To unlock all four Barrow-Dyad catalysts, complete Destiny 2’s Portal version of the Derealize Exotic Mission: the first clear on any difficulty grants Catalyst 1, while Catalysts 2–4 require Master difficulty or higher. Bungie documented this reward sequence in its December 9, 2025 Update 9.5.0.1.
Barrow-Dyad catalyst unlock requirements
Bungie’s December 9, 2025 Update 9.5.0.1 describes a single unlock route: earn the rewards by completing Derealize. The first clear and later clears have different difficulty requirements.
| Reward | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Barrow-Dyad, Intrinsics 1 and 2, Catalyst 1 | Complete Derealize once on any difficulty. |
| Intrinsics 3, 4 and 5 | Continue completing Derealize at any difficulty; the intrinsics are awarded sequentially. |
| Catalysts 2, 3 and 4 | Complete Derealize on Master difficulty or higher; the catalysts are awarded sequentially. |
The update also says Bungie fixed a bug that prevented the Portal version of Derealize from awarding Barrow-Dyad and its related intrinsics and catalysts. If you completed the activity before the fix and did not receive a reward, the patch notes establish the bug existed but do not specify how affected players’ prior clears are handled.
How to get the catalysts
- Complete the Portal version of the Derealize Exotic Mission on any difficulty. The first completion awards Barrow-Dyad, Intrinsics 1 and 2, and Catalyst 1, according to Bungie’s Update 9.5.0.1.
- Keep completing Derealize at any difficulty to earn Intrinsics 3, 4 and 5 in sequence.
- Complete Derealize on Master difficulty or higher to earn Catalysts 2, 3 and 4 in sequence.
Do you need to run Derealize on Master?
Only for the later three catalysts. The first catalyst comes from the initial clear on any difficulty, and the three remaining intrinsic upgrades also come from activity completions at any difficulty. Master difficulty or higher is the stated threshold for Catalysts 2–4.
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How many Master clears are required?
Bungie’s update establishes that Catalysts 2–4 drop sequentially from Master-or-higher completions, but it does not give a precise number of clears or say whether a single clear can award more than one catalyst. The notes also do not state that Barrow-Dyad must be equipped. Follow the activity’s reward sequence rather than assuming a specific clear count or loadout requirement.
Why might a Barrow-Dyad catalyst not drop?
- You have not reached the required difficulty: Catalysts 2–4 require Master difficulty or higher; a lower-difficulty clear does not meet the documented threshold for those rewards.
- You are expecting a later catalyst from the first clear: Bungie lists Catalyst 1 on the initial any-difficulty completion and Catalysts 2–4 in sequence from Master-or-higher completions.
- You are following an old quest guide: The original The Taken Path quest is no longer available. Bungie’s Year 8 Destiny Content Vault update says it was among the Exotic quests removed when Year 8 launched on July 15, 2025. The current route documented in Update 9.5.0.1 is Portal Derealize.
- You completed Derealize before a reward bug was fixed: Update 9.5.0.1 says Bungie fixed a bug affecting Barrow-Dyad, its intrinsics and catalysts in the Portal version. The notes do not say whether an earlier clear is retroactively credited.
Why older Barrow-Dyad catalyst guides may differ
Bungie introduced Barrow-Dyad in a February 13, 2025 This Week in Destiny post, describing it as an Exotic Strand Submachine Gun and saying its catalysts would arrive in future updates. That announcement predates the current Portal reward path; the December 9, 2025 update is the source for the unlock sequence described here.
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