Modifier

Modifiers are similar to Skulls from the Halo games, in that they make Story missions and Strikes more challenging by adding a new level of difficulty. Modifiers are typically randomly applied for special missions. Modifiers can be applied to normal Story missions by changing the difficulty and raising the level of the mission.

Mission-specific modifiers

• Heroic—enemies are more numerous and aggressive. All missions above their default level have Heroic active. Heroic is also used in the Daily Heroic Story Mission and Weekly Heroic Strike.
• Epic—heavily shielded and highly aggressive enemies appear in large numbers. Epic is always active during the Nightfall Strike.
• Nightfall—on team death, you are returned to orbit. Nightfall is always active during the Nightfall Strike. The Taken King changes this modifier: players will have to wait thirty seconds before they can be revived by allies (as in normal-difficulty Raids), and team death will no longer return players to orbit.

Randomly selected modifiers

• Vanilla:
  • Angry—enemies do not flinch, even after taking massive damage.
  • Arc Burn—all sources of Arc damage deal more damage.
  • Juggler—enemies only drop ammo for weapons you are not currently using.
  • Lightswitch—enemies deal more melee damage.
  • Solar Burn—all sources of Solar damage deal more damage.
  • Void Burn—all sources of Void damage deal more damage.

• Added by House of Wolves:
  • Airborne—players deal more damage in the air.
  • Brawler—player melee attacks are more powerful.
  • Catapult—grenades recharge at an increased rate.
  • Exposure—player shields are increased, but don't replenish.
  • Grounded—players take more damage while in the air.
  • Small Arms—primary weapons are more powerful.
  • Specialist—special weapons are more powerful.
  • Trickle—abilities recharge at a reduced rate.

• Added by The Taken King:
  • Bloodthirsty—enemies fire more frequently and more accurately.
  • Chaff—player radar is disabled.
  • Fresh Troops—some enemy squads have been fortified with additional reinforcements.
  • Ironclad—more enemies have shields.
  • Match Game—enemy shields are resistant to all unmatched Elemental Damage.