Source: https://www.bungie.net/7/en/News/Article/mid_season_2_preview

The mid-season update is coming next week.

It brings a lot with it including our first experimental PvE mode Vault Breaker and a fresh batch of balance and progression updates.

Let’s get into it.

Experimental PvE Mode: Vault Breaker

Vault Breakers utilize hit-and-run tactics to master the secrets of the Marathon’s Cryo Archive. They travel light and target the Archive’s many vaults in search of valuable loot and deeper access throughout the deck.

Vault Breakers’ strategic deployments challenge the UESC’s jurisdiction aboard the Marathon—applying constant pressure to defend the zone against Runner incursions. They strike during “quiet” moments—while rival crews are focused on Tau Ceti IV—to keep the UESC off guard and to maneuver with more focus, free of the chaos of a contested zone.

When Update 1.1.5 arrives on July 21, the Vault Breaker mode will open its doors and send Runners into Cryo Archive for Marathon’s first experimental PvE mode. You can jump in straight away, whether you’re running Solo, as a Duo, or with a full Trio - and that’s true regardless of your Runner Level.

Vault Breaker offers a roguelite PvE experience inside Cryo Archive, where you’ll take on progressively tougher Vaults across multiple runs. You’ll acquire Vault Data to upgrade your special Sponsored Kit (more details below), or spend that progress on gear in the new Vault Breaker Armory that features weapons, items, and more that you can bring back to your other adventures across Tau Ceti.

Note: All items and gear found in-run are restricted from exfil except event currency and rewards will only be available during the event period, so best to prioritize room for Vault Data and of course, items essential for you to make it to exfil.

Vault Breaker is our very first experimental PvE mode. We're excited for you all to jump in and check it out, and we can't wait to gather up all of your feedback and data as we continue to work towards our full PvE mode, arriving in Season 3.

Vault Breaker begins with Update 1.1.5 on July 21st and runs through August 4th.

Vault Breaker Armory

The update also brings changes to the Armory tab, including a new Vault Breaker Armory option under the Event section.

Each run, you’ll earn Vault Data, a special event currency that can be spent in the Vault Breaker Armory to upgrade the special Sponsored Kit for stronger PvE runs, or to purchase items and gear that can be used outside the event.

There are two tiers of Vault Data to earn:

• Tier 1 Vault Data can be found in Vaults and then needs to be exfilled.
  • Tier One Vault Data is also awarded for killing a UESC Commander, and that reward is granted post-run whether you successfully exfil or not.
• Tier 2 Vault Data can only be earned from consecutive Vaults solved in the same run and then successfully exfilled. You’ll need to manage your time and routes wisely. This will be especially tough for solo Runners.

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Armory Offers

The Armory features a variety of gear and items, including a daily rotating Deluxe weapon, Cryo Key Templates, Prestige Weapons, and more. It’s worth noting that some pinnacle rewards stock will remain fixed in number throughout the full event.

Here’s a quick look at how the weekly rotation breaks down:

• Weekly Offers
  • Tier 1 Vault Data items will have limited weekly stock, depending on the item, with either 3x or 5x available per week.
  • Tier 2 Vault Data items will include higher-tier rewards with 1x limited stock per week, or players can convert that currency to Tier One at 5x per week.
• Limited Offers
  • Prestige gear will be available and you can grab one of each during the event. Grab them while you can.

Note: Purchases made from the Weekly and Limited Offers apply only to standard Marathon activities. Only Kit Upgrades will alter your loadout in Vault Breaker.

Unique Sponsored Kit & Upgrades

To access Vault Breaker, you’ll need to equip the free special Sponsored Kit found in the Vault Breaker Armory tab under the Events section.

This Sponsored Kit won’t be in its final form when you first grab it. At the start, the kit is at its weakest, offering only one standard weapon along with a small amount of equipment and consumables.

As you earn Vault Data, different upgrade paths will begin to open.

You might want to focus on weapon quality. Others may want more survivability, or they may want to get started with a wider mix of implants and cores. The path is entirely up to you.

And of course, Cradle and Faction upgrades will also be enabled for the event.

Crews and Queues

Looking to test yourself against the dangers of Cryo? We’ve got a Solo queue waiting for you. It’s you against the UESC, and you’re unfortunately on their turf.

Want to bring some backup or learn Cryo alongside your friends? As always, worry not, we’ll have Duos and Trios – both for matchmade and pre-made Crews.

And to commemorate your time aboard the UESC Marathon as you try to break some vaults, there’s unique Codex challenges that will reward you with some cosmetics to show off to your fellow-Runners.

Codex Challenges and Rewards

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There will be 4 unique Vault Breaker Codex challenges available that award cosmetics:

• Profile Emblem - Opposition marker
• Profile Background – UESC Command
• Circuit Breaker Weapon Style – UESC Bulwark
• Weapon Charm – USEC Control

Sandbox and Update Highlights

WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT

Howdy, Weapons & Equipment team here, and we're here to highlight a couple of changes coming in the Mid-Season Update. This will not be every change in the update but we wanted to put a few of these in front of you early, perhaps to prepare your vaults just in case.

AN AGENT OF CHAOS RETURNS

Back from the timeout corner, the WSTR is indeed getting buffed - though not quite back to its former glory. Let's dive right in:

• WSTR Combat Shotgun
  • Damage increased from 85 to 100
  • Reduced precision bonus multiplier from 1.05x to 1.0x
  • Increased spread by 20% across all stat tiers
  • Reduced aim assist falloff start at the top end by 30%
  • Retuned stat tiers to compensate
  • Reduced aim assist falloff end at the top end by 12%
  • Retuned stat tiers to compensate
  • Reduced magnetism falloff by ~10%
  • Reduced minimum damage percentage at max falloff from 20% to 10%
  • Retuned damage falloff across all tiers:
  • 2HKO range with a grey WSTR against base shields: 3 meters
  • 2HKO range with a grey WSTR against purple shields: 2 meters
  • 2HKO range with a max invested WSTR against base shields: 7 meters
  • 2HKO range with a max invested WSTR against purple shields: 4 meters

First off we are removing all precision damage bonus multipliers from ballistic shotguns - the Misriah will also inherit this change, leaving Circuit Breaker as the only shotgun to receive a precision damage bonus. We feel that this better matches their identity as burst damage options that are about putting as many pellets on target as possible instead of the head.

While the WSTR is regaining its 2-shot down potential, it's now extremely range limited. Through buildcrafting, it is possible to extend this range just a bit. We are excited to see how this plays out as it is somewhat of a middle ground between the menace that the gun was at launch and where it is today. The WSTR has a deserved reputation for terror, so we will be watching this closely. And of course, the Misriah will receive some much-needed adjustment on the 21st as well. Look forward to the full patch notes for details!

ABOUT THE SPICY HANDGUN

It's safe to say the D54 Battle Pistol made a wild impression in its Tau Ceti IV debut. We're happy that people are enjoying the gun's feel and identity, but we are also aware that maybe it's a tad out of band. Here's the Mid-Season Update balance changes for the Battle Pistol:

• D54 Battle Pistol
  • Reduced precision bonus multiplier from 1.5x to 1.38x
  • Reduced damage falloff range minimum and maximum across all stat tiers by 10%
  • Maximum 100 Range stat damage falloff minimum goes from 38 meters to 34 meters.
  • Maximum 100 Range stat damage falloff maximum goes from 72 meters to 64 meters.

This seems like a small series of changes but this change means the D54 Battle Pistol requires 3 precision bursts to down a Grey Shield Runner, up from 2 Bursts, and 4 bursts to down a Purple Shield Runner, up from 3 bursts. In our playtesting, we believe that time for the extra burst has had a tangible effect on bringing the Battle Pistol in line with other weapons.

ONE GRENADE FOR EACH HAND

Starting with the Mid-Season Update we are making a dramatic change to how some throwables work prior to infilling to a run. On July 21st, Runners trying to load into a map will find themselves with an error preventing them to launch if they are holding more than the restricted limit of certain equipment in their backpack.

To start, we are limiting Runners to only bring any combination of 2 Bubble Shields, Chem Grenades, EMP Grenades, Flechette Grenades, Frag Grenades, and Heat Grenades. This means you can only bring in 2 Frag Grenades at the start of a run, or maybe 1 Frag Grenade and 1 Bubble Shield. Either way, any items on this list will be limited to a combination of 2. While in a run, any additional grenades on this list that are scavenged are fair game.

This new infil restriction has two purposes: reduce the efficacy of AOE grenade spam and reduce the prevalence of Bubble Shields. We think grenades are in a good place damage-wise, but feedback is clear that spam is still an issue on Cryo and that Bubble Shields are flattening high level combat.

We may change the items on this list or the infil limit number in the future so please give us feedback on how this new system is working out!

IMPLANT ICONOGRAPHY UPDATE

Thanks to your feedback we've continued iterating on the iconography on your Implants. They should be easier to understand at-a-glance, but as always - let us know how you like them! Check them out when the full update hits next week.

In the meantime, here's a quick preview:

VB_Implant_Update_1920x1080.jpg

CRADLE EVOLUTION SYSTEM

Ever since the Cradle arrived you've all been diving in head-first, sacrificing a tremendous number of your exfilled wares to the WEAVEworms. To that end, we've gone ahead and reverted the 25% reduction Cradle progress so you can continue to bolster your buildcrafting. Mid-season also brings the first iteration of the Cradle Evolution system. Upon maxing out your Cradle, you’ll now be able to reset back to zero to earn one additional maximum Energy point and unlock unique cosmetics, including multiple Runner shell styles.

Stay cool out there

We can't wait for you to hop on in and see what we've cooked up.

Vault Breaker, which runs from July 21st through August 4th, is our first foray into an experimental PvE mode, and our ears will be to the ground listening for your feedback that will help us continue to iterate as we continue to evolve PVE into Season 3. Make sure to drop by our Discord, send an @ to our Twitter or Bluesky, and of course be sure and drop by the Reddit.