What are Random Rolls
Random Rolls is a feature from Destiny 1 that never made it into Destiny 2. Thanks to plenty of community outcry, it’s coming back in the Destiny 2 2.0 update. In Destiny, the variety of a weapon is defined by 2 major factors; its stats, and perks. Stats include things like range, rate of fire, magazine size, etc. Perks are built-in modifications that adjust its stats and add special behaviors.
The stats of a gun are what give it its identity. It’s what separates one gun from another similar weapon. However, the perks could change upon each new acquisition of the same weapon. It would “roll” with new perks; a word borrowed from any RPG game that uses a randomized number system to determine an equally random outcome. The “rolls” refer to the perks that are set on the weapon. This is what provided the chase for so many players in Destiny 1. Many would gun for perfect rolls that they felt worked best on each weapon.
For an example, we’ll look at one of my favorite legendary weapons from Destiny 1, named “Eyasluna”. This is a hand-cannon, which was made amazing by the rolls I got on mine. The first perk was “triple tap”, meaning that every 3rd precision hit on an enemy returned a bullet to the magazine. If you’re accurate, you can shoot for much longer without having to reload, increasing your damage potential. The next perk was “rifled barrel” which as the name suggests, increased the maximum effective range, meaning that enemies could be hit from farther away. Finally I had grenadier, which reduced the recharge time for my grenade with every kill. This weapon was fantastic against large groups of enemies. I could stand farther back in safety, shoot for much longer without interruption, kill most low-level enemies with a single shot, and gain back grenades much more effectively. It wasn’t the best version of this gun, but it worked really well for what I needed.
An example of an amazing Destiny 2 weapon that is rendered useless because of a terrible permanent perk.
Why Random Rolls Matter
Random rolls were a big part of Destiny 1‘s success, because it made every gun you find special. It was your gun, which fed into the investment game. Someone else might find the same gun, but with perks that work better in PvP. They might be chasing perks like “Icarus” which increased accuracy while mid-air, or “Luck in the Chamber” which granted a random bullet in your magazine with significantly increased damage. I mostly play PvE activities, so that’s more important to me. The chase for that perfect weapon is a big part of why I kept playing.
Destiny 2 removed random rolls from weapons. This meant that every weapon you acquired had curated set perks. If I found a Destiny 2 version of Eyasluna, it might have perks on it that aren’t appealing, which immediately renders that weapon meaningless to me. Destiny 1 was able to cheat the appearance of endless loot due to its nearly unlimited perk combinations. Destiny 2 isn’t afforded this trick, and with its overly-generous loot system, you have acquired every weapon that you care about within a few weeks of play.
Random Rolls are the reason Destiny 1 lasted so long. Destiny is a loot-based game, which means that there should always be that carrot on a stick that motivates you through specific activities. While the activities are fun on their own merit, they are ultimately a means to an end. We all play for better gear.
Luckily, random rolls are making their way back this fall, and that’s one of the aspects many players are excited for. It will be interesting to see how the new weapon mod system will play along with random rolls, as it didn’t exist in Destiny 1. Game Informer is set to unveil details about Forsaken throughout July, so it looks like it’s just a matter of time until we learn more.
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