Additional Contest Mode Weekend for Sundered Doctrine: Enhancing Player Experience

Bungie has announced an extra Contest Mode weekend for the newly launched Heresy dungeon, Sundered Doctrine, to compensate for the reduced playtime caused by a 24-hour PSN outage. This decision opens up more opportunities for players to explore the dungeon and acquire its powerful legendary weapons and unique exotic items. Despite the challenges in farming specific items, the dungeon itself showcases creativity and innovation, setting new standards for future content.

Extended Playtime and Loot Opportunities

The additional Contest Mode weekend ensures that players on PlayStation Network, who were affected by the service disruption, can now fully experience the Heresy dungeon. With the dungeon transitioning into normal mode, a wider audience will engage with it, increasing interest in obtaining its valuable loot. The full loot table, thanks to BlueberriesGG, reveals the various weapons and armor pieces available at different encounters within the dungeon.

The first encounter offers Unloved Hand Cannon, Unworthy Scout Rifle, and Unsworn Trace Rifle as weapon rewards, alongside standard armor pieces. The second encounter provides similar options but introduces the Unvoiced Shotgun. Finally, the third encounter, featuring Kerrev, the Erased, yields the most significant rewards, including the Finality’s Anger Exotic Linear Fusion Rifle. Notably, the chest piece and exotic item are exclusive to the final encounter, while other weapons like trace rifles and scout rifles appear across multiple stages. The class item, however, remains elusive, dropping only from puzzles or secrets.

Creative Dungeon Design vs. Farming Challenges

While the dungeon's design is innovative and engaging, the process of efficiently farming desired items presents considerable difficulties. Players must complete entire encounters for a mere one-in-six chance of obtaining their preferred weapon, with half the loot pool consisting of less desirable armor pieces. This inefficient system stands in stark contrast to Bungie's improvements in other areas, such as seasonal drops and adept systems, which have seen positive changes this season.

The frustration stems from the fact that dungeon farming lacks both random drop optimization and crafting options, making it one of the least effective methods for acquiring gear in Destiny 2. Despite these challenges, the dungeon's structure leans towards mini-raids, offering a richer and more collaborative experience compared to previous dungeons. However, the efficiency of farming within these environments remains a critical issue that Bungie needs to address to enhance player satisfaction and engagement.