In Destiny 2, the guessing game is over. As a reward for the efforts, a new Exotic awaits: Bastion. We take a closer look at the kinetic fusion rifle and tell you how the weapon performs in PvE and PvP.
This is the weapon in question: Bastion is an exotic fusion rifle for the kinetic slot and requires special ammunition. The fact that the weapon is kinetic and does not deal elemental damage like any other fusion rifle is Bastion’s unique selling point.
The weapon fires three projectiles in rapid succession after charging. Each of the projectiles contains 7 projectiles (eng. Slugs). With one unit of ammunition, Bastion fires a total of 21 small projectiles.
Bastion is at home in the family of precision fusion rifles with a charge rate of 740 (780 through perks) and damage of 80. This includes, for example, The Important Ingredient. However, Bastion behaves very untraditionally.
Instead of being futuristic and elegant like other representatives of its kind, Bastion appears raw, martial, and mechanical. The weapon has a noticeable punch.
Additionally, the Exotic has these unique perks:
- Fists of the Saint – Charge to fire three salvos of kinetic ammunition
- Breakthrough – A portion of this weapon’s damage bypasses elemental shields.
How you can get Saint-14’s special weapon yourself, read in our guide:
On the Test Stand – What can Bastion do?
This is how Bastion performs in PvE: Small adds and weaker enemies are taken down by Bastion in droves. Against enemies that are a bit tougher, Bastion performs well, but not outstandingly. It is worth noting that both body and headshots deal the same damage.
How about shield bypassing? Damage against enemy shields is also reduced with Bastion – as with any kinetic weapon. About half of the projectiles deal additional damage to the shield, and a small portion of the damage attacks the protected health bar directly. However, this cannot compare with the damage of a suitable elemental weapon.
In combat against the AI enemies of the Guardians, Bastion makes a rather average figure for an Exotic. Although Bastion is classified as a fusion rifle, it plays more like a hybrid of a futuristic fusion and a shotgun. The weapon can be compared in many respects to the Exotic Lords of Wolves.
This is how Bastion performs in PvP: In contrast to PvE, Bastion holds its own better in the Crucible. This data is important for PvP:
- One projectile deals 29-30 damage.
- This means a salvo can deal a maximum of 210 damage.
- If all 3 salvos per charge hit completely, the opponent receives 630 damage.
- There is no precision damage with Bastion.
- The optimal range is about 15 meters.
The weapon has a decent kick. It currently seems that the recoil can be better controlled with a controller (exceptionally) than with mouse and keyboard.
Comparable fusion rifles deal about 40 damage per projectile (also with Liquid Coils). However, weapons like the Erentil only manage 7 shots and not 21 per unit of ammunition.
Bastion is a super-killer: Where Bastion excels in PvP is in the fight against powerful Supers. The combined damage of the projectiles usually sends a hostile Super back to respawn in one charge. So you can confidently face the so-called most powerful weapon of the Guardians.
Another strength of the unusual fusion rifle is hip-firing. Each salvo has a very compressed shot pattern. This does not seem to change much even during hip-fire. So unless the situation absolutely requires it, you don’t need to aim precisely.
How is the new Exotic received by the Guardians?
This is what the community says: Many Guardians are currently expressing their dissatisfaction with the weapon. The reason for this lies in the mega-puzzle that the community has been grappling with for a long time. However, this is criticism of the weapon as a reward and not of the performance of the Exotic.
Currently, Bastion receives mediocre reviews from serious Destiny players. In PvE, the weapon is nice, yet many prefer other top Exotics. Whether the weapon allows for strong and creative builds will be revealed in the near future.
In PvP, the fusion rifle is more convincing. Especially the ease of handling and the enormous damage output are praised. Whether the weapon is worth its Exotic slot in the long run and can displace the dominant Jötunn remains questionable.
What do you think of Bastion – are you giving the rather unusual fusion rifle a chance? How do you see the development of the current weapon Exotics in Destiny 2?
