Destiny 2 developer Bungie revealed plenty of details this week on how it plans to evolve buildcrafting in the game’s next expansion, but for anyone tired of Champions and the limited options for dealing with them, Lightfall will add a more organic alternative for taking on these challenging opponents.
Once the expansion goes live, your subclass can be used to stun these lethal foes, as Champion counters are being spread between Artifact perks, subclass abilities, and more. Bungie explained that it wants to make anti-Champion builds more “logical” and easier, allowing players to use the natural elements of their subclass to complement their weapons when facing off against a Champion.
When dealing with Barrier Champions, Solar, Void, and Strand subclasses will have options for dealing with them. Solar subclasses can use their Radiant buff to pierce Champion shields, Void volatile rounds can also break through that barrier, and Strand’s special ability for tackling Barrier Champions will be revealed in time.
Overload Champions, who have a nasty habit of teleporting all around and instantly healing, can be taken out with a jolted effect through the use of an Arc subclass or by slowing them with Stasis. For Void users, suppression effects from that subclass will also halt the momentum of an Overload Champion and leave them stunned.
Unstoppable Champions, the charging meat tanks that can shrug off an absurd amount of firepower, can be dealt with using Arc, Solar, Stasis, and Strand effects. Blinding an Unstoppable Champion with Arc will instantly stun them, while triggering a Solar ignition or encasing them in Stasis and then shattering the crystals will have the same effect. Strand will also have an Unstoppable Champion counter, but Bungie is keeping this information under wraps for now.
The end result here is a more varied approach to dealing with Champions, as the current system of arms armor mods unlocked through the seasonal Artifact has presented several limitations for players looking to take part in more challenging PvE content. Armor mods will now be more focused on enhancing weapons based on their damage type, while Artifact mods will become unlockable perks that won’t need to be slotted into your gear, thus providing a more flexible approach to outfitting your Guardian.
Combined with more varied fireteams, Exotic weapons that have intrinsic anti-Champion perks, and these new boosts to subclasses that have all received a 3.0 upgrade during the year of the Witch Queen, Lightfall is set to have a huge impact on how you’ll prepare to fight back against Champions when it launches on February 28.
In other Lightfall news, Bungie released a new trailer this week showing off more of Neomuna, the secret Neptunian city that you’ll be able to visit, and has tweaked the final Iron Banner event for Season of the Seraph so that it’ll be less of a grind.
