Summary
Destiny 2’s The Final Shape is currently one of the most praised and critically acclaimed releases of 2024, and with good reason, as Bungie delivered on multiple promises made over the years and then some. This was a make-or-break moment forDestiny 2, as there had been a few controversies with Lightfall’s launch and over the year that followed, but The Final Shape does a lot of things right to prove that the space looter-shooter is very much still alive and kicking. For one, The Final Shape’s Prismatic subclasses are shaking upDestiny 2’s meta in big ways, but they abide by specific rules and methods of implementation that may not be easy to bend with Bungie’s planned changes.
EachPrismatic subclass inDestiny 2comes with a total of five Supers, five melee attacks, five grenades, and five Aspects, as well as a plethora of other tools that may change between the various classes, like jumps and class abilities or even Transcendent abilities. These kits of five pieces use one element from each existing subclass - Void, Solar, Arc, Stasis, and Strand - to create good combinations and new gameplay loops, but not all classes are on the same playing field. Bungie is seemingly looking into buffing Titans and adding more Prismatic abilities overall, but that may be easier said than done.
Destiny 2 Buffing Classes and Prismatic Soon in The Final Shape is Great News For Titan Players
Why Destiny 2’s The Final Shape Puts Titans in a Tough Spot
Titans inDestiny 2’s The Final Shapeare particularly in a bad spot due to years of design leading to a point where they don’t really shine in long-range combat, with Twilight Arsenal being the first good ranged Super for the class, and a strong focus on melee in the overall kit. Not only that, but Prismatic Titans also suffer from a lack of synergy between the various Aspects and abilities outside of the Consecration and Knockout combo with three melee charges from Frenzied Blade. While Diamond Lance and Drengr’s Lash are not bad, they don’t really give Titans a lot of extra utility and power compared to other classes, and Unbreakable is not as exciting outside of Void builds.
Titans are generally seen and designed as “the melee class.” Right now, however, Prismatic Hunters are in a better spot than Titans by a huge margin, to the point that they boast incredible ranged DPS while also being able to dish out millions of damage with melee builds.
Bungie looking atbuffing Titans inDestiny 2is a good thing, and while this can be applied to the class as a whole, it’s hard to imagine a huge shift in focus for Prismatic. The problem with Titans inDestiny 2’s The Final Shape is a symptom of a bigger issue with class identity and design, which is reflected in the way Prismatic was created. At its core, Prismatic is a mix of bits and pieces from each subclass that can vary in potency based on which elements are picked, but making changes to these subclasses can be problematic for a few reasons.
Balancing Prismatic Subclasses in Destiny 2’s Future Release is a Double-Edged Sword
Why Prismatic Subclasses Getting More Options Can Be an Issue
For starters, removing Aspects or abilities in favor of other ones could destroy current builds, so if Bungie intends toadd toDestiny 2’s Prismatic, the only option would be to add new tools on top of existing ones. This leads to a different potential problem, asDestiny 2’s Prismatic can then become the epitome of power creep by offering more choices than every subclass and thus stronger builds or builds that can do it all without needing to go back to the regular Light and Darkness subclasses. As things stand, there doesn’t seem to be an easy way out for Bungie to balance Prismatic differently.
Destiny 2’s Exotic Class Item Perks Can Cause Problems With Prismatic Balance
The same applies toDestiny 2’s Exotic class items and their combos, as some combos are incredibly strong and build-defining, whereas others cover other roles or are simply not synergistic. However, this means that some Exotic class item perks are just not great to begin with, so if Bungie wants to change them or add more perks to these Exotics it can be difficult to do in the same way as balancing Prismatic itself. Bungie could get out of this one specific problem by adding another set of Exotic class items further down the line, but even then, it doesn’t seem like a great solution.
Destiny 2
WHERE TO PLAY
Dive into the world of Destiny 2 to explore the mysteries of the solar system and experience responsive first-person shooter combat. Unlock powerful elemental abilities and collect unique gear to customize your Guardian’s look and playstyle. Enjoy Destiny 2’s cinematic story, challenging co-op missions, and a variety of PvP modes alone or with friends. Download for free today and write your legend in the stars.An Immersive StoryYou are a Guardian, defender of the Last City of humanity in a solar system under siege by infamous villains. Look to the stars and stand against the darkness. Your legend begins now.Guardian ClassesChoose from the armored Titan, mystic Warlock, or swift Hunter.
