Destiny 2 Hawkmoon Guide: How To Unlock The Exotic Hand Cannon

One of the most popular Exotic hand cannons from the original Destiny has made its return in Destiny 2: Beyond Light. As part of the Season of the Hunt storyline, players now have a chance to claim the legendary weapon in a brand-new quest that eventually culminates with the fabled gun being reforged.

Unlike the original weapon, this version of Hawkmoon has a completely different approach to dealing damage. Consecutive precision hits will activate the Paracausal Shot perk which adds extra damage to the final bullet in the chamber. Seven stacks of Paracausal Shot loaded into a single bullet has the potential to deal major damage to bosses if you can land a headshot, and in the Crucible that buff can instantly eliminate a rival Guardian with a single shot.

Here's how you can claim the hand cannon the first time, in a quest that involves plenty of jumping, exploration, and eliminating a Taken threat.

The first drop of Hawkmoon will also include the Transformative perk, which means you can get new versions of Hawkmoon with random perks. To earn more Hawkmoon rolls, you need to finish the quest, then take on a new, more difficult version called Harbinger. Check out our full Harbinger guide for more info.

Talk to Spider and find the first feather

You'll first need to pay a visit to Spider in the Tangled Shore. Talking to the Fallen merchant will begin the the quest, which revolves around finding five paracausal feathers. The first feather can easily be found outside of Spider's Lair, on a box next to the entrance outside. To find the other feathers though, you'll need to go offworld.

Where to find the second feather

The second feather can be found in the EDZ, in the Sludge. After you land, make your way to this broken building and grab the feather resting on the platform.

Where to find the third feather

The third feather is easily found in the Cosmodrome. Land in the Steppes and the broken concrete pillar to your right is where you'll find it.

Where to find the fourth feather

For the next feather, head to The Divalian Mists in The Dreaming City. In the massive entrance leading to the Blind Well, you can find this feather on the left-hand side inside the pillar alcove.

Where to find the fifth feather

For the final feather, you're off to the Moon. Make your way to Archer's Line and enter the Hive's Hall of Wisdom. Navigate your way through this structure until you eventually reach the Shrine of Oryx. On the far left side of the room near the stairs, you'll spot the final feather.

Talk to Crow

Return to Spider's Lair in the Forgotten Shore and talk to Crow. The former Awoken prince will hand you a new mission that involves killing plenty of Taken.

Cry From Beyond

Return to the Sludge in the EDZ and interact with the glowing hawk marked on your map. This will begin the next step, where you'll navigate through the location and eventually fight a horde of Taken who have gathered around a broken shard of the Traveler. Once they've been defeated you'll be rewarded with an incomplete Hawkmoon gun frame.

Return to Crow

For the next part of the mission, you're once again jetting back to the Tangled Shore for another chat with Crow. He'll talk of dreams and their meanings, and then direct you to the next part of the quest which requires making use of your Masterwork weapons.

Generate and collect 50 orbs of power

This next step isn't too challenging. So long as you have a Masterwork weapon and a multi-kill mod installed, you can complete this task in around five minutes. Head to the Moon and land in Sorrow's Harbor. Take part in the Altars of Sorrow public event activity and focus on taking out the mobs of Hive Acolytes who spawn in waves. You'll easily generate the orbs needed to power up the Hawkmoon frame this way.

Talk to Crow again

Back at the Tangled Shore, Crow has a new assignment for you. Head off to the EDZ

Investigate the coordinates and collect feathers

At the marked Trostland location within the EDZ, you'll explore a new location and collect more feathers. You'll need to grab five paracausal feathers in this area, but they are marked on your map. Four of them can be found in the level, while the fifth one is kept by a Taken boss that you'll need to vanquish. Once you've mopped up the remnants of Oryx's army, it's back to the Tangled Shore.

Speak to Crow once again

Hawkmoon has almost been restored, and once you hand Crow the latest collection of feathers he'll be ready to give you a tough assignment.

Defeat Guardians or Champions

You'll need to kill either Guardians in the Crucible and Gambit, or Champions in Legend Empire Hunt and Legend Lost Sectors. Each Guardian you defeat will fill the progress bar by 0.5%, while Champions are worth 3%. That works out to either 200 Guardians you'll need to take down or 34 Champion kills.

Reclaim Hawkmoon

With all the hard work done, Hawkmoon is finally ready to be wielded once again. Return to the Sludge in the EDZ, and you'll find the mystical hawk in the same spot where you started the Cry From Beyond mission. Talk to the bird, and you'll play through that mission one more time. Once the first wave of Taken have been defeated, you'll finally be rewarded with Hawkmoon.

One last boss and many minions will appear, that you can test your new Exotic hand cannon out on. For other Destiny 2: Beyond Light guides, check out our walkthrough to obtain the Salvation's Grip Exotic shotgun and where to find the Entropic Shards once you have it.