Guardians, prepare to download a hefty patch as Bungie has deployed Destiny 2 Update 8.2.6. Released on May 6, 2025, this update focuses on addressing numerous issues across PvP and PvE content while delivering substantial weapon balancing changes and ability improvements that will impact your gameplay experience.
Weapon Balancing Takes Center Stage
The standout changes in this update revolve around weapon tuning. Hand Cannons, SMGs, Auto Rifles, Pulse Rifles, and Shotguns all received adjustments aimed at improving their performance in the current meta. High Impact Auto Rifles got a notable 4% base damage increase, while Heavy Burst Hand Cannons now have improved ADS damage falloff.
Several exotic weapons also received attention. Lord of Wolves saw a 30% reduction in hip-fire damage in PvE, while Riskrunner gained a slight zoom increase. Heavy hitters Truth and Two-Tailed Fox now grant two ammo pickups from Crucible crates instead of one, making them more viable options.
Perhaps most exciting is the substantial buff to Finality's Auger, which now marks targets for the duration of its turret deployment, automatically reloads from reserves after deployment, and deals 10% more damage while taking 85% less self-damage. The turret is now a much more reliable damage dealer.
Crucible and Trials Adjustments
Trials of Osiris players will notice several quality-of-life improvements, including a reduced zone capture time (from 20s to 15s) and the ability to cycle glow colors on Flawless Trials Passages. The update also fixes Special ammo crate timing issues on certain maps.
Competitive mode received a crucial fix for loss forgiveness when solo players match against premade teams. Additionally, the Prismatic Super Regen penalty has been reduced from 10% to 5% across all Crucible modes.
How Will These Changes Affect Your PvP Experience?
The reduced zone capture time in Trials should lead to more dynamic matches and less camping, while the loss forgiveness fix for solo players in Competitive will be a welcome relief for those braving the playlist without a fireteam.
Ability Tweaks Focus on Hunter Knives
Hunter mains rejoice! All throwing knife melees have received significant tracking improvements. Bungie acknowledged the previous tracking issues with a playful note: "That said, you still need to aim – don't blame us if you miss on your own..."
Warlock abilities also saw adjustments, with fixes for Incinerator Snap animation cancelling and Lightning Surge follow-up melee timing. Scatter Grenades received a 15% damage reduction in PvP, likely in response to their effectiveness in the current sandbox.
Raid and Dungeon Fixes
Several raids and dungeons received attention, addressing frustrating bugs and exploits. Sundered Doctrine, Vesper's Host, and Warlord's Ruin all had specific issues fixed, while Garden of Salvation, Vault of Glass, and King's Fall saw a fix for the raid banner exploit that allowed players to keep banners after starting encounters.
The update also fixed a critical issue with the Fireteam Finder, where the Sunless Cell Grandmaster Nightfall wasn't appearing as an option.
Quality of Life Improvements
Bungie hasn't forgotten about the little things. The update includes fixes for various armor clipping issues and visual bugs. Perhaps most importantly, the damage indicator has been adjusted to help alleviate potential photosensitivity issues, making Destiny 2 more accessible to players with these sensitivities.
Taken Phalanx enemies will no longer constantly hold their shields up, giving Guardians more opportunities to land critical hits without relying on flanking maneuvers.
With these comprehensive changes, Destiny 2 Update 8.2.6 demonstrates Bungie's ongoing commitment to refining both the PvP and PvE experiences. Whether you're a Trials enthusiast, raid conqueror, or casual player, there's something in this update that will impact your Guardian's journey through the solar system.