Does Powerful Gear Drop Above 1570 in Destiny 2?
The short answer is: no, Powerful gear will not drop above 1570. This was the maximum base Power Level that could be obtained through Powerful gear drops prior to the release of the Lightfall expansion. This cap was in place for some time, and it’s crucial to understand the mechanics at play to effectively level up your Guardian. While the number 1570 may seem a bit dated now, understanding this information is important for understanding how leveling worked prior to recent expansions. The original article you referenced highlights this historical point within the game.
Understanding Power Level Caps in Destiny 2
Destiny 2 employs a system of different gear tiers, each with its own level cap and mechanics. Understanding these different types of gear is crucial to progressing your Guardian to the highest levels. Before we dive into more detail, here’s a quick rundown of key terms:
- Soft Cap: This is the point where basic gear drops stop increasing your Power level, requiring you to earn higher-tier rewards.
- Powerful Cap: The level you reach by acquiring Powerful gear.
- Pinnacle Cap: The maximum level achievable via Pinnacle gear, and the absolute highest level for gear.
- Artifact Bonus: Levels gained through the seasonal artifact. These are not tied to gear levels and are temporary, resetting each season.
The game has changed since the original article you provided, so the soft, powerful and pinnacle caps have all been raised.
Why 1570 Was The Powerful Gear Cap
Before Lightfall, players had to use Powerful gear drops to get to the max Power level of 1570 . After reaching that point, players had to turn to Pinnacle gear to reach the absolute pinnacle of obtainable gear level. This separation of tiers was intentional, creating a longer leveling grind that players would need to progress through to reach the end game content.
The original article also states, “The only way you can reach 1585 is through the artifact mod seasonal levels,” and this is a critical point. Artifact levels were and are a way to boost a guardian’s power above what their gear was able to provide. However, these levels are temporary and reset each season.
How the Leveling System Has Evolved
As stated, Lightfall drastically changed how the level system worked. The original article references this change too. The base level is now 1600. The soft cap is 1750, the powerful cap is 1800 and the pinnacle cap is 1810. This means that the old cap of 1570 is no longer relevant for players in Destiny 2.
Powerful gear now helps players to progress to the 1800 cap and pinnacle gear enables players to reach the 1810 cap. It’s important to understand that powerful gear helps your power level move up to a certain point, before you need to swap to pinnacle gear to advance further.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
To further clarify the current state of leveling in Destiny 2 and address related questions, here are 15 FAQs:
1. What is the current soft cap in Destiny 2: Lightfall?
The current soft cap in Lightfall is 1750. Up until this point, most gear drops will increase your power level.
2. What is the current powerful cap in Destiny 2: Lightfall?
The current powerful cap is 1800. This is the highest level you can reach through powerful gear rewards.
3. What is the current pinnacle cap in Destiny 2: Lightfall?
The current pinnacle cap is 1810. This is the absolute highest gear power level you can obtain in the game.
4. What is the highest power level in Destiny 2?
The highest achievable power level (including gear and artifact bonus) depends on the season. However, the absolute highest gear power level is 1810. This is obtained through pinnacle gear.
5. How does powerful gear drop?
Powerful gear drops from various activities throughout the game, marked in your Director as having powerful gear rewards.
6. What are the different tiers of powerful gear drops?
Previously, powerful gear drops were separated into Tier 1 and Tier 2, with Tier 1 dropping at +3 your current level, and Tier 2 dropping at +4 your current level. Now these are less differentiated and they will simply help you to reach the 1800 power cap.
7. How does pinnacle gear drop?
Pinnacle gear drops from specific, typically more challenging, activities, marked in the Director with pinnacle gear rewards.
8. What activities drop pinnacle gear?
Many activities drop pinnacle gear, including: raids, dungeons, some playlist activities, Trials of Osiris, and Nightfall strikes (on higher difficulties). You can see these marked on your Director.
9. Should I focus on powerful gear or pinnacle gear first?
It’s generally advisable to focus on powerful gear first to reach the powerful cap, and then tackle pinnacle activities.
10. What power level do I need to be to play Grandmaster Nightfalls?
In Season 20 (and likely the same moving forward), players are capped 25 levels below enemies, who are at 1840. This means your effective power level will be no higher than 1815. You’ll need to be as close to this as possible.
11. What is the soft cap for the Lightfall campaign?
There isn’t a soft cap for the Lightfall campaign itself, however the campaign gives a gear set at 1770 power to help kick start your climb to the higher cap levels.
12. Does the legendary campaign offer powerful gear?
Completing the Lightfall campaign on Legendary will reward you with a full set of 1770 power level gear to help you on your journey to 1810.
13. Does King’s Fall drop pinnacle gear?
No, King’s Fall is a legacy raid and does not drop pinnacle gear. It only drops legendary raid gear.
14. Do dungeons drop pinnacle gear?
Yes, most dungeons rotate weekly to offer a pinnacle reward upon completion. These are a crucial part of the pinnacle grind.
15. Does my power level reset each season in Destiny 2?
No, your gear power level does not reset each season. However, your artifact bonus power does reset. Therefore, each season you must level the new artifact up again, in order to gain the highest bonuses.
Conclusion
While the old limit of 1570 for powerful gear is no longer relevant in Destiny 2, it’s still important to understand the game’s mechanics. Powerful gear and pinnacle gear are two major systems for players to push their power level higher, and knowing the difference is critical to progression. The power level caps have all been increased, and you will now need to reach the 1800 powerful cap before you can move onto the 1810 pinnacle cap. By understanding the game’s system of tiered rewards, and understanding each of the current limits, you’ll be well on your way to reaching the highest power levels and enjoying the game to its fullest.