Bungie has rolled out Update 8.2.5.3 for Destiny 2, addressing several critical issues while delivering notable weapon adjustments. The December 5, 2023 hotfix targets problems in the Court of Blades activity, fixes a Crucible Lockdown exploit, nerfs the dominant Redrix's Estoc pulse rifle, and patches an infinite ammo exploit with Swords.
Court of Blades Fixes Eliminate Frustrating Soft-Locks
Seasonal activity improvements headline this update, with the Court of Blades receiving two significant fixes. Guardians will no longer encounter the frustrating soft-lock that occurred when defeating Shards of Hesrak too quickly after they appeared—a bug that has plagued teams attempting efficient runs.
Perhaps more importantly for those tackling Expert difficulty, Bungie has completely removed Dire Taken Captains from the randomized fodder selection. The dev team's commentary—"See you never"—perfectly captures player sentiment toward these enemies, whose excessive burst damage was creating unfair difficulty spikes.
Crucible Balance Restored to Lockdown Mode
PvP enthusiasts will appreciate the fix to Lockdown mode, addressing an exploit where the winning team could instantly secure victory by allowing opponents to capture all zones—a counterintuitive mechanic that undermined the mode's competitive integrity.
What Weapon Changes Will Impact Your Loadout?
The most significant weapon adjustment targets Redrix's Estoc, the pulse rifle that has dominated the Crucible meta since its introduction. The weapon sees substantial nerfs across its stat line:
- Range reduced from 54 to 46
- Handling decreased from 74 to 69
- Aim Assist trimmed from 82 to 80
Machine Gun enthusiasts will find less ammo in PvP Heavy crates, with weapons holding 80 or fewer rounds in the magazine now receiving just 22 bullets—a clear attempt to rein in their lethality in the Crucible.
Support Frame Auto Rifles received a fix for hit detection against non-combatant objects like the urns in the Nether, while Rocket Assisted Sidearms now properly interact with ammo bricks, enabling Shoot to Loot functionality.
Exotic Weapons Get Much-Needed Attention
Two popular exotic weapons received targeted fixes in this update. Thorn users will no longer see the Soul Devourer buff appear on-screen while the weapon is stowed—a visual bug that has confused many Guardians tracking their active buffs.
Meanwhile, Microcosm trace rifle owners can celebrate as Bungie fixed its inability to stun Overload Champions when paired with the seasonal Overload Trace Rifle artifact mod—a critical fix for endgame PvE builds.
Perk and Mod Adjustments Shake Up the Meta
Several weapon perks received significant adjustments that will affect buildcrafting:
- Willing Vessel origin trait now properly gains stacks when Support Frame Auto Rifles restore health to allies
- Lone Wolf perk saw reduced Aim Assist bonuses but increased Airborne Effectiveness values
- Closing Time had its bonuses reduced by 50% specifically on Special weapons, while Primary and Heavy weapons retain the original effect
Perhaps most importantly, Bungie patched an exploit that allowed infinite ammo generation with Swords using the Power of Ambition mod combined with the Relentless Strikes perk—a combination that had been quietly making rounds in the Destiny 2 community.
What Does This Mean for Your Guardian?
This update represents Bungie's ongoing commitment to addressing both technical issues and balance concerns in Destiny 2. While the Redrix's Estoc nerf will disappoint some Crucible players, the removal of Dire Taken Captains from Court of Blades Expert difficulty will likely be universally celebrated.
The infinite ammo exploit fix for Swords demonstrates Bungie's vigilance against economy-breaking combinations, while the various quality-of-life improvements across activities should make for a smoother gameplay experience overall.