Bungie is introducing fresh methods to maintain the challenge in some of Destiny 2's core activities, beginning with new enemy modifiers that will randomly appear in its upcoming content update. These new modifiers, known as Banes, will force players to adapt their strategies as they encounter enemies affected by them. Bungie outlined the Banes in a recent blog post detailing the changes coming with Codename: Frontiers, the game's next two content expansions. The developer plans to test at least two of these Banes in Episode: Revenant, Destiny 2's next content addition, set to release on October 8.
As described by Bungie, Banes can randomly appear on enemies during activities like Nightfall Strikes. They are somewhat akin to less intense versions of the current Champion enemies. For instance, the Meteors Bane causes an enemy to spawn Solar Meteors that track players and can be shot down, similar to the Proving Grounds Strike's end boss. Another Bane, Shock, sees an enemy charging an electric shock that can be discharged onto a player within line-of-sight. If the enemy with the Shock Bane is killed, the effect can transfer to nearby enemies. Players can identify Bane-affected enemies by a large, colorful crescent above their heads, indicating the type of Bane.
Other Banes detailed by Bungie include Punchable, where an enemy has an unbreakable shield until hit with a melee attack; Berserk, which causes nearby enemies to gain the Enrage buff and become more powerful; and Nuclear, where the enemy explodes in a Solar shockwave after reaching low health. All Banes are still in development, so their in-game mechanics and appearance are subject to change. Bungie also clarified that Banes won't be applied to Champions in Revenant and won't stack on a single enemy.
Banes are part of Bungie's broader strategy to enhance PvE activities in Destiny 2, making them more challenging and enjoyable to replay. Alongside random Banes, players can expect larger Enemy and Combat Modifiers to alter how they approach content. Some of these modifiers, like Surges applied to specific element types, are already in the game. Bungie hints at potential new Enemy Modifiers, such as enemies dropping boobytrapped loot, reminiscent of the Trickster boss from the Forsaken expansion's campaign.
Bungie aims to introduce new modifiers affecting both enemy behavior and player combat, moving away from modifiers that require custom loadouts. This doesn't mean existing modifiers will be entirely replaced, but some may be reworked or replaced to align with the new design goals for Codename: Frontiers.
