How to solve the Destiny 2 Paranormal Activity puzzles

(Image credit: Bungie)

The new Paranormal Activity puzzles in Destiny 2's The Final Shape expansion are just one of the many secrets you can uncover in the Pale Heart. After you've completed the campaign and started exploring the patrol destination, little circular zones will start to appear on your map. Upon closer inspection, these mention "Ghosts reporting strange artifacts in the area".

The strange artifacts in question make up a Paracausal Geometry, which honestly sounds a lot more complex than it is. However, solving all of these puzzles as they appear will unlock a triumph and a special exotic ship called The First Knife. Here's how to solve the Paranormal Activity puzzles when they start popping up on your map.

How to solve Paranormal Activity puzzles

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Destiny 2 Paranormal Activity — Follow the waypoint on your map to find the puzzle area(Image credit: Bungie)

It's currently unclear what causes new Paranormal Activity puzzles to appear, though it seems to be linked to Micah-10's Convalescence and Alone in the Dark quests to find lost ghosts. As you complete them after the campaign is finished, more of these activities will pop up on your map. It's important to note that you can only access these puzzles once a map marker appears.

Simply activate the waypoint and make your way to the location to find a floating ghost with a little blue ring around it. Commune with the ghost to gain the temporary Aura of Balance buff, which you'll need to solve the puzzle. You'll also need a light element weapon (solar, void, or arc) and a darkness element weapon (strand or stasis).

In the puzzle area you'll find two floating boxes; one dark and one light. If you can't locate these, use the glowing ghost that's patrolling in a circle, since it'll indicate the puzzle area with its route. What you need to do is connect those two boxes via a tether, so the first step is finding a location where you can see both the light and dark boxes at the same time.

When that's done, and you also have the buff, shoot the dark box with your darkness weapon (dark-based ability damage or supers also work) to tether yourself. This will create a small circular AoE tethering spot—if you leave this, the puzzle will fail. Now, while standing in that circle, shoot the light box with your light weapon. Don't worry if the Aura of Balance buff runs out; you can always go back and commune with the ghost to refresh it. Tethering both boxes will complete the puzzle and get you a couple of Pale Heart engrams for your trouble.

Sean's first PC games were Full Throttle and Total Annihilation and his taste has stayed much the same since. When not scouring games for secrets or bashing his head against puzzles, you'll find him revisiting old Total War campaigns, agonizing over his Destiny 2 fit, or still trying to finish the Horus Heresy. Sean has also written for EDGE, Eurogamer, PCGamesN, Wireframe, EGMNOW, and Inverse.