Maxing out the Focused Fishing meter is not only ideal, but it will happen naturally while players are fishing in Destiny 2, so long as there are enough players contributing to the group effort. It becomes a lot easier to catch rare fish with the buff maxed out, allowing players to get more out of the time they spend fishing without any additional investments. At the same time, fishing in Destiny 2 seems to be clashing with other activities in the worst way possible.
The Focused Fishing buff in Destiny 2 passively increases whenever players catch a Legendary or rarer fish, and all players in the same destination will share progress for the buff. Although, no matter how far a group of players progresses, the Focused Fishing buff will reset whenever a Public Event spawns in the area. During Public Events in Destiny 2, fishing will also become unavailable and return to a new location after the Public Event ends, alongside a new Focused Fishing meter. As beneficial as the Focused Fishing buff can be, it has its share of downsides and flaws.
Destiny 2’s Focused Fishing Buff Puts Public Events In an Awkward Situation
Exotic fish in Destiny 2 have a very low drop rate, which is where the Focused Fishing buff comes in handy. Legendary and lower rarity fish can be obtained relatively easily without the buff maxed out, but catching Exotic fish practically relies on having the full buff. Ultimately it’s in every player’s best interest to max out the Focused Fishing buff, so it’s a lot more efficient to fish in locations where other guardians are present to help pitch in. The Destiny 2 companion app even has its own LFG category for people recruiting teams to go fishing, so it’s incredibly easy to find teammates for fishing in order to avoid going alone.
The downside to the Focused Fishing buff is that it is very short-lived, and without enough players, it can be hard to properly utilize for a meaningful amount of time. The fact that the buff resets every time a Public Event spawns can be very frustrating for players that are currently dedicated to fishing. Public Events unavoidably cut into players' time spent fishing, which pits fishing and Public Event enthusiasts against each other for the time being. Some players are insistent that fishing takes priority during Destiny 2’s Season of the Deep, but other players still have their reasons to be completing Public Events, so it’s ultimately an awkward situation.
Fishing is changing how Public Events are being completed in Destiny 2, at least in the few locations where both activities are currently available. Normally, players in the Destiny 2 community strive to turn a Public Event into a Heroic Public Event for better rewards. However, since Heroic Public Events are longer to complete on average, players are rushing through the standard version of the activity in order to get back into catching more fish. Since Destiny 2 players are skipping the Heroic difficulty Public Events, this means it consequently grants lesser rewards for all participants.
Regardless of how divisive fishing can be for players who want to instead complete Public Events, fishing enthusiasts will likely agree that the Focused Fishing buff leaves much to be desired. The main downfall of the buff is that players aren’t always able to put it to good use before it resets. The community has found a cheese in Destiny 2 that helps to carry some of the Focused Fishing buff progress over after it resets, but in hindsight, this strategy requires an unnecessary amount of coordination.
When it comes to the Focused Fishing buff, it can be painfully futile due to how short it lasts, which is part of what has prompted the community to utilize workarounds. If the Focused Fishing buff was more generous, especially in regard to the duration, it could be much more worthwhile to pursue.
Destiny 2 is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
