‘Destiny’ Patch Nails Shotguns And Truth, Inadvertently Hits Some Class Perks
The big weapon and ability re-balancing just dropped Tuesday for Destiny on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Bungie shared some previously unrevealed changes that affect Exotics like the Truth. Additionally, a change to a Hunter health perk managed to carry over to other classes on accident. The developers aren’t sure if they are going to change it yet, though.
Destinyhotfix 2.5.0.2 is now available to download for both PS4 and Xbox One owners. It delivers impactful changes to the current PVP meta where Pulse Rifles and Shotguns dominate. In fact, this is the biggest hit Shotguns have taken from a balance patch yet.
The Hungering Blade accident
Bungie originally planned to change the Hungering Blade super so that health will be given to player immediately versus regenerating health. Unfortunately, this also slipped into several other perks in Destiny. The developers decided to keep the inadvertent slip in the game for now versus delaying the release of the patch, per a Bungie Help post.
The developers will be looking at how the change to the following list of perks affects the overall game. If changes need to be made, another hotfix will be delivered.
- Hungering Blade (Arc Hunter)
- Transfusion (Striker Titan)
- Cauterize (Sunbreaker Titan)
- Lifesteal (Voidwalker Warlock)
- Red Death perk
- Suros Legacy Perk (Suros Regime)
- No Backup Plans
- Ward of Dawn cast
- The Ram
- Apotheosis Veil
- Embrace the Void (Voidwalker Warlock)
Shotguns
As previously covered, Shotguns no longer do bonus precision damage. This means all shots count as body shots from the weapon with the exception of the Universal Remote and Chaperone. Both of these weapons are still capable of doing precision damage. To compensate for PVE players, shotguns did receive a 20 percent overall damage boost in non-Crucible activities.
The Shotgun change doesn’t just hit damage output, though. Aim assist when firing from the hip is gone completely while aim magnetism has been reduced significantly. Additionally, using the Rangefinder perk now results in aiming down sights taking 25 percent longer than before, and in-air accuracy has also taken a huge hit.
Here are the patch notes for shotguns. Note how the Universal Remote was also nerfed greatly to compensate for it still doing precision damage.
- Shotguns no longer deal precision damage
- The Chaperone and Universal Remote are unaffected by this change
- Note: Universal Remote only deals precision damage when ADS
- Shotguns now have significantly less magnetism when fired from the hip
- Shotguns now have significantly less in air accuracy
- Shotguns no longer have a movement penalty
- Shotguns now deal 20% more damage to combatants
- Rangefinder on Shotguns now increases ADS time by 25%
- Reduced Universal Remote’s Magazine Size to 3 from 5
- Universal Remote now takes longer to reload
Pulse Rifles
“God Roll” Clever Dragon and Grasp of Malok type Pulse Rifles are knocked down a peg as well. The rate of fire of the low impact rifles drops by 7.7 percent. Meanwhile, the popular Braced Frame perk drops the magazine size by six rounds now. On the flip side, high impact Pulse rifles such as The Messenger and Spare Change see their rate of fire jump by 5.3 percent.
Here are the patch notes for the Pulse Rifle changes.
- Reduced rate of fire for very high rate of fire Pulse Rifles by 7.7%
- Increased rate of fire for low rate of fire Pulse Rifles by 5.3%
- Reduced Magazine Size of Clever Dragon and Grasp of Malok by 6
- Reduced the effect of High Caliber Rounds for Pulse Rifles
- Increased in air accuracy
Auto Rifles
Destiny players disappointed to see Auto Rifles fall out of favor should welcome the return of the SURO Regime archetype. The new hotfix patch ups the Precision damage multiplier slightly while also increasing the base damage for low rate of fire rifles.
Here are the patch notes for Auto Rifles.
- Increased Precision Damage modifier to 1.3x (up from 1.25x)
- Increased base damage of low rate of fire Auto Rifles by 2.5%
- Increased in air accuracy
Hand Cannons
Those favoring Hand Cannons get a mix of good and bad news. The Year One accuracy returns, but Bungie chopped off the weapon’s effectiveness at range.
Here are the patch notes for Hand Cannons.
- Significantly increased initial accuracy (returns to Launch / Year 1)
- Reduced base range to 35m from 40m
- Reduced Aim Assist and Magnetism at longer ranges
- Reduced minimum damage after falloff from 50% to 33%
Scout Rifles
The single-shot rifles were largely left untouched. They only see the same increase to in air accuracy given to Auto Rifles and Pulse Rifles.
Truth
The aggressive, Guardian-seeking Exotic Rocket Launcher took a surprise hit with the Destiny 2.5.0.2 patch. The magazine was reduced from three to just a single shot. Truth has not been an overly dominant heavy weapon in the game for a while, so it will be interesting to see if this changes anything at all.
Young Wolf’s Howl
The ammo cost for using the Rise of Iron sword has been halved. It will now only cost 5 ammo to swing the Young Wolf’s Howl in Destiny.
Class Changes
Bungie is still trying to figure out Blink. In perhaps the biggest nerf to the teleporting jump yet, it will temporarily disable a player’s radar and HUD for a short time after use.
Interestingly, Guardian health has been reduced for those with Armor values above 10 while the damage of two grenades and the Shoulder Charge have been increased.
- Reduced Health of Guardians with Armor values above 10
- Increased damage of Flux Grenade, Magnetic Grenade and Shoulder Charge to ensure effectiveness across all Armor values
- Blink now disables your Radar and HUD for a short time after activation
Hunter
- Throwing Knife now deals Solar Damage on impact
- Hungering Blade*
- Immediately starts Health regen
- Restores more Health per kill
- Gives a flat amount of Health/Shield per activation
- Does not immediately start regenerating Shields
- Bladedancer’s Quick Draw Perk no longer readies your weapons instantly, but now grants a large increase to weapon handling speed
Warlock
- Viper Totemic on Ophidian Aspect no longer readies your weapon instantly, but now grants a large increase to weapon handling speed
- Stormcaller’s Thunderstrike melee range reduced to be consistent with other Warlock Subclasses
- Amplitude will continue to grant small range boost to new base range
- Landfall now reduces the total time in Stormtrance
Titan
- Juggernaut is now disabled after being in the air for a short time and cannot be activated while in mid air
[Featured Image by Bungie]