History of Shield

Overview

Shields are defensive barriers in Destiny 2. Enemies use them most often, and Guardians get a separate kind of shield from abilities and armor.

Enemy shields

• Elemental absorption shields are coloured bubbles (Solar, Arc, Void, Strand or Stasis). Hitting them with matching damage does about twice the effectiveness, while non-matching damage is reduced. Breaking one causes an explosion that hurts nearby enemies, and unbroken shields regenerate.
• Overshields came with The Witch Queen. They have no elemental weakness, less total health than absorption shields, and rarely regenerate.
• Immunity shields are white barriers that make the enemy immune to damage. Other enemies such as Servitors or Psions usually provide them, and they go down when the provider is killed.
• Physical shields are carried by Phalanx units and block frontal damage, so flanking and staggering work well against them.

Champion shields

Barrier Champions raise an immune dome at low health and regenerate. Anti-Barrier damage gets through it; see Shield-Piercing.

Guardian shields

Guardians gain overshields from effects such as Ward of Dawn, Defensive Strike and Bastion, plus some exotic armor and perks. Titan barricades such as Towering and Rally give cover. Match Game (introduced in Forsaken) also makes shields resist damage that does not match the shield's element.