Skeleton Key (Artifact)

Skeleton Key

"An Eliksni spacefaring mainstay, capable of opening many doors."

— Artifact description

The Skeleton Key is a Seasonal Artifact for the Season of Plunder.

Seasonal Artifact mods

Column 1

• Overload Bow (Arms): Damage by fully drawn arrows disrupts combatants, stunning them, delaying ability energy regeneration and lowering combatant damage output. Strong against Overload Champions.

Requires 1 Energy

• Unstoppable Pulse Rifle (Arms): Aiming down Pulse Rifle sights loads a high-impact burst that stuns unshielded combatants. Strong against Unstoppable Champions.

Requires 1 Energy

• Anti-Barrier Scout Rifles (Arms): Scout Rifles you are wielding fire shield-piercing rounds and stun Barrier Champions. Scout Rifles deal bonus damage against Barrier Champions.

Requires 1 Energy

• Anti-Barrier Auto Rifle (Arms): Auto Rifles you are wielding fire shield-piercing rounds and stun Barrier Champions. Auto Rifles deal bonus damage against Barrier Champions.

Requires 1 Energy

• Unstoppable Shotgun (Arms): Shotguns you wield fire a powerful explosive payload that stuns unshielded combatants. Strong against Unstoppable Champions.

Requires 3 Energy

Column 2

• Scout Rifle Loader (Arms): Increases reload speed of Scout Rifles.

Requires 1 Energy

• Sword Scavenger (Legs): Swords get larger bonus reserves when you pick up ammo.

Requires 1 Energy

• Machine Gun Holster (Legs): Gradually reloads your stowed Machine Guns over time. Multiple copies of this perk stack to reduce the time taken to fully reload.

Requires 1 Energy

• Scout and Sniper Rifle Targeting (Helmet): Improves targeting for Scout Rifles and Sniper Rifles.

Requires 2 Energy

• Bottomless Bounty I (Helmet): Improves the effect of the Right Hook and Runneth Over weapon Origin perks.

Requires 1 Energy

Column 3

• Glaive Loader (Arms): Increases reload speed of Glaives.

Requires 1 Energy

• Focusing Strike (Arms): Grants class ability energy when you cause damage with a melee attack.

Requires 1 Energy

• Thermoshock Plating (Chest): Reduces incoming Arc and Solar damage from combatants.

Requires 2 Energy

• Machine Gun Scavenger (Legs): Machine Guns get bonus reserves when you pick up ammo.

Requires 1 Energy

• Bottomless Bounty II (Helmet): Improves the effect of the Soul Drinker and Hot Swap weapon Origin perks.

Requires 1 Energy

Column 4

• Overload Machine Guns (Arms): Uninterrupted fire from your equipped Machine Guns grants bullets that stun combatants, delaying ability energy regeneration and lowering combatant damage output. Strong against Overload Champions.

Requires 1 Energy

• Anti-Barrier Sniper Rifles (Arms): Sniper Rifles you are wielding fire shield-piercing rounds and stun Barrier Champions. Sniper Rifles deal bonus damage against Barrier Champions.

Requires 6 Energy

• Bad Amplitude (Class Item): Damaging a Champion with an Arc ability causes the Champion to become jolted.

Requires 1 Energy

• Surge Detonators (Class Item): Arc grenades disrupt combatants, stunning them, delaying ability regeneration and lowering combatant damage output. Strong against Overload Champions.

Requires 2 Energy

• Inferno Whip (Helmet): Solar melee abilities stun unshielded combatants. Strong against Unstoppable Champions.

Requires 2 Energy

Column 5

• Thunderous Retort (Class Item): Grants bonus Arc Super damage if cast while critically wounded or while amplified. Lasts until the end of the Super activation.

Requires 6 Energy

• Amped Up (Class Item): Stay amplified longer.

Requires 1 Energy

• Trace Evidence (Class Item): Defeating combatants affected by Arc debuffs spawns an Ionic Trace.

Requires 4 Energy

• Lightning Strikes Twice (Class Item): After throwing an Arc grenade, gain increased grenade recharge for a short time. Arc final blows extend the duration of this benefit.

Requires 7 Energy

• Sundering Glare (Class Item): Rapid precision hits against distant combatants weaken them for a short duration.

Requires 6 Energy

Lore

"And my vanquisher will read that book, seeking the weapon, and they will come to understand me, where I have been and where I was going."The following is a verbatim transcription of an official document for archival reasons. As the original content is transcribed word-for-word, any possible discrepancies and/or errors are included.

AN ELIKSNI SPACEFARING MAINSTAY, CAPABLE OF OPENING MANY DOORS.

Commander,

[The Cryptarchy's requested report follows, as well as a regrettable addendum.]

The Skeleton Key is a relatively sophisticated piece of Eliksni technology from the period immediately preceding the Whirlwind. The Key was built to interface with a surprising array of tech (via an adaptable resonance-matching behavior reminiscent of some known Golden Age systems), making it invaluable to Eliksni pirates and other spacefaring ne'er-do-wells. With some optimization, it could even be used to enhance certain pieces of armor and weapons of Eliksni manufacture.

In all, an intriguing item indeed.

Now I would be remiss if I did not mention that this report would have been completed sooner had there not been repeated interference from a certain individual to whom I shall refer only as "Mr. D—."

The item in question was repeatedly removed from secure Vanguard premises by Mr. D—, who was later witnessed using the Skeleton Key to interface with several mechanisms in the Annex, including a discontinued power generator, a deciphering core, and several appliances used in the preparation of food.

When confronted, Mr. D— replied that he wished to "goose [them]" and showed no interest in following the proper channels for access to restricted Cryptarchy technology.

When I later personally brought Mr. D— the first sheaf of the necessary paperwork, he reacted with a series of gestures that are considered obscene across three different cultures.

I was rudely instructed to "take it easy," referred to as his "brother," plied with various illicit refreshments, and when I rebuffed all attempts to placate me, he suggested we "settle this in Gambit"—an invitation I vehemently declined.

Needless to say, I will be filing another complaint against Mr. D— with Ikora once she has restored my access to the grievance systems.

—Master Rahool

List of appearances

• Destiny 2:
  • Season of Plunder (First appearance)