Reaching character level 20 is a noteworthy achievement and one that should be celebrated, but a Guardian’s work is never done. There are always more lives to be saved, more threats to be ended, and more bits of gear to be collected. In fact, reaching max-level doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re ready for endgame content. Boosting your Power Level should be your top priority.
Make the Most of Milestones
If you’re aiming to power up as quickly as possible, try to complete every Milestone you can manage. Remember, once you reach Power Level 260, Milestone rewards are likely to be your only source of gear upgrades. The weekly Flashpoint is a good place to start, and it’s always worth heeding the call of the Crucible.
Compete in the Crucible
The Crucible is one of the best options an under-geared Guardian could hope for. Level advantages are disabled during all standard contests, making it the closest thing to a fair fight you’re likely to find. It’s a great place to hone your skills, and it offers the chance to complete another Milestone. Win or lose, you’re guaranteed to get at least one piece of equipment each time you complete a match. While these rewards aren’t likely to boost your Power Level, you might find a new weapon or armor piece that suits you.
Worst case, you’ll amass a nice collection of gear to dismantle—just make sure you hang on to those weapon parts and armor materials.
Collect (and Hoard) Tokens
If you’ve spent some time window shopping with vendors, it’s likely that at least a few items have caught your eye—but now is not the time.
Remember: Milestone rewards are your most reliable source for gear upgrades. The Tokens you spend will likely yield an equal-level replacement for one of your currently equipped gear items. Even if you were to get a long-desired item, you’d be sure to outgrow it eventually.
Instead, take a look at what every vendor has to offer, find something you like, and then go about earning as many of the related Tokens as you can while you continue improving your Power Level. By the time you reach Power Level 300, you should have a nice stack of Tokens to redeem. If you’re lucky, you’ll get the item you want at the highest possible level, ensuring that it will be put to good use for a long time to come.
Set New Goals
Once you reach Power Level 300, every piece of gear you get should be a suitable option. Go ahead and grind away for anything that catches your fancy, then go about collecting new Mods for your gear.
Or don’t! If you’re happy with your gear, focus on completing challenging content. Join and support a clan. Make a name for yourself in the Crucible. Unlock your remaining Abilities and experiment with your various Subclasses, or create a new Guardian and do it all again.
You’ll never run out of things to do, and new challenges are sure to be introduced in the future.
From Zero to Hero: PR-1M4
Step 1: The Exo Guardian PR-1M4 is online! This section charts the activities, antics, and upgrades chosen as this sample Guardian gained in power and Experience. To begin with, PR-1M4 was created as an Exo Titan.
Step 2 (Level 2): After checking all weapons, armor, and Ghost, PR-1M4 completed the initial set of Campaign Missions and accessed the Farm (Social Sector) for the first time. Leveling gear was compared when speaking with Hawthorne, and equipment scavenging began. Missed items were picked up from the Postmaster. Eververse promotions were gladly accepted. Extra items were stored in the Farm vault.
Step 3 (Level 3): A key ally and vendor Devrim Kay was met in the church tower of Trostland Sector. EDZ Tokens (a redeemable object found in chests, rewarded after events, and given after killing random enemies) began to be gathered to raise PR-1M4’s Reputation with Devrim.
An Adventure was undertaken and completed. Adjacent Sectors were explored in the vicinity of Trostland. A Public Event was taken part in. PR-1M4 explored a Lost Sector and gathered up contents from a chest inside. Region Chests, Enemy Chests, and scannable lore objects were hunted for and accessed. Glimmer accumulation began in earnest.
PR-1M4 returned to Devrim to purchase some weaponry and armor with statistics improved compared to the rags initially worn.
Step 4 (Level 4): Campaign Mission: Combustion was completed, and the second Region of Titan was unlocked. Further activities in the EDZ commenced, and a new weapon (the Sand Wasp-3AU Auto Rifle) was obtained. Perks were tweaked in the weapon’s menu, and a Shader was applied. Returning to the Farm, PR-1M4 started to find amusing side activities to complete. Lord Shaxx was met, his high-level equipment inspected, and PR-1M4 embarrassed himself in the PvP arena.
PR-1M4 visited Arcite 99-40 at the Farm and began dismantling some of his unused and lower-level equipment and starting his collection of Energy weapons (Arc, Solar, and Void). He now had 2-3 of each weapon type. He revisited the Gunsmith after each Campaign Mission from this point onward.
Step 5 (Level 6): With further Campaign Missions under his belt on Titan, PR-1M4 returned to the Farm and took all his engrams to Tyra Karn to be decoded; he wished he’d done this earlier! The resulting weapons, armor, and other equipment was compared to his inventory and swapped, dismantled, or stored in the vault. Titan Subclass Abilities had been unlocked and upgraded as Abilities were awarded for each level up. PR-1M4’s first Emote was unlocked: time for a Cheer!
Step 6 (Level 10): Glimmer gathering, material node harvesting, and the completion of Campaign Mission: Six on Nessus was deemed a success. A strange Artifact was found in a Loot Cache, enabling PR-1M4 to complete a tough mission to unlock an additional Subclass. Different Kinetic, Energy, and Power weapons were collected, compared, and utilized extensively. Activities were undertaken planet-wide on EDZ, Titan, and Nessus. Dead Zone Lush Shader was applied to PR-1M4’s equipment for a more cohesive and pleasing appearance.
Step 7 (Level 15): After finishing up Campaign Missions on Io, Cayde-6 became available to visit at the Farm. Patrols and scout reports were now active. Rare equipment became more accessible from loot, foes, and vendors. Weapons and armor were further honed as Perks and Mods were applied. A full complement of shotguns, sniper rifles, rocket launchers, and even a sword was gathered in the Power weapon slot. The Campaign on EDZ was completed: Zavala and Ikora appeared at the Farm.
Step 8 (Level 20): Guardian’s Call: After finishing the Campaign entirely, a host of new activities and powerful enemies awaited PR-1M4 on every World. Legendary and Exotic weapons and armor became available. A clan was formed and joined.
Step 9 (Level 20+): With the Tower (Social Sector) now available, PR-1M4 found a new best friend: Banshee-44. Gaining Reputation with this Gunsmith and with countless equipment dismantling, better and better gear (including Legendary items, Perks, Shaders, and Mods) began to be traded. Amanda Holliday was visited, and PR-1M4’s Sparrow and ship were upgraded and even given a proper “white and red” Shader. Cayde-6 was visited, and one of his infamous treasure chest maps was purchased. Other vendors gave PR-1M4 small task-specific missions for Exotic weapon rewards. Master Rahool begrudgingly decoded the many engrams collected. PR-1M4’s new vault in the Tower was getting full.
Step 10 (Level 20+): Equipment was constantly tweaked and upgraded, with the Noble Constant Red Shader applied to it. Exotic equipment was added to the ensemble. Rookie Guardians were guided through previously played missions as part of clan activities. All vendors at the Tower were visited and their tasks completed. Milestones were met. Strikes were completed with clan mates. Nightfall Strikes were attempted. Countless Crucible matches were attempted.