It just feels that way, it feels deliberate. Bungie has done a lot of strange things with this game. Nerfing AR's and constant tinkering with the Vex, which pushes players down the route of using HC's most notably Thorn. Gjallarhorn is an OP weapon, no other weapon seems to even come close. I can't help but feel that this was part of Bungies master plan (exclude some players from content yet again) apparently you can't beat PoE bosses without one.