Prepare for the Darkness: Episode Heresy Act 1 Arrives
Destiny 2’s latest episode, Heresy Act 1, is set to launch on February 4, 2025, bringing a wave of Hive-infested chaos, a new PvE activity, exotic updates, and significant sandbox changes. Guardians, it’s time to prepare for battle as the Witness’s forces tighten their grip on reality. This guide breaks down everything you need to know about the upcoming content drop, from The Nether activity to sandbox tuning and PvP updates.
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Barrow-Dyad Exotic Submachine Gun BoostUnlock the power of the Barrow-Dyad Exotic Submachine Gun, a cutting-edge Strand-based SMG that introduces a brand-new combat mechanic in Destiny 2.
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Lodestar Exotic Trace Rifle BoostIntroducing the Lodestar Exotic Trace Rifle, Destiny 2's first primary ammo Arc trace rifle, debuting in Episode Heresy.
The Nether - A New PvE Challenge Awaits
Table of Contents
The headline feature of Episode Heresy Act 1 is The Nether, a replayable PvE activity that will challenge fireteams with horrifying new enemies, dynamic mechanics, and powerful loot rewards.
Key Features:
- Matchmade & Fireteam Mode: Engage in solo matchmaking or team up with fellow Guardians.
- Hive Infestation: Face new enemy variants infused with Darkness.
- Environmental Puzzles: Solve shifting pathways and rune-based mechanics to progress.
- Progression & Loot: Earn powerful weapons, armor, and unique rewards exclusive to The Nether.
The Nether is designed to evolve across Acts, with each new installment bringing progressive difficulty, new objectives, and enhanced loot opportunities.
Heresy Artifact Perks - Tablet of Ruin
In Episode Heresy Act 1, Bungie introduces a brand-new Artifact, Tablet of Ruin, with perks themed around subjugation and bending enemies to your will. These new perks are designed to enhance your loadout and offer unique bonuses against Champions and specific enemy types. While the full list of perks has not been revealed yet, here is a preview of what to expect from this powerful Artifact.
Artifact Perks Overview:
Column 1: Champion Perks
- Unstoppable Fusion: Aiming down sights with any Fusion Rifle loads a powerful explosive payload that stuns unshielded combatants. Effective against Unstoppable Champions. Fusion Rifles will also be overcharged when this modifier is active.
- Overload Machine Guns: Shots from Machine Guns disrupt combatants, stunning them, delaying their ability energy regeneration, and exhausting them. Effective against Overload Champions. Machine Guns will be overcharged when this modifier is active, and exhausted targets deal reduced damage.
- Piercing Sidearms: Sidearms fire shield-piercing rounds that stun Barrier Champions. Sidearms will be overcharged when this modifier is active.
- Anti-Barrier Sniper Rifle: Sniper Rifles fire shield-piercing rounds and stun Barrier Champions. Sniper Rifles will be overcharged when this modifier is active.
- Unstoppable Glaive: Glaives fire a powerful explosive payload that stuns unshielded combatants. Effective against Unstoppable Champions. Glaives will be overcharged when this modifier is active.
Column 4: Elemental Synergies
- Maligned Harvest: Rapidly applying Volatile causes your next instance of Void weapon damage to trigger a weakening burst.
- Boost: Applying Weaken grants a small Void overshield.
- Flashover: Gaining maximum Bolt Charge will make you amplified, and lightning bolts will deal additional damage.
- Horde Shuttle: Damage unraveled targets with a weapon will occasionally spawn a Threadling.
- Boost: Threadlings will sever targets they damage.
- No Bell: Rapid Glaive melee final blows grant additional Special ammo for Glaives. Blocking damage with Glaives increases their melee damage against targets.
Column 5: Bonus and Utility Perks
- Particle Reconstruction: Dealing sustained damage with a Fusion Rifle or Linear Fusion Rifle partially refills the magazine from reserves and grants bonus damage for a short duration against that target.
- Defibrillating Blast: Stunning a Champion grants maximum stacks of Bolt Charge. This triggers an Arc bolt that heals you and jolts nearby enemies.
- Void Flux: Defeating weakened targets with a Void weapon applies Volatile to nearby targets. Powerful targets increase the explosion radius.
Stay Tuned for Updates:
The full list of perks for the Tablet of Ruin Artifact will be revealed soon, so keep an eye out for additional updates. We’ll be updating this section with the complete perk list as soon as Bungie releases the final details.
Exotic Changes: No New Armor, but Powerful Weapon Adjustments
While many updates are arriving, Bungie has confirmed that Episode Heresy will not feature new exotic armor. Instead, the focus is on reworked exotics and buildcrafting. This means players will get updated versions of existing exotic armor rather than fresh additions.
Bungie explained:
“Heresy will bring quite a lot of Exotic reworks, new Aspects, and new Arc verbs to the overall sandbox. While there won’t be new exotics, there will be tons to buildcraft around and reasons to pull out old favorites (or things that have been sitting in your vault) to give them a try.”
This move aims to refine existing gear and provide new ways to enhance builds.
Bungie’s Response to Fan Concerns
After the livestream, players voiced their disappointment on platforms like Reddit, seeking clarity on the lack of new exotic armor. Bungie’s Global Community Lead, Dylan Gafner, addressed these concerns by acknowledging the feedback. He explained that the absence of new armor is offset by the new Aspects and reworked gear, offering players fresh opportunities for customization.
He also suggested:
“Spend ’em on rebalanced Exotics to snag some higher stat rolls and such!”
List of All Exotics
Episode Heresy Act 1 introduces two new Exotic weapons, offering fresh options for Guardians to bolster their arsenals. Here’s a breakdown of the confirmed Exotics coming in Episode Heresy, including perks and unique attributes.
New Exotic Weapons:
- Barrow-Dyad – Strand Submachine Gun
- Perks:
- Panic Response: This weapon generates blight as it deals damage. While not firing, blight depletes, and the magazine is gradually refilled. Reloading the weapon converts stored blight into Blighted Seekers.
- Taken Divergence: This weapon resonates with your choices. Hitting three different targets generates a large amount of blight. Blighted Seekers bore through targets, adding a powerful new dimension to combat.
- Perks:
- Lodestar – Primary Ammo Arc Trace Rifle
- Perks:
- Starlight Beam: Fires a low-intensity Arc beam with enhanced stability and accuracy, allowing for precise long-range engagement.
- Arc Alignment: Dealing Arc damage from any source aligns the weapon’s battery coil. When fully aligned, press [R] to disengage the safety and activate the hip-fired Starlight Beam that applies Jolt to any targets hit for a short duration. Aiming down sights slows the rate at which the battery drains, giving Guardians control over the weapon’s usage.
- Perks:
Note:
Bungie has confirmed that Episode Heresy will not feature any new Exotic armor, focusing instead on the new Exotic weapons and significant gameplay updates. Stay tuned for future acts, where fresh gear might be introduced.
Seasonal Storyline: The Hive’s Ascension
Episode Heresy Act 1 continues Destiny 2’s evolving narrative, as the Witness’s forces introduce a new sect of Hive warriors. Expect weekly story updates that will unveil the next steps in the Traveler’s battle against the Darkness.
What’s Next in Episode Heresy?
Act 1 is just the beginning—Bungie has teased even more content rolling out in future acts:
- Upcoming Story Expansions: The Hive narrative will deepen, leading into Act 2.
- Additional Exotic Quests: Future acts may introduce new exotic weapons or catalysts.
Prepare for the Fight
Destiny 2: Episode Heresy Act 1 is shaping up to be a major turning point for the game, offering Guardians new challenges, refined PvP experiences, and impactful sandbox changes. While the lack of new Exotic armor may disappoint some, the expanded PvE activity and weapon reworks ensure there’s plenty to grind for.
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