You're probably wandering around The Pale Heart, staring at that weird, pulsing Taken gunk and wondering if you're missing something. Honestly, you probably are. The blighted cyst Destiny 2 activities aren’t just some random side quests Bungie threw in to pad out the Final Shape runtime; they are the literal backbone of your post-campaign progression. If you want that Khvostov 7G-0X—the exotic one that actually shreds—you’ve gotta get comfortable with these creepy pockets of reality.
It's weird. Destiny 2 players are used to Lost Sectors being the "bite-sized" content, but Cysts feel different. They're tighter. More claustrophobic. They change based on which bird you follow. Yeah, it’s a bit strange, but once you get the rhythm, it's the best way to farm Ergo Sum rolls and get those pesky Encryption Bits.
What People Actually Get Wrong About Cysts
Most players think they can just run into a Cyst, kill the boss, and they’re done. That’s a mistake. These are technically part of the "Alone in the Dark" questline given by Micah-10. If you aren't picking up those quests from the Arbor, the Cysts won't even show up correctly on your map. You’ll just be sparrowing around the Landing or the Blooming feeling lost.
The mechanic is simple but easy to mess up: you find a glowing bird (it’s a Ghost-bird, technically), follow it, and it unlocks a literal tear in reality. Inside, the physics get wonky.
There are six of them total. Sword Dance, Slayer, Searing Light, Aerial Ace, Moth Infestation, and Smothering Darkness. They come in pairs. Each region of The Pale Heart hosts two, but only one can be "active" at a time. If you see the bird for Sword Dance but you actually need to do Slayer to find a collectible, you have to interact with the bird to "switch" the Cyst. It’s a tiny interaction prompt that most people sprint right past.
The Sword Dance Struggle
Sword Dance is usually the first one people hit, and it’s a wake-up call. You’re in the Seclusion. You grab a Hive Cleaver. You think you’re a god. Then the wizards show up.
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The trick here isn't just swinging wildly. You have to use the heavy slam to break the crystals. If you’re just doing light attacks, you’re going to run out of sword energy and get absolutely melted by the Taken thrall. Honestly, the difficulty spike here compared to the standard campaign is noticeable. You’re in a restricted zone. You die, you reset. It’s punishing in a way that feels very "old school" Destiny.
Why Searing Light is a Nightmare
If you hate jumping puzzles under pressure, Searing Light in The Blooming is going to annoy you. The floor is basically lava, or at least, the Taken version of it. You’re dodging these massive bursts of light while trying to find these tiny, flickering blights to destroy.
- Don't rush the platforms. The timing is predictable once you stop panicking.
- Use a scout rifle or a high-reach primary. You don't want to be jumping toward a blight just to melee it. That’s how you fall into the abyss.
- The boss is a giant Taken Knight. He has a lot more health than he looks like he should. Save your Super.
Hunting the Khvostov Encryption Bits
This is the real reason you’re searching for blighted cyst Destiny 2 guides. You want that Exotic Khvostov. To get it, you need 15 Encryption Bits. Nine come from the regional chests (the gold ones), but the last six? They’re hidden inside these Cysts.
They aren't just handed to you for finishing the mission. You have to scour the environment. In the Moth Infestation cyst, for example, the bit is tucked away in a cave corner that looks like out-of-bounds geometry. It’s classic Bungie. They want you to look at the ceiling. They want you to check behind the waterfall of Taken energy.
If you’ve done all six Cysts and you’re still at 14/15 bits, check your inventory. It’s a common bug—or well, not a bug, just a UI quirk—where the bits don't always pop on the screen. But usually, it means you missed the one in Aerial Ace. That one is notoriously easy to skip because you’re too busy trying not to get blown up by the tripmines.
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The Micah-10 Loop
Let’s talk about Micah-10. She’s the 18th Exo, a legendary figure from the lore who is now basically our "lost ghost" coordinator. To keep the Cysts relevant, Bungie tied them to her repeatable "Alone in the Dark" quests.
You do a quest, you save a Ghost, you run a Cyst, you get a reward.
It sounds repetitive. Because it is. But the reward is the Ergo Sum exotic sword. Since that sword drops with random rolls (which is wild for an exotic), you’re going to be running these Cysts dozens of times. You want the Wolfpack Rounds roll? Get ready to see the inside of the Smothering Darkness cyst a lot.
The Smothering Darkness one is actually kind of cool. It uses the "Weight of Darkness" mechanic from the Crota’s End raid. You can’t double jump. You move slow. You have to stay near the light. It’s moody. It’s atmospheric. It’s also incredibly frustrating if you’re a Stompees-wearing Hunter who forgot how to walk on the ground.
Nuance: Are Cysts Actually "Good" Content?
If you ask the hardcore raiders, they’ll tell you Cysts are a chore. If you ask a solo player, they’re a godsend.
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Destiny 2 has struggled with "middle-ground" content. Strikes are too easy. Raids require five friends and four hours. Cysts fill that gap. They take about 5 to 8 minutes once you know what you’re doing. They offer high-tier rewards. They’re solo-friendly but have enough "bite" to keep you awake.
However, the lack of matchmaking is a point of contention. While they aren't as hard as a Legendary Lost Sector, the "restricted zone" mechanic means a single mistake sends you to a loading screen. For newer players who haven't mastered their build yet, Smothering Darkness can feel like a brick wall.
Tips for Speedrunning Cysts
- Precision is king: Most Cyst bosses have massive crit spots. Don't spray and pray.
- The Bird is the Key: If the entrance isn't opening, you missed the bird at the start of the zone. Go back.
- Weapon Swapping: You can change your loadout inside, but it drains your ability energy. Better to set up your build before you jump through the tear.
- Ignore the Mobs: In many Cysts, like Aerial Ace, you can literally run past 80% of the enemies. Just trigger the objectives.
The Final Verdict on the Grind
The blighted cyst Destiny 2 system is a clever way to reuse the map geometry of The Pale Heart. It forces you to engage with the environment rather than just sparrowing through it.
Is it perfect? No. The "follow the bird" mechanic can feel a bit like a chore after the tenth time. But the atmosphere is top-notch. The way the music shifts when you enter a blighted zone—it’s eerie. It feels like the world is actually breaking down, which fits the narrative of the Witness trying to enact the Final Shape.
If you’re stuck on a specific one, like the Moth Infestation, remember: those moths track based on movement. If you stop moving, they stop tracking. It’s a counter-intuitive mechanic in a game built on "movement is life," but that’s the kind of trickery Bungie likes to play in these endgame zones.
Actionable Next Steps
To wrap this up and get you back into the game, here is exactly what you need to do to master the Cysts:
- Visit Micah-10 at the Arbor: Do not try to find the Cysts on your own first. Pick up the "Alone in the Dark" quest. This ensures the collectibles and the bird triggers are active.
- Focus on the Encryption Bits first: Don't worry about fast times or high scores until you have all 6 bits from the Cysts. Use a guide or look for the "scantily clad" piles of scrap in the corners of the boss rooms.
- Unlock the Khvostov: Once you have the 15 bits, go to the chest in the Lost City. This weapon makes future Cyst runs significantly easier because of its ricochet rounds.
- Farm Ergo Sum on a schedule: You get two guaranteed "attuned" drops per week from Micah’s quests. Don't burn yourself out doing 20 runs in a day; spread them out.
- Master the "Switch" mechanic: If you need a specific Cyst for a triumph, remember to interact with the Ghost-bird at the entrance to toggle between the two available options in that region.