Destiny 2 provided an outlook on Season 16 and the changes to the legendary weapon pool in the latest “This Week at Bungie” blog. In addition to old forge treasures, “Origin Traits” are being introduced. MeinMMO showcases the new seasonal ritual weapon and all the changes to weapons and exotics at the start of the new Season 16.
This week, the new blog post (TWaB) from Bungie is a bit more comprehensive, revealing a lot of new details about the upcoming Season 16 and the new expansion Witch Queen. This included an outlook on the seasonal ritual weapon, new weapons, and the new origin traits on weapons.
Weapons receive origin traits: Players will receive 42 new legendary and returning Trials, Iron Banner, and Nightfall weapons with the new expansion. Each of these weapons will have a so-called origin trait. These new “trait perks” will be determined by their source in a third perk column.
There will be a total of 14 origin traits in Season 16, indicating that Bungie is targeting more than just the core activities. You will likely see traits that come from new seasonal content, new dungeons, and probably also from raids. Therefore, there will be plenty of room for expanding and experimenting with Guardians’ weapons in future seasons.
Here are a few examples of such traits and their sources:
- Weapons from the Trials of Osiris receive the trait: “Serenity”.
Gain increased reload speed, stability, aim assist, and range when you are the last living member of your fireteam or running solo. - Weapons from Nightfalls receive the trait: “Stunning Recovery”
Stunning a champion partially reloads your magazine, triggers health regeneration, and improves regeneration for a short time. - Weapons from the Crucible receive the trait: “A Quiet Moment”.
Grants increased reload speed when you haven’t dealt or received damage for 4 seconds.
Traits can also be selected
If it makes sense due to their source activity, Guardians can also obtain multiple such origin traits on their weapon. These can then be selected as needed.
- Nightfall weapons can choose between Nightfall and Vanguard properties.
- Trials weapons can choose between Trials and Crucible properties.
- The ritual weapon of a season can choose between properties Gambit, Vanguard, and Crucible since it can be obtained from any of these activities.
Weapon sunsetting in the light version: Unfortunately, the traits only apply to new weapon drops and will not be applied to weapons already earned. So you cannot rely on your full vault.
More precisely, this adjustment from Bungie feels like weapon sunsetting in the light version. For Guardians, a Nightfall weapon earned in the upcoming Season 16 will thus have more utility than one earned before Witch Queen. Basically, all God Rolls that players have been using for over a year are no longer viable for the future. You will craft new weapons in the enclave and gradually replace your old arsenal.
Every season brings additional traits into play: Furthermore, Bungie plans to introduce about three new traits in each subsequent season after Season 16. For example, one for Season 17, one for the raid or dungeon, and one for the respective seasonal event.
Chaperon will soon no longer be a terror in PvP
As announced some time ago, a few exotics will be revised with Witch Queen. This includes the exotic shotguns “Chaperon” and “Duality”. Bungie hopes to end their “reign of terror” in PvP. The hipfire of “The Story of a Dead Man” was still a bit too dominant for the developer.
However, there are also improvements, which will make some exotics absurdly strong with Witch Queen.
These are the adjustments for the exotic weapons in detail:
- Exotic weapons that use primary ammo and submachine guns will receive a buff. They will deal a substantial 40% increased damage in PvE against all opponents with red health bars.
With this change, the exotic representatives of primary weapons in the kinetic slot will become strong options. Weapons like “Huckleberry,” “Graviton Lance,” “Workhorse,” or “Le Monarque” should definitely benefit from this. These weapons are also strong against champions in Season 16. But “Dorn” or “Pikass” will also be incredibly strong against the mob in PvE.
Will the Vex Mythoclast also become a beast then? However, for those who were looking forward to the Raid Exotic “Vex Mythoclast” also being stronger because of this, you will be disappointed. As Bungie’s community manager dmg04 stated on Twitter, this specific weapon is excluded because it already received the buff in Season 14, and Bungie will not double it.
Nevertheless, players find the changes great. The player swagyp36 writes:
These are the changes to the exotic shotguns:
- With the shotgun “Chaperon,” you will no longer be able to greet from a distance in Season 16. The passive range buff of the exotic is reduced from 2m to 0.5m.
- Similarly, the “Duality” will see its passive range in slug mode reduced from 1.25m to 0.5m. A small consolation: the damage buff from “On Black Wings” will no longer be removed when reloading.
In addition, Bungie is also adjusting these exotics with Witch Queen:
- The progression of the perk “Greedy Beast” from the former raid exotic “Tarrabah” will no longer be completely reset when switching weapons but will only be halved. Additionally, its perk “Bottomless Grasp” will be slightly increased.
- “Fallen Figure” receives a compensation. The damage from transmutation orbs will be increased by 66% in PvE and by 30% against players. Also, kills with transmutation orbs will count towards armor mod for orb generation.
- The “Lumina” is also used much too rarely. Therefore, Bungie is adjusting the range (from 44 to 59) and base stability (from 46 to 56) of the exotic hand cannon.
- The current exotic of Season 15 “Ager’s Scepter” apparently was not yet as developed as hoped. Problems in activities have been fixed. The effect can no longer be used while suppressed or trapped in stasis. Also, super regeneration will not activate as long as you are still using the effect from the weapon’s catalyst.
- The exotic scout rifle “The Story of a Dead Man” receives a reduced hipfire rate from the catalyst from 150 to 130.
- The two linear fusion rifles “Arbalest” and “Lorentz Driver” will receive increased flinch when fired.
- The exotic pistol “Forerunner” from the “Eternity’s Trials” will gain more when picking up special ammo. From two to three and from four to five with a looter mod.
New world pool for weapons revives old forge treasures
Big changes are also coming to the old weapon world pool. Bungie will release a total of 12 new weapons styled after Year 1 weaponsmiths in Season 16. However, these will be old forges and not the weapons from the Black Armory.
Each of the forges will return three weapons from Suros, Omolon, Häkke, and Veist.
A small selection of these forged weapons has already been shown by Bungie.
- Suros “Maestro-46” – Void Sniper Rifle
- Suros “Annual Skating” – Solar Hand Cannon
- Veist “Valakadyn” – Solar Auto Rifle
- Omolon “Agrona” – Void Auto Rifle
- Häkke “Somerled-D” – Solar Shotgun
- Häkke “Land Trust” or “Telemachus-C” – Kinetic Scout Rifle
Each forge will also have a unique identity and an origin trait that reflects the particular nature of this forge.
- Suros stands for consistency
Origin Trait: “Suros Synergy”: Reloading grants this weapon bonus handling and reduces incoming flinch for a short time. - Häkke stands for great damage
Origin Trait: “Häkke Breach Armaments”: This weapon causes increased damage against vehicles, turrets (including stasis turrets), barricades, and stasis crystals. - Omolon stands for a lot of “weird stuff”
Origin Trait: “Omolon Fluid Dynamics”:
This weapon increases reload speed and stability for the top half of the magazine. - Veist stands for almost endless firing
Origin Trait: “Veist Stinger”
Chance to damage to partially refill this weapon’s magazine.
The forged weapon arsenal is to be steadily expanded: Since not all weapons are available at once, Bungie aims to add new forged weapons each season in the Witch Queen year. Whether the weapons from the Black Armory will also be included is possible but not very likely at first.
In addition, there will be one weapon each for the Vanguard, Gambit, and the Crucible.
- Vanguard shotgun
- Gambit Häkke High-Impact Auto Rifle (Herod-C)
- Crucible hand cannon
This is the new ritual weapon from Season 16
Bungie has also already shown the seasonal ritual weapon. It is a shotgun called “The Reckless Endangerment.” This weapon will be introduced in Season 16 and features the new perk “Steady Hands,” which will provide a massive handling boost.
Ritual weapons remain multifunctional and solid: Bungie also explained in the blog post why previous top weapons were too strong. The “Widow’s Bite” or “The Summit” were weapons that were nearly always meta in their area. However, they had to be grind hard to obtain.
For example, the Widow’s Bite became a must-have weapon in PvE. Other top weapons like “The Summit” and “Not Forgotten” became so strong in PvP that no other weapon in this class could compete with them. This ultimately led to everyone only playing these weapons.
On the other hand, ritual weapons have been solid type of weapons since Season 12 that can be obtained without much effort. Players can use them in PvE and PvP because Bungie has integrated appropriate perk options for switching. This makes them ideal starter weapons without surpassing the legendary weapons from the top activities.
Overall, players receive ritual weapons well, and Bungie intends to maintain this in the future.
Global weapon adjustments
With the launch of the new “Witch Queen” expansion, there will also be some global adjustments. These include adjustments to special ammo in the Crucible and a “glitch fix.”
- The kill tracker is now available on all legendary weapons. It is no longer necessary to masterwork a weapon for this.
- Weapon modifiers, such as backup magazine or major spec, can also be applied for free.
- You will soon receive less special ammo from killed enemies in the Crucible (only one shot). It does not matter how much ammo the opponent had loaded, as long as they did not have any special ammo at all.
- Bungie will also address the “quick-swap glitch,” where players sprint, switch weapons, and aim to simulate the perk “Fixer Draw.” This animation cancel will no longer be possible with the start of Season 16.
Changes to weapon archetypes:
- The damage of High-Impact fusion rifles receives a buff in PvE.
- The damage of stun and shock grenades will be reduced by 25%.
- Pulse rifles will soon deal 10% more damage to enemies with red health bars.
- The aim assist for sniper rifles will be adjusted.
After the new weapons in the last trailer have already sparked community discussion, the TWaB definitely provides plenty to talk about for the Guardians. Of course, we want to know from you what you think about the changes, adjustments, and innovations? Are you satisfied with the return of the old forge weapons? What do you like most and what annoys you the most?
This week, Bungie’s creative director also revealed details about the new campaign of Witch Queen in an interview that is sure to whet appetites for more:
