Destiny nerfs long-range shotguns in update 2.0.1

Bungie gives with one hand and nerfs with the other. While Destiny patch 2.0.1 will will mark the return of Tess Everis and the rise of ever more dance emotes next week, it will also mean the (temporary) departure of one of the most desirable/overpowered shotgun perks in the Crucible: Shot Package.

The perk, which "narrows pellet spread while aiming," makes shotguns significantly more effective at range. Shotguns are some of the most powerful weapons in Destiny, but that effectiveness is supposed to be balanced out by the tactical challenge of getting close to an enemy before they shoot you to death - with nearly every popular long-range shotgun sporting Shot Package, players were reliably skirting that drawback and cleaning up in PvP.

As of next week, all Shot Package perks will be replaced with Close and/or Personal, Crowd Control, or Knee Pads, depending on the weapon. Bungie says Shot Package isn't going away for good, it's just on "time out" while the studio sorts out what to do with it.

Anything outside spitting distance was already beyond the effective range of my beloved Fourth Horseman - it's more of a high-speed buckshot funnel than a traditional firearm. But for all those Guardians who were enjoying the best of both worlds thanks to Shot Package, you have my condolences.

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