Defender Titans are the support class that everyone loves having along in PvE. They're either orb generating machines or walking buff shuttles that almost always has a Ward of Dawn ready to go. And Helm of Saint-14 makes their Ward capable of blocking off key choke points. When it comes to doing damage, they rely on their Weapons of Light and guns, so solo defenders sometimes have trouble dropping big damage or clearing waves without exposing themselves excessively to danger, and Helm of Saint-14 is pretty much a requirement for any Defender Titan. So if you don't have it, your effectiveness drops off considerably. But when it comes to PvP, most people turn on the aggression factor, and defender seems lackluster. Their super doesn't even damage anything. But, as odd as this sounds, think of your role on the team as it was in PvE. Support your teammates. You have a nice assortment of tools to really screw up your opponents, namely Suppression Grenade. Got a Bladedancer/Voidwalker blinking everywhere? Let's see how tough they are without that. Roaming super? Few things more insulting than having it turned off. But you need to throw carefully, as it will suppress ANYTHING caught in the explosion, including yourself and your allies. Drop your Ward on key points to either deny the enemy resources or a route or force them to drop a super on it to break it. And when you combine No Backup Plans with Monte Carlo, you get a frontline supporter who is more than capable of drawing fire. Strikers are the guys who like to smash things, and they it well. In PvE, a group of majors are ideal targets for a Fist of Havoc, and Shockwave hits them a few extra times if they survive. And against trash mobs, they got that Storm Fist to heal them. Flashbang is also very good, but it blinds you and your allies as well, so throw it carefully. Also, Strikers are encouraged to get close, which is usually a big no-no in high level PvE content, so at range they have little to no options. PvP Strikers can be really nasty when played right, but their kit makes them pretty predictable. If you get shoulder charged once, you will know from that moment on to keep your distance, which is honestly not that hard. Radar awareness shuts down shoulder charging strikers. However, in objective game modes, they can drop their Lightning Grenades to close off choke points and key points, making them nasty opponents if they know how to place their grenades. They are also currently the only class to drop their super on any roaming super and survive the trade, assuming they have Unstoppable on. Voidwalkers require an exotic helm to pull that off. And let's not forget Aftermath. If you are not paying attention, you WILL die to it. But that's the weakness of Strikers in PvP: paying attention. Sunbreakers in PvE are trash clearers, but have an assortment of other skills to support their team. The defense reduction from Sunstrike turns the toughest of bullet sponges into noodles and Thermite Grenade is one of the few grenades enemies don't avoid. In fact, they run INTO the fire more often than not. And if a bunch of majors get in your face, those hammers will annihilate them in a heartbeat and once the first falls, it is all downhill from there. In PvP, they are the quickest Titan, but this is offset by their relatively lackluster perks. Sunspots are easy to avoid, and their T-Rex arms don't let them strike until they get uncomfortably close, at which point they are probably dead anyways. Incendiary Grenade is a nasty thing, but if you don't know how to throw it, you might as well be throwing a rubber ball. But when you turn on that hammer, one of two things will happen: you will get no kills or maybe one, or you will get a killing spree. It all depends on how your opponents react. If they stand their ground one after the other, you just got a kill streak. If they run away or work together, you just wasted your super. That extra armor doesn't protect you from concentrated fire and there is a small delay between the pulling of the trigger and the hammer actually being thrown. If a group of two or three enemies get the drop on you, you will be dead in no time and might not even get a kill.

"In PVE, Defender's are kings of orb generators." What? Have you seen what a Nightstalker is capable of? This is coming from a die-hard Defender, it is very rare for a bubble to out-orb a shadowshot. That's probably it's main function.

What's the purpose of this thread? Seems pretty pointless tbh.

I have played defender exclusively since destiny launched. I've never even maxed sunbreaker subclass and I only maxed striker on my main Titan by swapping to it while Turing in bounties. I don't give any balancing suggestions for the class, but I'll say we need more unique exotics like the Saint 14. I'm tired of every armor piece lazily adding a perk on your subclass for free... I love the Saint 14, but I hate it outclasses literally every other Titan exotic just because it adds more than one free perk already on your subclass

I haven't changed my subclass since I maxed out Sunbreaker lol

About the lightning grenade thing. I think that it is still great for either blocking or destroying choke points. Just did it in Trials

Lightning grenades are great for cutting off choke points to either trap opponents advances, let you escape to regenerate health and group up, or throw near someone reviving in ToO and skirmish.

Gotta disagree with striker having the best neutral game. Imo that title is between gunslinger and void walker. Lightning grenades are trumped by trip mines. Shoulder charge doesn't work if your opponent is aware of the battlefield.

Yup pretty much Striker and Defender need slight buff to compete with Sunbreaker though, and every other class really.

Everyone loves a titan when we're on your team. Overly hated when not...

Titans are your best friend in PvE...