Buffs allow you to upgrade a drones ability set. Related, but slightly different, are Weapons.
Buffs are stackable, and they last until you die.
Shield creates a shield similar in height to the drone, but not full height, in front of the drone - it glances attacks that connect with it before they connect with the drone itself, but will disappear for a short time after being hit before regenerating.
source: @Viotech3#8512 on Discord
Speed : 20% buff to movement speed and cooldowns (although there are a few odd cases, such as a 30% cooldown reduction with gun).
| Map | No Speed in Seconds | With Speed in Seconds |
|---|---|---|
| The Pod | 26 | ? |
| The Split Juniper | 26 | ? |
| The Spire | 26 | ? |
| Tally Fields | 20 | ? |
| Helix Temple | 20 | 21 (solo) |
| Black Queens Keep | 20 | ? |
source: @drainy#1038 on Discord
It's possible to get these buffs on warriors, too. For example, you could have speed and sword at the same time. However, because warriors cannot carry berries, you must get the buffs before your weapon of choice. Note that in the case of the shield buff, the shield disappears when you are in the middle of an attack, making shield+mace almost completely useless.