Destiny 2 has stepped up its game with the Heresy episode, and players have definitely noticed the ramp-up in difficulty, particularly when facing off against the more formidable Taken Phalanx foes. On top of that, the Unstoppable Champion enemies have received a power boost, pushing players to rethink their strategies as they tackle the endgame content. The increased challenge might mean it’s time for players to fine-tune their loadouts, pick the right weapons, or even change up their abilities to effectively counter these beefed-up adversaries.
Following a rocky patch marked by internal challenges at Bungie and in-game hiccups, Destiny 2 is currently basking in a more stable phase with Episode Heresy. However, as the game gears up for the Frontiers release and a fresh content model, it’s uncertain if this good spell will last. For now, Bungie should savor this successful period, particularly as the game transitions through Act 2 and Act 3 of the current release. Compared to the turbulent times of Revenant, there are fewer bugs and gameplay issues. Yet, players have started feeling the burn as Destiny 2 has unexpectedly become tougher in PvE.
Difficulty levels in Destiny 2 have been a contentious subject for the community, especially when complaints arose about the ease of completing the Root of Nightmares upon its release. Many players also felt that Prismatic trivialized certain aspects, like buildcrafting. With the game being as vast as it is, pleasing every player is a tall order, which makes the spike in PvE difficulty in Heresy seem strange, possibly even buggy. Currently, the Taken Phalanx foes are proving exceptionally hard to beat, which can lead to some annoying moments during endgame battles.
The Taken Phalanx enemies have always been pesky, thanks to their knockback attacks and impenetrable shields capable of sending Guardians flying into danger. But in Heresy, these enemies have become a true menace with even larger shields and altered body postures, raising the challenge significantly. Reports from players like Chablo91 on YouTube and FrostWendigo on Reddit highlight these changes.
This ramp-up in difficulty is evident, affecting various aspects of the game, including Destiny 2’s Grandmaster Nightfalls, Expert Nether runs, and the Starcrossed Exotic Mission. Since the core Taken Phalanxes are now tougher, the Unstoppable Champions modeled after them share the same resilience. Heresy’s Unstoppable mods are limited to glaives and fusion rifles, making it tricky for players focusing on Arc builds to stun these Champions. Players may need to consider swapping out their explosive grenades for Flashbang Grenades to ensure they can neutralize Unstoppable Champions reliably. Additionally, finding consistent methods to deal area damage to the dense populations of Taken Phalanxes—like using the new grenade launcher, Psychopomp, or leaning on Solar ignitions—will be crucial, especially in places where fighting them up close is not ideal.
The beefed-up presence of Taken Phalanxes means players need to rethink their strategy, especially from a distance, where their expanded shield coverage makes engagement tricky. It’s not just the regular Phalanxes; the Unstoppable Champions crafted from them pose the same problem. Utilizing Exotics with intrinsic anti-Unstoppable rounds, such as the Malfeasance, which deals extra damage to Taken, might be a wise tactic. It remains uncertain whether these changes are by design or a glitch in the system. However, the modifications seem to be catching players off guard, underscoring the need for caution when approaching missions involving these newly strengthened foes.
