Destiny 2`s eagerly anticipated “Renegades” expansion is set to revolutionize its loot and power progression systems. The overhaul aims to make a broader range of activities more rewarding and ensure gear remains effective within the game`s new Portal scoring system.
Bungie unveiled these changes during a recent livestream, emphasizing that many modifications are a direct response to player feedback following the “Edge of Fate” expansion. Significant adjustments are being made to the Power level grind – which dictates a player`s ability to tackle challenging content based on their gear strength – to reduce its intensity and make progression less arduous.
A primary focus of these changes is to enhance the viability of various activities for increasing Power. This includes not only content introduced with the “Renegades” expansion itself but also legacy raids and dungeons, ensuring they remain relevant for player progression.
Revamped Portal System and Activity Viability
Currently, advancing a character`s Power beyond a certain threshold heavily relies on the Portal system. This system scores activities based on chosen difficulty, determining the quality of loot received. This design has inadvertently discouraged players from engaging with content like the “Edge of Fate” destination, Kepler, and even established raids, when their goal is Power progression. With “Renegades,” Bungie intends to re-integrate these diverse activities as legitimate pathways for climbing the Power ranks.
The Portal system itself will also undergo key modifications. A significant change in “Renegades” is the removal of the “featured gear” requirement from many Portal activities, a move designed to promote and support greater build diversity among players.
Previously, a score bonus in the Portal was granted for using “featured gear,” which was exclusively new weapons and armor from the “Edge of Fate” expansion. This mechanic often forced players to constantly acquire new items and construct builds around them to maximize scores and earn higher-tier loot, leading to frustration and disadvantaging older, beloved gear. While a “featured gear” element will persist in some activities, Bungie is broadening its scope to include all Exotic weapons and armor, granting players more freedom to utilize their preferred builds.
Gear Tiers and Vault Space Improvements
The “Edge of Fate” expansion introduced a gear “tier” system, ranging from Tier 1 to Tier 5, where higher tiers generally offered superior perks and stats. This often resulted in some endgame gear feeling less impactful upon acquisition. In “Renegades,” all gear drops from raids and dungeons will now start at Tier 3, with even higher tiers becoming accessible through tougher variants, such as the “epic” difficulty of the “Desert Perpetual” raid.
A new currency and mechanic will also be introduced in “Renegades” to allow players to increase the tier of Legendary weapons. This innovative system means that if players acquire a low-tier weapon with a particularly desirable set of perks, they won`t have to discard it in favor of seeking a higher-tier version. Instead, they will have the option to upgrade that specific weapon`s tier. While this process is expected to be challenging – to prevent immediate mass upgrades to Tier 5 – it offers a valuable avenue for players to retain and invest in their favorite loot, rather than instantly deleting anything below a certain tier threshold.
To accommodate this new emphasis on retaining desirable weapons for future upgrades, Bungie has also confirmed an increase in player Vault space with the “Renegades” expansion, though the exact capacity increase has yet to be specified.
Balance Changes and Future Plans
Bungie additionally detailed several upcoming balance adjustments. This includes reversing some recent changes made to Exotics like Queensbreaker. The developers are also implementing a temporary pause on all “noncritical” nerfs to weapons and armor, using this time to re-evaluate their overall philosophy on implementing such changes. Critical adjustments, however, will still be on the table; for instance, specific gear might be banned during the “world`s first” completion race for the “Renegades” dungeon. Nevertheless, for the foreseeable future, developers will generally refrain from making major weapon alterations without compelling justification.
Furthermore, Bungie plans to introduce buffs to various elements of the game, notably including the original Super abilities that launched with Destiny 2 and their associated subclasses. These enhancements are slated to roll out in phases, with some adjustments arriving in October and others coinciding with the launch of “Renegades.” Bungie has indicated that a detailed roadmap outlining these forthcoming adjustments will be released at a later date.
Beyond these crucial balance and progression updates, Bungie also provided a comprehensive overview of the broader content arriving with the “Renegades” expansion. This included mentioning changes to Destiny 2`s annual Halloween event, the “Festival of the Lost,” and showcasing this year`s collection of spooky themed armor sets.