Why the Endgame in Destiny 2 Has Unexpectedly Increased in Difficulty

Destiny 2 has ramped up the difficulty in its latest episode, Heresy, particularly with the enhancement of Taken Phalanx enemies. These foes are now more formidable, especially with Unstoppable Champion enemies receiving similar boosts, presenting players with a tougher challenge in high-level content. To tackle these enhanced adversaries effectively, players may need to rethink their strategies, adjust their gear, or switch up their abilities.

After what seemed like a prolonged period of internal challenges at Bungie coupled with various in-game issues, Destiny 2 finds itself in a much-improved state with the roll-out of Episode Heresy. However, there’s uncertainty about whether this will be enough as the game moves towards Frontiers and a new content model. Bungie would do well to ride the current wave of success, being mindful that changes in Act 2 and Act 3 could shift things once again. Compared to the previous release, Revenant, this episode has been relatively free of bugs and gameplay problems. Nonetheless, some players have noted that something feels off lately, and it’s because the PvE experience has suddenly become more challenging.

Difficulty has always been a contentious topic among the Destiny 2 community. Previously, many players were frustrated by the ease of completing the Root of Nightmares and criticized how the Prismatic updates made certain content trivial. In such a vast game, it’s difficult to satisfy every player, so the recent increase in PvE difficulty during Heresy may seem unexpected. This spike in challenge might also stem from a bug, as Taken Phalanx enemies have become noticeably harder to defeat, potentially leading to discouraging scenarios in endgame activities.

Now, these Taken Phalanx units are infamous for being some of the most bothersome foes in Destiny 2, thanks to their shielded knockback attack that often sends Guardians tumbling off edges or into walls, sometimes resulting in irritating deaths. In the episode Heresy, they’ve doubled down, sporting larger shields and altered postures, making them much tougher to take down. Several gamers like Chablo91 on YouTube and FrostWendigo on Reddit have pointed out these changes.

This transformation becomes particularly evident once you know where to look or are aware of it, regardless of whether it was an intended update. It’s especially impacting Destiny 2’s more demanding segments such as Grandmaster Nightfalls, Expert Nether runs, and the Starcrossed Exotic Mission. Not only are the regular Taken Phalanxes more resilient, but their Unstoppable Champion variants have also followed suit. As Heresy provides Unstoppable mods only for glaives and fusion rifles, stunning these Champions is becoming increasingly challenging—noticeable now more than ever with so many players opting for Arc builds.

While Arc setups usually offer straightforward methods for stunning Overload and Unstoppable Champions, adapting by swapping out damaging grenades for the Flashbang Grenade might become necessary just to ensure a guaranteed stun on these formidable foes. Additionally, finding robust techniques to inflict area-of-effect damage is crucial in endgame scenarios filled with Taken Phalanxes. Options include using the Area Denial grenade launcher, Psychopomp, or leveraging Solar ignitions. This adaptation might be tricky in missions like Starcrossed, where these enemies play a central role and are more manageable when dealt with from a distance.

Given the Taken Phalanxes’ new capability to shield most of their body and head due to their posture, engaging them from afar has become markedly more difficult. Their expanded shields now also affect Unstoppable Champions that are based on them, prompting players to consider using Exotics with built-in anti-Unstoppable capabilities. Destiny 2’s Malfeasance might be especially useful as it not only contains these properties but deals additional damage to Taken as well. It’s still unclear whether this change was a deliberate move by Bungie or if it’s an accidental bug. However, considering the new twist on Taken Phalanx adversaries in Heresy, the latter seems likely. Players should remain vigilant and prepared for these updated dynamics when confronting activities featuring these enemies and their Unstoppable Champions.