Find the failed condition before replacing half your loadout. Each diagnosis follows the same pattern: likely cause, a check you can perform, and a small adjustment.
Example: current Gambler's Dodge and Combination Blow use stat-scaled energy returns. Stormveil does not promise instant full resets.
Run the energy drill. Do not raise every stat to 200; improve the relevant recharge range and test the actual return first.
Your recovery starts only after a kill, counterpunch, or Orb pickup. Woven Mail, Frost Armor, and Overshields are being mistaken for healing. You moved into danger to activate a surrounded bonus, or attacked while relying on invisibility.
Remember: a defensive effect cannot undo every burst of incoming damage, and invisibility does not remove all hazards.
Prism Breaker: Cross Counter is a follow-up, not a guaranteed heal on the opening hit. Renewal protection is not team healing.
Never deliberately take critical damage or let shields break just to activate an emergency perk. Test recovery without manufacturing dangerous damage.
Anti-Champion Nosecone is extra rocket damage, not a Champion stun.
| Counter family | Common routes to check | Do not assume |
|---|---|---|
| Barrier | Eligible weapon damage with Radiant, Volatile Rounds, or Unraveling Rounds; explicit intrinsic/current weapon counter. | A Volatile target or ordinary Unravel grants the named Rounds buff. Check intrinsic-counter conflicts. |
| Overload | Jolt, Suppression, Slow, or an explicit weapon counter under its actual conditions. | All Arc, Void, or Stasis damage applies the required debuff. |
| Unstoppable | Suspend, Arc Blind, Ignition, freeze followed by shatter, or an explicit weapon counter. | Slow alone, Scorch alone, or any generic blinding/disorienting effect is the same counter. |
These are keyword distinctions, not a promise that every application lands or bypasses resistance/re-stun windows. Verify live tooltips. Champion coverage drill.
You spend limited ammo on every weak enemy, use two Special weapons without a supply plan, or assume ammo perks guarantee drops. An Auto-Loading perk refills from reserves; it does not create reserves.
Ammo type and weapon slot are separate: Choir of One is an auto rifle using Special ammo; Tractor Cannon is a Heavy shotgun.
Void Arsenal explains why Actium reload support is not infinite Choir ammo. Observe your ammo economy.
One piece is a different set, an old version lacks current set perks, or the matching appearance is only an ornament. An Exotic occupies the slot where the fourth Legendary was expected.
The default is four Legendary pieces plus one Exotic armor piece, not four total armor pieces.
Exodus Down provides Emergency Electromagnet and Repurposed Charge; Radiant Rebound's Lustrous uses different bonuses. Never transfer one set's effects to the other.
Two players need the same final blow, kills happen before your ability lands, or a teammate's control/displacement changes your setup. An ally-triggered support effect may also fail because nobody actually received the buff or healing.
A build that needs personal melee kills can feel different beside strong ranged clear; nobody is necessarily playing incorrectly.
Read the team-friction examples and run the shared-combat drill.
Ticks are temporary for this open page. If the behavior still differs from the tooltip, record the item version, activity/modifiers, and observed result; do not label the test successful just because damage appeared.
Prepared 24 October 2026. Bungie's build guide; our dated builds and their item/keyword sources. Examples explain configuration, not live Champion rotations or encounter tactics. Counter eligibility, mod costs, stat returns, and item effects must be checked against current in-game text.