A demo of Destiny 2’s upcoming Shadowkeep expansion on the PAX West show floor gave players a look at new content and an unexpected peak at a piece of raid loot: an exotic trace rifle called Divinity. It’s not the first piece of Shadowkeep gear that’s been uncovered - others have been spotted in trailers and throughout the PAX demo - but as an exotic weapon, Divinity is notable for its one-of-a-kind ability.
Fans of Bungie’s hit shooter are already looking at Shadowkeep as a turning point for the game, even with a month to go before its release. For one, it’ll be the first expansion since Bungie broke away from Activision, meaning that it could set a new course for the game without the oversight of another publisher. Sweeping changes have been announced for the expansion, including an overhaul to player stats, a more dynamic game world, and the early parts of the game going free-to-play. On top of that, it’s also adding all the new content that would be expected from any expansion, including a return to some of the iconic stages of the original Destiny.
While story missions in the Destiny franchise have been hit or miss, the real attraction of new expansions is end-game content for veteran players, meaning that raids and high-level gear are often the center of attention. A recent Reddit post by user tehr0b gave players a look at what they can expect from Shadowkeep’s first set of raid gear, posting a screenshot of the Divinity trace rifle from the PAX West demo. Its stats weren’t out of the ordinary, boasting low impact but a very high rate of fire and gigantic magazine, as is typical for trace rifles, which fire a continuous beam of energy rather than projectiles. What’s more intriguing is its ability, Judgment, which reads, “Sustained damage with this weapon envelops the target in a field that weakens and disrupts them.” Many popular exotics, especially those favored in PvP, focus on raw firepower, making Divinity’s more tactical perk an interesting outlier.
Divinity wasn’t the only thing revealed by tehr0b’s post. It also included an image allegedly of the entire raid set from the Garden of Salvation raid. The reported rewards from the raid include a full set of armor and weapons all with religiously themed names such as Zealot’s Reward, Cowl of Righteousness, and Sacred Provenance. The religious theme is fitting, given that the Black Garden, where the raid takes place, is a holy site for the Vex.
Shadowkeep’s first exotic weapon may not be the most powerful armament in the game, but that fact alone makes it interesting. Many of the changes to Destiny 2, such as finishing moves and the greater importance of stats, point to more differentiation between classes and individual builds. Divinity’s ability to weaken enemies, allowing teammates to be more effective against them, could make it a true support weapon. It’ll be exciting to see if Bungie continues building in ways for players to take on the kinds of support roles present in typical MMOs, as opposed to Destiny 2’s usual focus on sheer damage.
Next: Destiny 2 Coming to Google Stadia
Source: tehr0b/Reddit
