‘Destiny 2’ Tips To Power Level Quickly

Destiny 2 has started its release across the world today for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The launch of the game also means a race for many to max their Guardians out as much as possible for end-game activities like Nightfall strikes and raids. Here are a few tips for those seeking to power level their characters as fast as possible.

Maxing out a character in Destiny 2 is not all that different from Destiny 1, but there are some tweaks. You have a character level that maxes out at 20 but the real number to pay attention to is your Guardian’s Power Level (formerly Light Level).

Leveling in the Beginning

The race from level 1 to level 20 starts when you first create your Guardian. This can simply be done by earning experience points (XP) as you make your way through the story and side activities like patrol area missions and strikes as they open up.

Note that you can increase your rate of XP gain by taking part in the Destiny 2 Pop Tarts promotion. As previously covered, specially marked packages of the toaster pastry come with a code that grants an XP boost when redeemed online at KFR.com/D2XP.

The Race to Power Level 260

Once your Guardian’s character level has reached 20, the next thing to focus on is getting the armor and weapon Power Level to the point where you are end-game content ready. This means Nightfall Strikes, Flashpoint events, and the raid that starts on Wednesday, September 13 for PvE while Trials of Osiris waits for PVP players starting Friday, September 15.

To reach Power Level 260, you will need to start hitting activities and milestones that reward Legendary Gear. This includes Strikes, Crucible matches, Public Events, Adventures, Lost Sector loot chests, regional loot chests, etc. Vendors, such as Devrim Kay in the European Dead Zone, will also reward Legendary Gear via activities or you can purchase armor or weapons to help you level up faster.

Xur will be another option as well. The mysterious vendor is scheduled to appear this Friday and you will be able to purchase an Exotic piece if you have earned enough Legendary shards.

Hold Off on Powerful Gear

Try to avoid completing any Milestones or activities like the Nightfall or Flashpoints for Powerful Gear until your Guardian has reached Power Level 260. While Legendary Gear can be rewarded up to Level 260, it is the Powerful Gear that will help you reach the 300 max level.

Purchasing anything from Xur until you’ve reached the magic 260 mark should also be considered. It won’t hurt to go ahead and buy whatever he is selling before he leaves if you haven’t quite reached the goal, however.

The Weekly Milestones can be started but try not to complete them if you are trying to level fast until you’ve reached Power Level 260. This will ensure you earn gear to get your Guardian past level 260 and ready for the Nightfall and raid.

During a PAX West panel called Story Time with Luke Smith, the Destiny 2 Creative Director specifically mentioned Bungie scheduled the raid to launch on Wednesday to give players the opportunity to get the Weekly Milestones and activities done launch week and then the second week. That will provide ample opportunity to earn Legendary Gear.

Of course, this advice is only for those interested in attempting to grind past Power Level 260 and as close to level 300 as quickly as possible. Those not interested in trying to max out as fast as possible can grab Powerful Gear whenever they see fit.

Important Note on Decrypting Engrams

As mentioned in a Destiny 2 tidbit article, Bungie has changed how engrams decrypt for the sequel. The power level and item type are already determined when the engram drops instead of when it decrypts. That means there is no use in holding on to an engram to decrypt until you are a higher level.

Additionally, Destiny 2 automatically calculates a character’s best possible gear combination by looking at weapons and armor in the Guardian’s inventory, in the Vault, and even relevant items in another Guardian’s inventory on the same account. This means there is no need to shuffle your gear around to make sure you Guardian is at its max Power Level when decrypting engrams.

[Featured Image by Bungie/Activision]