Understanding Destiny 2’s troubled High-Impact Auto Rifles and practical strategies for their potential revival
The Current State of High-Impact Auto Rifles
While Auto Rifles maintain solid popularity across Destiny 2’s sandbox, one specific weapon frame continues to disappoint players seeking competitive performance. The High-Impact Frame Auto Rifle archetype, commonly referred to as ‘360s’ due to their rounds-per-minute firing rate, represents the slowest-firing variant in the automatic weapon category.
Destiny 2’s community continues advocating for substantial buffs to High-Impact Frame Auto Rifles, arguing this weapon class requires fundamental adjustments to achieve viability.
Auto Rifles generally maintain respectable usage rates, yet High-Impact Frame variants have consistently underperformed according to community assessment. These heavy-firing automatics struggle to establish relevance in either PVP or PVE environments, with their sluggish fire rate and mediocre damage creating an unsatisfying gameplay experience that fails to compete with alternative options.
Expressing frustration with the weapon frame’s current condition, one Destiny 2 enthusiast commented, “360 autos continue delivering subpar performance and unsatisfying handling. They desperately require comprehensive improvements.”
Weapon Frame Mechanics and Design Flaws
A detailed Reddit analysis emphasized, “The reality remains that 360s deliver exceptionally poor performance,” highlighting the frame’s inadequate handling statistics and painfully slow rate of fire before declaring them among “the most unsatisfying firearms available in Destiny 2.”
Evaluating potential remedies, the original poster suggested, “These weapons require complete redesign rather than minor adjustments,” proposing that all High-Impact Frame Auto Rifles should undergo conversion into either Lightweight Frame ARs (450 RPM) or the previously exclusive 390 RPM fire rate. This specific firing cadence was uniquely available on Vex Mythoclast before receiving adjustments during Season of the Witch.
Supporting this assessment, another community member responded, “Transitioning to 390 RPM would significantly enhance their performance, mirroring why Vex Mythoclast delivered such satisfying gameplay during its prime period.”
The fundamental issue with High-Impact Frames stems from their design philosophy – they’re intended as precision weapons with high damage per bullet, but in practice, their slow time-to-kill and poor handling make them inferior to other options. The recoil patterns, while manageable, don’t provide sufficient reward for the skill required to control them effectively.
Proposed Solutions and Community Suggestions
Criticism toward 360 RPM Auto Rifles persisted as an additional player noted, “Based on Bungie’s design documentation and statistical projections, these weapons should theoretically excel, yet my meticulously crafted Age-Old Bond fails to deliver results in either player-versus-player or player-versus-environment scenarios,” before suggesting Bungie’s “special formula deteriorated” during this weapon frame’s development process.
Best Destiny 2 PvP weapons: Meta guns for Competitive & Trials of Osiris
Destiny 2’s most problematic weapon is getting a double whammy nerf in Heresy Act 2
Destiny 2 Update 8.2.5 patch notes: Heresy Act 2, Guardian Games, Redrix’s Estoc nerf, more
Beyond simple fire rate adjustments, several community-proposed solutions could revitalize this archetype. Increasing critical hit multipliers would reward precision shooting, while improving stability and handling would address their clunky feel. Alternatively, adding unique perks exclusive to High-Impact Frames could create niche roles that differentiate them from other auto rifle variants.
Historical precedent exists for successful weapon archetype transformations. The Hand Cannon overhaul demonstrated that Bungie can completely revitalize underperforming weapon categories through systematic adjustments to damage profiles, accuracy cones, and perk availability.
Practical Usage Tips and Optimization Strategies
Another contributor elaborated on where High Impact Frame Auto Rifles encounter their greatest difficulties, stating, “…these weapons demand more substantial improvements in PVE compared to PVP. I’ve consistently found them reasonably effective in player-versus-player engagements dating back to the Season of Arrivals variant. However, in player-versus-environment content, they perpetually feel inadequate regarding damage output against standard enemies when measured against their rapid-firing counterparts.”
Although High Impact Frame ARs currently occupy an unfavorable position, potential buffs could resurrect them similar to the comprehensive Hand Cannon rework that returned Destiny’s most recognizable weapons to meta relevance.
For players determined to use High-Impact Auto Rifles despite their limitations, several strategies can improve performance. Focus on stability-enhancing perks like Zen Moment and Dynamic Sway Reduction to mitigate their unwieldy nature. In PVP, pre-aiming around corners and engaging at longer ranges maximizes their theoretical strengths. For PVE, target prioritization becomes crucial – focus on major enemies where their higher damage per shot provides more value.
Avoid common mistakes like engaging in close-quarters combat where faster-firing weapons will consistently outdamage you. Don’t treat them like typical auto rifles – their optimal engagement distance is further than most players instinctively position themselves. Also, beware of over-investing in range at the expense of handling, as these weapons already suffer from slow aim-down-sights speed.
Advanced players can experiment with specific exotic armor synergies. Actium War Rig provides sustained fire benefits, while Ophidian Aspect improves the problematic handling. Pairing High-Impact Auto Rifles with close-range special weapons like shotguns or fusion rifles creates a more balanced loadout that covers multiple engagement distances.
No reproduction without permission：SeeYouSoon Game Club » Destiny 2 players call for serious changes to “rancid” weapon class Understanding Destiny 2's troubled High-Impact Auto Rifles and practical strategies for their potential revival