TL;DR
- Match Game makes enemy shields highly resistant to any damage type that does not match their element.
- It is only available on Master, Grandmaster, and Ultimate difficulty — Normal, Advanced, and Expert do not have it.
- Enable it from the Challenge Modifiers row in the Customization screen inside the Vanguard Ops menu.
- Running it increases difficulty and improves rewards.
- To counter it, bring weapons across multiple elements to match whatever shields you encounter.
- Hard Light (Exotic Auto Rifle) and Borealis (Exotic Sniper) are the best tools for handling mixed shield types.
What Is the Match Game Modifier in Destiny 2?
Match Game is a combat difficulty modifier in Destiny 2 that makes elemental enemy shields far more resistant to damage from the wrong element. In normal activities, you can chip away at an Arc shield with a Solar or Kinetic weapon — it just takes longer. With Match Game active, that becomes extremely inefficient. Unmatched damage barely dents a shield, and you are essentially wasting ammo until you swap to the right element.
The rule is simple: match the colour of the shield with the element of your weapon or ability. Arc shield needs Arc damage. Solar shield needs Solar damage. Void shield needs Void damage. If you bring the right element, the shield drops fast and triggers an explosion that stuns the enemy and damages nearby targets. If you do not, you are in for a very slow fight.
Match Game is one of the most effective modifiers for testing whether your loadout is well-rounded. It forces you to think about elemental coverage before you even step into an activity.
How to Enable Match Game in Destiny 2
Match Game is not available at all difficulty levels. As of the Monument of Triumph update, it is locked to Master difficulty and above. Normal, Advanced, and Expert difficulty options do not show it in the modifier list at all.
Here is how to turn it on:
Step 1 – Open the Vanguard Ops Menu
Head to The Portal and navigate to the Vanguard Ops activity selection. You need to be looking at an Ops activity that supports difficulty customization — most Vanguard Ops missions qualify.
Step 2 – Set Difficulty to Master or Higher
Select your activity and set the difficulty to Master, Grandmaster, or Ultimate. If you are on any lower difficulty setting, the Match Game option will not appear in the modifier list. Make sure you are at a power level comfortable enough to run these higher tiers — if you need to raise your power first, our power level guide covers the fastest ways to do it.
Step 3 – Go to the Customization Screen
With Master or higher selected, open the Customization screen for your chosen activity. You will see several rows of modifiers available to toggle.
Step 4 – Select Challenge Modifiers and Enable Match Game
Look for the Challenge Modifiers row — this is the first row in the customization panel. The first box in this row is reserved for Bane modifiers, which affect enemy spawn types. Hover over the second box to see a list of available Challenge Modifiers. Match Game will appear here. Select it to activate the modifier for your run.
Once it is on, launch the activity. Match Game will remain active for the entire mission and the increased difficulty contributes to better rewards at the end.
Enemy Shield Types and What Beats Them
Knowing which enemies carry which shields is half the battle with Match Game. Here is a quick reference:
- Arc shields: Fallen Captains, Hive Knights (higher content), Vex Harpies (higher content), Taken Centurions, Scorn Chieftains
- Solar shields: Hive Wizards, Cabal Centurions, Taken Captains, Fallen Heavy Shanks (higher content), Scorn Chieftains
- Void shields: Fallen Servitors (higher content), Vex Minotaurs, Taken Wizards, Taken Acolytes (higher content), Scorn Chieftains
Before entering a Match Game activity, check which enemy faction you will face. Plan at least two different elemental damage sources in your loadout so you are never stuck with zero answers to a shield type.
Also note: Exotic weapons that pierce Barrier Champion shields — such as Arbalest and The Lament — can break elemental shields even under Match Game conditions, bypassing the modifier entirely. This is one of the cleaner tech options for solo players.
Best Loadout Tips for Match Game
Match Game punishes single-element loadouts hard. The key is building for elemental coverage — having at least two or three different damage types across your three weapon slots.
Use Hard Light for Flexibility
The Hard Light Exotic Auto Rifle is one of the most convenient tools for Match Game. Holding down the reload button cycles through Arc, Solar, and Void damage on the fly. You never have to swap weapons to deal with whatever shield colour appears — you just hold reload for a second and keep firing. The trade-off is that Hard Light is not the strongest Primary in terms of raw DPS, so it works best when you have a Heavy weapon handling boss damage.
Use Borealis for High-Damage Shield Breaking
If you want a more powerful option, Borealis Exotic Sniper Rifle can also swap elements and hits significantly harder per shot than Hard Light. It uses Special ammo, so you will not be running it constantly, but it is excellent for bursting down shields on tougher enemies where you need to break quickly and follow up with Heavy damage.
Run TechSec Armor for Kinetic Shield Breaking
If you prefer running a Kinetic Primary and do not want to swap for every shield, equipping two pieces of TechSec armor significantly increases the damage Kinetic weapons deal to elemental shields. This does not fully replace matching elements, but it reduces how much time you waste against mismatched shields when you have no better option available.
Build Around Known Shield Types
The most reliable approach is to check what enemy faction the mission features, then bring weapons that cover those specific shield types. For example, if the Vanguard Ops mission is Fallen-heavy, you know you will see Arc Captains and Void Servitors — so bring one Arc weapon and one Void weapon, and your third slot can be whatever you want for DPS. Check our best PvE weapons tier list for solid options across each element.
Arc builds that use the Whatchamacallit SMG can handle Arc shields naturally while the SMG’s burst damage clears adds. Pair it with a Void or Solar Special weapon to cover the other shield types. For a broader look at Aspect synergies that complement Match Game builds, the Hellion Aspect guide covers how Solar Warlock ability builds interact with Scorch and Ignition — useful for burning through Solar-shielded enemies fast.
Why Run Match Game at All?
Match Game increases the overall difficulty of the activity, and higher difficulty means better rewards. If you are farming for god rolls or working toward Guardian Rank challenges that require completing activities with specific modifiers active, Match Game is one of the cleaner ways to add difficulty without making the mission feel completely unmanageable.
It also comes with a Match Game Challenge Modifier Triumph — completing any Ops activity with Match Game active counts toward it. If you are chasing Triumphs for titles or Legendary Marks through the Monument of Triumph system, this is a fast one to tick off once you are ready for Master content.
Note that Match Game pairs with Locked Loadout at Master difficulty and above, which means your gear is locked once you launch. You cannot change weapons mid-activity. Plan your loadout before you start — check our best armor mods guide and make sure your build is ready before you hit launch.
Match Game and Other Modifiers That Appear With It
At Master difficulty and above, Match Game rarely shows up alone. You will typically also see:
- Locked Loadout — gear cannot be changed after starting the activity
- Extra Shields — more enemies have elemental shields than normal
- Champions — Barrier, Overload, and Unstoppable Champions appear. You need the correct Champion-countering weapon perks or artifact mods to stun them. See our Monument of Triumph Artifacts guide for what mods are available this season.
At Grandmaster, you additionally get Extinguish (fireteam wipe sends everyone to orbit) and Champions: Mob (even more Champions). Come fully prepared.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I enable Match Game on Normal or Advanced difficulty?
No. As of the Monument of Triumph update, Match Game only appears in the Challenge Modifier list at Master difficulty and above. Normal, Advanced, and Expert difficulty settings do not offer it.
Does Match Game affect my abilities too?
Match Game primarily affects weapon damage against enemy shields. Using an ability of the wrong element against a shield is still less effective, but the main issue is your weapons — make sure your damage types align with the shields you expect to face.
Can I complete the Match Game Triumph on any Ops activity?
Yes. Any Ops activity on Master difficulty or higher with Match Game enabled in the Challenge Modifiers row counts toward the Triumph. Pick a mission you are comfortable with at Master level and run it.
More Destiny 2 Guides
- Easiest Level Modifiers to A-Rank
- Fireteam Power Explained
- Best Solo Ops Missions for Power Grinding
- Forcible Disconnect Triumph Guide
- Above and Beyond Triumph Guide
- How to Get the Immortal Title
Where to Get Destiny 2
Destiny 2 is free to play on all major platforms:
