Destiny 2 is gearing up for its next season, which is slated to start in a few weeks. As with any new season in Destiny 2, changes are expected. In the This Week At Bungie update on April 8, Bungie outlined some changes that Guardians can expect to see in Season 14, and PVP lovers are seeing some major nerfs.
Destiny 2 has been struggling with its PVP identity since Stasis hit the Crucible, as Beyond Light changed Destiny 2 with its introduction of Stasis and Sunsetting. Bungie had a plan for certain weapons to age out of rotation and become less effective and less desirable than newer options. With Sunsetting being done away with, Bungie now has to think about rebalancing weapons that would have otherwise faded away.
A handful of weapons have been a hot topic in the Destiny community over the last few months. 120 RPM Hand Cannons have been dominating the Crucible for the Primary weapons, while Quickdraw Shotguns have been the go-to choice for Special weapons. It seems that meta, for better or worse, is being done away with in season 14.
Destiny 2 Season 14 Nerf: Aggressive Frame Hand Cannons
Aggressive Frame Hand Cannons occupy the 120 RPM Archetype and were introduced as a change to the old 110 RPM Hand Cannons to make them more viable in Destiny 2. The jump from 110 to 120 has proven to be a powerful buff, making them the new kings of the Crucible.
Hand Cannons like the True Prophecy, The Steady Hand, and the new Trials Hand Cannon, Igneous Hammer, have been some of the most sought-after weapons since introducing 120 RPM Hand Cannons. However, after this nerf is placed into effect, it'll be interesting to see how this changes. It's possible they remain viable options, but overall, the nerf is significant enough that they may not be as dominant as they once were.
Starting in Season 14, 120 RPM Hand Cannons will have their damage and aim assist falloff distance reduced by between 2 and 4 meters, based on the range stat. This change will roughly halve the range buff these weapons received in Beyond Light, eliminating one of their primary draws.
Destiny 2 Season 14 Nerf: Quickdraw and Shotguns
Destiny 2's Quickdraw perk is getting some attention in a couple of ways. Currently, Quickdraw provides a +100 to the Handling stat, which negates the downsides of using low-handling weapons such as Aggressive Frame Hand Cannons and Shotguns. In season 14, the Handling bonus from Quickdraw will be removed one second after switching to the weapon with Quickdraw or when aiming down sights. This should retain the perk’s identity but shorten its effect, yet that's not the biggest change fans need to be wary of.
The other change coming to Quickdraw is less of a change to the Destiny 2 perk and more of a change to what weapons it is available on. Starting in Season 14, Quickdraw will be replaced with Surplus on new and existing drops of Felwinter’s Lie and Astral Horizon. While the Astral Horizon no longer comes with Quickdraw, older versions of this Shotgun still have Quickdraw, but they won't in Season 14.
Bungie seems to be trying to balance the Crucible sandbox once again, this time by focusing on the weapons that are currently dominating in PVP. Bungie also stated that Bastion will also receive an increase to its angle spread by 13 percent because it is yielding higher than normal use in PVP. As with many of Bungie’s changes, these changes will have an impact on Destiny 2 PVE builds if they run these weapons or perks. How it's received next season remains to be seen, but one thing players will need to keep in mind is that more could be on the way. For now, fans can only wait and see what else Bungie has up its sleeves.
Destiny 2: Beyond Light is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.