Bungie details Destiny’s next weapon tuning update

Earlier this month, Bungie revealed Destiny's December update will contain the next round of class and weapon balancing. Today, they finally lifted the curtain, and boy are we in for some big changes.

Most of the base weapon changes are being made with PvP in mind and are a result of "data collection from the wild, community feedback, and internal resposne to the 2.0 weapon changes."

So what can wae look forward to?

Auto Rifles

Auto Rifles are getting a buff to make them more competitive in PvP, specifically at close to medium range. According to Bungie, "they are still occasionally losing to Pulse Rifles at long range." Here are the changes to Auto Rifles:

• Small increases to base damage.
  • Low RoF (Suros Regime, An Answering Chord): 3% base damage increase
  • Med RoF (Zhalo Supercell, Paleocontact JPK-43): 7% base damage increase
  • High RoF (Arminius-D, Necrochasm): 4% base damage increase

Pulse Rifles

Bungie admits that Pulse Rifles "are some of the most adaptive and efficient Primaries right now." 

"The base damage forgives enough thumb skill up close that they can compete with Auto Rifles. The effective range keeps Scout Rifles in check at extended ranges, and the burst cadence forces a grueling pace for even the most adept Hand Cannon users," the developer explains. Below are the changes designed to make Pulse Rifles feel strong, but no long the only competitive option.

• Reduce base damage.
  • Low RoF (The Messenger, Spare Change): 9% base damage reduction
  • Med RoF (Hawksaw, No Time To Explain, Red Death): 8% base damage reduction
  • High RoF (Bad Juju): 8% base damage reduction
  • Highest RoF (Grasp of Marok): 2% base damage reduction
• Reduce damage falloff to start between Auto Rifle and Hand Cannon ranges.
  • A low range Pulse Rifle will have shorter damage falloff than an average Hand Cannon.
  • A high range Pulse Rifle will have farther damage falloff than an average Hand Cannon.
• Increase base damage against AI combatants to 1.3x (was 1.25x).

Hand Cannons

Not too much here, but it's worth noting that the Golden Gun is not affected by any of these.

Shotguns

Bungie feels the range of shotguns is still too powerful, so they are nerfing it again "in the form of damage falloff." That's not all, though. They are also nerfing other aspects of the shotgun including stability, rate of fire, reload, and handling.

• Reduce starting damage falloff to match melee lunge ranges.
  • Low range stat falloff starts at standard melee lunge.
  • High range stat falloff starts at Blink Strike lunge.
• Final damage falloff distance extends 0.5 meters longer for a smoother drop.
• Slower ready/stow times for all shotguns.
• Additional recoil across the entire Stability stat range.
• Slower reload speed across the entire Reload stat range.
• Slower time to Aim Down Sights for all shotguns.
• Slower base movement speed when Shotguns are the active weapon (Walk, Run and Aim Down Sights. Sprint is unaffected.)
• Add 2 frames delay when firing out of sprint.
• Increase base damage against AI combatants to 1.6x (was 1.55x).

Fusion Rifles

Fusion Rifles seem to be a little trickier in the balancing as it involves the whole charge speed thing. Here are the changes:

Sniper Rifles

Bungie is sticking to the damage falloff with Sniper Rifles, but pushing it out a bit further "to ensure that a precision head shot is consistently rewarded." If the changes work, only sniper shots at "really, really long combat distances" should be affected. 

• Extend Sniper Rifle damage falloff so damage only reduces for very long range shots.
• Luck in the Chamber on Sniper Rifles now only buffs precision damage.

Sidearms

Sidearms are being adjusted slightly to accentuate its role of supressing a flank route, gunning down a rushing attacking, or swapping to it to finish off an already weakened target.

• Increase ready/stow speed for all Sidearms.

My Impressions:

As someone who actively uses shotguns in PvP (let the flaming begin), I'm saddened but not surprised by the nerfs to shotgun. I don't mind the nerf to range, as I too have been victim to some ridiculous one-shots at a distance. 

The buff to auto rifles is nice, but I was plenty effective at close range without it. I suppose it's just Bungie's way of having a more clear-cut difference between auto and pulse rifles.

Bungie previously said the December update will contain some class balancing as well, but it looks like we'll have to wait for more details on that.

In the meantime, let us know what you think of the Bungie's changes to Destiny's weapons?

[Bungie]