Destiny 2 expert highlights “severe” problem with Checkmate in Trials

Following Trials of Osiris’s first Checkmate PvP weekend, one of Destiny 2’s most experienced players and content creators has spoken up about the biggest problem holding it back.

Last season saw Checkmate tested extensively as Bungie looked to refine the new PvP format that increases base health while also reducing the reliance on Super abilities and Special ammo weapons.

Now in Season of the Wish, Checkmate is not only being rotated frequently into the main Crucible playlist but has also made its debut in Destiny 2’s competitive PvP mode, Trials of Osiris.

The reception to this was mixed and now Aztecross – one of the community’s most notable content creators – has spoken out on its biggest problem that Bungie needs to address.

Destiny 2 veteran reveals Checkmate’s biggest problem

In a new video uploaded on December 31, Destiny 2 content creator Aztecross did a deep dive into Trials of Osiris and the role Checkmate can play in it. While he was generally positive about its impact on competitive PvP, there was one big problem highlighted, snowballing.

Explaining the issue, Cross opened, “Nothing is scarier than a Guardian running straight to you with Conditional Finality, three shots, and you have no Special weapons to combat that. Guys, I’ve never pushed Guardians so easy in all my life.”

“If I had a few kills over the opposing team and I got Special ammo, I knew they did not have anything to counter me. I could charge literally in the middle of them and go for the kill. If I close that gap they have nothing to combat it,” Aztecross explained.

The issue described is caused by how Special ammo is distributed in Checkmate. Unlike regular Destiny 2 PvP, Special Ammo is earned by getting kills and players do not spawn with it. This means that teams that start well will often take control and go on to win the match using their Special weapons.

Making this very point, Aztecross continued, “The snowball effect in Checkmate is pretty severe. If one team is completely overwhelming the other, that other team can’t really do anything,” before concluding, “The only thing that lets you come back in Checkmate is your ability with a Primary weapon.”

The focus on Primary weapon gameplay is comparable to how The Crucible first launched in Destiny 2. It was not popular at the time but the community’s hope is that Bungie can make adjustments to Checkmate and create a more competitive environment less dependent on abilities.