A new video narrated by Bungie provides even more details on the new sub-class super perks and skill trees the Forsaken expansion will be bringing to Destiny 2.
By now its become clear that Destiny 2: Forsaken represents a paradigm shift for Bungie’s oft-maligned game about space magic and its deadly application upon the forces of darkness. Along with a new story, weapons, raid, and multiplayer modes, the expansion is introducing nine new guardian subclass branches into the mix. Guardian abilities are about to reach new heights, and Bungie has come out with a new video detailing the impact it hopes they will have.
In the new video, Destiny 2: Forsaken’s Senior Sandbox Designer Claude Jerome not only describes what’s possible with each new subclass branch, but also shares some of the goals behind their implementation. The very first point addressed is why Bungie is introducing so many new branches and abilities with Forsaken. According to Jerome, it boils down to players identifying with their favorite subclasses. Adding a completely new subclass is all well and good, but it doesn’t really do much for those who like to specialize in one subclass or another.
Jerome then goes on to explain a bit about how each new subclass branch works and their design philosophy. There are specific goals for each, but they all follow the same overarching theme: providing players with new ways to enjoy their favorite guardian subclass. So not only will Guardians have new bounties, lost sectors, and adventures to undertake, but they’ll also have brand new ways of playing through them. Beyond that, it seems that these changes will allow each class to enjoy some of the perks that they were previously locked out of.
These new changes are also opening up new possibilities as far as each subclass’s role on a fire team. Sentinel Titans can now act as a shield for their team in a way very similar to their Defender titan predecessors. They can also effectively function as a team leader by directing fire against a certain enemy. Dawnblade Warlocks can now function as medics for their team, and Nightstalker Hunters can now function as offensive assassins rather than trappers. All of these should make effective teamwork easier to maintain, which should help immensely in activities like the newly-buffed Escalation Protocol.
All of these new paths should provide players with fresh ways to engage with Destiny 2 as they grow familiar with the new content in the months following Forsaken’s release date. The variety appears to be there; hopefully it’ll be able to live up to what’s being promised.
Destiny 2: Forsaken launches on September 4 for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
