witch Queen expansion. It was presented half as a celebration and half as a means to engage players throughout The Witch Queen‘s delay. The DLC pack added a new Dungeon, Grasp of Avarice, and a new activity, Dares of Eternity. In addition, the 30th Anniversary reintroduced the Gjallarhorn (and a Nerf version), added a new social zone featuring Xur, and snuck in countless extra goodies. The Forerunner is one of those goodies.

How to get the Strange Key

To kick things off, Guardians will want to visit Xur at his Treasure Horde within the Eternity destination. Though the first page showcases the enigmatic character’s reputation rewards, they likely won’t be available yet. Access Xur’s second tab and pick up the “Magnum Opus” quest.

The quest received from Xur requires players to collect seven Strange Coins. The best way to obtain Coins is to engage in Dares of Eternity. This will likely require multiple rounds of the activity, but that’s okay. Dares of Eternity is the only activity that rewards reputation for Xur, and that’ll be very important later.

With Strange Coins in hand, return to Xur’s Treasure Room. Now, Guardians can use the Strange Coins to purchase bounties from the Starhorse. Each Starhorse bounty revolves around Dares of Eternity and often asks players to use specific weapons or abilities. It’s important to note that these bounties must be completed in a single Dares of Eternity run, or they reset.

After sating the Starhorse’s demands, Guardians can return to Xur in the Treasure Horde once again. The Strange Key is now ripe for the plucking, but only after players reach the fourth rank of Xur’s reputation rewards. If Guardians are not at this level yet, more Dares of Eternity is in order. And bounties obtained from Xur himself can help too. Once the requirements are met, players can obtain the Strange Key as a no-cost reward from Xur.

What to do with the Strange Key

With the Strange Key in possession, players can now use it to earn their Exotic reward. Players will want to return to where they transmatted into Xur’s Treasure Horde and head into the swirling purple effect toward the right. This teleports Guardians to the Valley, the first Dares of Eternity arena. 

From the point of entry, players will want to head forward and off to the right. Guardians are looking for a collection of jagged rocks just to the right of the center of the battlefield. One stone has a sliver of metal poking out, and players should see the option to interact once in position.

With that complete, Guardians can head toward the left side of the Valley and through a crack in the rocks. Pressing on, players will have to ascend from within the cave. There are small platforms to help climb, as well as floating brass balls. Eventually, Guardians will reach what looks like a flat wall. But tiny brass-topped platforms dot the structure and can be used to climb.

Further up, the last obstacle players will have to overcome are bronze platforms collapse and reestablish themselves. At the top rests a crashed cryo pod, a cheeky Halo reference. Players can interact with the cryo pod to receive the Anomalous Object.

What to do with the Anomalous Object

After unlocking the cryo pod, take the Anomalous Object back to Banshee-44 in the Tower. He will offer his insights, even adding another Halo nod by noting that the weapon will “kick like a warthog.” After the talk, Banshee-44 rewards players with the Forerunner Exotic sidearm.

The Forerunner is a very unique weapon in Destiny 2. Inspired by the Halo: Combat Evolved Magnum, The Forerunner is unlike any other sidearm. It packs a mighty wallop, and much like its Halo progenitor, it can often be used as a pseudo-sniper rifle. Here are The Forerunner’s unique perks:

• Pace Yourself: Tapping the trigger gives this weapon less recoil and improves accuracy.
• Full Stop: Oversized sidearm with an extended-range, heavy-caliber rounds. Fires full auto with increased rate of fire. Deals increased precision damage to unshielded targets.
• Exotic Catalyst – The Rock: For several seconds after a final blow, hold the reload button to consume part of your ammo reserves, converting your next thrown grenade into a fragmentation grenade.