Bungie has unleashed the Guardians on the game with the beta of Destiny 2. A story mission is playable, along with a strike, and Guardians can also visit the Crucible. We show you which weapons can be played in the beta, and how they feel compared to the predecessor Destiny 1.
You can find all the information about the weapons in our weapon guide to Destiny 2.
The most important information upfront: Bungie has announced that nothing in the current beta of Destiny 2 has to correspond to the final game. Especially regarding balancing, there may still be changes.
The weapon slots
The weapon system in Destiny 2 undergoes extensive changes.The special weapons from Destiny 1, such as shotguns and sniper rifles, move to the so-called power slot. This change was probably made due to the PvP mode of Destiny: Special weapons, i.e. “one-hit kill” weapons, were too powerful.
Ammunition drops in Destiny 2 are much rarer for the power weapons. In the other two slots, there are primary weapons, one without an element (kinetic) and one with an element such as Void, Arc, or Solar.
Kinetic and Energy Weapons – How do the individual weapon types fare?
In the two slots for kinetic and energy weapons, we find all representatives from the primary weapon category of Destiny 1 alongside the hand cannons.
Pulse Rifles
Pulse rifles have made a very good impression in the beta, both in PvE and PvP. Especially in PvP, Bungie will likely make further changes (i.e., nerfs), as pulse rifles are significantly stronger at both long and close ranges compared to the other weapon types.
Scout Rifles
The scout rifles, on the other hand, feel significantly worse than in the predecessor. This weapon category could score points for range in Destiny 1, but we are already experiencing massive damage drops at medium range in the beta.
Hand Cannons
Among the more popular categories of kinetic and energy weapons are also the hand cannons, which achieve good results in both PvE and PvP. The hand cannons suffer from damage adjustments, but one gets a good sense of why the hand cannon is by far the most popular weapon type in PvP in Destiny 1.
Pistols / Sidearms
The once housed in the special weapon slot pistols are back in play. However, they did not convince in either PvE or PvP, as they did in the predecessor.
Auto Rifles and Submachine Guns
The auto rifles are back. Bungie has split the fast-firing auto rifles with a fire rate of 900 rounds per minute and created a new weapon category of submachine guns, a kind of subclass that operates as its own category.
While the auto rifles feel good, but especially in PvE seem to deal too little damage, the submachine guns are only useful at short range. The weapon sway is noticeably present, and the damage drop is recognizable very early. Whether this weapon type can establish itself in the main game will also depend on whether Bungie succeeds in creating situations where submachine guns can play to their strengths.
The Power Weapons – How strong are the weapon types?
With the exception of the pistols, all special weapons and all heavy weapons from Destiny 1 have ended up in the power slot – except for machine guns, which are out.
This causes a crunch around the choice of weapon for the corresponding activity. Bungie wanted to unite all weapons with “one-hit kill” potential in a category with limited ammunition resources to make PvP more primed-oriented.
The shotguns felt excellent in both PvE and PvP. In the first story mission, even the enemies with yellow health bars fell after a few shots. Risky gameplay is clearly rewarded here. After the countless nerfs on shotguns in the predecessor, this is a very welcome change.
Fusion Rifles
The fusion rifle playable in the beta also played well. Stability and handling could keep up with the perfectly rolled Thesans and Panta Rheis from Destiny 1. If Bungie does not make any major changes here, the fusion rifle will surely be a popular alternative in the crucible of the main game.
Sniper Rifles
The sniper rifles felt less powerful than in Destiny 1. Especially in PvE, Bungie will have to significantly increase the damage to really present the Guardians with a real dilemma over the choice of the right weapon.
Linear Fusion Rifles
A new weapon category is represented by the linear fusion rifles. In Destiny 1, there was only one exotic representative with the Queenbreaker. Whether this weapon type will become a popular choice in the power slot also depends on the various playstyles that this weapon category will provide.
Grenade Launchers
With the grenade launchers, there is yet another new weapon category. The consensus among players here is that the weapon deals too little damage, whether in battles against AI or against other Guardians.
Rocket Launchers
Together with the well-known rocket launchers, which still provide the biggest explosions, guardians have a variety of options in just one weapon slot. The balancing will greatly influence which weapons can effectively combat the largest foes like raid bosses.
New Weapon Shaders and Mods
While shaders in Destiny 1 were only reserved for exotic weapons in the form of ornaments, with Destiny 2 we have far more customization options available. There are already placeholders for mods and shaders in the respective weapon menus.
Especially the mods offer ample room for speculation about what can be “modified” here.
Since Bungie has already announced that weapons always come with the same perks, the modifications and intrinsic perks allow for individuality.
Exotic Weapons
The exotic weapons will also stimulate the collectors’ drive of the guardians. In gameplay videos and demonstrations, some exotic representatives have already been discovered. In the beta, we were also gifted three exotic weapons. You can read here which they are and what they can do.
An exotic fusion rifle even makes a wrestler happy.
The choice of the right exotic weapon will also be a determining theme in the main game, as only one slot can be equipped with an exotic equipment item.
What is your first impression of the weapons? What did you clean up in the Crucible or decimate the ranks of the Cabal with? Let us know in the comments!
Interesting: Read our reports about the PvE or PvP mode here.
