In this week's Destiny 2 weekly update, which also revealed details about Crimson Days, Bungie confirmed that changes are coming to swords in the game. Currently, swords have their own ammo count (like bullets) but after the update, swords will have a pool of regenerating “energy” that they will draw from. It's a significant change to the sword system in Destiny 2, but it's not the only one.
As a follow-up to the details about sword changes in Destiny 2, many players had questions about how this might impact the mechanics of the weapon type in the game. Specifically, speed runners wanted to know if the changes would affect “sword skating” - a mechanic that allows players to fly through areas quickly. It turns out that the sword change will impact sword skating and some Destiny 2 players are not happy.
How Sword Skating Works in Destiny 2
Although most Destiny 2 players likely don't even know how to do it, sword skating is a very useful tool for speed runners. Using the Worldline Zero exotic sword's Tessaract ability and a Warlock's glide, players can sprint and then teleport themselves forward. If timed correctly, a couple of these sword teleports will give the player a lot of speed and look almost as if they are skating through the air similar to Titan skating back in Destiny 1.
Speed runners typically use the Worldline Zero to get through the beginning stages of a raid or through transitional areas in between boss fights. It is the fastest way to move around outside of a sparrow and it's why many Destiny 2 speed runs feature a lot of Warlocks. Unfortunately, that is all going to change.
While Bungie has not explicitly stated how the Worldline Zero will be effected, it does sound as though the sword skating ability will be significantly nerfed if not completely removed. This will drastically impact all existing Destiny 2 speed runs and make it next to impossible for new runners to beat existing times once the update goes live.
Destiny 2 Speed Runs Will Change
The Destiny 2 speed running community may have to create a new category that doesn't include sword skating because of how dramatically slower runs are going to be without it. Even just getting through the start of the Leviathan raid from Destiny 2 Year 1 is going to be much slower, as players make their way into Calus' ship and towards the Castellum.
Players are already voicing their frustrations towards Bungie in the replies to the Tweet, so there is a chance the developer could revert that specific change. But typically once the studio has made up its mind about a change, no amount of complaining from the community renders any reverse course. And considering how few players this will impact compared to the community-at-large, there is unlikely to be anything done. It's still a shame that those ultra-fast speed runs are going to get just a little slower in the future.
Destiny 2 is available now for PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One.