Armor in Destiny 2 provides defensive stats, Power Level, and slots for mods that customize your Guardian's abilities. Each armor piece (Helmet, Gauntlets, Chest Armor, Leg Armor, Class Item) contributes to your overall build.
Armor Rarity:
- Common (White): Basic, no perks.
- Uncommon (Green): Basic, no perks.
- Rare (Blue): Basic, no perks, higher Power.
- Legendary (Purple): Comes with random perks, mod slots, and can be Masterworked.
- Exotic (Gold): Unique perk, can be Masterworked. Only one Exotic armor piece can be equipped at a time.
Armor Energy & Masterworking:
Legendary and Exotic armor pieces have an 'Energy' value (0-10). Upgrading this energy (using Glimmer, Legendary Shards, Enhancement Cores, Enhancement Prisms, and Ascendant Shards) allows you to slot more powerful and expensive mods. Masterworking an armor piece brings it to 10 Energy and provides a +2 bonus to all six core stats.
Armor Mods:
As discussed in the 'Characters & Builds' chapter, armor mods are crucial for fine-tuning your stats, ability cooldowns, and combat effectiveness. Always ensure your armor has enough energy to slot your desired mods.