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 Heroic or higher difficulty content, such as Nightfalls or elected Lost Sectors, seasonal activities, raids starting from Garden of Salvation onwards in Destiny 2, and rarely in other activities. 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 damage reduction and an immunity to staggering or stuns, and will use these resiliences to allow them to aggressively assail their opponents in close range.

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 and subclass verbs also have intrinsic Anti-Champion capabilities such as Wish-Ender and Suspend.


 * Anti-Barrier effects are the only way to damage a Barrier Champion's shield using shield-piercing effect. They will also bypass defenses such as those utilized by Phalanxes and Hydras and do extra damage to Titan Barricades in PvP modes. Anti-barrier weapons will generally always be active. Weapons imbued with the Radiant effect, Unraveling Rounds on Strand weapons, and Volatile Rounds on Void weapons temporarily have Anti-Barrier capabilities.
 * Anti-Overload effects require concentrated fire to disable Overload Champion abilities in a process referred to as disruption. They will also decrease the damage output and ability use of other enemies and delay PvP opponent ability regeneration. Overload abilities take effect immediately. Overload weapons will generally activate after rapidly firing the weapon. Slow, Jolt, and Suppression effects have Anti-Overload capabilities.
 * Anti-Unstoppable effects are the only thing that can stagger Unstoppable Champions and remove their damage reduction. They will also stagger other unshielded enemies, possibly making them flinch with every hit, and sometimes produce an explosive effect capable of splash damage, but otherwise increase damage. Unstoppable weapons will generally activate after aiming down sights for a brief period. Shatter, Suspend, Blind, and Ignition effects have Anti-Unstoppable capabilities.

Cabal

 * Barrier Colossus
 * Barrier Conquest Keymaster
 * Scytale
 * Unstoppable Incendior
 * Ruffian
 * Unstoppable War Beast Keymaster

Fallen

 * Barrier Servitor
 * Overload Captain
 * Saboteur

Hive

 * Barrier Knight
 * Envoy of Savathûn
 * Unstoppable Ogre
 * Scytale

Scorn

 * Overload Chieftain
 * Dread Devourer
 * Unstoppable Abomination

Taken

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

Vex

 * Barrier Hobgoblin
 * Scytale
 * Overload Minotaur
 * Scytale

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 Qodron, and the Eschaton Mind, Imminent Mind, and Primeval Mind.
 * The Scorn never had any champions until Season of the Lost.

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
 * The Witch Queen
 * Season of the Risen
 * Season of the Haunted
 * Season of Plunder
 * Season of the Seraph