Destiny 2: The Final Shape Revamps Exotic Armor Drops and Shaders

As we get closer to Destiny 2: The Final Shape, Bungie revealed the highly anticipated shader rework, and a new way to obtain the latest exotic armor.

Instead of the current four color scheme, shaders will now have a six color design. The look intends to make it easier to gauge unique features, design elements, and color pathways the current system doesn’t accomplish. Hard to say if this will be an improvement, but at least Superblack is now available to simplify the process.

The other big change is how new exotic armors are unlocked. Previously players would need to complete a Lost Sector solo, or do Vex Strike Force, though going forward they will be locked behind Rahool’s reputation system.

According to the post, a little more than 10 Exotic Engrams decoded at tier two focusing will max out his reputation. Those without the Ascendant Shards can gain process by decoding any engram, so it’s just a matter of time. It will be interesting to see if this resets each season, and all the specifics, but it is a change that could be huge for players who hate the current system.

More details about these mechanics and more can be found below.

Destiny 2: The Final Shape Shader/Exotic Armor Update

RAHOOL’S FREQUENT DECRYPTOR PROGRAM

The experience of grinding out new Exotic armor can be a time-consuming process. It can take quite a few runs to get the drop you’re looking for, and many more to get one that has stats that support your build. Besides that, with Exotic armor pieces often forming the backbone of a powerful build, new players are regularly asked to spend a long time tackling challenging content solo before being able to run builds that support the most effective tactics.

Luckily, the Econ Team has established a good working relationship with the Tower’s Number One Cryptarch over the last year as we added Exotic armor focusing, and we have managed to help Rahool set up a new promotional program of sorts that makes farming the armor you want more deterministic and less dependent on rotators.

Starting in The Final Shape, Rahool is going to be the source for any new Exotic armor that we release. When you first talk to Rahool after The Final Shape launch, he will introduce you to a new rewards program tied to his brand-new Reputation Track. The idea is simple: the more you decode engrams with him, the more you increase your reputation with him. Once you completely fill the reputation track once and reset your rank, Rahool will allow you into an elite club, giving you access to a new tier of focusing.

Once you become one of Rahool’s “Engram Ensiders” (he was very proud of the name, so be nice to him), you’ll be able to purchase any piece of Exotic armor for any character on your account for one Exotic engram and one Exotic cipher, in addition to the previous focusing options. Because this is tied to Rahool’s new reputation track, there is no weekly limit to using this tier of focusing; as long as you still have Exotic ciphers and engrams, you can keep rolling armor.

With this change, we are also altering the way that old sources of Exotic armor work. First, Lost Sectors will keep the same drop rates for Exotics but will instead drop engrams whenever they would have previously dropped gear. Neomuna will also still drop new Exotic armor when you complete a Vex Strike Force encounter, but we won’t be adding any more new armor to the drop list after Season of the Wish.

With these changes, we know you’re wondering, “How long will it take to get this newfangled tier of focusing? I’ve got the World’s First Race to prepare for, wot wot!” Without going into the exact numbers, the actions that will give the most reputation will be precision decryption (aka Tier 2 focusing), followed by advanced decryption, then opening an Exotic engram , and last but also least, opening a prime engram. So, if you want to be ready for the Witness’s forces as soon as possible, make sure to stock up on Exotic engrams and Ascendant Shards before June 4, as with a little more than a full stock of Exotic engrams you’ll be able to start focusing new armor.

SHADER ICON REVAMP

With The Final Shape, we’re upgrading the look and design of the shader icon layout.  Shaders are a core way a player can provide a unique look and feel to their Guardian, and we wanted to help continue to make that a better experience. Our goal with this update is to help make the shader icons more accurately reflect the colors and textures they will apply.

Currently, there are some issues that can make the experience of applying a shader inconsistent. The first being that, while each shader applies six colors, only four are currently shown on the shader icon. This can sometimes result in the shader appearing differently than players may expect from the icon preview.

Adding to this is the fact that all four color sections of the current shader icon are equal in shape and size, making it difficult to distinguish what the main colors will be when applied. There are also many shaders that have unique glows that players strive for, and with the current design, they are not represented. Gambit Jadestone is a great example of this.

To help address these issues, we’ve made updates to the shader icon design that includes all six colors for that shader. We are also changing the design in a way that makes the primary colors appear to take more space than the secondary colors for a more accurate representation with most gear items. Glows are also reflected in the updated design so it will be easier to distinguish those shaders within your shader selection screens.

We tested many different design solutions for this goal, and eventually settled on adding a diamond to the center of the current icon design and changing the layout of the color slots on the icon.

We’re hoping these new improvements will offer a better experience for Guardians looking to show off their best looks.

NEW TERRITORY

When these maps arrive on May 7, they’ll be on a separate 3v3 playlist called “New Territory,” so you can enjoy the new experience these maps offer on demand. The playlist will replace the 3v3 Quickplay node and feature the three new maps with the following game modes: Survival, Elimination, Clash, and Collision. Be sure to pick up the introductory quest from Shaxx for more details on the maps and playlist.

Additionally, while New Territory is the designated playlist for the new maps, the maps will be available in other playlists and the private lobby as usual.

Lastly, New Territory will be available until the end of the Season, at which point any player who engaged in the playlist will be awarded with the new Slaycation emblem!

This week in Destiny

Finally, if you haven’t already checked it out, Pantheon is now available. We wrote a brief article giving our impression of the mode.