Summary

  • Prismatic subclasses in Destiny 2 are game-changing, with Bungie making nerfs to balance the Hunter subclass in PvP.
  • Only players with the Final Shape expansion can access Prismatic, with adjustments being made for PvP activities.
  • Changes to Prismatic include reduced aim assist and grenade effectiveness, aiming to balance PvP without affecting PvE gameplay.

The new Prismatic subclasses introduced with Destiny 2's Final Shape expansion have been nothing short of game-changing, though Bungie has announced a variety of new nerfs aimed at the Prismatic Hunter subclass as it continues to try and bring each class' Prismatic ability sets into balance. Destiny 2's Hunter class has continued to excel even further in PvP activities thanks partly to some of the new ability combinations that Prismatic makes possible, but thankfully, Bungie seems dedicated to addressing some of the related balance issues without affecting the subclass' viability in PvE environments.

Destiny 2 players who don't own the latest expansion for the game don't need to worry too much about their playstyles being affected, as Prismatic is only unlockable through The Final Shape campaign. With Destiny 2's Final Shape expansion having been released almost two months ago now, the game's developers have had some time to observe how Prismatic performs in the wild, with earlier patches already making some adjustments to the new power. Overall, Prismatic remains an overwhelmingly popular subclass among players regardless of activity, with many excited to see how it could be further expanded on later down the line.

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Destiny 2's upcoming version 8.0.5 will see a small handful of adjustments made to the Hunter class' Prismatic subclass in PvP activities though, as was recently confirmed by Bungie itself in the latest This Week in Destiny blog post. These relatively minor changes include a 50% reduction in player aim assist strength on enemy Threaded Specter decoys, while also introducing a brief delay before aim assist against a decoy takes effect. This ensures that targeting against an enemy player won't be thrown off artificially if the opponent spawns a Threaded Specter near them. Perhaps more notably, Hunters using the Prismatic Subclass in Destiny 2 will have their swarm grenades nerfed, with the grenade's projectiles suffering a 20% reduction in total travel distance.

All Upcoming Changes to Destiny 2's Prismatic Hunter Subclass

  • Reduced aim-assist strength on Threaded Specter by ~50% vs. Players and added a short delay before the aim-assist takes effect.
  • Reduced Threaded Specter detonation damage vs. Players by ~45%.
  • Reduced the distance that Swarm Grenade submunition projectiles can travel once they begin tracking a target by ~20%.

This means that swarm grenades used by Prismatic Hunters won't be able to track enemy players as effectively, reducing the effectiveness of certain strong Hunter ability combos such as swarm and smoke grenades used together. Overall, though, these nerfs should leave the Prismatic Hunter subclass unscathed in Destiny 2's PvE activities.

Balancing in Destiny 2 has proven to be a complex problem in the past due to the developers having to account for both the PvE and PvP sandboxes. That said, the developers are continuing to take steps to better differentiate these environments in terms of balancing and prevent PvP-focused nerfs and buffs from impacting the potency of affected weapons and abilities in PvE activities.

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Destiny 2
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Top Critic Avg: 84 /100 Critics Rec: 88%
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Released
August 28, 2017
ESRB
T For TEEN for Blood, Language, and Violence
Developer(s)
Bungie
Publisher(s)
Bungie
Engine
Tiger Engine
Multiplayer
Online Multiplayer, Online Co-Op
Cross-Platform Play
PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One & Xbox Series X|S
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WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL
PHYSICAL
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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 Story
You 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 Classes
Choose from the armored Titan, mystic Warlock, or swift Hunter.

Genre(s)
FPS