– The Explode modifier is used to alter the mesh geometry by moving/rotating its faces in a way that roughly tracks particles emitted by that object, making it look as if the mesh is being exploded (broken apart and pushed outward).
– For this modifier to have any visible effect, there needs to be a particle system on its object. That particle system will control how the mesh is exploded.
– Both the number of emitted particles and number of faces determine how granular the Explode modifier is. More faces and more particles will mean more individual pieces.
– IMPORTANT: The Particle System must come before the Explode modifier in the modifier stack!