'Destiny 2' Haunted Forest Guide: How to Beat Nightmare & Get Fragmented Souls

Destiny 2 's Festival of the Lost features the Haunted Forest, and the new PvE activity is the best way to accrue Fragmented Souls. This guide will help you slay Nightmares and get closer to earning the Horror Story Legendary Auto Rifle.

Where Is the Haunted Forest in Destiny 2?

To unlock the Haunted Forest, visit Amanda Holliday at the Tower. She'll send you to complete a few Lost Sector Missions on Io. When you finish them, talk to her again and she'll give you a Masterwork Fighting Lion Exotic, if you don't have one already. It drops relative to your Power level. After that, she'll take you through your first run of the Haunted Forest. Subsequent runs are accessed from the Tower map.

Destiny 2 Haunted Forest Amanda
Go see Amanda at the Tower to get started with 'Destiny 2's Haunted Forest. Bungie/Activision

The Basic Rules of the Haunted Forest

  • Teams have 15 minutes to clear as many branches as possible.
  • Branches consist of large spawns of adds, as well as Nightmare boss at the end. Once you beat the boss, you teleport to a rest area before the next branch begins. Time does not elapse in the rest area.
  • Killing high-level enemies increases your branch completion percentage faster.
  • When the timer reaches zero, the match does not end. You are restricted, which means you'll last until every member of your team has died.
  • Negative modifiers will be added to your character as you progress. Watch your on-screen status to remind yourself of potential debuffs.

What are the Haunted Forest Rewards?

The Haunted Forest doles out increasing numbers of Fragmented Souls, based on how long you last. Generally, you'll get nine or 10 Fragmented Souls if you make it to Branch 7 or Branch 8. Fragmented Souls can be used to unlock Festival of the Lost items including the Horror Story Legendary Auto Rifle.

How to Win and Conquer Nightmares in The Haunted Forest

Destiny 2 Haunted Forest Nightmare
Use the strongest weapons in your arsenal to slay Nightmare bosses. Bungie/Activision
  • Hidden Chests: While Fragmented Souls can be acquired after runs, you can also find them in Hidden Chests. Don't spend too much time looking for them, but they're a nice little surprise if you see one on the way.
  • Supers are Super: As with any Destiny 2 activity that requires lots of add clearing, you'll benefit most by doing anything to aid a strong Super focused on crowd control. Hammer or Sentinel Titans, Tether and Stormcaller Warlock are solid class selections. Also, be sure to use gear that buffs super recharge rates as well.
  • Weapons: If you're involved with the Destiny 2 meta, you likely already know which guns are the strongest. Sleeper Simulant, 1,000 Voices and Melting Point are a good start if they're in your arsenal.
  • Masterworks: Also, given the focus on Supers, any Masterwork weapon is good to have because it increases your chance of dropping orbs. More orbs means more Super use and faster clear rates.
  • Try To Revive: To save on time, make sure you revive teammates instead of letting them die. Respawning separates others from the group, which decreases your squad's output. Keep everyone together for as long as possible.
  • Ascendant Knights : Somewhere along your path you may be chased by Ascendant Knights. Just ignore these as they're invincible.
  • Don't Forget Your Mask : When you first talk to Amanda she gives you a mask that's upgraded by killing Nightmare bosses. Its perks become very useful as you make your way through the Forest.
  • The Pit : When you reach Branch 8 or so, you'll encounter a path that caves in as you approach the reward chest. Stick to the side to avoid falling down. You won't lose Fragments, but it saves you time from having to collect them from the Postmaster.

That's all there is to know about Destiny 2's Haunted Forest. It'll be available in-game until Festival of the Lost ends Nov. 6.

Have you been able to conquer the Haunted Forest so far? Will you be farming Fragmented Souls this week? Tell us in the comments section!

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Christopher Groux is a Gaming and TV reporter with bylines at Newsweek, Player.One, iDigitalTimes, IBTimes, QJ.Net and more. Now, his primary ... Read more

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