In Destiny 2, the biggest balance update of all time is coming in December. Already next week, players will be able to try out the extensive ability changes in their builds. However, the high costs of the current mod and masterpiece system might mean that regular players can no longer afford the endgame.
In December, Destiny 2 players will, for the first time after the biggest balance update of all time, be able to play with the new cooldowns of their abilities and supers. The extensive balance changes for more gunplay and higher build diversity include, for example:
- Different cooldowns for abilities and supers in PvP and PvE
- Supers will be classified into cooldown tiers
- The intellect value, the passive cooldown of the super, will no longer be as important
This kind of different cooldowns and power outputs should make the game more dynamic and give build crafting more depth.
Bungie in the TWAB from 11.18.2021
The fact that players are supposed to gain more freedom sounds good. It means that in the future, even more experimentation will take place with builds and mods. However, this will also cost players more.
More build freedom is expensive: The high costs for masterpieces or changing the armor element may become a problem especially for casual gamers in the future. Currently, the costs for masterpieces or simply changing the legendary armor affinity to Solar, Arc, Void, or Stasis are quite high.
Not only Glimmer and fragments are required, but also a valuable Ascendant Fragment and Enhancement Prisms. For exotic armor, it even costs players a staggering 3 Ascendant Fragments.
Not all players can afford this: Especially regular players hardly have Ascendant Fragments and Enhancement Prisms. At the moment, it is still possible to get by with few or no masterpiece armors. However, that could change after the update. Players would have to consider whether they can even afford to try something new or click their builds around for fun.
There are effective farming methods for materials, but they also take time.
Bungie’s desire for more freedom and creativity in builds might ultimately fail due to the high costs. After all, not every player can invest so much time in farming materials and still play the game.
The current cost model is far too extensive
Each mod in Destiny 2 costs a certain amount of armor energy, which each piece of armor has depending on its upgrades. If the armor is not a masterpiece, not all necessary mods can be slotted, which the new build may need to be effective.
Additionally, there are many mods that have their own affinities. Solar mods only fit in solar armors. These include the elemental source mods “Projectile Source”, “Diverse Source”, and “Explosive Source Creator”.
If someone does not have a good solar armor, they would first need to change the armor affinity at a high cost and only then could they test their new build in gameplay.
Season mods make creative builds even more expensive: As Destiny 2 continues to evolve, each season brings a selection of rotating mods. These include new champion mods or strong effects (buffs/debuffs) that then become essential in every player build.
Here, it may also be necessary to constantly rearrange, test, and adjust builds.
The seasonal artifact further hinders players’ creativity. Not all mods can be unlocked at the same time. Each reset also costs more than the previous one. This can eventually become a real costly affair even for long-term players.
“Let us change armor affinity for free!”
In light of the many costs and restrictions that will come with the upcoming balance update, the wish of the Destiny 2 community on reddit still seems current and relatively simple. Bungie should free all armors and mods in the game from their affinity, meaning their specific burning.
This way, it wouldn’t matter whether an armor piece is Solar, Void, Arc, or Stasis. The mods would fit everywhere. This lowers the costs and gives players more freedom in the build options that Bungie promises.
It would also mean that the system itself would no longer feel so restrictive for players. Even new players could then change their builds more often.
What do you think? Do you think Bungie should reconsider the affinity of the mods? Or do the high costs not bother you because you enjoy endgame farming and don’t have problems with it?
It would also mean that the system itself would no longer feel so restrictive for players. Even new players could then change their builds more often.
What do you think? Do you think Bungie should reconsider the affinity of the mods? Or do the high costs not bother you because you enjoy endgame farming and don’t have problems with it?
