Understanding the Liar’s Handshake bug in Destiny 2: timeline, impact on gameplay, and community response strategies
The Liar’s Handshake Bug Explained
Bungie has confirmed that the problematic Hunter exotic Liar’s Handshake malfunction will receive a correction in Destiny 2’s twenty-second season, though this extended waiting period has significantly frustrated the gaming community.
On July 19, 2023, Bungie ultimately responded to the malfunction affecting Liar’s Handshake Hunter exotic gear, stating the resolution will arrive during Destiny 2’s Season 22. This technical issue has remained active since the Season of Plunder launched, generating substantial player dissatisfaction throughout this period.
The Hunter exotic gear piece Liar’s Handshake within Destiny 2 features the Cross Counter ability that triggers health regeneration when retaliating against enemy attacks with melee strikes. Unfortunately, when combined with the Gathering Storm super ability, this beneficial perk completely ceases to function as intended.
This mechanical failure severely impacts Arcstrider Hunter builds that rely on the synergistic combination of these abilities for survivability in endgame content. Players attempting to utilize this exotic in high-level activities like Grandmaster Nightfalls or Master Raids find themselves at a significant disadvantage without the expected healing mechanics.
Timeline of the Bug’s Persistence
Community members initially identified this technical problem during the Season of Plunder, which became available in the game approximately one year prior as component of the Witch Queen expansion. Recent social media discussions confirm the persistent nature of this issue within the current game environment.
Bungie provided an official statement regarding this circumstance indicating that the Liar’s Handshake malfunction currently undergoing development attention and will receive correction next season.
Although Bungie formally recognized that the Hunter exotic malfunction would receive correction during Season 22, the problem has remained present since Season of Plunder launched nearly twelve months earlier. Consequently, community members express considerable dissatisfaction regarding the prolonged existence of this unresolved issue.
The problematic interaction resurfaced prominently through recent social media activity when Reddit participant AMM0D highlighted that “liars handshake still doesn’t work correctly if you have gathering storm as your super.” Additional community members rapidly engaged with this discussion thread, accumulating approximately 1,500 upvotes and fifty-four commentary responses.
Bungie’s Response and Community Reaction
One participant remarked, “I will consistently support this discussion topic whenever encountered, until resolution occurs” demonstrating their exasperation concerning the situation. Another community member sarcastically noted “Don’t worry, it’ll get fixed next time an ornament comes out” referencing Bungie’s historical pattern of addressing exotic equipment issues coinciding with cosmetic item releases.
A different player proposed that “We should overwhelm bungie bug reports with documented evidence, I don’t believe this has received proper attention” indicating their perception of prolonged neglect regarding this matter.
This situation doesn’t represent an isolated occurrence, as approximately thirty days earlier another user named HiCracked created a similar post addressing this identical problem. That discussion also contained numerous comments where players voiced their dissatisfaction with Bungie’s handling of persistent technical issues.
Many experienced players recommend utilizing alternative Hunter exotics like Assassin’s Cowl or Shinobu’s Vow as temporary solutions while awaiting the official fix. These alternatives provide different but effective gameplay benefits that can maintain build effectiveness in challenging content.
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Additionally, several participants highlighted a separate malfunction affecting Warlock’s Celestial Fire capability that fails to interact properly with Heavy Handed, Felwinter’s Helm, Sunbracers, and additional equipment. This particular technical problem has also persisted within the game environment for over twelve months and remains in non-functional condition.
These persistent exotic and ability malfunctions suggest potential systemic issues within Destiny 2’s ability interaction systems. Players have noted similar patterns where certain exotic combinations fail to work as described, particularly following major game updates or expansion releases.
Practical Impact on Hunter Gameplay
The Liar’s Handshake malfunction creates significant gameplay disadvantages for Hunter mains specializing in Arc subclass builds. Without the expected healing from Cross Counter, players face increased difficulty surviving aggressive encounters in high-difficulty activities where healing mechanics prove crucial for success.
For players affected by this issue, consider these temporary adaptations: modify your build to focus on ranged combat with Gathering Storm, utilize healing grenades for survivability, or switch to Void or Solar subclasses until the fix arrives. Recording and submitting gameplay evidence through official Bungie help channels can also help prioritize resolution.
When encountering exotic malfunctions, experienced players recommend thoroughly testing ability interactions after each major game update, as fixes sometimes introduce new issues. Maintaining awareness of the official Destiny 2 Known Issues page and community testing forums can help identify problems early and adjust gameplay strategies accordingly.
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