Wizard



"That Wizard came from the Moon!"

- Ghost, Destiny First Look Alpha

Wizards are a class of the Hive species. They come from the moon. In combat, Wizards fly around to unleash magical attacks on their enemies, their powers granted by The Darkness. They protect themselves with powerful shields that take additional damage from Solar weapons. Wizards can be identified by their crumbling robes and elaborate headgear. All Wizards are female.

Behavior
Wizards hover above lesser Hive minions, bombarding Guardians with Darkness blasts. Such attacks are well-aimed and difficult to dodge out in the open, but because they are slow-acting, dodging by chance is made easier by observing their actions.

Wizards can also summon a dark sphere of energy, which is frequently done when their shield is taken down. Hive that stand within are healed, but such energy is a poison to Guardians. It inflicts damage, dulls your perception, and slows you down. Wizards are protected by a Solar shield. When this shield is destroyed, the Wizard is vulnerable, but their ability to levitate makes them nimble targets in the air. They are also capable of a short teleport, though they do not use it often.

On higher difficulty tiers, a Wizards' basic Darkness Blast becomes faster and more deadly, increasing their lethality.

Wizards are intelligent, unlike other enemies. If the player draws their attention and damages them, they will hide behind a wall to heal quickly. They will also have another enemy protect them while they are healing up.

Tactics
Wizards are dangerous opponents, and it is best to dispatch them as swiftly as possible.

Wizards hover around the battle zone while you are fighting other Hive units, healing them and pelting you with Darkness blasts, increasing the difficulty. In terms of wasted time and efficiency, Wizards are a major annoyance.

Heavy machine gun fire or sniper shots work well to quickly take them down. A fusion rifle blast from medium range is quite effective too. Like all Hive, the head is the Wizard's weak point. Because they are nimble aerial units, they are difficult to target with grenades or rockets, unlike other Hive units. When targeting a Wizard, avoid using these weapons unless the rocket launcher fires homing rockets. A fireteam can damage a Wizard from several angles, keeping her in an offensive position and making for an easier kill.

Variants

 * Ascendant Wizard
 * Brood Mother
 * Chosen Wizard
 * Hallowed Wizard
 * Siphon Witch

Notable Wizards

 * Alzok Däl
 * Balwûr
 * Besurith
 * Gornuk Däl
 * Gotra, Eir Spawn
 * Hashladûn
 * Heart of Crota
 * Ir Anûk, Deathsinger
 * Ir Halak, Deathsinger
 * Ir Yût, the Deathsinger
 * In Ananh, Brood Queen
 * Kinox
 * Lokaar
 * Mormu, Xol Spawn
 * Omnigul, the Will of Crota
 * Räkta, the Mournful
 * Savathûn, the Witch Queen
 * Verok
 * Vurok, Eir Spawn
 * Voshyr
 * Xyor, the Unwed
 * Zyrok Däl