[GameSpot] - Destiny 2 Season Of The Deep Artifact Perks Sound Like A Shockingly Good Time

[343iBot]

Bungie has revealed another key piece of information about the upcoming Season of the Deep for Destiny 2. The full list of Artifact perks for Season 21 is now available, and it sounds like running Arc will be particularly fun next season.

Because of the way they can dictate what weapons and subclasses you'll want to use, Artifact perks are a key component of the game, keeping things fresh from season to season. (However, it'll be immeasurably sad to see Bricks From Beyond and Volatile Flow leave.) While these aren't entirely Arc-focused in Season of the Deep, there are a number of reasons you'll want to run an Arc subclass. That includes the Show and Awe perk: While Amplified, Arc final blows will cause a burst of lightning that damages and jolts enemies. There's also Lightning Strikes Twice, which causes your Arc grenade to recharge faster after throwing one, with the duration of that buff being extended by Arc final blows.

Other Arc-focused perks include Amped Up, which grants damage resistance while Amplified; Thunderous Retort, which grants bonus damage to your Arc Super if you activate it while Amplified or critically wounded; and Electric Armor, which allows you to stay Amplified for longer--which will be key with so many perks relying on that buff being active.

There are Strand- and Void-focused perks, too, but the most interesting one in the entire Artifact may be Squad Goals. This causes finishers to grant a bonus to nearby allies depending on your subclass, with Arc, Strand, and Void all eligible. In the case of Arc, finishers while Amplified grants Amplified to nearby allies. Strand does the same but for Woven Mail, and Void does the same for Devour. So in theory, well-timed finishers will allow you to maintain these buffs as a team for much longer than usual.

The other key element of the Artifact perks are the anti-champion options, as this can be a major factor in deciding on the weapons you take into high-end content. All five are available in the first column:

• Anti-Barrier: auto rifles
• Unstoppable: hand cannons, glaives
• Overload: scout rifles, trace rifles

As has been the case since Lightfall launched earlier this year, Artifact perks you activate will always be active (so long as you satisfy any requirements, like needing to be Amplified), rather than having to equip mods to utilize them. As a further improvement, you'll be able to refund individual perks you unlock, rather than needing to reset the entire Artifact if you want to make a change.

You can check out the full set of Season of the Deep Artifact perks below, as shared in the latest This Week At Bungie post. The new season launches this coming Tuesday, May 23, and will add new Strand Artifacts, numerous changes to Exotic weapons and Exotic armor, and much more.

Season of the Deep Artifact Perks

Column 1

• Anti-Barrier Auto-Rifle: Your equipped Auto Rifle fires shield-piercing rounds and stun Barrier Champions. Additionally, Auto-Rifles are always overcharged when that modifier is active.
• Unstoppable Hand Cannon: Aiming down the sights of a Hand Cannon for a short time loads a powerful explosive payload that stuns unshielded combatants. Strong against Unstoppable Champions. Additionally, Hand Cannons are always overcharged when that modifier is active.
• Overload Scout Rifle: Landing consecutive hits on combatants with any Scout Rifle you are wielding causes disruption, delaying ability energy regeneration and lowering combatant damage output. Strong against Overload Champions. Additionally, Scout Rifles are always overcharged when that modifier is active.
• Overload Trace Rifle: Uninterrupted fire from your equipped Trace Rifles causes the beam to stun combatants, delaying ability energy regeneration and lowering their damage output. Strong against Overload Champions. Additionally, Trace Rifles are always overcharged when that modifier is active.
• Unstoppable Glaive: Glaives you wield fire a powerful explosive payload that stuns unshielded combatants. Strong against Unstoppable Champions. Additionally, Glaives are always overcharged when that modifier is active.

Column 2

• Authorized Mods: Arc: The armor energy costs of all armor mods affecting your Arc weapons are significantly discounted.
• Authorized Mods: Void: The armor energy costs of all armor mods affecting your Void weapons are significantly discounted.
• Authorized Mods: Strand: The armor energy costs of all armor mods affecting your Strand weapons are significantly discounted.
• Authorized Mods: Melee: The armor energy costs of all armor mods affecting your melee are significantly discounted.
• Technicolor Siphon: Grants access to Helmet armor mods that combine the effects of the Strand Siphon and Arc Siphon mods.

Column 3

• Improved Unraveling: Increases the amount of damage dealt by unraveling a target.
• Deeper Origins: Greatly improves the benefits provided by the Unsated Hunger, Nanotech Tracer Rockets, Harmonic Resonance, and Noble Deeds traits.
• Unto the Breach: Defeating a Void Debuffed targets creates a Void Breach while your Void subclass is equipped.
• Electric Armor: Stay amplified longer while your Arc subclass is equipped.
• Thunderous Retort: Grants bonus Arc Super damage if cast while critically wounded or while amplified. Lasts until the end of the Super activation.

Column 4

• Strand Soldier: Your Strand weapons gain Unraveling Rounds whenever you gain Woven Mail while your Strand subclass is equipped.
• Overcharged Armory: Weapons with the Unsated Hunger, Nanotech Tracer Rockets, Harmonic Resonance, and Noble Deed traits are always overcharged weapons for you when that modifier is active.
• Protective Breach: Picking up a Void Breach gives you an overshield or refreshes your existing overshield.
• Counter Charge: Gain a stack of Armor Charge when you stun a Champion.
• Amped Up: Gain damage resistance while amplified.

Column 5

• Conductive Cosmic Needle: Targets affected by Strand debuffs take increases damage from Arc and Void abilities.
• Shock and Awe: Arc final blows while you are amplified summon a burst of lightning that damages and jolts targets.
• Supernova: Picking up a Void Breach causes your next source of Void damage to create a large weakening pulse.
• Squad Goals:
  • Performing a finisher while you are amplified grants Amplified to nearby allies when your Arc subclass is equipped.
  • Performing a finisher while you have Woven Mail grants Woven Mail to nearby allies when your Strand subclass is equipped.
  • Performing a finisher while you have Devour grants Devour to nearby allies when your Void subclass is equipped.
• Lightning Strikes Twice: After throwing an Arc grenade, gain increased grenade recharge for a short time. Arc final blows extend the duration of this benefit.

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