Defender Subclass
Are you the kind of person that likes to get in the way? That member of any group who leaps in front of others to take the first punch before smiling back at your opponent and slamming them into the ground? The one who is at their happiest when taking or avoiding damage rather than dishing it out? Then you’ll be wanting the Titan’s Defender Subclass.
Playing as a Defender doesn’t become available until you’re level 15 so before hitting this level it’s a good idea to stock up on a handful of quest completions and bounty returns. Any experience gained while the Defender class is equipped will count towards leveling it up. However if you like to make things harder for yourself then you’re in luck: Taking on the Defender subclass without any upgrades means no double jump, no Supercharge ability, no grenades and no melee attack boost.
Let’s go to the first question, what sort of (gren)aid does a Titan Defender bring to Destiny? The first is the Magnetic grenade which attaches itself to your helpless quarry before exploding in a pair of deliciously destructive explosions. This will most likely be your weapon of choice because rushing around being all Defender-y doesn’t lend itself to accurate grenade placement. If you want to try something different then you can try the Suppression Grenade. It stops those affected by the explosion from using abilities for a short time but, much like the Lightning Grenade from the Striker school, it doesn’t have much use outside of the Crucible.
The Spike Grenade however is a whole different kettle of Hive. This directional devastator emits a geyser of Void Light from its peak. Landing it on the floor doesn’t bring much to the party unless under a large boss. Attach it Gorilla Glue-style to a wall though and it really starts to become worthwhile. Rather than simple exploding outwards, it will bedazzle enemies with a horizontal beacon of light-based death. Very useful in corridors. Even more useful on low ceilings over staircases. Rather less useful when used to stir pancake mix. You get the idea.
Getting up close and personal with your assorted enemies as a Defender can prove to be a boon to your Boondock Saints tribute act. Slam into an opponent and, should they die, you’ll be surrounded with a Force Barrier. The barrier provides a warm and cosy shield which can be powered up in three different ways. Applying War Machine as a boost massively increases weapon reload times and Unbreakable means the barrier will constantly regenerate itself while cuddling you close like Kevlar.
For those who are more group-play minded, taking the Gift of Life augment means any further skill uses have a chance to generate extra Orbs of Light. Giving your buddies a fresh set of shiny orbs is a surefire way to make them like you as this fills up part of their Supercharge bar for them to dish out their own main abilities.
Supercharge in Defender Titan roughly translates as “Big Shield of Love”. Actually called the Ward of Dawn, this skill creates a spherical wall of light which is utterly indestructible and halts any incoming (and outgoing) damage. Like an umbrella at an open concert, this can attract Guardians from miles around to hide within its purple bosom to avoid incoming damage from opponents. Placing it outside of the line of fire but close to the group or in an area of great risk can be the difference between the life and death of a group. It always works incredibly well against Phogoth in the Summoning Pits mission.
The Ward of Dawn can be upgraded to confer additional bonuses on those who wish to seek cover. Armor of Light grants everyone within a much higher damage resistance than normal. This one in particular is great for taking on swarms of Hive Thralls, but not everything in Destiny likes to run into your face. Blessing and Weapons of Light give Guardians a Force Barrier-esque shield or a weapon damage bonus respectively. It can turn your Ward of Dawn into something similar to a drive-thru a 3am after a heavy night of drinking but it is still very useful. A little boost does go a long way after all.
Additional bonuses can be lavishly lathered over the Ward with passive bonuses that make it drop Orbs of Light when absorbing damage or increasing its staying power. These add a little extra spice to the proceedings while not being especially useful in themselves.
Don’t forget though, when using the Ward of Dawn damage can not come into the shield or go out of it. If this concept baffles you, just think of the TV series Under the Dome and you’re about there. Just without less drama, kidnapping or cow-slicing.
