Destiny 2’s Court of Blades Illuminates a Major Loot Issue

Destiny 2 has certainly caught the community’s attention with Episode Heresy. Players are diving into some engaging activities and checking out new weapons while getting wrapped up in a storyline involving Eris Morn. Her unexpected demise sets the stage for an intriguing narrative that players are eager to unravel. Then there’s this roguelike twist in The Nether activity, which, although stirring mixed reactions about using health as a currency, shows promise for future content refinement by Bungie.

Switching gears, we’ve got the new Court of Blades, a refreshing pivot from The Nether. Here, players face off against a lineup of formidable foes, snagging buffs along the way. It’s an action-packed thrill—but it does bring to light lingering issues with how loot is distributed in the game.

As we look to the upcoming Frontiers expansion, Destiny 2 is set to shake things up, ditching the yearly expansion format for smaller, more frequent updates. Among the anticipated changes is a total overhaul of the armor system. However, the game’s handling of loot remains a pressing concern. Once a staple, weapon crafting has been largely forgotten, and the ongoing struggle to adequately reward players’ gaming hours is exemplified by the current loot system, especially noticeable in Court of Blades.

Now, let’s dive deeper into Court of Blades, which theoretically offers a great experience—taking down a series of bosses and getting some sweet loot in return. Better yet, when tackling it on Expert mode, there’s a promise of even shinier “Heresy” seasonal weapons, including versions sporting multiple perks and an added Origin Trait. These gems, thanks to their lack of crafting options, are prime targets for collectors seeking the coveted Adept mods.

However, the problem arises when Expert mode doesn’t guarantee these valuable Adept weapons even after players take down all the bosses. It’s a bit of a letdown because without a guaranteed drop, the efforts in Expert mode seem hardly worth the extra time. This has been a long-standing issue in Destiny 2, where players feel their hard work isn’t justly rewarded. It was a similar story with The Nether, where the lack of guaranteed Adept weapons disappointed many. Though hopes were high that Bungie would correct this with future activities, Court of Blades hasn’t quite hit the mark.

Reaching those Adept god rolls in Court of Blades is a tough feat. Not only do players have to pray to the RNG gods to even see an Adept drop, but they also need to land the right weapon with the right perks. It’s a grind—consider that the time spent trying to get one Adept weapon in Expert mode could net several in Normal mode. These Adept weapons, while fantastic if enhanced, don’t seem worth the Expert grind right now. It’s something Bungie’s Destiny 2 Frontiers will need to address, to ensure the hours players invest come back with the intended reward.