Destiny 2 expansion Warmind changed how many of the game's Exotic weapons worked - now, Bungie is turning its attention to the other half of the game's loot-fueled equation: armor. Six pieces of Exotic armor will be getting updates come May 29, and these tweaks should help make the Guardians who don them feel just that little extra bit more powerful. Here's a breakdown of the impending changes:
Synthoceps (Titan Gauntlets)
Now grants a flat bonus to melee and Super damage when you’re surrounded by three or more enemies instead of changing based on number of enemies around you. The buff is also retained for a short duration after you are no longer surrounded.
Lion Rampant (Titan Leg Armor)
You can hipfire while Lift is active without interrupting it, and your aerial hipfire doesn't have an aerial accuracy penalty.
The Dragon’s Shadow (Hunter Chest Armor)
Dodging reloads all weapons simultaneously. The effects of Wraithmetal Mail now also include a bonus to mobility.
Mechaneer’s Tricksleeves (Hunter Gauntlets)
Swapping to a sidearm while critically wounded greatly increases its damage.
Lunafaction Boots (Warlock Leg Armor)
Rift reload is automatic instead of being activated on entry/exit. Empowering Rift makes weapons more effective at extended ranges.
Sunbracers (Warlock Gauntlets)
Original effect replaced with: Increases the duration of Solar Grenades. Solar melee kills grant unlimited Solar Grenade energy for a brief time.
As for why these changes? Sandbox Designer Victor Anderson writes, "It’s my hope that the changes to Exotic Armor will result in more interesting choices, whether you're doing a strike or going for wins in the Crucible. When deciding to update the Exotic perks, our goal was to keep the identity of the Exotics the same, even if the way they influence your playstyle is slightly different."
For example, Mechaneer's Tricksleeves was meant to evoke the imagery of a Guardian flicking out a hidden gun, which is why it let you ready and reload sidearms quickly. Now, Bungie says it wants to give the feel of players carrying a "holdout weapon; the pistol tucked into your sleeve that you pull out in an emergency to save you". So, more or less the same fantasy, but now with a bit more incentive to actually use the perk.
Another round of updates are slated for July - mayhaps we'll get a preview at E3 2018?
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