Is Lightfall’s Exotic Rifle worth the $100 bounty?

Bungie’s Loot Shooter Destiny 2 will grow once again on February 28, the day of his new fall of light expansion is scheduled for launch. But with the “Deluxe” edition launching at a staggering $100, one naturally wonders if any of the bundled rewards can justify the price.

This new infusion of content follows the much-loved witch queen, whose $80 Deluxe Edition, which included the expansion and its season pass, garnered very positive reviews. The fans, myself included, expect good things. However, fall of lightalso saw a price hike, with the base expansion selling for $50 and the Deluxe Edition expansion + season pass combo asking for $100. (There is also a Physical Collector’s Edition for a whopping $250, which includes an LED-lit Pouka figure, among other luxuries.) But I don’t need any of that; my eye fell squarely on the Deluxe Edition.

I’m tempted, you see, because of a specific gun you get if you pre-order the Deluxe Edition: Quicksilver Storm. An Exotic Auto Rifle, Fans Quickly Noticed This Is The Most Exciting Destiny 2 exotic for a long time. The only pressing question is whether or not the fun justifies the funds.

It’s a very cool gun. For every two rocket shots that hit, a grenade also spawns in the weapon’s alt-fire mode, totaling three separate ammo streams, all from a weapon that takes primary ammo. The damage? Very high. This automatic rifle also goes very well with Actium War Riga Titan-exclusive Exotic that allows you to passively reload your weapon ammo from reserves, allowing your magazine to last longer before needing to reload.

Now the case against. First of all, the Quicksilver Storm has been disabled by Bungie once in the past due to an exploit that allowed it to bypass team wipe mechanics in certain raids and dungeons. It is now resolved and the weapon is back. Additionally, Bungie made no mention of any plans to nerf or otherwise hamper the weapon’s performance in the future.

That said, players too familiar with the story of Destiny 2 balancing might feel cautious about embracing an Exotic that seems too good to be true before the initial post-release patch has even landed, and for good reason. In the past, Bungie has been known to release new exotic weapons or armor that are considered groundbreaking or dominate in PvE or PvP; he lets that roll for about two patches, then balances the once OP Exotics into mediocrity or, worst-case scenario, renders them useless. (As a warlock, I can’t forget a particularly crushing Skull of Dire Ahamkara nerf.) The question then has to be asked, is $99.99 really a justifiable price for an expansion, an annual pass, and an Exotic that has already endured patch purgatory?

Quicksilver Storm has opened many doors for new builds, especially when paired with the new Arc 3.0 Subclass and specifically Actium War Rig Titans. Although it was once temporarily disabled before its official release, Bungie rarely left items in this state for long periods of time. And personally, I’ve always been one to buy annual passes because I find it saves me money in the long run when seasonal content is released throughout each expansion. The Deluxe edition suits me. However, for people who were already planning to buy the $50 fall of light expansion but were hesitant to spend the extra money for the annual pass, it should be noted that Quicksilver Storm will become available to all fall of light players when the expansion’s first season kicks off in February.

Still, I think the fun factor and awesome abilities of this Exotic – if you get access to it now – make a compelling case when paired with the extra rewards that are usually unlocked through an Annual Pass. The price of entry is high, but if you can save the money and want to fully embrace the dream of firing rockets, grenades and primary ammo from the same automatic rifle – and now, without waiting – then you might just want to go there. Quicksilver Storm is a fun Exotic that has the potential to expand your experience both in this Plunder Seasonand for those who enter fall of light.