Hand in hand with the second expansion “War Spirit,” the update 1.2.0 for Destiny 2 is released on May 8, 2018. One of the most anticipated features is the overhaul of many exotic weapons. As announced, Bungie now offers a look at the revamped Exotics and showcases the new Graviton Lance in action.
Since the release of Destiny 2, only a few Exotics – whether weapons or armor pieces – truly live up to their names. Many seem uninspired or too weak, failing to distinguish themselves noticeably from legendary gear with their supposedly exotic characteristics.
Here, Bungie promised improvement. Starting May 8, 2018, many exotic weapons will perform their duties in revamped form. Revamped exotic armor pieces are expected to follow later in the summer. In anticipation of the upcoming update milestone 1.2.0, Bungie now showcases the next revamped Exo weapon in action after the Hand Cannon Sturm – the Pulse Rifle Graviton Lance.
Graviton Lance Reimagined – Finally Exotic
The Graviton Lance had previously been one of the weakest exotic weapons in the game and finds little to no use in both PvE and PvP. However, this is likely to change soon. On April 17, 2018, Bungie posted a short clip on Twitter showcasing the revamped Graviton Lance in action.
The short video clearly demonstrates the new power of the exotic Pulse Rifle, which indeed seems reborn compared to its current performance. The rifle now fires two-shot salvos. Critical hits deal 333 damage in the video.
Kills from critical hits now trigger a large Void explosion, dealing up to 602 damage and capable of wiping out whole groups of surrounding Red Bars – regular enemies.
The explosion also creates several Void projectiles that track nearby remaining enemies and deal damage. The number of projectiles seemingly depends on the number of enemies killed.
While it seems that other members of the fireteam are shooting at enemies as well, the overwhelming damage numbers from the Graviton Lance would have pulverized these enemies even without external assistance.
Sven thinks:
The new Graviton Lance finally aligns with my personal vision of exotic weapons – powerful in effect, with unique effects, truly exotic perks, and distinctive appearance. All these aspects seem to be considered by Bungie in the refurbishment of the Graviton Lance.
If this exotic Pulse Rifle truly represents the kind of changes players are broadly expecting from exotic weapons in the upcoming update, Bungie would definitely be taking another step toward a better gaming experience. And this step would indeed be a significant one.
Despite initial skepticism, I am looking forward to rediscovering all the old and hopefully also new exotic weapons for myself and testing them extensively.
While Bungie certainly has to make major improvements in many other areas of the game, the refurbishment of the Exotics is, in my opinion, one of the most important issues in the game. And at least here, Bungie seems to finally be on the right track.
What do you think of the revamped Graviton Lance? Does it meet your expectations of Exotics now?
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