Mementos are a new cosmetic upgrade introduced to Destiny 2 in The Witch Queen. These aren’t equipped like your traditional Shaders or Ornaments but are instead applied to weapons crafted at The Enclave with evolving decorative properties.
Once a weapon reaches level 30, the Memento is fully unlocked, allowing you to equip an exclusive Shader to the weapon. The Shader is specifically tied to each Memento based on how you obtained it, allowing you to flex a look that properly befits your dedication in a way others can’t replicate.
Here’s how you can get your hands on a Memento in Destiny 2, and where to apply it to your weapon.
Where can you get Mementos in Destiny 2?
Mementos are pretty rare and hard to obtain in Destiny 2. They’re only available via three activities at this time: Gambit, Nightfalls, and Trials of Osiris. The Gambit Memento just takes a little bit of luck, while the Nightfall Memento and Trials Memento take quite a bit more effort.
For the Gambit Memento, all players need to do is sink their teeth into the playlist as usual, with the Memento being a possible random drop at the end of the activity. While it isn’t a particularly common reward, gilding your Dredgen title or completing Gambit bounties from The Drifter over the course of the season. Even still, it took me until my last game before resetting my rank to earn a Gambit Memento.
The Nightfall Memento is currently only available through completing Grandmaster difficulty Nightfalls, with a Memento awarded to all players in a fireteam that successfully complete the weekly Grandmaster Nightfall Strike. You can only earn one of these per week. Successful repeat runs throughout the week do not drop additional Mementos.
The Trials Memento is similarly rare, requiring the player to go Flawless on any card during a Trials of Osiris weekend. The Trials Memento drops from the Flawless chest at The Lighthouse after a card is completed. And like the Nightfall Memento, it appears to be limited to one drop per week.
How do you use and equip Mementos in Destiny 2?
Mementos can be equipped to crafted weapons at any time, either through Shaping onto a new weapon or Reshaping an existing craft. While there are no level requirements for adding the Memento, each of its benefits requires a specific level milestone.
From there, unlocking the Memento-exclusive rewards comes with grinding the weapon. Any kill will progress the weapon’s level, but if you’re looking to level your weapon up quickly, I suggest using the Shuro Chi checkpoint at the Last Wish raid.
Related: What is the Shuro Chi wish in Destiny 2?
Level one with the weapon will unlock its activity-specific tracker, level 20 gets you a title that will be visible when inspecting the weapon, and level 30 grants you the exclusive shader themed around where the Memento came from.
The Gambit Memento, for example, gives the gun a green snakeskin pattern with black elements, the Nightfall Memento gives a Vanguard-zigzag orange pattern, while the Trials Memento turns your weapon to liquid gold.
