A couple of days ago,Destinycontent creator CoolGuy published a video discussing weapon archetype problems inDestiny 2. He states that there needs to be calculated changes in the sandbox before “weapon sunsetting” or history will repeat itself.
This discussion aroundweapon viability in the Cruciblestems from the fact that certain weapon archetypes/frames (a group of weapons sharing the same RPM) fall behind others while not offering anything meaningful to the sandbox.Weapon sunsetting is set to arrive this falland is intended to shift loadouts around to revitalize the sandbox. Bungie states that sunsetting will allow the developer to continue making powerful weapons while keeping the sandbox fresh and avoiding power creep.
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However, without the needed amendments to select frames,Destiny 2will still offer a sandbox dominated by the same weapon archetypes from the prior year. This is because certain classes of weapons are fundamentally flawed. Some weapon archetypes have no identity and fill no niche in the sandbox, they simply get eclipsed. A potential problem with sunsetting is relying too much on it to enable different weapons to shine. But sunsetting itself will not fix the underlying problems in the sandbox; it only decreases the arsenal players have at their disposal.
Weapon Archetypes and Their Flaws
In pulse rifles, for instance,the hardest hitting and the fastest firing guns are performing well. But those in the middle like Lightweight Frame pulses are too unforgiving. They only reach their optimal time-to-kill if the player lands all headshots. These guns share ranges with auto rifles that provide continuous flinch, making it very difficult to keep hitting headshots. This archetype already has a slow TTK (time to kill) and requiring 100% accuracy in gunfights is very restricting.
Speaking of auto rifles, it could be argued that the 600 RPM frames play strictly better than submachine guns of the same fire rate because submachine guns have less range and are noticeably harder to control than auto rifles. Both 600 RPM weapon types deal the same headshot and body shot damage, which means the player is handicapping themselves if they use a 600 RPM submachine gun over a 600 RPM auto rifle.
Hand cannons inDestiny 2have generally been a good weapon of choice in the crucible, however there is concerning inequality between archetypes. The hardest hitting hand cannons once made up for their lackluster stats with a great range but they now share the same damage falloff window as the other archetypes. Regarding 140 RPM hand cannons, they kill a Guardian with 3 headshots like 150 RPM ones, only they do it slower.CoolGuycalls this situation an identity crisis since 110 and 140 RPM hand cannons don’t have a clear profile in the sandbox. They need a unique area to excel in in order to differentiate themselves from 150 RPM hand cannons to not get overshadowed in the future.
Scout rifles also share the same problem: one of the middling frames leaves much to be desired. The 180 RPM scout rifles down an opponent in 3 headshots and 1 body shot, just like the 200 RPM frames. This frame of weapon has no hope of seeing the light of day when it kills with the same body shot/headshot ratio as the 200 RPM frames, only doing it 10% slower. A possible way to alleviate their slower TTK is to make them more forgiving i. e. make them require only 2 headshots and 2 body shots.
Archetypes Overshadow Cool Destiny Perks
WhatCoolGuyfears is that we will have another ‘Oxygen situation’. TheOxygen SR3 scout rifleis a member of the 180 RPM archetype and while its perks looked great on paper, the weapon was innately held down by its frame. If sunsetting arrives on a sandbox where certain frames clearly get outshone, weapons that contain unique and promising perks like Oxygen’s will become letdowns due to their intrinsic archetypes. Outliers could arrive like the 900 RPM Recluse, a weapon with such a potent perk that it made itself a spot in the meta despite belonging to an unfavorable archetype.
Ultimately,Destiny 2’s weapons are diverse enough that not every weapon has to be “powerful,” but lackluster weapon archetypes need to be brought in line with the rest and offer something unique to the sandbox. They need to fulfill a role so that a player can justify using them even though they may not be the most competitive option. Bungie has stated their plan to make more frequent weapon balance changes and that they will have more to share on this next week.
Destiny 2is available now on PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One.
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