Exotic Bows occupy a special place in the current meta ofDestiny 2, however, some players feel that two among the seven have fallen behind and need attention from Bungie to bring them up to speed. Combat Bows are a weapon archetype introduced inDestiny 2’sForsakenexpansion, offering players more single-target damage at longer ranges. Like otherExotic weapons inDestiny 2, Exotic Bows boast unique perks that enable synergistic gameplay with specific builds and powerful subclass verbs to decimate enemies.
Introduced with theShadowkeepexpansion, Champions have posed a constant threat on the battlefield for even the most seasoned guardians. These elite combatants require players to engage with dedicated mechanics to render them vulnerable to damage. The anti-Champion mechanics were initially relegated to seasonal artifact mods, limiting the choice of weapons players could carry into aspirational endgame content. The developers expanded upon this system inLightfallby imbuing certain Exotic weapons with innate anti-Champion capabilities. Since then, the revamped Exotics have seen greater usage in endgame activities, with the Exotic Bow Wish-Ender’s anti-Barrier perk used tocheese certain challengingDestiny 2bosses.
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However, not every Exotic Bow has received the revamp treatment with Lightfall’s balance pass, and a part of the player base feels that it’s time to bring those weapons back into the fold. A Reddit user named N1CKP1R35 pointed out the indirect nerf to the Hierarchy of Needs Exotic Bow with the removal of Warmind Cells. Introduced in theSeason of the Worthy,Warmind Cells were a fan-favorite mechanic inDestiny 2, exclusive to Seraph and other weapons created by the Warmind Rasputin. In the post, the player further suggested granting the weapon gaining anti-Barrier capabilities to compensate for the nerf, which has garnered a lot of positive feedback.
Some players have suggested making the Exotic scorch targets while firing arrows through the Guidance Ring created by its Exotic perk, while others have suggested bringing back a moderated version of Warmind Cells exclusive to the Exotic. Several players have mentioned the Ticuu’s Divination Exotic falling behind with the introduction of stronger weapons and the Legendary-exclusive Incandescent perk. Conversely, they have suggested giving the underperforming Exotic improved Solar 3.0 abilities such as Scorch, which manyDestiny 2Solar 3.0 builds rely on for additional benefits.
The opinions are somewhat split, as many players have stated that the Hierarchy of Needs performs adequately in endgame encounters and needs no significant reworks in the same post. With the differing opinions in mind, many players feel that these two Exotic Bows deserve another balance pass from Bungie. The developers are currently working to bringotherDestiny 2Exotics up to par in the mid-Season patch, and any other Exotic weapons will have to wait in line for a rework.
Destiny 2is currently available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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