Summary
Almost seven years afterDestiny 2’s release, the game is still receiving constant balancing updates to weapons, abilities, and other gear. One such recent change, though, has been stirring up a commotion among the Hunters inDestiny 2’s community.
As of arecent balancing update forDestiny 2, Kinetic Weapon Surge Armor Charge mods no longer work with the Hunter’s Golden Gun Super. Although this nerf is actually a bug fix, part of the reason why players are upset about it is that this wasn’t mentioned in any patch notes so far, hence why it’s being considered a ‘shadow nerf.’ However, the main reason why players are upset about this is that Hunters seemingly have one less viable Super for endgame content now.
Overall, Bungie has a habit of making surprise changes to mods in the game that affect the way players engage with endgame content. For example,Destiny 2often disables mods for day-one attempts of Raidsand other endgame content, like the recently released reprised Crota’s End Raid and the new Warlord’s Ruin Dungeon. Consequently, many players who prepare for these events ahead of time are forced to modify their builds or risk going into these difficult activities with obsolete gear.
What Kinetic Weapon Surge Armor Mods Do In Destiny 2
Kinetic weapons gain a damage bonus while the player has active Armor Charge(s). It also causes Armor Charges to decay over time. Depending on how manyKinetic Weapon Surge Armor Charge modsplayers stack, these buffs could provide either a 10%, 17%, or 22% damage increase in PvE content, with separate damage boosts in PvP game modes. So technically, the Golden Gun Super is now around 22% weaker in PvE activities. In PvP, Golden Gun is still strong enough to generally one-shot other Guardians in most cases, but this nerf is much more noticeable in PvE content like Raids, Dungeons, and Grandmaster Nightfall Strikes.
Without the Kinetic Weapon Surge mods, Golden Gun is arguably only viable in endgame PvE content anymore if players are using a Celestial NighthawkHunter build inDestiny 2. Previously, using Kinetic Weapon Surge mods allowed the Golden Gun Super to be strong enough that players could use whatever Exotic Hunter armor builds they wanted with this Super. Golden Gun is still relatively strong against Major and Ultra enemies, but the Super is much weaker now against Boss enemies without the ability to pair it with Kinetic Surge Armor Charge mods.
Destiny 2 Needs More Endgame Supers
Consequently, Hunters are generally better off using a different Super and/or Subclass for this type of endgame PvE content inDestiny 2now. This is, unfortunately, the same boat that the Titan’s Thundercrash Super is in, where if players aren’t using a build with the Cuirass of the Fallen Star Exotic Titan armor, then the Thundercrash Super generally isn’t worth using in endgame content. For a looter-shooter, this kind of lack of build variety is quite problematic.
Even outside the Hunter’s Golden Gun and the Titan’s Thundercrash Supers inDestiny 2, this shadow nerf is related to a much bigger problem inDestiny 2. In general, very few of the available Supers in the game are generally viable in high-difficulty content. Especially when it comes to Raids inDestiny 2, players are mostly locked into using Well of Radiance, Ward of Dawn, and Shadowshot, depending on what character a player is using. No two Supers are quite alike, but the fact that most Supers often get avoided in endgame content is a sign thatBungie should consider mixing up theDestiny 2metain drastic ways. With the Golden Gun Super receiving a nerf, it seems like things are going in the opposite direction of solving this problem.
Destiny 2
WHERE TO PLAY
Dive into the world of Destiny 2 to explore the mysteries of the solar system and experience responsive first-person shooter combat. Unlock powerful elemental abilities and collect unique gear to customize your Guardian’s look and playstyle. Enjoy Destiny 2’s cinematic story, challenging co-op missions, and a variety of PvP modes alone or with friends. Download for free today and write your legend in the stars.An Immersive StoryYou are a Guardian, defender of the Last City of humanity in a solar system under siege by infamous villains. Look to the stars and stand against the darkness. Your legend begins now.Guardian ClassesChoose from the armored Titan, mystic Warlock, or swift Hunter.
