Destiny 2 nerfs your favorite boss weapons in Lightfall and updates exotics

Only a few weeks left and Destiny 2 reveals the new DLC “Lightfall”. To ensure everything is in order, Bungie is now addressing the heavy weapon meta after the abilities of the Guardians. Popular DPS monsters will receive a nerf, as other weapons are intended to provide damage and variety starting in Season 20. MeinMMO tells you what the hottest candidates for boss damage will be.

These changes are planned by Bungie: Starting in Season 20, the weapon meta in Destiny 2 will shift once again. With the upcoming new Lightfall campaign and a new raid, they aim to rebalance the heavy weapon slot. Additionally, ability traits will be added to known exotic weapons to make them relevant again.

Chris Proctor, Bungie’s Senior Design Lead, informed players on Bungie’s website about which changes will soon go live as part of the balance update for Season 20.

• Linear fusion rifles have been the most popular DPS option for over a year. Now the nerf comes so that other weapons finally have the chance to assert themselves.
• Machine guns and heavy grenade launchers will be buffed, making them favorites to take over from the old DPS kings.
• Additionally: Increased bonus damage for kinetic weapons, subclass verbs for more exotic weapons, and some adjustments to various perks.

For players, these changes mean new weapon options will open up, which can then be tested in the Lightfall DLC. There will definitely be plenty of room for testing in the Neptune location “Neomuna”. Plus, many new ability options can be seen in this trailer:

The reign of Stormtracer and Taipan is coming to an end

It has been apparent for some time that Bungie would bring linear fusion rifles back to reality. They have been vastly outperforming heavy weapons in terms of boss damage for too long. Hardly anything could compete with them. This is likely to change soon.

This is what Bungie is specifically adjusting for the linear fusion rifles:

• The damage of LFGs against champions, minibosses, bosses, and vehicles will be reduced by 15%.
• Only the exotics “Sleeper Simulant” and “Queenbreaker” are not affected by this.

It’s time for players to think about new options for boss damage. Looking at the buffs, machine guns and grenade launchers seem to be the best candidates in Season 20 for this. Both the already strong and craftable Season 19 MG “Retrofit Escapade” and the grenade launcher “Wendigo” as a master version could soon shine brightly.

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These buffs are what Bungie is giving to machine guns and heavy grenade launchers:

• Machine guns receive a PvP damage buff of ~10% and a PvE ammo buff. The latter means machine guns with low reserves get a big boost, while machine guns with large reserves receive a smaller boost.
• Heavy grenade launchers also receive a significant damage buff of 20% against champions, minibosses, bosses, and vehicles. The damage against normal enemies even increases by 40%. Almost a bit of anarchy.
• Additionally, grenade launchers will receive an increase in explosion radius and improved projectile collision, making it a bit easier to land hits with them.
• Only the exotic grenade launcher “Parasite” is not considered because it can already deal enough damage.

This is changing in the kinetic weapon slot: Starting in Season 20, it should also be more rewarding to use a kinetic weapon. Until now, kinetic slot weapons have always dealt 5% more damage against unprotected targets in PvE. This meant that Stasis weapons in the kinetic slot were always better, with additional functionality and no downside.

To encourage players to reach for a kinetic weapon again, Bungie will adjust the following:

• Kinetic primary and special weapons will receive a damage boost.
• To make the distinction easier, Stasis weapons in the kinetic slot will no longer receive the same damage bonus as their true kinetic counterparts.
• Additionally, Season 20 will introduce a new “kinetic damage type” into the game.

Other exotics will be actively adjusted in Season 20 to fit the new subclass system 3.0. The changes will align them to the revised abilities. This could make them more exciting again and give them additional functionality.

• The shots of the exotic “Queenbreaker” will chain to nearby enemies starting in Season 20 and apply the blind effect of Arc 3.0.
• The attack with the transmutation orbs of the exotic “Fallen Avatar” will now suppress enemies.
• The exotic bow “Leviathan’s Breath” applies volatile projectiles on a perfect draw, deals more damage, and also applies additional damage to champions.
• The raid exotic “One Thousand Voices” will apply a stack of ignition on each mini-explosion in the future.
• The exotic hand cannon “Sunshot” can also apply ignition starting in Season 20.
• The exotic scout rifle “Polaris Lance” will apply ignition instead of the known unique burning effect.

• The exotic rocket launcher “Double-tailed Fox” will soon be able to apply ignition with its solar rocket and suppress with its void rocket. Bungie also announced that there will likely be a catalyst for the weapon, which will then “complete the trifecta”. This means it may soon also trigger the Arc 3.0 effect.
• The catalyst of the exotic “Prometheus Lens” will grant its holder the “Radiant” advantage starting in Season 20.
• The catalyst of the exotic machine gun “The Big Overture” will also apply the blind effect of Arc 3.0 in the future.

Additionally, some tuning for perks is still in the works. Among other things, the popular trait of Veist weapons is being addressed:

• The origin trait “Veist Stinger” is so popular among guardians that it has become difficult for non-Veist weapons to keep up. The perk will no longer fully reload your magazine, but only 25% of it.
• The perk “Rewind Rounds” will appear on more weapons in Lightfall. It will be adjusted so that it does well not only in the Glass Chamber but also universally.
• The perk “Bold Blade” is faulty. In the future, it should no longer deactivate when moving quickly and should deactivate correctly after a single melee hit.

When will these changes go live? The changes mentioned here will go live with the new DLC “Lightfall” on February 28, 2023.

Do you think it is good that linear fusion rifles will finally be replaced after over a year? Or will you miss landing pinpoint hits on bosses with them? Feel free to let us know in the comments which of these changes you think has the greatest potential.