How plates and armor work in Warzone 2: New system explained

Andrew Highton
cod operator putting armor plate in

Warzone 2’s armor and plates are still a crucial aspect of gameplay and survival, so let’s run through how the system operates in the newest CoD battle royale shooter.

Plating up became a popular phrase during the OG Warzone days as players replenished their armor with reinforced plates designed to resist a limited amount of damage from enemy fire.

The way you could go about it was tinkered with as the game went on thanks to the introduction of the Tempered Perk, changes to Armor Satchels, and more.

Now, Warzone 2 is seeking to shake up what players thought they knew about the game with Loadout Drop changes and revisions in the series’ Looting System. An additional change comes in the form of the game’s armor and plate system, with the devs subverting expectations once more.

Warzone 2 armor and plates system explained

Armor Satchels

The objective for all Warzone 2 players will be to find an Armor Satchel ASAP – otherwise, you’ll only be able to have two plates in play at any one time.

Once you do locate a satchel, then you can have three active plates at any one time.

Color indicators

Warzone 2 is set to retain the existing system of letting players have up to three armor plates to make up what is effectively their shield.

But, we believe an attacking player will be able to identify the rarity of an enemy player’s shield in the middle of a gunfight thanks to a new color-coordinated system.

The difference in someone’s shield can be spotted through distinct colors, with a Purple Armor icon representing a higher-tier shield, and a Blue Armor icon representing a more common one.

We’ll know for absolutely sure how it all works once the game goes live.

Plate prioritization

Also, as per the change in Warzone Pacific, when refilling your plates with fresh ones, Armor Plates will prioritize refilling 1 full plate of armor before filling any partially damaged plates.


Hopefully, this was a big help in getting you to understand Warzone 2’s new mechanics. If you’re interested in even more of its new changes, check out how fall damage is now distributed in Warzone 2, as well as how the new Interrogation feature works properly.

Image Credit: Activision

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