Destiny 2's Pinnacle Hand Cannons Are Getting Big Nerfs

Destiny 2 players who love their hand cannons just got a big shock to their systems. Bungie announced via its blog that two of the game's best hand cannons are getting nerfed, and thus far, the competitive community is not taking it well.

According to Bungie, the "Magnificent Howl" perk on Luna's Howl and Not Forgotten — two hand cannons obtained via lengthy quests in the Crucible's Competitive mode — is "too effective." Bungie has found by studying the guns that they simply kill opponents too quickly, and that other guns in Destiny 2 can't hold a candle to them. For those unfamiliar with the game, Destiny 2's weapons come in various archetypes, with frames and firing speeds differing depending on the gun. Both Luna's Howl and Not Forgotten use a Precision Frame, and to boot, they also fire incredibly fast.

The combination of those two features, along with the Magnificent Howl perk — which deals increased damage after two precision hits — were incredibly potent. Simply put: if you run into someone even a little bit proficient with a hand cannon, you are as good as dead.

Bungie's plan going forward is to lower the firing speed on both guns, from 180 rounds per minute to 150. And the Magnificent Howl perk will also be getting a tweak, forcing players to use their third, more powerful shot on an opponent's body versus on their head.

As stated earlier, the competitive community inside Destiny 2 is taking these nerfs pretty hard. One player who thought the guns should be nerfed called Bungie's solution "overkill." Other players who worked to reach Competitive's Fabled rank are lamenting the fact that they spent all their time grinding for guns that won't be as good anymore. And some even pointed out the fact that Bungie's nerf of these two weapons actually hurt its use in PvE, affecting players who prefer to use the guns against aliens rather than other Guardians.

Those who happen to have either Luna's Howl or Not Forgotten can breathe a sigh of relief, for now, as the nerfs won't go live until sometime in June. But if you're a player working to acquire either weapon, you now have a lot less to look forward to.