With the introduction of Corrupted Expunge missions in Destiny 2, a new currency type has also been added to the game. Named Corrupted Key Codes, this consumable item is required to get rewards from Corrupted Conflux Chests—a new chest type exclusive to Corrupted Expunge missions.
The game doesn't make it clear how to get these keys or why you'd want to open Corrupted Conflux Chests. This guide will explain what these keys are, why they're useful, and the best means of obtaining Corrupted Keys. If you love high-stat armor or want more versatile Override weapons, you'll want to engage with this system.
What Are Corrupted Key Codes?
Corrupted Key Codes are a rare item that you can find in the consumables tab of your inventory. These keys are needed to open Corrupted Conflux Chests found in Corrupted Expunge missions. Enemies you kill, both in PvE and PvP, have a small chance of dropping a key.
What Are Corrupted Key Codes Used For?
There are certain Expunge missions that are labeled as "Corrupted," altering the enemies and overall aesthetic of the mission to include more Taken elements. While the mission itself plays out virtually the same as a normal Expunge mission, the reward is different.
Instead of obtaining a Conflux Chest, a Corrupted Conflux Chest will spawn. Opening these will require a Corrupted Key. These chests have the same loot pool as a Conflux Chest, capable of dropping Lightkin armor, Override weapons, and Umbral Engrams.
Why Grind For Corrupted Keys?
While that sounds underwhelming, the final column in the Splicer Gauntlet's upgrade grid allows you to increase the rewards of these chests. With all three Vulnerability Exploit upgrades, the first three Corrupted Conflux Chests you open in a week will grant either a high-stat armor piece or a weapon with two selectable perks in the final column. These chests will also have an absurdly high chance of granting an Umbral Engram. When paired with pre-focused Umbral Engrams from Conflux Chests, you can obtain quite a few pieces of high-stat armor in a given week.
How To Obtain Corrupted Key Codes
Every enemy, PvE or PvP, has an extremely small chance of dropping a Corrupted Key when slain. Corrupted Keys drop as physical items, taking the form of a small blue Mote when they drop. Be sure to grab them if you see a key drop.
Should a Corrupted Key end up in your postmaster, be careful of which blues you dismantle. Corrupted Keys are considered rare, meaning they have a blue background that matches blue-rarity weapons and armor that most players instantly dismantle. Be extremely careful when dismantling gear from your postmaster.
Corrupted Keys stack up to five times in your inventory. If you ever have a full stack, it's a good idea to run a few Corrupted Expunge missions to rid of a few of them.
Farming Corrupted Keys Quickly
Since Corrupted Keys drop from slain enemies, you'll want to farm activities with large enemy density. Some good options include:
- Thrall Room (Shattered Throne dungeon)
- Shuro Chi encounter (Last Wish raid)
- Conflux encounter (Vault of Glass raid)
- K1 Revelation Lost Sector (Moon)
If you don't enjoy PvE content, you can farm the Mayhem or Momentum Control playlists when they're active. Gambit is also a solid choice if you enjoy that game mode.
We recommend farming the Thrall Room for Corrupted Keys, as this area spawns a never-ending stream of Shadow Thrall that are extremely easy to kill. You'll find the room after the first encounter, directly after the rafters combat encounter. This spot can be reached entirely solo. If you've never played this dungeon, our Shattered Throne guide will show you how to reach this point.