Champion

"Champions of what? A lofty title won't protect them from you."

- Zavala.

Champions are special boss type enemies introduced in Shadowkeep. They appear in The Ordeal on Heroic or harder, Legend and Master Lost Sectors, Master Grasp of Avarice, seasonal activities, raids starting from Garden of Salvation onwards in Destiny 2, and are also hidden on the Moon patrol space. They are units who have been “touched” by the Darkness. Saint-14 stated that they were tricky enemies that he had fought multiple times in the Infinite Forest.

Overview
Champions come in three varieties; Barrier, Overload, and Unstoppable. A given enemy race has a Champion for two of the three types, and can be easily identified by red, tendril-like growths and dark coloration. These come in a crown shape for Barrier Champions, double horn shape for Unstoppable Champions, and two circles around the head and torso for Overload Champions.


 * Barrier Champions behave much like their normal counterparts would until they are at one third of their health. When damaged to one third, they will create an impenetrable dome shield that also heals up most of their lost health.
 * Overload Champions not only have an advanced healing factor, but they also have increased ability regeneration, allowing them to use these abilities more frequently and aggressively.
 * Unstoppable Champions have a severely high health pool and an immunity to staggering or stuns, and will use these resiliences to allow them to aggressively assail their opponents from close range and from afar.

Each type of Champion has a corresponding type of player weapon or ability that can be used to counter their special attribute. They will stun the Champion temporarily and will notify all nearby players with a sound and a text prompt. Anti-Champion capability can be most easily acquired through the current Seasonal Artifact with unlockable weapon mods and class ability mods equipped on armor. Some Exotic weapons also have Anti-Champion capabilities already attached.


 * Anti-Barrier weapons are the only weapons capable of damaging a Barrier Champion's shield using shield-piercing munitions. They will also bypass defences such as those utilized by Phalanxes and Hydras and do extra damage to Titan Barricades in PvP modes. Anti-barrier mods will generally always be active.
 * Overload weapons require concentrated fire to disable Overload Champion abilities in a process referred to as disruption. They will also decrease the damage output of other enemies and delay PvP opponent ability regeneration. Overload abilities take effect immediately. Overload weapons will generally activate after rapidly firing the weapon.
 * Unstoppable weapons typically require a moment of aiming without firing to engage its effects before they can load a shot that can stagger Unstoppable Champions. They will also stagger other unshielded enemies, and sometimes produce an explosive effect capable of splash damage, but otherwise increase damage. Unstoppable mods will generally activate after aiming down sights for a brief period.

Cabal

 * Barrier Colossus
 * Unstoppable Incendior

Fallen

 * Barrier Servitor
 * Overload Captain

Hive

 * Barrier Knight
 * Envoy of Savathûn
 * Unstoppable Ogre

Scorn

 * Overload Chieftain
 * Unstoppable Abomination

Taken

 * Overload Taken Hobgoblin
 * Savathûn's Marionette
 * Unstoppable Taken Phalanx
 * Savathûn's Marionette

Vex

 * Barrier Hobgoblin
 * Overload Minotaur

Trivia

 * These enemies appear to be imbued with Darkness-derived powers, indicated by the red-black tendrils and aura rising from their shoulders.
 * These enemies emit a dark gas from its body, similar to the Qodron, Eschaton Mind, Imminent Mind, and Primeval Mind.
 * The Scorn never had any champions until Season of the Lost.
 * This is most likely due to the fact that the Scorn are not technically a species, just a faction and it is very unusual for factions to receive exclusive champions. Additionally, due to the fact that the Scorn had almost no story appearance after Forsaken, and champions were first introduced in Shadowkeep, it is likely that Bungie did not think it necessary to give them Champions.

List of appearances

 * Destiny 2
 * Shadowkeep
 * Season of the Undying
 * Season of Dawn
 * Season of the Worthy
 * Season of Arrivals
 * Beyond Light
 * Season of the Hunt
 * Season of the Chosen
 * Season of the Splicer
 * Season of the Lost