Damage reducing armor mods function a bit differently in Destiny 2: Beyond Light. Here’s how they work and why you should use them.
Mods got an overhaul when Beyond Light arrived in Destiny 2. The elemental affinities for reload and ammo scavenging mods were all removed, allowing you to slot those mods into any armor you own. Conversely, generic ammo finding mods were also removed and many of the specific ammo finding mods now cost the same as the generic ones, making it harder to slot mods in without masterworking armor.
The defensive mods were also changed. Minor, Major, and Boss Resist mods have all been removed in favor of two new damage resist mods as well as Concussive Dampener and the elemental resistance mods, which stay over from the previous sandbox. All these mods now get slotted into your chest armor’s center two slots, making it more difficult than ever to keep yourself protected.
Thankfully, Reddit user LegoWitch has done the analysis on what each of these new mods can do for you and how best to use them. Let’s take a look to see which mods are the right picks in Destiny 2: Beyond Light.
Out With The Old, In With The New
The new armor mods are Sniper Damage Resistance and Melee Damage Resistance. As the names suggest, these mods prevent damage up close or far away, and before you ask, no, slotting them both in won’t give you a flat damage reduction to all incoming damage.
While Minor, Major, and Boss mods reduced damage from specific sources, Sniper and Melee Resistance mods will only kick in at certain distances. For Sniper Resistance, that happens for enemies over 29m away, and for Melee Resistance, that’s for any enemies within 4m. Note that Melee Resistance doesn’t necessarily mean melee damage--any damage dealt from under four metres away will be reduced.
And unlike the Minor, Major, and Boss mods, each mod’s damage reduction has been increased. A single mod will reduce its damage category by 25%, while two stacked mods will reduce that damage category by 40%.
For a TLDR explanation, here’s how each mod reduces damage, as well how much damage they reduce, depending on whether you slot one/two mods:
- Concussive Dampener - All AOE damage reduced 25%/40%
- Melee Damage Resistance - All damage from sources under 4m away reduced 25%/40%
- Sniper Damage Resistance - All damage from sources over 29m away reduced 25%/40%
- Solar, Arc, Void Resistance - All Solar/Arc/Void damage reduced 25%/40%
Which Mods To Slot Where
As the above mods are fighting for the same slots as the ammo reserve mods, Guardians should consider the risk versus reward of using damage resistance mods over carrying a few extra shots of heavy/special ammunition.
That said, the damage resistance mods shouldn’t be overlooked, especially if you find that you’re dying too often.
For example, Guardians that favor swords should definitely look at combining the Melee Damage Resistance mod with Concussive Dampener. This will reduce damage from nearby foes as well as reducing damage from boss stomps, allowing you to continually hack away without fear of immediately perishing if the boss so much as lifts its leg.
Conversely, Guardians playing extremely high Power content might benefit more from Sniper Damage Resistance Mods given how their strategy is often to stay as far away from the enemy as possible.
Combine these damage resistance mods with certain Protective Light or Cellular Suppression from previous seasons, and you’ll find that any Guardian can become a true tank.