Destiny 2 is nerfing beloved (and kind of broken) Still Hunt synergy next month

Hunters have been the kings of damage in Destiny 2 after The Final Shape, largely thanks to a deadly synergy between the new Still Hunt sniper and the old Celestial Nighthawk Exotic. But Bungie is trimming the power of that combo by 25 percent in early August, it announced today.

The developers have kept their eyes on Still Hunt, though they focused the nerf on the synergy between the two Exotic pieces, today’s blog post reads. Because of this, they’ll reduce the damage of Still Hunt’s Golden Gun bullet by 25 percent when paired with Celestial Nighthawk.

Hunters have been at the top of damage calculations in Destiny 2, and Still Hunt has been glued to countless guardians’ Energy slots even if they’re not using the dodging class. The weapon itself should remain largely unchanged if you’re a Warlock or Titan, but Hunters will feel it noticeably different.

“While Hunters have the opportunity for some thematic tie-ins between Celestial Nighthawk, Golden Gun, and Still Hunt, this should help to reduce a bit of damage disparity between each class (and between what should be viable weapon alternatives),” according to the blog post.

The changes to Still Hunt are only slated for “early August,” which might coincide with the Solstice patch. Guardians still have a bit of time to make the most out of the deadly combo before it’s watered down, so make sure to knock out any raid or dungeon challenges before then.

Echoes’ second act is bringing a suite of sniper-focused mods when it launches next Tuesday, July 16, which will benefit the weapon category as a whole. Still Hunt is the natural choice, but the heavy Whisper of the Worm can also surface as a great option in applicable encounters.

Still Hunt shipped as one of the darlings of The Final Shape, and not just because of its lore tie-in to Cayde-6 and Crow. This deadly sniper rifle can charge up a shot that’s similar to a Hunter’s Golden Gun super regardless of class, though Hunters get the extra advantage of using Celestial Nighthawk. This Hunter-exclusive Exotic armor gives Still Hunt just one high-powered shot instead of three, making it perfect for burst damage.

Since Still Hunt’s special mode charges up by landing precision hits or picking up Orbs of Power, guardians can use its unique Golden Gun shot fairly easily, especially against enemies with large critical hitboxes like the Witness. Each activation gets the bonus of Celestial Nighthawk, making it easier for Hunters to bring Still Hunt to its full potential. The sniper also uses Special ammo, making it somewhat easy to generate ammo for it.

Although Bungie only said the changes are expected “in early August,” there’s no clear time frame on when exactly the balancing patch will arrive. Players can remorselessly take it through Echoes’ second act, which kicks off on July 16.