The Whisper of Rime, a pivotal Stasis Aspect in Destiny 2, has been reworked to significantly enhance a Guardian's defensive capabilities by increasing the maximum duration and stacks of Frost Armor. This modification empowers Stasis users with improved survivability on the battlefield.
Enhanced Frost Armor Capabilities
The primary focus of the Whisper of Rime rework is to bolster the effectiveness of Frost Armor, a crucial defensive buff for Stasis subclasses. Specifically, the changes include:
- Increased Maximum Duration: Guardians can now maintain the benefits of Frost Armor for extended periods, providing more consistent protection during prolonged engagements.
- Increased Maximum Stacks: The total number of Frost Armor stacks a Guardian can accumulate has been raised, leading to greater potential damage resistance.
These enhancements translate directly into:
- Greater Resilience: More stacks of Frost Armor directly contribute to higher levels of incoming damage resistance, allowing players to withstand more formidable attacks.
- Sustained Protection: The extended duration means less reliance on continuous reapplication, ensuring that the defensive benefits remain active during critical moments in combat.
How Frost Armor Functions and Its Acquisition
Frost Armor is a defensive buff that provides damage resistance to the Guardian. It is integral to many Stasis builds and is typically acquired through interactions with Stasis abilities and other Stasis Aspects.
| Stasis Aspect / Mechanic | Effect on Frost Armor |
|---|---|
| Whisper of Rime (Reworked) | Increases the maximum duration and the maximum number of stacks of Frost Armor that can be achieved. |
| Harvest Aspects (Grim, Tectonic, Glacial) | When equipped, these aspects allow Guardians to gain stacks of Frost Armor and small amounts of health upon collecting Stasis Shards. |
| Tectonic Harvest | This specific Harvest Aspect generates Stasis Shards when Guardians shatter frozen enemies, directly feeding into the acquisition of Frost Armor stacks. |
Synergies with Stasis Builds
The changes to Whisper of Rime are particularly impactful when combined with other Stasis abilities and aspects that focus on generating Stasis Shards. For example, Guardians utilizing Harvest Aspects (Grim, Tectonic, or Glacial) will find an even greater benefit. These aspects allow for the acquisition of Frost Armor stacks and small health boosts upon collecting Stasis Shards.
Furthermore, the Tectonic Harvest aspect specifically creates Stasis Shards from shattered frozen enemies. This creates a powerful loop: freeze and shatter enemies, generate Stasis Shards, collect shards to gain Frost Armor (and health), and then benefit from the significantly enhanced Frost Armor duration and stacks provided by the reworked Whisper of Rime.
Impact on Gameplay
The increased defensive capabilities offered by the reworked Whisper of Rime empower Stasis users to engage in higher-difficulty content with greater confidence. Players can adopt more aggressive playstyles, knowing they have substantial and sustained damage resistance. This solidifies the defensive identity of Stasis subclasses, particularly those built around the core mechanics of freezing, shattering, and Stasis Shard generation, making them more formidable in both offensive and defensive roles.
