Destiny 2 – Armor 2.0 Explained

Shadowkeep will herald the arrival of Armor 2.0 in Destiny 2. In this primer we will run through everything that was revealed on Bungie’s recent stream.

For a while, it looked like Destiny was shedding many RPG aspects that made it so interesting for players. Shadowkeep marks the beginning of Armor 2.0, a new armor system that brings back some of the more in-depth customization options available to players.

Destiny 2 – Armor 2.0 Explained

The thing I am most happy to see about Armor 2.0 is expanded stats. Each armor piece will give access to a potential stat increase, and you can mix and match armor pieces to get the build that you like.

• Strength – reduces Melee cooldown
• Intellect – reduces Super cooldown
• Discipline – reduces Grenade cooldown
• Mobility – allows players to move faster
• Recovery – allows for fast shield regen
• Resilience – increases player health

Having two armor pieces that give the same benefit groups those together to increase the effectiveness of the benefit. You can see exactly how much benefit you’re receiving by scrolling over the relevant icon on your Loadout screen in the Inventory.

Mods And Energy

You will now be able to use Mods to double down on the stats that you want to max or help cover other areas you’re lacking. Armor Energy and Armor Mods have replaced randomized Perks. You can equip any Mods you wish to use in the Mod slots rather than endlessly trying to hunt down the “perfect rolls.” Some armors and mods are energy-specific, so Void Armor can only accept Void energy mods. You also have a limited amount of energy, and each mod has an energy cost. These points dictate what combinations of mods you can equip on different armor pieces.

These energy points encourage players to mix and match their mods, armor pieces, and explore what kind of benefits they want to get from specific builds. If you have a particular affinity for a Solar Hand Cannon and want to maximize the reload speed, then you need a Solar Hand Cannon reload mod.

Mods also become permanent items you spend a small amount of Glimmer to use after you find them. You won’t need to find the same mod over and over again to use it on different armor pieces. You will be able to get mods from Gunsmith Engrams, and in-game activities like Iron Banner and the game’s various Raids.

Changes To Ornaments

One of the significant changes that Bungie wants to make with Armor 2.0 is to separate function from form. Universal Ornaments will allow you to choose a different look for your armor pieces, as long as you have the Ornament unlocked. You can earn Ornaments through the Eververse store, and apply them to any armor piece to change how it looks, but not how it functions. The only armor you won’t be able to change the appearance of will be Exotics.

You can also change the armor to look like other Armor 2.0 pieces, as long as you have discovered that armor in the world after the launch of Shadowkeep.

Now, there will be a lot more nuance to discover in the system as soon as we can get our hands on the game. But for now, Armor 2.0 looks like a step in the right direction for Destiny 2.