Guardians struggling with the Lucent Hive rotation in Court of Blades can breathe a sigh of relief. Bungie has deployed Destiny 2 Update 8.2.5.5, specifically targeting balance issues in the seasonal activity's Expert difficulty while also addressing some pesky weapon bugs that have been plaguing players.
Court of Blades Expert Mode Gets Much-Needed Balance Pass
If you've been avoiding Court of Blades during Lucent Hive weeks, it might be time to jump back in. Bungie has acknowledged player feedback about the disproportionate difficulty spike when facing these particular enemies compared to other factions in the rotation.
The update, which launched on November 28, 2023, introduces several targeted changes to bring the Lucent Hive in line with the intended challenge level. Most notably, Lucent Hive Guardian bosses have received a health reduction across the board, making these formidable opponents slightly less bullet-spongy.
What changes to Lucent Hive Guardians can players expect?
The most significant change affects how these mini-Light-bearers utilize their Super abilities in Expert difficulty. Previously, these bosses would immediately unleash devastating Supers upon spawning, often resulting in sudden, frustrating wipes for fireteams. Now, they won't activate their Supers until they drop below 33% health, giving players a fighting chance to deal significant damage before facing their full arsenal.
In scenarios where multiple Lucent Hive Guardian bosses appear simultaneously, only one will have its Super ability re-enabled when crossing the health threshold. This change should prevent the overwhelming "Super spam" situations that many fireteams found nearly impossible to counter.
Additionally, Bungie has completely removed Lucent Hive Knights from the randomized fodder selection in Expert difficulty. These Knights were notorious for creating unexpected difficulty spikes with their aggressive abilities and high damage output.
Weapon Fixes: Rocket Sidearms and Support Frame Auto Rifles
The update also addresses two weapon-related issues that have been affecting gameplay:
- Rocket Sidearms were mistakenly not dealing self-damage, making them safer than intended. This has been fixed, so be careful not to fire these at close range.
- Support Frame Auto Rifles were failing to apply their intrinsic elemental effects during the second encounter of Sundered Doctrine. This bug has been resolved, restoring their full functionality.
These changes continue Destiny 2's ongoing balance refinements as Bungie works to maintain challenge while preventing activities from becoming unnecessarily frustrating. For Guardians who found Court of Blades' Expert mode during Lucent Hive weeks to be an exercise in futility, these adjustments should make the experience more in line with other faction rotations.
As always, the full patch notes can be found on Bungie's official website for those interested in the complete technical details of Update 8.2.5.5.