Highlights

  • Destiny 2's new The Final Shape expansion introduces the first flying enemy faction with unique abilities, shaking up gameplay dynamics.
  • The Dread faction's Grim enemies offer a fresh challenge, suppressing Guardians in PvE content like GM Nightfalls with their powerful abilities.
  • The Grim break a longstanding tradition by being the first flying unit with wings in Destiny 1 and 2, hinting at potential future encounters in the series.

Destiny 2 is set to introduce a new enemy faction with the upcoming The Final Shape expansion, something that hadn't been done since the Forsaken era, and then again only one time prior in the original game with The Taken King. This alone breaks a long streak for Bungie, and it can dramatically shake up the looter-shooter's gameplay in various ways, especially since several of these new Destiny 2 enemies have unique mechanics to them, such as The Husk's ability to summon an exploding Geist on death. The variety of creatures from Destiny 2's new Dread faction is great and includes what could be menacing encounters in endgame content, and one of these enemies breaks a franchise-long tradition with its main gimmick.

While the Dread were already introduced last year with Lightfall's Tormentors, Bungie didn't refer to the species as such until the recent Destiny 2 The Final Shape livestream. Alongside Tormentors, the current list of enemies expands to include the following:

  • Subjugators
  • The Grim
  • The Husk
  • Weavers
  • Attendants

These enemies will seemingly all be encountered in the main campaign for The Final Shape expansion, and possibly elsewhere in PvE content, including various locations within the Pale Heart. Each unit has its perks, but what stands out is the fact that The Grim is the first flying enemy in the franchise.

destiny 2 the final shape prismatic subclass power creep balance paywall pvp stasis beyond light bad why
Related
Destiny 2's Prismatic Subclass is Stasis All Over Again

Destiny 2 is adding Prismatic subclasses with The Final Shape, and they run the risk of repeating history after Beyond Light's Stasis.

The Dread's Grim Are Destiny 1 and 2's First Flying Unit With Wings

How The Grim Break a 10-Year Tradition in Destiny 1 and 2

Destiny 2's new Dread faction features the first-ever flying character with actual wings, thus breaking a big tradition started all the way back with the first game in 2014. There have been flying enemies before The Grim, also affectionately called "gunbat" by Bungie itself, but they were always limited in some capacity. For example, Shriekers are enemies found up above, but they are static or they simply teleport to a new location in the case of some bosses.

Another example comes with Lucent Moths, one of the game's most annoying enemy types thanks to their ability to chase players and explode - not unlike the Dread's own Husk. However, as much as Lucent Moths "fly" around, they act more like projectiles than anything else, and in fact, in some locations (like the Lighblade Strike) they first appear as static and only start moving when in sight range or shot. Still, they do not have wings and they don't technically fly, hence why the new Destiny 2 The Final Shape Grims take the cake for first full-fledged flying unit.

How Destiny 2's Dread Enemy Faction Can Break Endgame Content

Destiny 2's The Grim 'Gunbats' Spell Trouble For Guardians

Not only do The Grim break a longstanding tradition regarding flight and wings, but they also seem extremely dangerous in high-end Destiny 2 PvE content, like GM Nightfalls. This is because The Grim can suppress Guardians, preventing them from using their abilities and also slows players down on top of that, becoming a nuisance at best and what turns a successful run into a return to Orbit. The fact that these so-called gunbats can fly can potentially make them harder to hit, especially since they seem to be quite mobile and agile based on the gameplay video shared by Bungie.

This can also determine the impact of flying units in Destiny 2's new saga, whatever it may be, or even what they could do and look like in the now rumored Destiny 3. Having a dedicated flying enemy type is interesting on its own, but it can be all the more intriguing when considering how it's dropping alongside the new Prismatic subclasses. Furthermore, the Dread seem to be closely associated with The Witness, and it's not impossible that Bungie will add a Grim boss battle at some point during or after The Final Shape, further building on lore and gameplay mechanics.