Lots there to digest. Plus new armor sets.
https://www.bungie.net/en/Explore/Detail/News/48124

The Hunter Iron Banner set is also 10/10. Well done, Bungie.

All of the Buff/Debuff and super Damage Reduction Changes I am here for.

Let's get the bummer out of the way:

We want to create some variety in the PvP experience from Season to Season, and one way we’re doing that is to bench some maps for the Season. While they’re out of rotation, if time allows we also hope to improve how they play by tweaking spawn areas, ammo spawns, and overall structure so they return better than before. The first four to be removed from all playlists are:

• Dead Cliffs
  
• Legion’s Gulch
  
• Retribution
  
• Solitude

Removing maps sucks (except for Retribution--kill that map for good and bury it deep). I like those other three maps quite a bit. The spawns definitely need work on all of them, but that doesn't necessitate removing them from rotation (especially as some other maps that aren't being removed are far worse).

I'm just not a fan of removing content for the sake of making one three month period feel different from the next.

Strangely, I'm okay with the season activity and artifact going away. I'm not really sure what the difference is.

The new maps looks neat. I'm all for smart reuse of assets, and this looks at least partly like an existing Infinite Forest tiles used as part of a Crucible map. I like some of those tiles quite a bit, and they could make for interesting PvP areas, so I'm all for it.

The playlist changes sound great. Can't wait to play Survival. Having Glory floors is interesting.

I'm confused about Glory a bit, though. Is it a skill indicator, or a ladder to be climbed? I'm not sure it can effectively be both without making people feel needlessly shitty and frustrated.

The new streak system sounds good. Just losing one block off your win streak on a loss instead of having it wipe completely is great.

The new armor all looks great. The Phenotype set is great, I love the raid armor, and the Iron Banner set is the first IB set that actually looks good in D2 so far.

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• Well of Radiance
  • Bonus damage is now +25% (Previously +35%)
• Weapons of Light
  • Bonus damage is now +35% (Previously +25%

LOOKS LIKE TITAN'S BACK ON THE MENU, BOYS!

... Modified Lord of the Rings quote aside...

There is so much change here that any thoughts I, or perhaps any of us, have are basically irrelevant. That's a lot of numbers to crunch. At the end of it all, How does it feel? How does it play? Is it fun.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

That said... how 'bout that faction...er... fashion show!

Dreambane Armor Set
Acquired from activities on the Moon.

Bungie. My Bond is a rag. What are you doing? Hunters, I hope those tassels on the back move. Titans, I'm so happy for you. Your shoulders are no longer the size of a baby moose. PROGRESS!

Garden of Salvation Raid Armor Set
Acquired from the Garden of Salvation raid.

Well well well. Behold the RAID Gear! A source of the recent HUFF'N'PUFF. This is a reskin?! Well done Bungie. I hope we get a glowing shader to match! I like it. No beef. +100 Points to the Bungie Art Team.

Substitutional Armor Set
Acquired from Seasonal activities, free Season Rank rewards, and premium Season Rank rewards.

I must admit, it's not the most thrilling gear. Yet, for the sake of some D1 feels, I like it. I no longer recall the D1 Name, but some kit in D1 had leaves and what not on them and I called it my "Stealth Kit". It was one of my fave visual/playstyle loadouts. So I look forward to seeing if I can give a D2 revamp.

Phenotype Plasticity Universal Ornament Set
Acquired from premium Season Rank rewards.

I think we can all say, in agreement, that this is across the board unquestionably some of the sexiest/best/badass looking armor in the history of Destiny. And... they chose to make this an Ornament! Why wear anything else?!?

...wow...

I look forward to seeing someone make this for a Convention Costume.

Iron Will Armor Set
Acquired from participating in Iron Banner.

After seeing the above "Phenotype" set, how do you follow that!?! This set is nice. It's a solid 8. But... there's no beating 11. I like the Hunter Visor. That's kinda cool.

Empyrean Cartographer Universal Ornament Set
Acquired from the Eververse store.

Bananas. Bananas. Bananas.

Is... is that a Mohawk!?! Is... is that a quiver on the cape!?! Is... is that... a fancy pattern on my dress/kilt/proper-name-not-found? Are the folks who work on Warlock Fashion even trying!?!?

How depressing.

Speeking of Depressing...

In addition to all this, the currently available armor sets will drop as Armor 2.0 versions when Shadowkeep launches.

• Crucible: Year 1
  • Includes Year 1 ornaments
• Vanguard: Year 1
  • Includes Year 1 ornaments
• Black Armory
  • Forge
• Gambit
  • Gambit: Forsaken
    
  • Gambit Prime: Season of the Drifter
• Menagerie
  • All Menagerie armor
• Raids
  • Leviathan
    
  • Eater of Worlds
    
  • Spire of Stars
    
  • Last Wish
    
  • Scourge of the Past
    
  • Crown of Sorrow
• Destinations
  • European Dead Zone
    
  • Titan
    
  • Nessus
    
  • Io
    
  • Mercury
    
  • Mars (Vendor and Escalation Protocol)
    
  • Tangled Shore
    
  • Dreaming City

There will also be additional world drops that can be found in Legendary engrams which have been updated to Armor 2.0.

Masks are not part of Armor 2.0 Ornaments. ;_;

*Sigh* (Yes I know this isn't in D2.)
...
This was a pretty meaty update. Look forward to trying it all out.

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The Gravy Stick needed a RoF buff, not a raw damage buff. Argh.

The Sentinel Titan subclass got some amazing buffs this time around after kinda being sidelined by Well of Radiance for the last year.

Defensive Strike: Melee ability that creates an overshield for nearby allies:
--All kills while the overshield is active grant melee energy for the player with the shield (works for all allies you grant a shield to)
--This is based upon enemy threat level from 5% (minors) to 25% (players and bosses)

Do you like using your charged melee? Stand near a Code of the Protector Titan when they are punching things and you'll get your melee back fast! A wave of Thrall could see your melee power recharged to 100% in just a few seconds.

Rallying Force: Melee kills heal nearby allies
--Heal buffed from 10 health and 10 shields to 10 health and 20 shields (50% increase)

Do you like not dying? Stand near that same Titan when going up against a crowd of light targets and you'll be getting about 1/8th of your hp back every time the Titan punches something.

Ward of Dawn: Alternate super that creates a shield bubble
Increase ward health versus supers:
--Most supers will require the whole thing to be dumped on the ward to destroy it but will (usually) not kill the players inside.
Ward grants weapons of light buff when passing through it (35% weapon damage for 15 seconds)
--Grants an additional super orb (3)

Do you like killing bosses? The bubble is now your only option to get a +35% damage buff since multiple damage buffs no longer stack and Well of Radiance got a nerf to +25% damage. Well might be more appropriate in some situations where the boss / enemies need to be shot at while they deal out a bunch of continuous damage, but for targets not constantly hitting a fireteams, Ward of Dawn is your highest damage buff by 10%. If you have a Titan that knows what they are doing, it can also give you a weak overshield each time you pass through the bubble (Helm of Saint-14) to provide some Well of Radiance-like damage protection.

Do you like frustrating invaders in Gambit? Convince your Protector Titan to wear his Voidfang Vestments so they regenerate a ton of Super energy by punching things. With that punch --> melee energy buff above, your Titan should almost always have a bubble ready to go for each invader until you get to the Primeval phase. And the Bubble will generally protect you even from enemy Supers!

Sentinel Code of the Aggressor (Bottom)
Shield Bash: Shoulder charge that disorients nearby enemies
Now suppresses the target hit and any enemy within 2 meters (have to be basically right next to them)

Are non-ranged roaming Supers getting your Crucible team down? Go get some bottom tree Sentinels to shoulder charge Guardians using Nova Warp, Fists of Havok, Burning Maul, Arc Staff, Arc Lightning, or Spectral Blades straight out of their Supers on a somewhat reliable basis! Have them wear their Mk. 44 Stand-Asides so they get an overshield while closing with their target and so they get half their melee energy (should charge) back if they hit their target.

Yeah, Titans are not just back on the menu. We will be the menu, come Shadowkeep.

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I'm happy you're happy. I would be too if my Main was finally useful for more then casual knee exercises. And no, to answer your question. TO abandon implies once being used, and for Destiny 2... yeah. Titans are supposed to be the wall, and for the first two years of Destiny 2, offense was a better defense. With the update in Shadowkeep, Titans will be the Wall, as they should be. And I'm so happy for you. Looks like the cancerous growths in your shoulders were benign too, so that's a real plus. I mean Hunter Tethers were and are cool and all, but it helps to have options.

That said...

Yeah, Titans are not just back on the menu. We will be the menu, come Shadowkeep.

...don't get too cocky. Walls are useless if they have nothing to defend, and bubbles can pop given the right leverage. Looking forward to some actual usefulness from Titans in the battlefield. I'll make sure the Darkness doesn't scratch up your armor too much. ;D

From one fellow Guardian to another, Welcome Home. You were missed.

(My rift was making the game too easy anyway. Funny how the power of Warlocks keeps doing that.)

*People like different things*... News @ 11. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I don't have a problem with Orange either, while we are at it.

I don't have a problem with Orange either, while we are at it.

Dreambane Armor Set
Acquired from activities on the Moon.

Bungie. My Bond is a rag. What are you doing?

And that warlock is sporting some Golden Age tech.

Dreambane - only the Titan is any good. The other two feel like jokes to me.

Garden of Salvation - I guess I like all of these... except for shoulders. Why is the Hunter wearing Doomfang Pauldrons?

Substitutional - would have been my favorite of the shown sets, except for the Titan legs/arms.

Phenotype - Hunter looks great. The other two need some work. Those wings on the Titan...

Iron Will - my favorite. Solid for all 3 classes.

Empyrean Cartographer - I hate the horns on the hunter, I hate the neck fuzz on the Titan. The Warlock looks pretty good... but I'm shuddering to think what shaders will do to any of them.

I like the Hunter Dreambabe armor.

The wings on the Titan are silly. Like the 747 helmet just wasn’t enough. Love the Vex leg on that Hunter though.

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Dreambane - only the Titan is any good. The other two feel like jokes to me.

Garden of Salvation - I guess I like all of these... except for shoulders. Why is the Hunter wearing Doomfang Pauldrons?

Hunters like copying stuff I guess.

Substitutional - would have been my favorite of the shown sets, except for the Titan legs/arms.

What do you have against shrubbery! /s

Phenotype - Hunter looks great. The other two need some work. Those wings on the Titan...

Iron Will - my favorite. Solid for all 3 classes.

Empyrean Cartographer - I hate the horns on the hunter, I hate the neck fuzz on the Titan. The Warlock looks pretty good... but I'm shuddering to think what shaders will do to any of them.

Fan of the Minimalism eh? Less is more. Less Frills, More Shape and Scheme. Yeah, me too... in real life.

In a video game though, one about space magic and evil scalene pyramids, bring on the frills. Anything that can show a bit of Character is a welcome sight among the sea of Players.

Its all about attitude. Thanks for the reply.

Also... side note. Calling it right now. Expect to see the Phenotype Set Titan head to toe with a blue shader. I guarantee it.

Looks fantastic! I know what my guardians will be wearing for the next year.

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