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Loads of changes have arrived toDestiny 2with the newLightfallexpansion. On top of an action-packed campaign and the vibrant patrol area of Neomuna, the game’s UI and buildcrafting havereceived a ton of upgrades. With many old mod systems changed or deleted, players will need to understand, going forward, how buildcrafting works inDestiny 2’sLightfallera.
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Buildcrafting Changes In Lightfall
Lightfallhas introduced what Bungie calls buildcrafting 2.0. Buildcrafting overall has been simplified and streamlined, to ensure that players spend less time adjusting their builds and more time enjoying activities.
The Character screen has gone through significant UI changes, with now two new side-screens:loadouts and mod customization.
In-Game Loadouts In Lightfall
This screen is accessible from the left side of the Character screen. Here, players cansave any loadoutsthey have currently equipped into empty loadout slots,apply loadoutsby clicking on a slot,view the contents of a specific loadout, oredit their existing loadouts.Players can unlock more loadout slots as they progress through the guardian rankssystem found in the new Journey tab.
Mod Customization Screen In Lightfall
On the right side of the Character screen is now themod customization screen. This screen has two tabs accessible from the top right: armor and weapons. For armor, it shows the currentlyapplied mods and available slots for each armor piece, making viewing mods at once glance easier. Players can cycle through armor pieces by clicking on them to quickly apply mods.
In the weapon screen,players can view information about their weapons, including perks and applied weapon mods. They can also cycle through the weapons easily to apply mods or to switch out perks as needed.
What Armor Charge Is & How It Works
Previously,Destiny 2had two major mod systems: Charged with Light mods and Elemental Well mods. Both required players to create and pick up eitherOrbs of Poweror Elemental Wells to activate the effects of specific mods they had equipped.
Both of these systems have now beenmerged into a single system called Armor Charge. This system is most similar to Charged with Light mods. Players must nowcreate Orbs of Power and pick them up, which grants them Armor Charge. Armor Charge is seen on theleft side of the screen where buffs and debuffs appear.
While players have Armor Charge, mods that require Armor Charge are activated. For example, the mod Emergency Reinforcement will consume three stacks of Armor Charge when a player’s shield is broken, but grants the player damage resistance, similar to the old Protective Light mod.
Subclass Specific Pick-Ups
Elemental Wells were essentially done away with or turned into Armor Charge mods. They were also somewhatreplaced by subclass-specific pick-ups, which, depending on the fragments the player has equipped, can grant various bonuses and ability energy.
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Everything New With Mods & Armor In Lightfall
Armor Charge being the single system of buildcrafting, mods have gone through huge changes inLightfall. Players might feel overwhelmed initially, but the majority of the mods are all inspired or similar to old Charged with Light or Elemental Well mods.
On top of the Armor Charge system, mods and armor have also gone through the following changes:
To illustrate, the following tables briefly explain the mods and mod types available for each armor piece.
Helmet Mods Explained
Heavy/Special Ammo Finders & Scouts
These are the new ammo finder mods, now divided by ammo type rather than weapon type.
Unchanged. Super kills make more Orbs of Power for allies.
Radiant Light
No longer grants a stat boost. Casting a Super grants nearby allies +1 Armor Charge stack. If allies are on a different subclass, they gain +2.
Powerful Friends
No longer grants a stat boost. Picking up an Orb of Power grants nearby allies +1 Armor Charge stack.
Font of Wisdom
Picking up an Orb of Power grants an Intellect boost. Previous required an Elemental Well to activate.*
Siphon Mods
Players can now pick from any energy type. Siphon mods allow rapid kills with a specific energy type to create an Orb of Power.
Targeting Mods
Targeting mods are now divided by damage type, not by weapon archetype.
Unchanged. Gain class ability energy with grenade damage.
Grenade Kickstart
Unchanged. Players gain additional grenade energy when their grenade energy is fully depleted.
Font of Focus
While players have Armor Charge, they gain a boost in Discipline.*
Unchanged. Gain class ability energy with melee damage.
Melee Kickstart
Unchanged. Players gain additional melee energy when their melee energy is fully depleted.
Font of Vigor
While players have Armor Charge, they gain a boost in Strength.*
Shield Break Charge
Using matching damage to destroy an enemy shield grants Armor Charge.
Loader Mods
Increases weapon reload speed. Now divided by weapon energy type, not by archetype.
Dexterity Mods
Increases ready and stow speed for weapons. Now divided by weapon energy type, not by archetype.
Chest Armor Mods Explained
Resistance Mods
Players now have access to all types of energy resistance mods.
Unflinching Mods
Reduces flinch in certain weapon energy types, not divided by archetype anymore.
Reserves Mods
Increases ammo reserves in certain weapon energy types, not divided by archetype anymore.
Emergency Reinforcement
While players have at least 3 Armor Charge, they gain increased damage resistance when their shield is broken, consuming 3 stacks of Armor Charge.
Font of Endurance
While players have Armor Charge, they gain a boost in Resilience.*
Charged Up
Increases the number of maximum stacks of Armor Charge a player can have.
Lucent Blades
Swords gain an increased energy recharge rate.The glaive archetypegains more energy when dealing ranged damage.
Leg Armor Mods Explained
The first six Orb of Power mods were previously armor energy specific but are not available to everyone.
Recuperation
Unchanged. Picking up an Orb of Power grants a bit of health.
Better Already
Unchanged. Health regeneration starts when picking up an Orb of Power.
Unchanged. Picking up an Orb of Power reduces melee cooldown.
Insulation
Unchanged. Picking up an Orb of Power reduces class ability cooldown.
Absolution
Unchanged. Picking up an Orb of Power reduces cooldown for all abilities.
Orbs of Restoration
Picking up an Orb of Power gives energy to the lowest charged ability.
Stacks on Stacks
Grants one additional Armor Charge stack when picking up an Orb of Power.
Weapon Surge Mods
Previously Font of Might. Receive a damage boost to weapon damage of a specific energy type.*
Holster Mods
Reloads weapons while holstered, now divided by energy type rather than by archetype.
Scavenger Mods
Grants bonus reserves to weapons when picking up ammo, now divided by energy type rather than by archetype.
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Unchanged. Reduces grenade cooldown when using class ability.
Reaper
After players use their class ability, their next kill spawns an Orb of Power.
Utility Kickstart
When all class ability energy is depleted, players gain class ability energy faster. Any Armor Charge stacks are consumed and increase recharge rate.
Font of Restoration
While players have Armor Charge, they receive a boost in Recovery.*
Decaying Armor Charge decays slower.
Finisher Mods
All finisher mods are available now regardless of energy and either provide or require Armor Charge.
- When these mods are equipped,the player’s Armor Charge decays over time. Without them, players retain their Armor Charge indefinitely or until it is consumed (similar to Charged with Light).
How Artifact Mods Work In Lightfall
Artifact mods inLightfallera ofDestiny 2no longer need to be slotted into armor. Oncean artifact modis unlocked from the seasonal artifact, it’s a passive buff that is constantly available and active for players—within the limitations of the mod, of course.
Players can only havea total of 12 artifact mods active at once, but resetting the artifact is now free, which should make it easy to switch artifact mods around quickly.
How Artifice Armor Works In Lightfall
Since artifact mods are no longer slotted in, the extra armor slot found in Artifice armor has been repurposed. This slot now lets players chooseone stat that receives a +3 boost. This should help players round out the stats in their builds.
Destiny 2. Lightfallis available on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.
