A lot is changing in Destiny 2 when The Witch Queen arrives, ushering in the start of Season 16. For starters, an entirely new campaign is being added, along with new weapons and gear to chase. But outside of the obvious are a lot of smaller changes that are just as important to how you will be interacting with the game. Let’s take a look at some of the things that will change once Savathun gets here.
Before we start, take a moment to look over our guide on everything leaving Destiny 2 with The Witch Queen. There are a bunch of Exotics and locations leaving, so you should get in now and acquire items while you still can.
No limits to Artifact mod unlocks
Artifact Mods have been a welcomed addition to the game, providing players with reason to use a new set of weapons for a season. One problem that players faced previously is the limit to how many of the mods can be unlocked at once. This is changing with The Witch Queen. Starting in Season 16, players will be unlocking the first 12 mods in a similar manner to Season 15, but it will then be possible to unlock the remaining 13. What this means is that if you play enough, you’ll eventually find yourself the proud owner of all 25 Seasonal Mods.
Armor Masterworks are changing
A positive change for build-crafting is the cost associated with damage types on armor. A fully Masterworked piece of armor will be able to have its elemental type changed for a mere 10,000 Glimmer and one Upgrade Module. Switching up your energy type should no longer break the bank.
Mods will be responsible for generating Orbs with multi-kills
When The Witch Queen DLC arrives, players will find that generating Orbs of Power via weapon multi-kills will be a bit different. This mechanic will no longer be due to a weapon being Masterworked. In Season 16, this method of generating Orbs will be the result of armor mods.
Bungie revealed that these armor mods will be unlocked for all players and will be based on damage type. What this means is that one mod will be able to apply Orb generation to a bunch of weapons. For example, if you’re kitted out with Solar weapons, you’ll only need a Solar mod.
Interestingly, this actually ensures that Exotic weapons are able to generate Orbs of Power, even if they do not have a catalyst. By the way, make sure you go and check out all Exotic Catalysts in Destiny 2 so you can get any you’re missing.
Champion mods revealed
It’s not often that we get a sneak peek at the types of weapons we need to use to neutralize Champions in Destiny 2. Bungie was kind enough to give players a heads up that the Anti-Barrier Mod will utilize Scout Rifles and Bows, Overload Rounds will be attached to Auto Rifles and SMGs, while the new Glaive weapon type will be able to handle Unstoppable Champions. Make sure you go out and get yourself a decent option for each of these weapon types before Season 16 starts.
A new weapon type
Speaking of new things and changes, the Glaive is one of the big new additions to the sandbox. Season 16 will introduce this new weapon type, which seems to be a mix between the close-combat of a sword and ranged combat. One interesting aspect is that, judging from the trailers, the Glaive has a first-person perspective.
Crafting is coming
Not only will The Witch Queen be introducing the new weapon type and new weapons, it will also add a crafting system to Destiny 2. Bungie has been tight-lipped about how this new mechanic will work, but one thing we do know is that the Glaive will be one of the first thing players craft. The system will also feature combat-focused progression, meaning the more you use a crafted weapon in combat, the more powerful it will become.
Void 3.0
Bungie revealed that Void subclasses will be getting a major overhaul with The Witch Queen. This revitalization of the elemental type is being referred to as Void 3.0, which will also be the first of the three Light-based subclasses to be transitioned to the Stasis-like Subclass 3.0 system. Players will be able to have greater control over their builds as they get to know the new language being associated with the abilities, including Suppression, Weaken and Volatile as well as Void Overshield, Invisibility, and Devour.
It sounds like the team is looking to mix things up. There are a host of abilities that can be left by the wayside, some that can be pulled apart and reworked, and no doubt some new additions. The TWAB that is linked above gives further insight into the Void-based Aspects players can unlock and reveals one of the Void abilities for each class.
Given the build potential offered with Stasis and its Aspects and Fragments, the prospect of tinkering with a Void subclass in a similar fashion is exciting.
Hive Guardians harness the Light
One of the biggest combat changes in Destiny 2: The Witch Queen will be the Hive’s new abilities. The horrific foes will now be able to harness the power of the Light. How this has happened is currently anyone’s guess, but the chittering and death-worshiping race now has its own form of Ghosts which come with all sorts of Guardian-like abilities.
Legendary difficulty
The Witch Queen’s campaign will also feature a Legendary difficulty setting. This will increase the toughness of the enemies, allowing them to hit you harder, while also heavily restricting respawning. Bungie has billed this as an “aspirational” difficulty that sounds like it will yield difficulty-appropriate rewards. It will also scale depending on your Fireteam size, so even groups of three will be faced with a challenge.
Another classic raid
Though The Witch Queen DLC will be introducing its own, new raid, Bungie is also bringing back an original raid from Destiny 1. Whether this will be Wrath of the Machine or King’s Fall is anyone’s guess. However, considering the Witch Queen will likely involve a raid fighting Savathun, the question then is whether or not Bungie will bring back a raid that tasks players with fighting the Hive again or the Fallen. It works both ways.
Gambit is getting another pass
In the January 20 TWAB, Bungie revealed that Drifter and Gambit will be receiving a pass during Season 16. Players can likely anticipate the beloved scamp to get a similar treatment that the Vanguard and Crucible received. Part of this includes a look at the bounties he offers.
Exotic Catalysts from new sources
A few Exotic Catalysts are finally returning while some that were introduced during Year 4 are being moved to new sources. The Exotic Catalysts for Ager's Scepter, Dead Man's Tale, Hawkmoon, The Fourth Horseman, Outbreak Perfected, and Whisper of the Worm are all going to be available for unlock via playlist activities. What you need to do to charge up Outbreak Perfected and Whisper of the Worm remains to be seen.
There certainly are a lot of changes coming to Destiny 2 when The Witch Queen DLC releases. Before then, there’s still plenty to do in the game, including farm powerful weapons, complete Exotic Catalysts, and generally enjoy the calm before the storm. Stay up to date on the latest by heading over to our Destiny 2 Guide page.
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replySam Chandler posted a new article, Everything changing with Destiny 2 in Season 16: The Witch Queen
