Bungie has disclosed the Exotic arsenal and armor planned to be released with the imminent Renegades expansion, thereby confirming the long-time speculation that the new gear has been greatly influenced by the Star Wars universe. This reveal, narrated by Spider, has come at a critical moment in the life of the live service title whose concurrent player count has decreased noticeably after recently measuring it. The December release of Renegades, therefore, positions itself as an important opportunity with which to rekindle excitement within the community and steady the player base.
Among the new arsenal items, several serve as direct homages to the works of George Lucas. Uncivil Discourse, a pistol modeled after Han Solo’s distinctive DL-44, will soon be available for Guardians. The enticing heavy sniper rifle A499 emulates the aesthetic of The Mandalorian’s Amban phase-pulse rifle, but melee enthusiasts will have to make do with Praxic Sword, a kinetic offering to the lightsaber, while the exotic crossbow, Heirloom, pays tribute to Chewbacca’s signature Boltcaster, firing high-powered explosive bolts.
The revealed Exotic armor pieces will introduce exciting new combat mechanics across all three classes. Hunters get the leg armor Fortune’s Favor, which grants a sustained overshield by passively recharging the standard shield over time: understated but useful utility. The Deimosuffusion chest piece is a rather unconventional Exotic given that it’s available to Warlocks but is capable of suspension and damage over time of nearby enemies. Some initial community voices have raised questions about the relatively conventional nature of these two, but players are very hopeful that their functions will be discovered, deepened, and matured when expansion is opened.
More immediate attention, however, is focused on the Titan’s Praxic Vestment. The chest plate provides this particular class with a tactical aerial advance, something fans immediately likened to Anthem’s flight mechanics. But, of course, for the more dedicated folk within Destiny, there is the implication that this Vestment is Bungie’s modern version of the retired Twilight Garrison Exotic. Instead of simply dusting off the old item, the developers have apparently just reworked the demanded aerial movement mechanic in order to suggest that Renegades is about more than just new content, but really re-exploring and evolving the game’s legacy.
