The Blade Dancer – How the Hat Guy Destroyed the Hunter
What was the problem with the Blade Dancer in Destiny 1? Especially in the second year of Destiny 1, the Blade Dancer struggled greatly. The super ability did not last as long as other comparable super attacks.
Moreover, the Blade Dancer could frequently be targeted and taken out by shotguns, as he had to get close to the enemy.
The range of the attack itself was also criticized. At least the perk Hungry Blade could trigger shield and health regeneration until, well, Josh Hamrick (a.k.a. the Hat Guy) came.
This is how the Blade Dancer was further nerfed: “What is dead may never die.” This saying from the Iron Islands in Game of Thrones has been impressively refuted by Josh Hamrick.
The Blade Dancer needed to be significantly improved in the eyes of many players. What led Bungie’s designer, Josh Hamrick, to further weaken the Blade Dancer, already seen as a “dead” class?
According to him, during a live-stream, Hamrick himself came up with the idea to nerf the perk Hungry Blade. It was deemed too strong.
Instead of initiating shield and health regeneration, only health was restored, no shield. For many players, an absurd move that pushed the Blade Dancer further into obscurity.
Equally bizarre: Due to a bug, various other regeneration perks from abilities and gear were also nerfed, which was unintentional but did not stop Bungie from implementing it that way. Examples include No Plan B, the Apotheosis Veil, and the Voidwalker ability.
A seemingly minor nerf, which in its inception was, however, quite bizarre and in its effects significantly more serious, justly earned a place in our Hall of Fame of Worst Nerfs.
And Josh Hamrick was seen for months as the Hunter’s enemy and someone who truly had no idea what he was doing. However, he has since been rehabilitated, has made a name for himself with some concrete statements on Destiny and is frequently appearing in dev streams.
