Destiny 2: The Edge of Fate Expansion - A Comprehensive Melee Combat Overhaul and Introduction of Glaives

Bungie has announced another significant update to Destiny 2 with the launch of The Edge of Fate expansion, a core combat component that has been hinted at since the studio announced the next phase of the game as Codename Frontiers. The studio has been transparent about the substantial updates to the core experience of Destiny 2, including a full-year roadmap that confirms two smaller expansions, reward passes, and two major updates. One of the most notable changes is the overhaul of melee combat and the introduction of Glaives.

Starting on July 15, melee damage in Destiny 2 will be additive, meaning damage increases will be added together instead of multiplied. This results in a lower "ceiling" for melee abilities but a buff for all status effects that increase damage. In addition, melee damage increasing effects in PvE activities will always stack at full value, if applicable. The Melee stat in Armor 3.0 also increases the damage of melee abilities when over 100 points, providing up to a 30% bonus at 200. This bonus is considered an increase to the base damage and is multiplicative with other damage increases, making it worth investing in. However, melee damage no longer scales with Scorch and Ignition effects, making them similar to how Jolt works.

Glaives, Destiny 2's melee weapon, will be considered an unpowered melee ability with The Edge of Fate expansion. This means anything that increases damage, like the new Melee stat, will also power this weapon. Glaives will also be able to trigger effects that are impacted by melee abilities. To compensate for the potential damage spikes of this change, Glaives have seen some damage nerfs against PvE enemies, though the weapon does have a much higher potential damage-per-second output than it did originally.

Overall, Bungie's changes to melee combat and Glaives in The Edge of Fate expansion are substantial and will impact how players approach these aspects of the game. With these changes, Bungie is aiming to provide a more balanced and dynamic melee experience in Destiny 2 that rewards players for investing in melee abilities and Glaives.