Why Destiny 2’s Trace Rifles need urgent buffs and how players can adapt until changes arrive
The Rise and Fall of Trace Rifles
Destiny 2’s community has united in demanding significant improvements for Trace Rifles, the energy beam weapons that have suffered dramatically from recent ammunition system adjustments.
Season 22’s fundamental restructuring of Destiny 2’s ammunition distribution hit Trace Rifles harder than any other weapon category, transforming them from versatile tools into situational liabilities.
The Season 22 update eliminated an unintended mechanic where equipping two Special weapons dramatically increased Heavy ammunition drops. While this correction successfully brought Primary weapons back into the player versus environment meta, it had catastrophic consequences for Trace Rifle viability.
This ammunition system overhaul caused Trace Rifles to rapidly disappear from regular loadouts. The previously popular continuous-beam weapons now see minimal usage outside highly specialized builds designed specifically to support them.
These foundational changes to ammunition economics continue affecting weapon selection months later, prompting Guardians to urgently request Bungie address Trace Rifle performance issues.
Current Trace Rifle Performance Issues
Players are questioning the fundamental design purpose of beam weapons in the current Season of the Wish meta. One Guardian’s Reddit post captured the community sentiment perfectly: “With the double special strategy effectively eliminated, what compelling reason exists to choose a Trace Rifle over other options?”
The original poster elaborated their position further: “Outside of specific Cenotaph Warlock builds, I’m not suggesting Trace Rifles should become dominant boss damage weapons (though Coldheart and Ager’s Scepter might warrant exceptions). However, they should at minimum function as reliable add-clearing tools. Currently, they essentially perform as Auto Rifles with artificially limited ammunition reserves.”
The most-upvoted response agreed completely, beginning: “Trace Rifles desperately need performance enhancements, particularly now that Rocket Sidearms have entered the weapon ecosystem,” before adding: “Beam weapons simply lack sufficient impact damage to effectively handle major enemies, while simultaneously possessing inadequate ammunition reserves for dealing with numerous weaker combatants.”
Another Guardian expressed frustration about Trace Rifles occupying an excessively narrow niche: “The only reasonably functional versions are exotic variants, and even those require stacking double special finder mods alongside scavenger and reserve modifications – essentially demanding an entire build dedication for a mediocre weapon performance return.”
One particularly critical assessment condemned the laser weapons as “genuinely inadequate” for clearing groups of enemies, highlighting their disappointing performance against higher-health targets despite their constrained ammunition capacity.
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Community Solutions and Workarounds
While awaiting developer intervention, experienced players have developed several strategies to maximize Trace Rifle effectiveness in the current meta. Understanding these approaches can help Guardians continue using their favorite beam weapons without sacrificing overall loadout efficiency.
Optimal Loadout Combinations: Pair Trace Rifles with high-damage Special weapons like grenade launchers or sniper rifles to compensate for their inability to handle majors. This creates balanced loadouts that can address both add-clear and high-priority target scenarios.
Mod Configuration Strategies: Utilize double Special Ammo Finder mods alongside Scout Rifle ammunition scavengers (which also affect Trace Rifles). Reserve mods provide approximately 20% additional ammunition, significantly extending operational time during activities.
Exotic Pairing Recommendations: Certain exotic armor pieces synergize exceptionally well with Trace Rifles. The Cenotaph Mask for Warlocks generates heavy ammunition when damaging marked targets, while Actium War Rig for Titans provides automatic reload benefits that complement sustained beam firing.
Common Mistakes to Avoid: Many players underestimate the importance of target selection with Trace Rifles. Avoid wasting precious ammunition on high-health enemies – instead focus on clearing groups of weaker combatants where the weapons’ continuous damage shines.
Advanced Optimization Tips: For endgame content, consider using Trace Rifles primarily for their utility perks rather than raw damage. Weapons with Demolitionist or Wellspring can generate ability energy rapidly, while those with Dragonfly can create useful area-of-effect explosions.
Future Outlook and Bungie’s Plans
Bungie has previously confirmed that Trace Rifles will eventually receive their own targeted ammunition economy adjustment. Unfortunately, this specialized rework isn’t anticipated until The Final Shape expansion, which following its scheduling adjustment won’t launch before June 2024.
The extended timeline for fixes presents significant challenges for Trace Rifle enthusiasts. Community expectations center around several potential buff scenarios that could restore viability without creating balance issues.
Potential Buff Scenarios: The most likely improvements include increased reserve ammunition (30-50% more), enhanced damage against combatant shields, or intrinsic anti-champion capabilities. Some players have suggested adding unique perks that regenerate ammunition on precision hits.
Community Expectations: Most Guardians aren’t requesting that Trace Rifles become dominant meta weapons, but rather that they occupy a clear functional niche. The ideal outcome would position them as premier add-clear tools that reward accuracy and sustained fire with efficient enemy elimination.
Interim Solutions: Until systemic changes arrive, players recommend focusing on the few Trace Rifles that still perform adequately. Exotic options like Divinity provide crucial support functions, while Coldheart’s escalating damage can situationally outperform other choices.
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