Destiny 2 Champions: How To Defeat Barrier, Overload, And Unstoppable Champions

TL;DR

  • Use Solar radiant, Void volatile, or Strand unraveling effects to break Barrier Champion shields
  • Equip seasonal artifact mods for reliable weapon-based champion stunning capabilities
  • Leverage exotic weapons with intrinsic anti-champion properties for consistent performance
  • Coordinate with fireteam members to cover all champion types in high-level activities
  • Always check your champion status indicators before engaging difficult content

Tackling Champion enemies in Destiny 2’s Lightfall expansion requires understanding their unique mechanics and the updated combat systems. These formidable foes appear exclusively in challenging PvE content like Legend Lost Sectors, Master-level Raids, and Nightfall Strikes, presenting significant obstacles if not properly countered.

Three distinct Champion variants dominate high-level encounters: Barrier Champions deploy nearly impenetrable shields when damaged, Overload Champions rapidly regenerate health while suppressing your abilities, and Unstoppable Champions possess extreme damage resistance and aggressive pursuit behavior. Each type demands specific countermeasures to neutralize their special abilities and create vulnerability windows.

The Lightfall expansion revolutionized Champion engagement by introducing subclass-based counter options alongside traditional artifact mods and exotic weapons. This system overhaul provides greater build flexibility while maintaining the strategic depth that makes Champion encounters rewarding to master.

Hovering over the Champion statuses on your Character screen will let you know if you don't have any anti-Champion abilities equipped at the moment.

Regularly monitor your Champion status indicators on the character screen to ensure you’re properly equipped before entering difficult activities.

Lightfall’s most significant innovation enables Guardians to counter Champions using specific subclass verbs and damage interactions, reducing dependency on seasonal artifact mods.

Barrier Champion Counters:
These shield-deploying enemies require immediate disruption when their health reaches critical levels. Effective subclass approaches include:

  • Solar: Activating radiant status through abilities like Healing Grenade or certain fragments empowers your weapons to penetrate Barrier Champion shields and initiate stunning
  • Void: Applying volatile rounds to your Void weapons via fragments or abilities allows them to shield-pierce and disrupt Barrier Champions
  • Strand: Generating unraveling rounds through Strand aspects enables your Strand weapons to bypass shields and trigger stun mechanics

Overload Champion Tactics:
These rapidly healing enemies demand continuous suppression to prevent health regeneration. Subclass solutions incorporate:

  • Arc blind effects from grenades or melee abilities to interrupt their attack patterns
  • Strand suspend capabilities that completely immobilize Overload Champions
  • Solar ignition applications that create extended damage-over-time effects

Unstoppable Champion Approaches:
The game’s most resilient Champions require powerful staggering effects to create damage windows:

  • Void suppression from grenades or controlled burst weapons
  • Stasis freeze and shatter combinations that bypass their damage resistance
  • Strategic positioning and environmental awareness to manage their aggressive pursuit behavior

Mastering these subclass interactions significantly enhances your build versatility while preparing you for any Champion combination in endgame content.

While subclass abilities provide new counter options, seasonal artifact mods remain reliable tools for consistent Champion disruption. The Season of Defiance artifact offers several mod options that can be combined with your preferred playstyle.

Current artifact mods include weapon-specific anti-champion capabilities across multiple weapon archetypes. These mods typically occupy armor piece slots and provide guaranteed stunning effects when using designated weapon types against specific Champion variants.

Strategic artifact mod selection should complement your chosen subclass and exotic weapons rather than duplicate functionality. For example, if using a Solar subclass for Barrier Champions, consider mods that address Overload or Unstoppable variants to ensure comprehensive coverage.

Artifact upgrades are now optional, but they're still present if you prefer them.

Artifact mods provide flexible options that can be tailored to your preferred combat approach while ensuring Champion coverage.

Advanced players often create mod combinations that activate multiple anti-champion effects simultaneously, such as pairing weapon mods with subclass verbs to handle unexpected Champion spawns or mixed enemy compositions.

Several exotic weapons feature intrinsic anti-champion properties that function independently of seasonal artifacts or subclass choices. These weapons provide consistent performance across content updates and are particularly valuable when learning Champion mechanics.

Notable exotic options include weapons that automatically stun specific Champion types without requiring additional mods or ability activation. This reliability makes them excellent choices for players who prefer consistent performance over build flexibility.

When building your loadout, consider how exotic weapons synergize with your subclass choices and artifact mod selections. Some exotics enhance subclass verb applications, while others provide standalone Champion counter capabilities that free up mod slots for other enhancements.

For optimal performance, coordinate exotic weapon choices with your fireteam to ensure comprehensive Champion coverage without redundant capabilities. This approach maximizes team efficiency in high-level activities where Champion density and variety present significant challenges.

Successfully managing Champions in Master and Grandmaster content requires more than just proper counter tools—it demands strategic execution and team coordination.

Team Composition Strategy:
Coordinate with your fireteam to ensure all three Champion types are covered through a combination of subclass abilities, artifact mods, and exotic weapons. Designate specific roles for each member to avoid overlap and maximize coverage efficiency.

Common Engagement Mistakes:
Avoid these frequent errors that lead to team wipes:

  • Failing to refresh anti-Champion effects before engaging
  • Overcommitting to a single Champion while others advance unchecked
  • Neglecting to communicate stun timing for coordinated damage phases
  • Using incorrect counter methods against Champion types (e.g., trying to shield-pierce an Unstoppable Champion)

Preparation Protocol:
Before launching any high-level activity, always verify your Champion counter capabilities by checking the status indicators on your character screen. This simple precaution prevents frustrating encounters where you lack necessary tools to progress.

Advanced techniques include pre-stunning Champions before they activate their abilities, creating environmental advantages using the terrain, and timing your super abilities to handle multiple Champions simultaneously during intense combat scenarios.

Action Checklist

  • Check character screen Champion indicators before high-level activities
  • Select subclass aspects and fragments that provide anti-Champion verbs
  • Coordinate with fireteam to ensure all Champion types are covered
  • Practice stunning timing on each Champion type in lower difficulty content
  • Create backup loadouts with exotic weapons for unexpected Champion combinations

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