Destiny's launch in North America is now just hours away. Whether you pick up the game at retail or download it from your respective console's online store, you'll have a day one patch you'll need to download before playing.

The changes, as documented on Bungie's website, are fairly extensive, ranging from class abilities to vehicles to map changes. With the patch installed, you'll earn Crucible Marks more rapidly (three for wins and two for losses, rather than two and one, respectively), be able to claim bounties sooner (level 4, rather than 6), and see agility play more of a role in determining your speed.

Bungie assures fans this update--patch 1.01--will not be the last the game receives, as its goal "is to constantly improve the live game. The game we hope is competing for your free time." More patches are already in the works, with some consisting of new content and others including additional improvements.

You can see the full list of changes below, and check out our ongoing live stream to see the full game in action. Destiny launches tomorrow, September 9, on PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One.

Classes

General

• Removed subclass locking from builds.
• Adjusted the unlock order for all subclass trees.
• Adjusted the cooldown ranges of armor stats (Intellect, Discipline, Strength).
• Agility now has more impact to move speed and acceleration.

Titan

• General
  • Catapult no longer has screen effects.
• STRIKER
  • Shoulder Charge now deals Arc damage instead of Kinetic.
  • Lightning Grenade shock damage increased by 66% (base 60 to 100).
  • Amplify Super bonus-on-kill increased from 6% to 10%.
  • Flashbang no longer disorients ultra combatants.
  • Transfusion now has a 5-second cooldown before it can trigger again.
  • Juggernaut shield is removed after jumping or sprinting for 6.5 seconds.
• DEFENDER
  • Ward of Dawn now immediately regenerates your health on activation.

Hunter

• GUNSLINGER
  • Golden Gun is now unable to overpenetrate through a Ward of Dawn shield.
  • Incendiary Grenade detonation damage reduced by 18% (base 140 to 115).
  • Chain of Woe now grants an additional 5%, 10%, 15% bonus to reload speed.
  • Gunslinger's Trance buff duration increased from 10 to 15 seconds.
• BLADEDANCER
  • Arcbolt Grenade impact damage reduced by 17% (base 120 to 100).
  • Razor's Edge distance traveled slowed and reduced.
  • Quickdraw now no longer requires a melee hit.
  • Blink now cancels invisibility when used.

Warlock

• VOIDWALKER
  • Nova Bomb Vortex duration reduced from 5 to 3.5 seconds.
  • Nova Bomb Vortex effects now has displays for its victims.
  • Energy Drain impact damage increased by 10% (base 100 to 110).
  • Soul Rip super bonus on kill increased from 6% to 10% bonus.
  • Vortex Grenade linger damage reduced by 50% (base 15 to 10) per tick.
  • Surge now grants a bonus to reload and weapon-ready speed.
  • Surge now activates when doing damage to an enemy instead of killing blow.
  • Surge agility buff increased by 33% (base 10 to 13).
• SUNSINGER
  • Firebolt Grenade impact damage reduced by 20% (base 100 to 80).
  • Flame Shield now activates when doing damage to an enemy instead of killing blow.
  • Flame Shield now provides a small overshield.
  • Solar Grenade linger damage reduced by 50% (base 15 to 10) per tick.

Weapons

General

• Removed weapon speed penalties from extended sprinting.
• Capped inventory to 999 rounds.
• Fixed several weapons that would display an incorrect magazine size.
• Swapping weapons from inventory now only takes 50% of the ammo in PvE.

Perks

• Return to Sender now procs more frequently by 15%.
• Range Finder bonus reduced by 4%.
• High Caliber Rounds damage to combatants increased by 67%.

Assault Rifles

• Reduced the base Damage of all Assault Rifles by 7%.
• Reduced the base Accuracy ranges by [14% to 25%], modified by weapon stat.
• Reduced the base Stability ranges by [8% to 80%], modified by weapon stat.

Pulse Rifles

• Increased the base Damage per bullet range by [2% to 17%], modified by weapon stat.
• Increased the base Stability range by [8% to 25%], modified by weapon stat.
• Reduced the base Rate of Fire by [8% to 19], modified by weapon stat.

Scout Rifles

• Reduced the base Damage of all Scout Rifles by 8%.
• Fixed an issue that broke the fx for explosive rounds.

Hand Cannons

• Increased the base Zoom of all Hand Cannons by 20%.
• Increased the base Damage per bullet range by [4% to 15%], modified by weapon stat.
• Increased the base Magazine size range by [8% to 20%], modified by weapon stat.
• Reduced the base Accuracy range by [75% to 100%], modified by weapon stat.

Sniper Rifles

• Increased the base Stability range by [6% to 100%], modified by weapon stat.

Fusion Rifles

• Fusion Rifle charging is now more reliable.

Shotguns

• Improved Shotgun damage falloff networking.
• Reduced base Damage per bullet range by [2% to 5%], modified by weapon stat.
• Reduced base Shotgun range by [1% to 7%], modified by weapon stat.

HMGs

• Improved HMG projectile networking.

Vehicles

General

• Fixed audio dropouts from vehicles for local player.

Sparrow

• Dodging while boosting is now easier to execute.

Cabal Interceptor

• Reduced Rocket Rate of Fire from 1 to 1.5666 seconds per shot.
• Reduced Rocket damage blast radius from 7 to 6 meters.
• Reduced Rocket damage falloff curves so they are less effective at long rangers.
• Reduced Arming shape from 1 to 0.6 meters.

PvP

General

• Crucible Marks drop rate increased from 2 to 3 for wins, 1 to 2 for losses.
• Match completion XP and Glimmer awards increased.
• Match completion can now award Engrams.
• Playlists now unlock sequentially instead of based on character level.
• Health numbers are now normalized at a 200 base value (up from 175) to be easier for players to calculate.
• Ghost ammo collection disabled in all playlists.
• 'Crushing' voice-overs now plays properly when the game has 0:30 and 0:10 seconds remaining

Medals

• Mark of the Unbroken minimum threshold increased from 7 to 15.
• Back in Action death streak threshold increased from 3 to 5.
• Heating Up medal removed to avoid spam and player confusion.
• Domination now only fires only once per domination zone per player.
• Domination medal score increased from 40 to 125.

Game Types

Salvage

• Salvage Zones now do not return to the most recent salvaged relic locations.
• Fixed a bug with Salvage probe offense points being given out incorrectly.
• Fixed spawn policy content that caused bad behavior on (PS3 only).

Maps

First Light

• Pike spawns reduced from 4 to 3.
• Interceptor spawns reduced from 2 to 1.
• Interceptor spawn times reduced to 2 minutes.
• Interceptor timer now does not start incrementing until after the game has started.

Blind Watch

• Windmill now pumps approximately 14% less liters of waters per match from 3.5L to 3L.

Rusted Lands

• Line-of-sight spawn influencers changed to reduce spawning near enemies.
• Level-of-detail volumes adjusted for better performance on slower platforms.

Shores of Time

• Playable space volumes adjusted to remove exploit zones.
• Level-of-detail volumes adjusted for better performance on slower platforms.

The Anomaly

• Fixed a hole that let players see out of environment in the lower tunnel.

Bastion

• Pike spawns reduced from 4 to 3.
• Interceptor spawns reduced from 2 to 1.
• Interceptor spawn timers reduced to 2 minutes.
• Interceptor timer now does not start incrementing until after the game has started.

Exodus Blue

• Added physics volume to keep players from getting on top of the giant hose reel near Control Zone A.

Activities

Missions

• Fixed an issue with Ishtar Collective Venus mission to enable the Vex Turret to drop Mind Cores for assisting players, instead of only killing blow players.

Strikes

• Strikes now award increasingly more Vanguard Marks at higher levels.
• Strikes now award significantly better Gear at lower levels.
• Fixed an exploit using Ward of Dawn against Sepiks Prime

Raids

• Raid condensed to two difficulty tiers, in order to get straight to the punishment. Levels adjusted.
• Flawless Raider achievement cut, then un-cut, then cut, then un-cut, then declared immune to further cutting.

Destinations

World

• Patrols award increased Vanguard reputation but no longer award Vanguard Marks.
• Patrol VIP objectives brought in-line with other objectives, but still award additional reputation.
• Treasure chest glimmer drop rate reduced, but added Materials to loot table.
• Treasure chests now have a small chance to award large drops of additional Glimmer, Materials, Engrams, and Consumables.
• Fixed various bugs where combatants were spawning in front of players
• Fixed bugs where too many combatants were spawning during some instances of the Vex Block event.

Combatants

• Removed spurious XP bonuses for Fallen Captains, Hive Knights and Wizards, Vex Minotaurs, Cabal Centurions.
• Stealth Vandals should award XP now.
• Acyclic Geometer's name now display properly.
• Fixed Hydras to reward the correct loot for Patrol missions on Venus.
• Spidertank leg health reduced by 16% (base 3000 to 2520) per leg.

Vendors

• Bounty introduction unlock moved from Level 6 to Level 4.
• Bounty Leads will be sent to characters upon reaching various milestones.
• Engram and Package tooltips now indicate what they can contain.
• Packages earned from Faction reputation rewards now contain Glimmer instead of awarding XP.
• Cryptarch reputation requirements to reach Rank 2 increased.
• Cryptarch reputation earned from purchasing Engrams are greatly reduced.
• Vanguard and Crucible Marks are now accruable beginning at Level 18.

Technical

• Fixed an issue with skill distribution that caused convergence to take much too long.
• Fixed an issue where players’ skill rating was too often shifting negatively causing less than ideal matches.