Bungie spoke on October 1 about the first expansion that Destiny 2 will receive in 2025. This expansion currently has the codename “Apollo” and is expected to fundamentally change armor in the loot shooter.
What did Bungie say about the armor? Bungie plans to overhaul the armor in Destiny 2 in the future to make it more exciting and understandable.
To achieve this, set bonuses for armor will be introduced. Players will receive perks when they equip multiple armor pieces from a set.
Moreover, there will be changes to the stats. These are intended to be less confusing for players, which is why the basic mechanics of the stats will be slightly revised. Additionally, there will be changes to the stats themselves to improve features like “weaker stats”.
Up to 2 additional perks through set bonuses
How will the set bonuses work? If you equip multiple armor pieces from the same set, you will receive up to 2 additional perks. The first perk is awarded when you equip 2 armor pieces from a set, the second at 4. There is no additional bonus for 5 armor pieces from the same set, as Bungie assumes you will use an Exotic.
The table below shows some examples that Bungie mentioned in a blog post:
| Theme | Perk 1 | Perk 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Tex Mechanica | When you shoot from the hip, you can move faster and handle the weapon better. The effect increases when you score hits. | Tex-Mechanica weapons have increased range and accuracy when fired from the hip. |
| Nonstop Aggression | Final hits with freshly loaded weapons heal you. | When a target is damaged by a shotgun or fusion rifle, the damage it takes from these weapons increases for a short time. |
| Demolitions Expert | Direct hits with explosive weapons temporarily increase their reload speed. | Repeated direct hits with explosive weapons temporarily increase grenade ability damage. |
| Vanguard Operative | When you activate your grenade, you and nearby allies gain damage resistance against combatants. | Defeating champions with a finisher generates special ammo for you and your fireteam. |
You can also combine sets, using for example 2 armor pieces from one set and 2 armor pieces from another set. This way, you may not get the second bonus perk from one set, but you will receive the first perk from both sets.
New names for Discipline and Strength
How will the stats change? Bungie aims to make stats more effective while also less confusing and limiting. They have announced the following changes:
- “The effects of the stats will no longer be tiered every 10 points. Each point in a property will provide a benefit.”
- “Stat effects will be capped at 200, with the range of 101-200 providing an additional strong effect that builds on the base effect.”
- “Legendary armors will have a stat archetype that determines the primary and secondary stat type, with a third stat being a wildcard.”
- “Class slots (Hunter capes, Warlock bonds and Titan marks) will have a full distribution of values that match those of other slots.”
The stats themselves will also be overhauled. Bungie says they have three goals in this regard:
- “Improving certain weak stats that provide little value.”
- “Reducing or eliminating mandatory ‘must-have’ stats.”
- “General improvement of the clarity of values and their impacts.”
As examples that are still in development, Bungie mentions the stats “Discipline” and “Strength”. The Discipline stat will be renamed to “Grenade” and the Strength stat will be called “Melee”. This is intended to improve the clarity of the stats.
Was there anything else new announced? Yes, Bungie also stated that the first expansion of 2025 – which is referred to by the codename Apollo – will bring a Metroidvania-inspired journey.
Metroidvanias are characterized by large, interconnected game worlds that you explore without clear objectives. You often encounter hurdles you cannot yet overcome. However, during the game, you will acquire new abilities like a double jump and then have to return to previously insurmountable hurdles as you can now tackle them.
Bungie stated that this Metroidvania expansion of Destiny 2 will not follow a linear campaign and will put you “in the driver’s seat”. You have the choice of whether to go to region B or C first or to collect a skill in region D to reach region A.
Bungie plans to make a series of changes to Destiny 2 in 2025. For example, an unpopular change from 2021 regarding dungeons will be reverted: Destiny 2: Players cheer as Bungie reverts a hated change after 3 years: “It should have always been this way”
