Destiny 2: Why a “Venom” class is not off the table yet

When it became known in 2021 that Destiny 2 would receive the The Witch Queen expansion, but that its contents were still a complete mystery, leaks and rumors mainly invited speculation. One of these leaks in May 2021 revolved around the role of Osiris and also that the Another Darkness subclass might await Guardian of the Vanguard: Vapor.

Even before May 2021, some of the leaks came true. Season 13 was supposed to be about Calus’ daughter Caiatl (which it did) and season 14, the season of the splicer, also happened as “prophesied”. And what has happened since then? Osiris was really replaced by Savathûn. We had to rid Savathûn of her worm. Mara Sov has since returned. These are all story points addressed by the leak. So what about the ominous fifth element “Vapor”? The authors of Mein-MMO, among others, have addressed this question, and the Destiny community draws some interesting and important conclusions from current events in Destiny 2 (buy now €19.50).

Vapor in Lightfall?

As for the Vapor leak, we assumed the new element could work like the Dorn handgun; a classic damage over time build (aka DoTs). This is a reasonable assumption, because the previous Guardian elements Void, Arc and Stasis do not offer DoT effects. Only Solar would be based on a DoT style of play, but really only remotely.

Then, in August 2021, we learned that The Witch Queen does not bring a new element. Instead, the urgently needed revision of the light focus to the functionality of the dark focus Stasis was pending. At this point it should be emphasized: It is very important that this happened, because the light focuses had become so inflexible and literally stupid with the revisions at the start of Destiny 2 that it hurt veterans to see and play.

There is no new element for the Wardens in the Witch-Queen cycle, which will last until Spring 2023. But this is not a categorical exclusion for Destiny 2 expansions like Lightfall and The Final Shape!

The Lightfall Theory

At this point, another leak also plays a part in the considerations, parts of which have not yet come true 100 percent, namely the Pastebin leak from March 2022. He correctly predicted that the light focuses would be revised. But the last time we checked the lore, we had nothing to do with Rasputin, Ana Bray, or SIVA, and Crow was not made Iron Lord by Saladin. What can still happen, and likely will, is that in Season 18 Destiny 1’s Raid King’s Fall comes into play. It’s not about the story arcs of the seasons, but about what the Pastebin leak predicts for the next Lightfall expansion.

Lightfall… the name alone suggests big, dramatic things. Namely that the story could develop similarly to the Red Battle campaign for the original Destiny 2 release. At that time Dominus Ghaul locked the traveler in a prison and with that we guardians were robbed of our light power. What if Lightfall repeated this loss of our Space Magic, leaving our heroes with no choice but to face the darkness if we were to survive? This would be nothing but the ideal time to introduce a second Darkness Focus!

The Abandoned Leviathan is covered in disgusting fungal spores – and not only them!

Source: Bungie

vapor = egregore?

So back to the concept of the dot, to the vapor, to the poison. Whatever we want to call this, it all describes the same effect; an effect that becomes more aggressive, painful, and damaging the longer it lasts. Thorn and other equipment aside, one poisonous effect keeps bothering us; for example on board the Glycon or now, as part of season 17, on board the Leviathan and even in the HELM: Egregore.

Associated with darkness, these fungi and spores, once released, will help you survive deadly circumstances for a period of time. More specifically, “These spores can apparently “open one’s mind to the darkness,” as can those consumed by the fungus, allowing those affected to traverse the energy barriers created by the fungus” (via Destinypedia).

As part of your Season 17 adventures, you can find nine Calus Bobbleheads aboard the derelict Leviathan. Once you have placed them all, you will receive the Eidolon shell for your spirit. And part of Lore texts of this case leaves, in the eyes of Destiny fans of my MMOlook deep: “Eris Morn, has informed me that the mushroom resembles a synapse in the nervous system. She claims it is a physical manifestation of darkness, like the Stasis. But unlike Stasis, it appears to be an “impure” manifestation – her words, not mine.”