Bungie recently released a ViDoc exploring the many things coming in Destiny 2 Season of the Drifter, so our list of questions about the next stage of the game is now considerably shorter. Thanks to today's This Week At Bungie blog post, in which sandbox designer Victor Andersen detailed the Crucible, Vanguard, and Gambit pinnacle weapons coming in the next season, we can cross another question off the list. Here's what we'll be chasing.
Vanguard pinnacle weapon: Oxygen SR3
Oxygen SR3 is a solar energy scout rifle with the unique perk Meganeura, which is like Dragonfly except it deals more damage "based on the number of precision hits made beforehand." In other words, if you shoot a Taken Knight four times in the head before he dies, the resulting Dragonfly explosion will deal more damage thanks to those extra headshots. It sounds like a fun perk, so as long as its base stats are solid, Oxygen may become one of Destiny 2's few viable scout rifles.
Crucible pinnacle weapon: The Recluse
No, it's not a sniper rifle. The Recluse is a void energy submachine gun with the unique perk Master of Arms, which temporarily its damage whenever you get a kill with any weapon. In other words, if you get a kill with your primary, you can swap to The Recluse and it'll be souped-up for a little bit.
As Andersen acknowledged, "submachine guns are in a contentious spot in the game after the Forsaken release." However, he reckons the flexibility Master of Arms perk will help The Recluse compete with other secondaries. I'm skeptical, but I'll try anything once.
Gambit pinnacle weapon: 21% Delirium
21% Delirium is an arc heavy machine gun with the perk Killing Tally, which increases its damage until it's stowed or reloaded. It's also the first rapid-fire machine gun in Destiny 2, as Andersen explained, meaning it fires faster and has a bigger magazine than the likes of Hammerhead and Thunderlord. It also comes with one of the two new weapon perks in the Season of the Drifter: Overflow. Andersen didn't explain exactly what Overflow does, but it sounds like it'll synergize with Killing Tally, so I reckon it's a magazine-related perk. Speaking of synergy: Titan auto-reload barricades and Warlock Lunafaction Boots sound perfect for this machine gun.
On top of the next line of pinnacle weapons, Bungie's blog post also outlined a significant power weapon balance change coming in the Season of the Drifter. Simply put, grenade launchers will have their PvE damage increased by 25 percent, and their ammo reserves will be increased by three rounds (or so, depending on perks). Rocket launchers are also getting a big buff to the tune of 65 percent PvE damage, though that comes at the cost of 80 percent less Cluster Bomb damage.
"These changes, along with others that will be shown when the full patch notes for 2.2.0 are revealed, are intended to make Legendary Power weapons a good option for those who enjoy their Exotic Kinetic and Energy weapons," Andersen said. "We believe that the Exotic you choose to run should be an expression of your playstyle rather than just the math working out in your favor."
There's no doubt that heavy Exotics like Whisper of the Worm, Sleeper Simulant, and Thunderlord have ruled the roost for months now, so these changes are pretty exciting. I wonder if the rocket change will propel the Exotic rocket launcher Twin-Tailed Fox into a top-tier spot? I hope so, because I love that gun. Its lock-on icon is a cute little neon fox with angry eyes. I mean, come on, dude.
The Season of the Drifter is also bringing some highly requested Gambit changes, and a well-deserved nerf for an infamous Exotic.
