For years, the pursuit of ever-higher Power in Destiny 2 has often felt less like a heroic journey and more like a bureaucratic pilgrimage of repetitive activities. Now, with the impending “Renegades” expansion, developer Bungie is poised to implement a series of significant changes aimed at making the Power grind more rewarding, more diverse, and, dare we say, actually enjoyable. This isn`t just a tweak; it`s a philosophy shift.
The End of a Monolithic Grind: Diversifying Power Progression
At the heart of player feedback following the “Edge of Fate” expansion was a growing weariness with the “Portal” activity scoring system. While innovative, it inadvertently funneled Guardians into a narrow set of activities, effectively sidelining older, beloved content like legacy raids and dungeons. The implicit message was clear: if you wanted to ascend, the Portal was your only true gateway.
Bungie has listened. With Renegades, the goal is to make a broader spectrum of activities genuinely viable for increasing your Power level. This means:
- New Expansion Content: Naturally, activities introduced in Renegades will offer robust Power progression.
- Legacy Raids and Dungeons: These cherished experiences will once again be meaningful pathways to Power, encouraging players to revisit them without feeling penalized for efficiency.
- Beyond the Portal: While the Portal remains a key element, it will no longer be the singular, dominant force dictating how Guardians climb the ranks. The intention is to respect player time and choice, allowing for a more organic and less forced progression loop.
The Portal`s Evolution: More Freedom, Less Restriction
The Portal itself isn`t being scrapped; it`s being refined. One of the most contentious features of the current system is the “featured gear” element, which grants a bonus for using specific, often newly introduced, weapons and armor. This design choice, while perhaps intended to promote new content, frequently left players feeling constrained, forced to abandon optimized builds in favor of whatever was currently “fashionable” by the game`s metrics.
Renegades promises to loosen these shackles. For many Portal activities, the explicit “featured gear” requirement will be removed. For those activities where it persists, Bungie is expanding the definition of “featured” to include all Exotic weapons and armor. This is a significant quality-of-life improvement, finally allowing Guardians to wield their favorite cosmic trinkets without feeling penalized, fostering genuine build diversity rather than prescribing it.
Ascending Legends: Refined Gear Tiers and Upgradable Weapons
The introduction of gear “tiers” (Tier 1 to Tier 5) with Edge of Fate brought a new layer of complexity, but also some frustration. High-tier endgame activities, particularly raids and dungeons, sometimes dropped gear that felt underwhelming despite the challenge. Bungie is addressing this directly:
- Raid and Dungeon Rework: All gear dropping from raids and dungeons will now start at a minimum of Tier 3, with higher tiers accessible from more challenging versions of these activities, such as the `epic` version of the Desert Perpetual raid. This ensures that the effort invested in these pinnacle activities yields consistently valuable rewards.
- Legendary Tier Ascension: Perhaps the most exciting development is the upcoming ability to increase the tier of Legendary weapons. Using a new currency and mechanic (details still forthcoming), players will no longer be forced to discard a perfectly rolled Legendary because its numerical designation was deemed insufficient. This means if you find that perfect set of perks on a lower-tier gun, you can invest in it, elevate its status, and truly make it a part of your endgame arsenal. Expect this process to be appropriately arduous, preventing an immediate rush to Tier 5 for every weapon in the Vault, but providing a much-needed long-term chase.
To accommodate Guardians holding onto more of these potentially upgradable treasures, Bungie has also confirmed an increase in Vault space. The exact increment remains under wraps, but any additional room in the virtual hoarder`s paradise is a welcome relief.
A Pause on the Nerf Hammer and Renewed Focus on Buffs
In a rare moment of developer restraint, Bungie also announced a temporary pause on “noncritical” nerfs to weapons and armor. This allows the team to evaluate their overall balancing philosophy and ensure future adjustments are both necessary and well-considered. Critical changes, such as specific gear bans for “world`s first” dungeon races, will still occur, but the era of frequent, broad-stroke nerfs appears to be taking a sabbatical.
Conversely, the developers are turning their attention to buffs. Players can look forward to enhancements for Destiny 2`s original Super abilities and their associated subclasses, arriving in waves, some as early as October, with more alongside Renegades. A detailed roadmap for these changes is promised, offering a clearer picture of the rebalancing efforts.
Beyond the Grind: Festive Preparations
While the progression changes take center stage, Bungie also offered a glimpse into other upcoming content, including adjustments to Destiny 2`s annual Halloween event, the Festival of the Lost, complete with a preview of this year`s delightfully spooky armor sets. It`s a reminder that while the core game loop is being refined, the seasonal charm of Destiny 2 continues unabated.
Conclusion: A More Respectful Path Forward?
The “Renegades” expansion appears to be more than just new content; it`s a comprehensive re-evaluation of how players engage with Destiny 2`s core progression. By diversifying Power sources, liberating build choices within the Portal, and empowering players to invest in their favorite Legendary gear, Bungie is signaling a commitment to a more respectful and rewarding player experience. The journey to max Power should, ideally, transform from a chore into a genuine adventure, allowing Guardians to truly forge their destiny, rather than simply grinding it.
Callum Darby