From Hero to Zero: Which weapons and abilities in Destiny were so powerful that Bungie felt compelled to intervene and weaken them? We look back at some of the strongest weapons in Destiny and Destiny 2 and highlight what has become of them.
What does Nerf actually mean? The term “Nerf” is common in the video game scene and describes the weakening of an item, weapon, or ability.
The name Nerf comes from a type of toy that is made of foam. The idea behind it: What was once a real weapon is now just a prop that no longer hurts anyone.
Such nerfs are carried out whenever certain aspects of a game prove to be too strong and thus are frequently used.
This leads to limited variety in weapon choice or (in the case of Destiny) class choice. However, “nerfs” lead to conflicts between the player base and developers because
- players have fun with “overpowered” equipment and want it to remain in the game but
- developers prefer a balanced player experience where all aspects of the game come into play. For every situation, there should be the right loadout, not just one for every situation.
This is why Destiny players hate nerfs: Due to this opposing viewpoint and approach, nerfs are generally not well received by the community. Specifically aimed at Destiny and its successor Destiny 2, there has almost always been potential for conflict in the past, for which developer Bungie itself was not entirely without blame:
- Nerfs often led to not only a too powerful weapon becoming useless, but an entire weapon category
- Many nerfs caused side effects on other weapons/abilities
- Nerfs driven by PvP perspectives had significant impacts on the PvE part of the game, which frustrated many players
We want to address some examples from the history of Destiny and Destiny 2, which are considered the worst nerfs in the franchise’s history. Let’s start with a tragedy that is truly unmatched.
The Vex Mythoclast – from Myth to Joke
What the Vex Mythoclast could do at launch: The exotic primary weapon, which could only be obtained from the raid “Glass Vault,” is still considered unique. It is a fusion rifle, but under the influence of fancy Vex technology, it behaves like an automatic rifle.
The first players who managed to get this weapon and tested it in the Crucible could hardly believe their eyes. The weapon would dismantle any Guardian in a matter of seconds.
Those who never got to experience the weapon at the height of its power can get an impression from the following video:
This is how the Vex Mythoclast was nerfed: Bungie reacted quickly and reduced the weapon’s damage. For a long time, the Vex Mythoclast remained a strong weapon in the Crucible, popular for its stability. However, soon the real drama surrounding the Vex Mythoclast unfolded.
Despite its unique firing behavior, the weapon was a fusion rifle – a weapon class Bungie struggled with in Destiny 1.
Why did Bungie have problems with fusion rifles? Anyone who could handle a fusion rifle had an extremely dangerous weapon in the Crucible. Plan C and The Infinite are still among the best fusion rifles of all time. However, many legendary variants could also hit and target accurately with the right perks.
In public perception, fusion rifles were never the dominant weapon class in the Crucible. However, Bungie has access to a plethora of statistics and numbers that clearly led to a different conclusion. An odyssey of nerfs and buffs followed:
- The damage was reduced,
- the projectile spread was increased,
- the stability was decreased,
- the range was reduced,
- the damage was increased again
- almost all changes affected PvE and PvP, even though fusion rifles were never the first choice against aliens
When too many nerfs turn into a meme: In the community, it became a matter of course that with every patch, fusion rifles would be nerfed. However, the gallows humor of the Guardians obscured the true victim of this back-and-forth: The Vex Mythoclast.
For Bungie failed to view and address the Vex Mythoclast separately from other fusion rifles.
The reduction of fusion rifle stability meant that the Vex Mythoclast suddenly became harder to control than a cat in a bathtub. Every damage nerf caused the Vex to become weaker and weaker until it ultimately vanished – a true “nerf tragedy.”
