Bungie is deploying a hotfix tomorrow, October 14, that brings with it promised weapon class tweaks. Among them, scout rifles have received a much needed boost to damage output.
In addition to the scout rifle base damage buff, they’ll do more against combatants based on tier (up to 25 percent). You’ll also get snappier target acquisition with them.
Auto rifles on the other hand have received a slight nerf of 2 percent. Their head shot damage bonus has also been scaled back from 1.5x to 1.25x. You’ll also note they are a bit less stable, ranging from 4 percent to 17 percent.
As we were warned, shotguns will have a shorter effective distance, with maximum damage scaled down by 20 percent at maximum range. The shot package perk has a wider cone of fire now and you won’t be able to use it at the same time as rangefinder anymore either.
Two exotic weapons have received changes. That Vex Mythoclast you might love dearly isn’t nearly as powerful anymore. It’s had base damage scaled down by a whopping 34 percent. Headshot bonus has been tweaked from 1.25x to 1.5x, though.
Pocket Infinity’s enhanced battery perk is now gone. In its place, you’ll find the speed reload perk.
Among the other smaller fixes, changes to Vault of Glass will make your next run a bit different. The biggest change is to how the relic is handled, so don’t leave the playable area.
This hotfix should be rolled out on all platforms tomorrow. A larger update coming later will improve exotics that aren’t as powerful as intended and class balancing items.
Note: This story originally noted head shot damage as a percentage rather than a multiplier. This has been corrected. We regret the error.
[Source: Bungie]
Our Take
I’ll probably still stick to hand cannons, but the next time I get a scout rifle drop I’ll take the time to actually look at it. I feel bad for anyone using that Vex Mythoclast, especially if they worked hard for the gun that’s now one-third less effective.