In Destiny 2 Lunas Howl and Not Forgotten are getting a serious nerf. This is due to the weapon changes that will come into effect with Beyond Light. MeinMMO takes a look at why this is unnecessary with these hand cannons and how much it could hurt.
These are the weapons: The two hand cannons Lunas Howl and its big brother Not Forgotten (NF) came into play with the acclaimed Forsaken expansion. The guns immediately rose to the top of the PvP food chain – that’s why every Guardian wanted to have them.
More than 2 years have passed since their introduction. The once bright shining star of the two revolvers has already taken a serious blow. And with Beyond Light, Bungie seems to be finally sending both former monsters to their graves.
MeinMMO takes a look at why this hurts so much, is actually totally unnecessary, but is also somehow okay.
A cult grew around Luna and NF. Two important factors came together: enormous power and a lot of prestige.
- The strength was that the hand cannons belonged to the 180 archetype. These fire the fastest of all revolvers and are also the most precise. They actually deal hardly any damage, which results in a slow TTK.
- However, Luna and NF could massively increase damage through their exclusive perk “Magnificent Howl” – by a whopping 125%. After two precise hits, you had a Magnum from an action movie in your hand that effortlessly and quickly took down Guardians.
- Where does the prestige come from? Both weapons had to be earned with great effort. The only place for this was the tough competitive playlist.
- While Luna could still be earned by any patient Guardian with enough ambition, NF is only accessible to crucible enthusiasts.
All of this contributed to the feeling that the two top weapons were very rewarding. You could work specifically towards the monsters and had something really valuable at the end of your PvP journey.
A 180 scout rifle has the same rate of fire. Additionally, it is usually the case: the higher the rate of fire, the lower the damage per bullet. A 140 hand cannon thus shoots a good deal slower, but makes bigger holes than its 180 counterpart.
Beyond Light will be the death knell for Lunas Howl and Not Forgotten
This is how Bungie tamed the monsters: To end the reign of terror of the two wonder weapons, Bungie resorted to two nerfs for Lunas Howl and Not Forgotten:
- They were “degraded” to 150 – they fired slower but kept their precision.
- The exclusive perk “Magnificent Howl” was significantly weakened – now 3 shots were the minimum needed to take down other players in PvP.
Bungie achieved its goal. Both guns were still good, but they were no longer overpowered weapons, as they had made a name for themselves.
This is happening in Beyond Light: With the Beyond Light expansion, Luna and NF will once again take a direct hit:
- In Beyond Light, both revolvers will be impacted by the highly criticized weapon retirement – they will no longer be usable in the endgame, as they will no longer be able to increase in power level.
- Additionally, 140 hand cannons are coming – whether they will remain as precise as before is unknown.
What you need to know about the extensive buffs, nerfs, and reworks of your guns starting November 10 can be found here:
Did Bungie go too far or was it time?
Did the double nerf have to happen? Well, the archetype change from 150 to 140 affects all hand cannons – except the Exotic Sunshot. Nevertheless, many Guardians wish that Lunas Howl and Not Forgotten remain 150, after all, it’s also possible with the Exotic.
One reason for weapon retirement was that powerful guns have their time in the spotlight and then automatically disappear after a while. Because they are no longer usable in the current endgame.
On top of that, adding a nerf that makes two so hard-to-earn weapons almost meaningless doesn’t sit well with some Guardians.
Also, on MeinMMO you write:
Lunas Howl and Not Forgotten getting nerfed again feels really unfair. Why not just keep them in the 150 range? After all, NF was one of the hardest weapons to obtain.
Chriz Zle via MeinMMO
A glance at the statistics also shows that neither Luna nor Not Forgotten is currently overly dominant in PvP. In their place as the most popular primary weapons are auto rifles and other 150 hand cannons:
This is why it’s the poison for golden carrots: With such changes, players think twice about whether to take the effort and chase a weapon for countless hours. After all, the carrot in front of their nose loses its flavor quickly if it can be salted at any time.
That’s why it’s totally okay: However, not all Guardians think that way. The weapons have been in the game for 2 years now and have also become significantly easier to obtain over time. Some long for variety, saying that eventually there has to be an end.
- MeinMMO author Philipp Hansen viewed the nerf of the Recluse like this: Destiny 2 nerfs a top weapon – Many are screaming, but I say: Good
During the first nerf, some Guardians even made fun of it. Because those who were not able to earn the top weapons themselves hired paid services to do it for them. Such service providers, who then play under false flags, are thus deprived of their wind from the sails.
What do you think? Should Lunas Howl and Not Forgotten have retained their special status? Would the sunsetting have been enough or is the time simply up? Let us know your opinion in the comments.
Similarly, this also applies to the grenade launcher The Mountaintop. It is also rendered useless in the Trials, Iron Banner, or large parts of the new PvE content due to its level cap – moreover, it is also receiving a nerf: Destiny 2 will nerf a weapon that is going out of service anyway
