Guardians, ready your arsenals! We’re in the thick of Destiny 2 Season of the Deep, and it’s time for a mid-season weapons update that could radically shift the current meta. Our detailed guide breaks down every change, allowing new and seasoned players to adjust their strategies and stay competitive on the battlefield.
Overview: Weapon Changes
We’ve prepared a detailed overview of the mid-season changes to keep players abreast of these transformations, focusing on the top meta weapons in D2 Season 21.
Before we delve deeper into the changes, here’s a glance at the key adjustments, categorized by weapon:
| Weapon/Perk | Adjustments |
|---|---|
| Pulse Rifles | Auto aim angle reduced by ~10% |
| Lightweight Bows |
Damage falloff start distance increased from 15m to 25m; Damage falloff end distance increased from 20m to 45m; Accuracy increased by ~10% |
| Submachine Guns | Improved Shayura's Wrath ADS dynamic reticle |
| Lightweight Shotguns | Spread angle reduced by 15% |
| Graviton Lance | PvE damage increased by 67%; Aim assist provided by the catalyst removed; Cosmology explosion damage reduced by 40% against players |
| No Time to Explain | Range stat reduced by 10 |
| Fighting Lion | Fixed Chimera perk application |
| Gutshot Straight | Auto aim penalty reduced by 37.5% |
| Slickdraw | Auto aim penalty reduced by 33% |
| Target Lock | Max damage versus players reduced from 40% to 25% |
Armed with this quick reference, players can easily keep track of the changes to their favorite D2 weapons. Now, let’s dive deeper into these updates.
How Weapons Are Balanced in Destiny 2
The Destiny 2 development team skillfully balances the in-game weapons to create a dynamic and competitive environment. The balancing process involves several key metrics:
- Usage: The percentage of total time in Crucible games during which players have a specific weapon equipped.
- Kills: The percentage of all weapon kills in Crucible that can be attributed to a particular weapon.
- Win Rate: The rate at which players with a specific weapon are equipped to win their games, compared to those using other weapons.
- Kills Per Minute: The number of kills players with a specific weapon achieved in a minute of gameplay, compared to other options.
- Kills Over Expected (KOE): A metric that filters factors such as player skill, game mode, subclass, ammo type, date range, controller input method, and weapon slot to determine if a specific weapon is getting more or fewer kills than expected.
Focusing primarily on KOE allows the developers to amalgamate the data into an easily understood percentage value. For weapons with high usage, a normalized KOE signifies a well-balanced weapon.
Detailed Analysis of the Meta Weapon Changes in Season 21
Season 21 witnesses several adjustments to Destiny 2 meta weapons, contributing to a fresh, exciting meta.
Weapon Types: Overview
- Pulse Rifles are considered generally balanced, but certain types with lower base Aim Assist stats (High Impact category, for example) can seem overly lenient on near misses. The auto aim cone at 0 stat has been narrowed, a change most felt in lower-stat Pulses, with diminishing effect as stat value increases.
Key Changes:
♦ Auto aim angle at 0 Aim Assist stat decreased by ~10%.
- Lightweight Bows, being one of the least utilized and effective weapon subtypes, have undergone several improvements to bring them up to par with Precision Bows at ranges beyond close combat. Their full-damage range and accuracy have been substantially increased, with further tweaks in Season 22 planned to enhance their interaction with reload perks and long-range shot registration.
Key Changes:
♦ Full damage falloff start distance extended from 15m to 25m.
♦ Full damage falloff end distance extended from 20m to 45m.
♦ Final accuracy improved by ~10%.
Submachine Guns‘ dynamic reticle had feedback concerning its cluttered nature that impeded combat use. Adjustments have been made to reduce the thickness and opacity of the lines, reducing clutter when ADS and still showing the effect of perks on weapon accuracy and aim assist.
Key Changes:
♦ Improved Shayura’s Wrath ADS dynamic reticle.
Lightweight Shotguns, losing ground to their Precision and Aggressive counterparts, have had their spread angle reduced, facilitating better spread landing at ranges beyond point-blank and increasing their PvP competitiveness.
Key Changes:
♦ Reduced the spread angle of outer horizontal pellets by 15%.
Exotic Weaponry: Updates
Graviton Lance, after a long absence, returned to glory, yet it has been deemed too user-friendly for its reward potential. Its Cosmology explosion was deemed too reminiscent of a “primary ammo Cloudstrike.” It’s also lagging in PvE damage behind Revision Zero’s Heavy Burst mode. To balance, a significant PvE damage buff has been introduced, the extra aim assist from the catalyst removed, and Cosmology explosion damage against Guardians reduced.
Key Changes:
♦ PvE damage increased by 67%.
♦ Removed the catalyst’s extra aim assist.
♦ Cosmology explosion damage against players reduced by 40%. (PvE damage remains the same)
No Time To Explain, overshadowed by the Graviton Lance, had its range stat reduced to prevent an easy return to the top following GL’s adjustments.
Key Changes:
♦ Reduced range stat by 10.
Fighting Lion saw a bug fix for the perk application that was blocking catalyst benefits.
Key Changes:
♦ Fixed an issue with Chimera perk on the catalyst not applying buffs to Kinetic and Power slot weapons.
Perk Revisions
Gutshot Straight and Slickdraw were initially introduced with penalties to prevent constant uptime of considerable positive effects. Following player feedback, the penalties have been considerably reduced, making them feel less punitive and more beneficial.
Key Changes:
♦ Gutshot Straight: Reduced auto aim penalty by 37.5%.
♦ Slickdraw: Reduced auto aim penalty by 33%.
Target Lock, an obvious PvP choice due to its high damage potential with minimal effort, has had its maximum PvP damage reduced, while PvE damage remains the same.
Key Changes:
♦ Reduced maximum damage against players from 40% to 25%. (PvE damage remains the same)
Conclusion
Navigating the intricate world of Destiny 2 Season 21 amidst this substantial mid-season weapons update can be a challenging task. With the enhancements to the Graviton Lance, changes to Lightweight Shotguns, and the Target Lock perk recalibration, a new meta is being shaped. For those who wish to possess the best weapons even in such transformations, LFCarry.com offers many possibilities. Tap into the resources available on this platform to conquer these changes and enhance your gameplay. As we journey into the Season of the Deep, use this information to leverage your Guardian’s abilities and continue forging your unique path through the cosmos.
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