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Destiny 2's Whisper of the Worm is getting a buff in December

Though not an infinite ammo generator, Whisper of the Worm's upcoming buff looks to make it a viable option for damage phases once more.

Sam Chandler

November 11, 2021 8:20 PM

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Nothing gets a Destiny player more excited than knowing one of their favorite weapons is getting a buff. And nothing causes us Guardians to moan and groan more than discovering our favorite Exotic is getting a nerf. There’s a little bit of both in today’s This Week at Bungie, but the main standout is that Whisper of the Worm is finally going to be viable in end-game activities.

The November 11, 2021, edition of the TWAB has given players insight into a host of buffs coming to some Exotic weapons in December. The patch preview also makes mention of changes being made to Adrenaline Junkie, Vorpal Weapon, and even notes a new mod that focuses on accessibility.

Bungie has this to say about the changes coming to Whisper of the Worm:

The original DPS king has fallen out of favor, with the delay before the damage buff kicking in making the weapon less usable in short damage phases, and optimal sustained damage requiring all critical hits but not sufficiently rewarding precision.

• Reduced delay on activating Whispered Breathing from the catalyst from 2.1s to 1.2s.
• White Nail magazine refill changed. Was 3 from inventory but now pulls 2 from inventory and 1 from thin air.
• Increased damage in PvE by 10%.

The time it took for Whispered Breathing to kick in was a major down point for the weapon. Though two seconds doesn’t sound like a lot, during a damage phase, that’s a big chunk of time. This change should hopefully make it easier to start rolling those critical hits, which is where the neat change comes in. Instead of White Nail pulling three rounds from your reserves, only two will be pulled while another bonus round is pulled from the air. This will effectively increase the ammo capacity of the weapon, pushing out its damage potential.

There were also some boosts coming to other Exotic weapons: Arbalest will now have an intrinsic anti-barrier effect, Sleeper Simulant has received an increase to its magazine and PVE damage, Cryosthesia 77K has had some quality-of-life changes which will make it feel more powerful, and D.A.R.C.I. has been given a 20% buff in PVE along with some other benefits.

However, with the buffs come the nerfs. First on the chopping block is the Heir Apparent Catalyst, which was rather disgusting. The damage resistance it offered against players is being reduced from 75% down to 25% which means you should no longer see an Heir Apparent user survive a Super. Vex Mythoclast has also had its aim assist features toned down and now require three eliminations to proc Overcharge.

On the mod side of things, Full Auto Retrofit is a new mod that will be unlocked for all players. This enables full auto while the trigger is held and is usable on Hand Cannons, Sidearms, Scout Rifles, and Pulse Rifles. This will not only feel great to use on those rapid-frame Pulses, but is also a useful accessibility mod that should help those who have difficulty pulling triggers in rapid succession to make the most out of a high RPM.

Users will also recall that Bungie promised Adrenaline Junkie would be receiving a buff, and the TWAB highlights the changes being made to it in December:

• Eliminations with the weapon can add single damage stacks or extend existing ones
• Grenade eliminations boost the stacks immediately to x5
• Lowered the duration to compensate for weapon activation

The blog post also revealed a new emblem players can unlock. Called “Be True”, this emblem is in celebration of Transgender Awareness Week and features Bungie’s iconic fist with lightning bolt emblazoned upon a shield with the transgender pride flag colors. Players can unlock the Be True emblem by redeeming a code via Bungie’s site.

There’s much more to read in the TWAB beyond the Exotic buffs and nerfs, mod changes, and the Transgender Awareness Week emblem, so make sure you head over and check it out. The changes mentioned in the patch preview are set to go live on December 7, so still a bit of time before Whisper of the Worm reclaims its mantle. Remember to keep it locked on the Shacknews Destiny 2 Complete Strategy Guide for our ongoing and comprehensive coverage of one of our favorite games.

Sam Chandler

Head of Guides

Hailing from the land down under, Sam Chandler brings a bit of the southern hemisphere flair to his work. After bouncing round a few universities, securing a bachelor degree, and entering the video game industry, he's found his new family here at Shacknews as Head of Guides. There's nothing he loves more than crafting a guide that will help someone. If you need help with a guide, or notice something not quite right, you can message him on X: @SamuelChandler