TL;DR
- There are 7 Nessus Case Files to collect. Finding all of them completes the Nessus Case File Collector Triumph and rewards 15 Legendary Marks.
- The Triumph is under Monument of Triumph > Worlds > Distortions in your Triumphs menu.
- Case Files only appear when Nessus is the active Distortion Destination. Check the Director before traveling — the Distortion rotates roughly every hour.
- You have approximately one hour to collect all 7. With a Sparrow and the route below, that is more than enough time.
- Case Files are not marked on the map. Ghost will not hint at them. Each requires you to find a specific object and hold the interact button to collect it — it is not an instant pickup.
- The 7 zones that each hold a file: Watcher’s Grave, Exodus Black, Hallows, The Cistern, Artifact’s Edge, Glade of Echoes, and The Tangle.
- Once collected, each file is permanently unlocked account-wide. You never need to find the same file twice.
Destiny 2 Nessus Case File locations are spread across all seven major patrol zones of Nessus. The Nessus Case File Collector Triumph was added in the Monument of Triumph update (June 9, 2026) as part of the Worlds: Distortions Triumph category. This guide covers every location with step-by-step directions and the fastest route to clear all seven in a single Distortion window.
Before You Start: The Distortion Requirement
Nessus Case Files only spawn when Nessus is the active Distortion Destination. Open the Director and check your destination map. Nessus must be highlighted with the Distortion icon before you travel there. If it is not the active destination, the files will not appear at all — not even the easier ones near vendors.
Distortions cycle roughly every hour. If Nessus is not currently active, wait or run collectibles on the destination that currently is. Your already-collected Nessus files are saved permanently — you can return during the next Nessus Distortion to pick up any you missed.
Once Nessus is active, you have approximately one hour. With a Sparrow and the route below, you can comfortably collect all 7 files in 20 to 30 minutes.
Fastest Route: All 7 Nessus Case Files in One Run
Nessus has fast travel points at Watcher’s Grave, Exodus Black, The Cistern, and Artifact’s Edge. Use these to anchor the run and ride between zones that share borders.
Recommended order: Watcher’s Grave → Exodus Black → Glade of Echoes → Hallows → Artifact’s Edge → The Tangle → The Cistern.
This order minimises total travel time by chaining adjacent zones and avoiding crossing the full map twice.
All 7 Nessus Case File Locations
1. Watcher’s Grave
Fast travel to Watcher’s Grave. From the landing zone, head north. You will come across a large leafless tree with red moss on its trunk — this tree is a distinctive Nessus landmark and is hard to miss. Climb the tree’s trunk. The Case File rests on one of the lower hanging branches partway up. Check the closer limbs rather than pushing to the very top.
2. Exodus Black
Fast travel to Exodus Black. Set a waypoint to Failsafe. Head toward her. The Case File is in the vendor room directly across from Failsafe, inside the crashed colony ship wreckage. This is the easiest file on Nessus — once you reach Failsafe’s area, check the corners of the room at ground level opposite her. It is hard to walk past without spotting it.
3. Glade of Echoes
From Exodus Black, head south into the Glade of Echoes. Ride to the center of the zone. On the map, position yourself just below the word “of” in “Glade of Echoes.” Look to your left for a pair of stacked shipping containers. The Case File is inside the upper container of the stack. Jump up to the top container and look inside for the interactable object.
4. Hallows
The Hallows is best approached from Artifact’s Edge to the west. Head east from Artifact’s Edge into the Hallows and keep moving down through the zone toward the central Vex structure. When you are facing the central structure, turn left. You will see a short set of stairs leading up to a landing. The Case File is sitting on the staircase landing. It is on the ground, not elevated — approach the stairs and the file will be visible.
5. Artifact’s Edge
Fast travel to Artifact’s Edge. Drop down from the fast travel point to the area below. Look for the red glowing Vex orb on the ground — it is a useful landmark in this area. Once you see it, look up and to the right. You are looking for a crashed ship nearby. The Case File is wedged inside the wreckage of that ship, near the top of the hull. You may need to jump up into the opening of the wreckage to reach the interact prompt.
6. The Tangle
The Tangle is west of Artifact’s Edge. Ride west from Artifact’s Edge into The Tangle. Approach from the south where a large tree stands near the entrance. Just past the tree is a canyon. Drop into the canyon. In the center of the canyon floor, look for a half pillar — a broken stone column standing alone. The Case File is on top of that pillar. Jump onto the pillar to reach the interact prompt.
7. The Cistern
Fast travel to The Cistern using the station near the Pools of Luminance. From the fast travel, cross the Radiolarian River — the glowing fluid channel running through the zone. On the far side of the river is the Well of Flame, a large Vex structure. Climb the Well of Flame structure all the way to the top. The Case File is on the ledge at the very top, near the door, overlooking the cliff below. It takes a bit of platforming to reach but there is only one path up.
What to Do If a Case File Is Not There
Two things cause a missing Case File:
- Nessus is no longer the active Distortion. The rotation changed while you were mid-run. Return to orbit, check the Director, and wait for Nessus to be active again. Files already collected this session are saved permanently.
- You already collected it on this account. Once picked up, a file disappears permanently and will not respawn. Cross-reference your count against the 7 locations above.
If the Triumph counter appears stuck after collecting a file, back out of the Triumphs menu and re-enter it. This forces the counter to refresh. Each file requires a held interact — if you were under fire and moved away mid-interaction, the file may not have registered. Return and try again.
Open Monument of Triumph > Worlds > Distortions > Nessus Case File Collector in your Triumphs menu to see your current count. The counter shows how many files you have but does not identify which zone is missing. Compare your count against the 7 zones above to narrow it down.
Nessus Case File Collector Triumph Reward
Completing all 7 Nessus Case Files awards 15 Legendary Marks. Legendary Marks are spent at the four Tenet vendors behind the Monument of Triumph in the Tower Courtyard. Unlock Tenet of Bravery first — it gates access to the other three vendors.
The Nessus Case File Collector also counts as one Triumph Completion in the Worlds: Distortions category. This contributes toward the Me and You, Big Blue Triumph, which requires 7 Triumph Completions from different categories to unlock Destiny 2’s two secret final cutscenes.
More Destiny 2 Monument of Triumph Guides
- Destiny 2: All Cosmodrome Case File Locations
- Destiny 2: All EDZ Case File Locations
- Destiny 2: Me and You Big Blue Triumph — How to Unlock Both Secret Endings
- Destiny 2: Oblation Bloodline Exotic Mission Walkthrough
- Destiny 2: All New Catalysts (Monument of Triumph Update)
- Destiny 2: All Armor Set Bonuses (Monument of Triumph Update)
- Where is Xur in Destiny 2? Tower Bazaar Location Guide
