A Toxic Trail sends you back to Dam Battlegrounds to investigate who's been dumping hazardous waste into the water system. Shani assigns this Cold Snap mission, and it picks up where Source of the Contamination left off. You'll revisit the same toxic barrel from that earlier quest, but now you're tracking down the saboteur responsible.
This is an observation-focused mission. Your progress depends on reaching specific spots and standing in the right positions rather than fighting enemies or collecting items. The whole route runs through open terrain, which keeps navigation simple but leaves you exposed to patrols.
Before Starting
You should have already finished Source of the Contamination before picking this up, since you'll be heading back to that same barrel location.
The quest takes place entirely in Dam Battlegrounds. All objectives are sequential, so you won't need to extract between steps. Combat isn't the main challenge here. Most players who struggle with this quest run into trouble because they miss the trigger zones or leave an area too early.
Loadout Advice
The quest itself doesn't require heavy firepower, so focus on survival over offense. Bring something with a secure pocket for the key and you'll save yourself potential headaches.
Step-by-Step Walkthrough
- Deploy to Dam Battlegrounds - Drop into Dam Battlegrounds and head toward the Water Treatment Control building. It's marked on your map and serves as your main landmark for the first part of the quest.
- Find the Water Intake - Your first objective takes you to the water intake directly beneath the Water Treatment Control building. This is the same spot you visited during Source of the Contamination, on the north side where the pipes flow into the swamp. Head to the north side of the building and look for the drainage area. You'll see the toxic barrel sitting in the murky water below.
- Get Close to the Barrel - Move down to the intake level and stand next to the barrel itself. Once you're close enough, the objective updates automatically and tells you to search the swamp for traces of the barrel's origins. If nothing happens when you reach the area, get closer. Don't just look at it from the building.
- Head Into the Swamp - Leave the water intake and travel northwest into the swamp. The next location isn't far from where you are now. Follow the river northwest from the barrel. You're looking for a clearing with a vehicle in it.
- Find the Truck - In the swamp clearing, you'll spot a beat-up flatbed truck sitting half-submerged in the river. Toxic barrels are stacked on its bed. This is clearly where the contamination came from. Walk up to the truck to trigger the next phase.
- Take a Photo - Once you're close to the truck, you'll get a prompt to photograph the barrel cargo. Yellow icons mark three photo spots around the truck's side. Interact with any of the yellow markers to snap the picture. You only need one photo even though multiple spots are available.
- Search the Driver's Cab - After the photo, a new objective pops up asking you to search the truck for clues about the saboteur. Move to the front of the truck and look for another yellow icon by the driver's door. Interact with it to complete the search.
- Grab the Key - Searching the cab drops a Spaceport Warehouse Key. Put it in your secure pocket immediately. The Swamp elevator extraction point is nearby if you want to get out fast and lock in the key.
- Return to Shani - Head back to Shani to turn in the quest and collect your rewards.
Rewards
Finishing A Toxic Trail gets you:
| Category | Reward | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Equipment | Tactical Mk.2 Augment | Great for control-focused builds |
| Gadgets | 3x Zipline Gadgets | Useful for traversal |
| Gadgets | 3x Pulse Mines | Area denial tool |
| Gadgets | 3x Gas Mines | Chokepoint control |
| Quest Item | Spaceport Warehouse Key | Required for future content |
The Tactical Mk.2 augment works well in builds that focus on control rather than burst damage. If you're building toward a support or crowd-control playstyle, it's a solid pickup.
The gadget bundle gives you tools for both movement and area denial. Ziplines help with traversal, while the mines let you lock down chokepoints. All of these come in handy for later Cold Snap missions.
Mistakes to Avoid
Quick Route Summary
- Water Treatment Control building (marked on map)
- North side of building, down to the water intake below
- Northwest through the swamp, following the river
- Submerged truck with barrel cargo
- Back to Shani
Everything happens in open terrain with no indoor sections or tricky navigation. Stay alert during transitions since you're visible to patrols the whole time.
Other Cold Snap Quests
A Toxic Trail is part of the larger Cold Snap questline. If you're working through this update, you probably have or will pick up The Clean Dream and Paving The Way as well. Completing all of these continues the story and unlocks more rewards.