Bungie has given a first glimpse of the sandbox changes in Season 10 of Destiny 2. A complete overhaul of the swords is coming. We explain what changes are happening in detail.
Initial details for Season 10: The Season 9 is slowly nearing its end. After the Empyrean Foundation went live recently, the last major content from the Season of Dawn will launch on February 11 with the Valentine’s Day event Crimson Days.
In their current developer blog “This Week at Bungie”, the studio has now already provided a first outlook on upcoming changes that await Guardians in Season 10.
What is changing with Season 10? As the developers announced, they have been closely following player feedback and will be addressing swords in Season 10. They are finally set to receive more love. Apparently, the studio plans to work more with this weapon type in future releases.
Swords had their shining hour in Destiny 1 (especially the exotic models), but could never really shine at any point in Destiny 2. However, many players would wish for that, and so the studio is set to completely overhaul this weapon category for Season 10.
Bungie says, “While you are still cleaving your enemies down, as you’d expect from a sword, most things you know will have to be unlearned.”
This is how swords are changing with Season 10
Swords redefined: According to Bungie, almost every aspect of swords will be adjusted, such as
- blocking
- the light attack
- or heavy attack
However, the biggest change is likely to be a new energy bar for swords.
General changes: Bungie has tinkered not only with the mechanics but also with the values of the swords. For instance, some damage values of various sword attacks have been adjusted. The studio has also worked on various sword perks.
However, the developers did not provide details on this. They say that Guardians will have to try the changes themselves once they are available.
What’s new – sword energy: With Season 10, swords will have their own energy reserve represented by the aforementioned energy bar. This will replace the melee slot while you are wielding a sword.
This energy will be consumed by various actions with the sword but will recharge automatically. Therefore, Bungie suggests not to confuse it with ammunition capacity. However, ammunition will still be available.
This is how blocking with the sword will change: Blocking with a sword will soon consume the new sword energy instead of heavy ammunition. Initiating a block will still cost ammunition (at least one unit).
Different blocking methods will have varying consumption rates, damage resistances, and behaviors. Guardians are expected to experiment until they find the method that suits them.
Adjustment of the exotic Titan gauntlets “Handheld”: The Titan armor exotic Handheld was introduced in the Season of the Vagabond, but for most Guardians, it serves more as a dust collector in the vault.
Blocking with a sword currently increases the mobility speed of the bearer and does not consume ammunition. Shots blocked directly after a block also heal the bearer.
Bungie has taken another look at this function during the sword overhaul and adjusted the exotic. No details were mentioned. However, thanks to the sword changes, the neglected blocking function should be used more. And due to the revision of the exotic, Titans should be able to experience a unique blocking function, according to the studio.
This is how light attacks with the sword will change: Light attacks on the ground can soon be combined infinitely with all swords, and all swords can then cleave.
This chaining of light attacks will now distinguish them more clearly from heavy attacks. Cleaving with light attacks was previously only possible with swords featuring aggressive frames. Starting with Season 10, it will also be added to all other swords to enhance the hack & slash factor.
This is how heavy sword attacks will change: Heavy attacks will consume sword energy starting in Season 10.
They can be executed at any time, but the strength of the heavy sword attack will be determined by the available energy. If the energy bar is full, the attack is at its strongest and decreases in intensity with less available energy. This should make mixing different attacks more worthwhile.
Additionally, heavy sword attacks in the air will generally not consume energy, but this may vary depending on the sword (probably for some exotic swords).
What’s new – shield bypass with sword attacks: Most sword attacks can now bypass elemental shields – but only partially for the damage.
This should differentiate swords more from shotguns, which play a similar role as powerful melee weapons.
What do you think of these changes? Do you believe that swords will finally be able to shine again like they did in Destiny 1?
