NEW YORK: Just when you were starting to get used to the physics and mechanics of your favorite Destiny weapons, Bungie decided that, in your own best interest, they are going to change pretty much the entire weapon system dynamic. Bungie announced in its weekly update that they will be releasing a Destiny 1.1.1 patch sometime, “before the end of February.”Let’s take a look at exactly what this means for the extensive artillery selections with which we’ve been equipped.
Within the Bungie weekly update, there is a link that gives an in-depth weapon changes explanation along with a few charts and bar graphs to spice things up. Feel free to check that out later, but for now, let’s take some quick notes on what’s happening here.
Auto Rifles
First and foremost is the nerfing of auto rifles. Basically, they aren’t going to be as powerful or shoot as far. Specifically, the base damage of all auto rifles is being reduced by 2.5%. The range is being reduced, “so that damage falloff and accuracy are a stronger factor in combat decisions.” In other words, no more sniping from across the map with your high powered auto rifles. According to Bungie’s Deej, “If you’re like me, and you think you can solve every problem with your trusty Suros Regime? Well, we’re about to be challenged in some new and exciting ways.”
Pulse Rifles
Bungie is upset that people don’t use pulse rifles enough in Destiny. While some gamers may be inclined to argue that people don’t choose pulse rifles simply because they have stronger preferences for other favored weapon types, Bungie suspects that part of the reason players are not using pulse rifles because they are too weak. So in juxtaposition to all the nerfing, pulse rifle are receiving a buff in the form of a whopping 9.7% base damage per second increase.
“A Breakdown Of Kills By Primary Archetype For The Top Players [filtered to focus on the top-half of the scoreboard]” via Bungie
Hand Cannons
Bungie thinks that too many players are, “hanging back and using the Hand Cannon like a Scout Rifle or a Sniper Rifle.” So obviously they’re getting nerfed in the new patch. How? Hand cannons now don’t shoot as far or as accurately as they used to shoot.
Fusion Rifles
According to Bungie, fusion rifles are,” the most hotly unliked weapon to be killed by. On the other end of the feedback spectrum, they are supremely satisfying guns to kill with.” Bungie’s solution? Fusion rifles are going to see a reduction in both range and starting ammo. The fusion rifle blast patter is being widened so that the weapon will no longer be able to execute one-shot kills from across the map. And while the ammo won’t have a huge effect on PVE, you’ll have to make more of an effort to grab those green special ammo boxes in PVP.
Shotguns
As you may have noticed in the graph above, there is a drastic difference between the percentage of shotgun use in PVP compared to PVE. Bungie doesn’t like that. Bungie wants to fix that. As incentive to use shotguns in PVE, Bungie is giving shotguns a damage increase of, “2x (100%) against all non-Guardian combatants (aliens).”
Bungie also doesn’t like when people, “use Shotguns [sic]with wild abandon” in the crucible. Bungie wants to fix that. As incentive to stop being so irresponsibly careless with your shotgun, Bungie is reducing starting ammo. They are also reducing shotgun range values, but this is only for shotguns that exceed the close quarters expectation and can one-shot from, “unexpected ranges.”
Scout Rifle, Sniper Rifle, Heavy Machine Gun, Rocket Launcher
Whew! You can stop holding your breath because for the time being, there will be no changes to scout rifles, sniper rifles, heavy machine guns, or rocket launchers in the new Destiny 1.1.1 patch. Relax, no one is going to take your Gjallahorn away from you. Well, not in this patch, but we actually can’t make any promises for Destiny‘s future because according to, “the desk of Sandbox Designer Jon Weisnewski”:
One of the great things about working on this game is how players continually change our understanding of how the game plays. We have an evolving tennis match of serves and returns. As always, we’ll be watching and listening. Keep the feedback coming.
Your ball.
On one hand, it could be considered admirable to seek to please your audience through responses to feedback. On the other hand, to respond to your audience’s feedback in a constructive manner, you need a consistent line of feedback and that does not seem to be the case here. People are constantly divided on Destiny issues and this patch presents the same obstacle.
