Recently, the Iron Banner in Destiny 2 has received some changes, including a new power play rule. However, this rule reveals a fundamental weakness. Numerous fans are now calling for a revision.
Weeks before Forsaken, the last Iron Banner of Season 3 is currently in full swing in Destiny 2. With the recent start of the one-week PvP event, two new features were introduced:
- Iron Temple campfires now replace the regular control flags
- There is a new power play rule: If all three zones are captured, they will be locked for 20 seconds. At the end of the power play, all zones are reset to neutral and must be recaptured.
The new power play rule is currently facing significant criticism because it has a fundamental flaw. Some Guardians even prefer to jump into the abyss rather than fight their opponents. But why?
Best way to counter power play is to stop playing
What is power play? During an Iron Banner Control match, it is now possible to force a power play if a team manages to capture all three control zones. Then the zones are locked for 20 seconds, and the team in power play can earn the maximum score for kills during this time.
What is the problem with power play? The problem is: The best thing one can do against a power play in its current form is to stay away from the opponent or hide to deny them as many points as possible.
Because the team in power play can accumulate massive points with each kill for 20 seconds. In the regular control mode, one is still forced to take action to end the opponent’s power play – even if it risks giving the opponent even more points.
In the Iron Banner, however, there is nothing more one can do to mitigate this advantage. With each death, valuable points are given to opponents during this period while no real objective is pursued. Avoiding the opponent and simply denying them as many points as possible for the duration of the power play seems to be the optimal strategy for many players.
This has even gone so far that many Guardians prefer to jump to their death during the 20 seconds rather than face their opponents. Because even though hiding or retreating sometimes works, most maps in 6v6 are too small for that. Some players claim that the main reason for a victory or for reversing a match was that they successfully avoided the opposing team during power play while the latter was hunting with activated Supers.
How can power play be improved? Many fans are now calling for a revision. There are also plenty of improvement suggestions from the community. Some suggest that power play should grant 10 or more points for the team account instead of locking the zones. Others say that a reduction of the time lock would already be sufficient. There is also talk of some kind of objective that, when captured, would lift the entire lock.
Other players are calling for a penalty system for those who jump into the abyss multiple times. It is conceivable that a jump to death could be penalized with a point for the opposing team, increasing the respawn timer, or being kicked out of the match after repeated offenses.
How do you view this issue? Have you had similar experiences or can you not understand the fuss around power play?
