Bungie came out with patch 7.2.5.3 today in Destiny 2, bringing a major change to Trials of Osiris. Trials will now have quitter protection for those who start matches with missing players. This competitive PVP mode can matchmake teams of three before matches start, but unlike quickplay modes — such as Control or Clash — empty spots remain empty. When a teammate leaves or gets disconnected, the team with less players is at a disadvantage.
So now, players who notice that they are one or two players short can quit without a penalty. Otherwise, they can stay in the game and try their luck or spend the next few rounds getting destroyed. However, this situation does get more complicated with matchmaking since solo players should be facing other solo players, whereas duos and stacked fireteams should go against the same type of teams. Missing players at the start of the match can throw off the team balance too.
It’s worth noting that Bungie’s patch notes do not detail how this change affects Trials passages. Passage of Mercy forgives one loss when trying to go Flawless, but it's unclear whether this quitter protection protects the passages as well.
The 7.2.5.3 update changed up a few more things with Trials of Osiris. Bungie adjusted spawns and the placement of heavy ammo around the map. It also says that there’s “zone balancing on Radiant Cliffs,” which is a PVP map often seen in the Trials rotation. Also, the developer increased the drop rate of Adept weapons when players win matches after completing a Flawless Trials passage.
In a tweet last week, Bungie said that the TWID blog post this Thursday will dive into more information about PVP. The developer will likely address player concerns about the state of PVP and future changes through the "Crucible Strike Team."
