The most overpowered class in Destiny is…

Anytime you have a game that offers class-based PvP, you’re going to hear complaints of certain classes/specs being overpowered. Come to think of it, you actually hear complaints in any game in which there’s competitive multiplayer.

With Destiny, players are given the choice of three classes, each class with two different subclasses, or specializations, that can we switched between on-the-fly. You have the Titan (Striker/Defender), Warlock (Sunsinger/Voidwalker), and Hunter (Bladedancer/Gunslinger). Regardless of which class or subclass you’re playing, all three offer some type of grenade, a melee ability, and a one-hit-kill Super Ability. With that being said, not all classes in Destiny are created equal.

Classes and subclasses in Destiny are mostly designed in a way in that each class somewhat mimics the abilities of the others, but it’s the subtle differences in how they play that make one class seem more overpowered than another. For example, every class has a Super Ability that can one-hit-kill someone. But it’s how these Super Abilities function that makes some more overpowered than the other.

For example, I play the Titan. Depending on the mode, I switch between Striker and Defender. Defender has a bubble shield which doesn’t do damage but does provide me with increased damage or bonus shield. My Striker Super, Fist of Havoc, is essentially an Area of Effect (AoE) ground slam. Depending on my modifiers I can slightly change certain aspects of this ability, but for the most part I launch at a specific area slightly ahead of me and slam the ground, causing anyone in my wake to die. It’s powerful, sure, but I don’t find it to be overpowered by any means. It’s limited by its range, I can be killed mid-Super while launching myself at someone and, perhaps the most important of all, I can miss. Since I only get to use Fist of Havoc once, if I miss I have to wait until I get it again. It’s strong, but it has limitations.

The Warlock Voidwalker gets Nova Bomb, an explosive bolt of Void light, that basically disintegrates anyone caught within its blast. It’s another AoE insta-kill that can be launched at range. Again, it’s strong, but it requires the Voidwalker to have careful aim as they only get one chance at successfully landing it.

This brings me to the last class, the Hunter, the only class that regardless of what subclass you choose gets multiple chances at successfully landing their Super Ability. The Gunslinger’s gets the Golden Gun (yes, just like the one from Goldeneye 007 on N64). This hand cannon allows for three single shots, each an insta-kill, that must be fired within a certain period of time. It’s not an AoE, but with one-shot kill, it’s definitely possible to take out a group of Guardians. The Bladedancer, meanwhile, gets Arc Blade which allows them to charge their blade with Arc Light and, you guessed it, one-shot kill anyone in their way. Arc Blade is another Super that, again, works on a timer. During this time the Bladedancer can dash around your team, slicing-and-dicing, one-shotting everyone on your team. And even though in my mind I know a Hunter can be killed during this, I think anyone not playing a Hunter would agree it’s pretty much impossible. Seriously, I’ve seen a Bladedancer get shot point-blank in the face with a rocket launcher during this and not stop. I remember blasting away at one for about 30 seconds on a Pike only to have him tank every blast as he ran up and one-shotted me. It was at that point that I realized Hunters are the most overpowered class in Destiny.

Okay, so every class gets one-shot kill abilities; but, despite being AoE, the range handicaps on both the Titan and Warlock abilities definitely make it possible to miss. And if you miss, you’re done. The Hunter, on the other hand, is the only class where its forgivable if you miss your Super. That’s the biggest problem I have with it. Titan and Warlock are both limited with a one-use ability, while the Hunter gets at least three chances to secure a kill. Let’s not even start with the supernatural movement ability the Hunter gets making it even harder to lock them down while they are dashing all over the place during their Super. That’s fun.

That’s just how I feel anyway, and I’m pretty sure that if you ask anyone who isn’t playing a Hunter, they’ll agree with me. That’s also part of the fun of games like Destiny. It’s one of those games where you feel that whatever class you aren’t playing is the one stronger than yours. Just as I find Hunters to be extremely overpowered, I’m sure there’s someone, somewhere complaining about a Titan Defender’s Ward of Dawn shield.

What do you think the most overpowered class in Destiny is?