Hobgoblin

"The air by my cheek twanged twice, stinking of ozone, before I saw it."

— Grimoire description.

The Hobgoblin is a Vex unit specialized for sniping.^[1]

Overview

Hobgoblins are hardened Vex units fitted with improved optics and acute sensors in their horns.^[2] They have distinctive tails ^[3] and are often armed with weapons called Line Rifles, terminals which theoretically draw energy from the accretion disks of galactic singularities.^[4] Nessus-born Hobgoblins maintain an orange glow that signifies a charged shield. Nessus-based Hobgoblins sport two tails. They are also more armored, sporting a second shoulder plate.

Gameplay

When attacked, Hobgoblins often seal themselves in stasis within an impenetrable shield, rendering them completely immune to all forms of damage, and allowing them to regenerate a good amount of their health. Guardians who step into this shield are inflicted with the "Burning" debuff until they withdraw. Occasionally, Hobgoblins make use of Slap Grenades to force players out of cover and push them back.^[5] These Slap Grenades do Void damage, and the Hobgoblin's Line Rifles do Solar damage. A decapitated Hobgoblin will fire faster, but less accurately, and will also be unable to use its Burning Shield.

In Destiny 2, Hobgoblins largely remain the same, save for sporting two tails, and a glow that signifies that their shields are charged. Their shields also restore a significant portion of their health. Unlike some other long-range enemies, such as Adherents and Cabal Headhunter-equipped Psions, Hobgoblins will lead their shots based on the movement of their target when they fire their weapon, making it slightly harder to dodge their shots. Players can abruptly change their movement direction when hearing a Hobgoblin fire to avoid being hit. Anti-Barrier properties can damage Hobgoblins in their Shield.

Known Hobgoblins

Sol Collective Hobgoblins

Descendants Hobgoblins

Agioktis, Martyr Mind

Proxy Hobgoblins

Replicant Mind, Proxy

Variations

Notable Variations

Descendant Hobgoblin - Hobgoblin of the Descendants
Precursor Hobgoblin - Hobgoblin of the Precursors

Common Variants

Axis Hobgoblin - Major Hobgoblin (Destiny)
Barrier Hobgoblin - Champion
Descendant Axis Hobgoblin - Elite Hobgoblin of the Descendants
Hobgoblin Disciple - Heroic Difficulty
Hobgoblin Zealot - Epic Difficulty
Precursor Axis Hobgoblin - Elite Hobgoblin of the Precursors
Quantum Hobgoblin - Common Elite Hobgoblin

Specific Variants

Trivia

Two empty Hobgoblin chassis can be found inside the Tower alongside a collection of Cabal and Fallen weaponry.^[6]
Shooting a Hobgoblin with a sidearm will prevent it from using its stasis ability.^[7] This is not the case in Destiny 2.^[8]