Absorption Shield

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An absorption shield is a defensive ability employed by various enemies in combat. It manifests as a transparent bubble that surrounds the user. Elemental damage does bonus damage against certain types of shields. The most obvious way to tell if a shield is weak to a certain damage type is to see what color it is; for example, Fallen Captains with blue shields are weak to Arc attacks. A Vex Minotaur is vulnerable to Void damage. Wizards and Centurions both are vulnerable to Solar damage. If one pumps enough non-elemental rounds into a shield, no matter the color, it will deactivate, though this method takes longer. A high impact weapon of sufficient damage but different elemental type can deactivate absorption shields in a single hit. Absorption shields have a larger appearance in Destiny 2.

Elemental grenades can take down shields of their respective element by simply detonating next to the target.

Enemy Shield Types

Fallen

• Captain—Arc
• Shank (Noble and higher)—Solar

Hive

• Wizard—Solar
• Knight (Anointed and higher)—Arc

Vex

• Minotaur—Void
• Harpy (Zealot and higher)—Arc

Cabal

• Centurion—Solar
• Psion (Elite missions)—Void
• Psion Flayer—Arc; Solar; Void

Taken

• Taken Captain—Solar
• Taken Centurion—Arc
• Taken Wizard—Void
• Taken Acolyte—Void (on higher difficulty in Strike playlists)
• Taken Goblin—projects a shield upon Taken allies that is invulnerable to all damage. Can only be taken down if Goblin is destroyed.

List of appearances

• Destiny (First appearance)
• Destiny 2