Returnal features a ton of different items and upgrades, though boosts to Selene’s suit stats are perhaps the most valuable. Many are self-explanatory, though some users are keen to learn more about the Protection statistic in particular. So, here’s the need-to-know on the Returnal Protection stat.
What is the Returnal Protection stat?
The Returnal Protection stat indicates a player’s defense. The higher the Protection statistic percentage is, the fewer points of damage users suffer when they take a hit.
This goes both ways, as some Parasites and Malfunctions can lower the Returnal Protection percentage. In this situation, a user’s defense will drop, and any damage sources prove even more deadly than usual. As such, always think very carefully before signing up for negative status effects that impact the Protection stat. In many situations, they really aren’t worth the risk.
How to increase the Returnal Protection stat
Players can increase the Protection stat in Returnal by interacting with any Fabricator containing a Protection Augment. These are occasionally free, though most often cost Obolites, and they always increase Protection by 10%.
Although they don’t directly impact the Protection value, there are additional means of improving survivability in Returnal. Firstly, it’s possible to increase the max health pool in a variety of ways. Secondly, certain Artifacts and Consumables can shield Selene from taking damage when hit. As an example, the Resinous Shield Artifact blocks a single hit after collecting any chunk of Resin throughout the current run.
Need additional help to finish Returnal? For anyone that doesn’t mind using dirty tactics, check out how to access the secret cheat mode.
It’s also worth bookmarking these Returnal ending theories for when the time is right. There’s a lot of nuance to the narrative that can go unnoticed, and plenty of questions that remain after beating the main campaign.
