Destiny 2 offers many exotics that Guardians can wield to navigate PvE content more easily and effectively. Now, the multiple Day-One winner “Saltagreppo” believes that one exotic should definitely be nerfed because it makes many boss fights a piece of cake.
Which exotic is it? Unfortunately, this is not about the newly refreshed Maleficent Touch from the King’s Fall raid, but rather an old, somewhat niche exotic weapon: the Divinity. Many Guardians are familiar with it, countless bosses fear it, and some players still need it.
This special trace rifle is unique, as while you fire your Arc laser beam at enemies, a massive grid ball appears on or above your target. If you then fire at this ball, you deal critical damage. Additionally, the laser beam weakens your opponent and allows you to deal more damage to them.
Many Guardians frequently use this rifle to navigate endgame content, like a raid, more easily, as you essentially don’t have to rely on accuracy. However, this point displeases the multiple Day-One winner “Saltagreppo”. He believes the weapon needs to be nerfed.
The weapon makes necessary skill obsolete
What reasons does the pro player give for a nerf? Although the pro and his team often rely on the Divinity themselves, he wants the weapon to be put in its place. Saltagreppo states:
- The weapon completely removes the necessary skills required for various DPS phases
- It’s mainly about accuracy, as well as identifying the best DPS weapons
- With the Divinity, this is no longer really necessary
- It’s mainly about accuracy, as well as identifying the best DPS weapons
- The exotic trace rifle also pushes many other exotics out of the meta, as they cannot be buffed.
- For example, Whisper of the Worm
According to the experienced Destiny player and content creator, this laser rifle creates an unhealthy atmosphere in the PvE area that Bungie should take a closer look at. No skill is now required to fire accurately or equip better weapons to maximize damage.
For this reason, he also provides suggestions on how Bungie can improve the situation:
- Remove the weakening effect of the weapon and leave only the crit bubble as an exotic effect.
- Additionally, other debuffs, such as the Hunter’s bow, should not count when players use the Divinity
- They therefore provide no bonus and should be counted as 0%
A steep price to pay, according to Saltagreppo. However, this is meant to ensure that fewer players rely on the trace rifle and more on their own skills. But the majority of Guardians see it differently.
Bungie has indeed considered the weakening in previous releases and Saltagreppo has merely voiced this again within the community.
As the developer states, “the Divinity is incredibly dominant in endgame PvE because it trivializes aiming precision weapons and has an extremely high uptime for weakening.” Due to its 30% buff, it simply outperforms all other weakening sources, such as the Void Bow ultimate of the Hunter and the Tractor Cannon, Bungie explained.
Therefore, there have already been some tests for Season 19 and they plan a nerf of the raid exotic Divinity, reducing the weakening from 30% to 15%.
The nerf is coming, but the community is pushing back
The pro made his post public on Twitter and also asked the community for their opinions on his idea. Looking at the comments now, it becomes clear that few want a nerf, let alone even consider it.
Even Christian Vogt states on Twitter that the Divinity does not need any changes. It is fine as it is, and there does not need to be a skill gap everywhere to slow down other players.
Twitter user $tony even states: “In my personal view, is there not already a skill gap? If your fireteam is good at hitting your shots, combined with the numerous ways to apply a debuff, wouldn’t you theoretically deal more damage than a fireteam with the Divinity since that is their only DPS?”
Looking at the comments under the pro’s post, it quickly becomes apparent that the community is largely completely against it and does not share his opinion.
Even after Bungie’s latest announcement itself, the pushback against this change has not subsided.
When is the nerf coming? Tests have now been conducted for Season 19. So it could be ready with the start of the upcoming season on December 6, 2022.
The elaborate quest for the Divinity, which must be completed in the raid “Garden of Salvation,” will likely remain unchanged.
The weapon retains its ability to weaken enemies and create useful crit spots but only half as well. However, there is a risk that the raid exotic will become too uninteresting for players starting Season 19 because other options are better, provide similar buffs, but are much easier to obtain.
But now it’s your turn. Do you think the Divinity deserves this nerf? Feel free to leave your opinion in the comments.
