I was two feet from an opponent when the WSTR shotgun turned the hallway into a scoreboard. You watched the killfeed light up and felt the match tip in an instant. I remember thinking, I’ve seen this weapon ruin more rounds than a bad spawn ever could.
Today’s Marathon update from Bungie nudges the WSTR again — not a purge, but a surgical push. I’ll walk you through the numbers, the strange trade-offs, and why this matters if you play on PC, Xbox, or PlayStation.
On a crowded map, one blast decides the fight. The numbers Bungie shipped today try to change that balance.
I won’t waste time repeating the controversy: the WSTR shotgun was a near-instant close-range solution that made small maps feel unfair. Patch 1.0.6.2 doesn’t neuter the gun; it recomposes it.
- Base damage increased from 78 to 85.
- Critical multiplier cut from 1.15x to 1.05x.
- Damage falloff reduced slightly.
- Added a 75% damage bonus vs AI, making it more useful in PvE against UESC forces.
What changed to the WSTR shotgun?
Short answer: a steadier baseline with less one-shot spike potential. The shotgun now hits harder on body shots but rewards criticals far less. That means two things for you: consistent lethality in close quarters, and fewer instant-death surprises from a lucky headshot.
At a practice range, aiming is predictable. But mods still rewrite behavior—here’s what the MIPS Slug Converter did.
I poked at the Prestige MIPS slug after the update. It’s no longer a popcorn projectile that phases through map geometry; Bungie fixed those corner-hits.
- Fixed an issue where slugs hit geometry when aiming around corners, vents, ladders, or nearby cover.
- Critical multiplier raised from 1.15x to 1.9x.
- Projectile velocity reduced and bullet drop increased.
- Aim assist cone radius reduced by 48%.
That mod now feels like a specialist tool rather than a universal cheat: powerful if you land headshots, but more skill- and timing-dependent. It’s as if the gun swapped a sledgehammer for a precision chisel.
Will WSTR still dominate PvP?
If you’re asking whether the shotgun will vanish from competitive lineups, the answer is no—it’s been reshaped, not retired. You’ll still see it in close quarters, but clutch one-shot headshot runs are rarer. Expect players on Reddit and Twitter to test combinations and post clips; creators on YouTube will split the difference between outrage and praise.
In actual matches, small changes cascade into different playstyles. These other fixes matter for the mood of the game.
This patch isn’t just weapon math. Bungie also addressed UI, zone access, and stability issues that affect how you start and finish runs.
- One free Cryo Archive Sponsored Kit can now be claimed each week.
- Fixed Rooks spawning with incorrect depleted shield charges and kits in sponsored packs.
- Cryo Archive vents now block early hub access until Security Clearance 2, while Security Clearance 1 allows opening vents from certain sides.
- Fixed ARMORY HUD disappearing when hovering over offered items, empty space in the Overflow inventory grid, and scan terminal mapping for battery locations.
- Resolved push-to-talk toggle inconsistencies for controller crew voice chat and an error that could prevent players from joining runs.
How does the patch affect PvE versus UESC?
The 75% damage bonus to AI is a deliberate nudge to make WSTR feel useful against UESC encounters. If you grind runs for resources or speedclear zones, that bonus converts the shotgun into a quicker-clean tool, while PvP becomes less swingy.
On forums and streams, players interpret numbers like evidence. Here’s how I’d read the intent.
Bungie appears to be steering the WSTR toward predictability: more reliable body damage, diminished crit variance, and clearer trade-offs when you slap on the MIPS slug. The MIPS changes create a high-risk, high-reward path—powerful headshots but harder to land due to slower slugs and tighter aim assist.
For players who felt like every hallway match was decided by a coin flip, the update lowers the house edge. For others who enjoyed the one-shot drama, the weapon still offers that thrill with effort.
For the exhaustive change log, check the official notes on Bungie.net and community reactions on platforms like Reddit and YouTube; Moyens I/O and other outlets have also posted summaries and early impressions.
Does this buff-then-nerf approach finally settle the WSTR debate, or will the community keep tuning until someone finds the next exploit?