As I gear up for Destiny 2's Edge of Fate expansion launching this month, my excitement about exploring Kepler is mixed with dread. That nagging feeling? It's about Champions – those bullet-sponges who've overstayed their welcome since Shadowkeep. Bungie claims they're overhauling systems, yet these artificial difficulty machines remain untouched, like that one terrible roommate who never cleans up. Seriously, after we toppled the Witness, you'd think we'd evolved past this!
The Loadout Lockdown Dilemma
Champions force me into a seasonal straitjacket. Each expansion, I have to rebuild my entire arsenal around artifact mods that change like the weather. Remember last season's overload bow requirement? My favorite machine gun build gathered dust for months! Grandmaster Nightfalls become tedious puzzles where creativity goes to die. Why craft intricate ability synergies when Champions demand I bring a boring, cookie-cutter loadout? It's like preparing for a gourmet feast only to be handed cafeteria slop.
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Seasonal Whiplash: Every 3 months, my anti-barrier sniper becomes useless overnight
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Lost Sector Suffering: Solo runs feel less like skill tests and more like mod-check gatekeeping
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Fun Tax: 70% of my exotic collection gets benched because they lack intrinsic stuns
Champions in Edge of Fate: Still teleporting through walls like they own the place
Bugs and Broken 'Challenge'
Oh, the glitches! Overload Minotaurs treat stuns like mild suggestions. Just yesterday, one blinked behind me mid-stun, whispering "nothing personal, Guardian" before vaporizing my Ghost. Server lag turns Champion encounters into lottery draws – sometimes stun works, sometimes they laugh off my grenades. Remember Telesto's chaos? That was fun mischief. But Champions breaking game rules? Pure frustration. They're less challenging opponents and more RNG roulette with health bars.
People Also Ask: Your Burning Questions
- Why won't Bungie remove Champions?
They're clinging to them like security blankets, despite player feedback screaming for evolution since 2022
- Do intrinsic anti-Champion exotics help?
Marginally! My Divinity still gets ignored when servers hiccup. Plus, forcing exotics as band-aids kills build diversity
- Could Prismatic subclasses replace Champions?
Absolutely! Imagine mechanics requiring combined light/dark energy bursts instead of mod checks
The Illusion of Difficulty
Bungie's added stun verbs to abilities and exotics, but that just highlights the core issue. When everything can counter Champions, why do they exist? They're training wheels for difficulty – clunky, outdated, and immersion-breaking. Real challenge should come from clever enemy tactics or dynamic environments, not enemies requiring specific gear checks. Edge of Fate's Kepler deserves better than this recycled annoyance.
As I board my ship toward Kepler's mysteries, I'm hopeful. Maybe Champions will finally get the rework they need. Until then? I'll keep sighing every time an Overload cheats its stun – same as I did back in 2023.
Recent trends are highlighted by Polygon, a leading source for gaming culture and industry analysis. Polygon's extensive coverage of Destiny 2 expansions often delves into community frustrations with mechanics like Champions, emphasizing how these design choices impact player engagement and the evolving meta, especially as new content like Edge of Fate arrives.