With the first week of Destiny 2‘s Trials of Osiris well underway, many players realize that their Guardian’s Power level plays a major role in their success in the Season of the Worthy’s ongoing PvP event. As with every season progression, the start of Season 10 raises the maximum Power level a Guardian can obtain this season, providing a soft cap of 1000 and a hard cap of 1010. This guide discusses how to obtain both in the most efficient manner, as its designed to allow you to choose the gameplay activities you prefer in order to get you back to Trials as soon and as smoothly as possible.
Season 10 Power Caps
The soft cap, or the maximum Power level a Guardian can reach without Pinnacle gear, is obtainable at Light level 1000 with some good ol’ fashioned grinding. The hard cap, however, branches off from the soft cap to add up to 10 extra Power levels for equipping high-level Pinnacle Gear. Having your Guardian maxed out to the hard cap gives you advantages over most players in the game, especially when it comes to the Power-enabled, highly competitive Trials weekend events.
Working up to Power Level 1000
To reach the soft cap, you can play on either one of three Guardians you can equip in your character slots, or (if you have the time and feel so compelled) you can play on up to all three. If you choose to play on two or three different characters to level up to the soft cap, you should start grinding with the character you care about the least, working your way up to the character you designated for Trials. Once you’ve established this plan of action, you may continue the steps below on each character you plan to grind with:
- Equip a Ghost Shell with Guiding Light: This perk increases XP gains by 10%, so be sure to have a Ghost Shell with Guiding Light equipped at all times.
- Crucible Survival (Comp) Playlist: While many players find this game mode to be laborious or unenjoyable, the Survival playlist will help you immensely when it comes to leveling your Guardian by giving you numerous Powerful drops. The idea here is to reach at least a Glory rank of 2100 (Fabled I) before completing the full sets of Powerful Gear (Tier 1) activities that have a circular yellow icon beside them and which most appeal to you:
- Bounties: Banshee-44, Zavala (Tier 1 only), Shaxx, and Suraya Hawthorne
- Tip: Do not turn in your bounties until you’ve gotten together with a fireteam and collected the Small Fireteam XP Boost from rank 5 on the free track of the Season Pass, as it will give you and any other fireteam member a 2% XP boost when collecting bounties
- Flashpoint: Lost Sectors make the most progress (especially those you haven’t yet completed) but Public Events work too
- Vanguard Strikes: 3 regular strikes, then 3 Nightfall: The Ordeal strikes
- Nightmare Hunts: 3 regular Nightmare Hunts on the Moon
- Pit of Heresy: Stop after the first two encounters (before the boss fight) before proceeding to ensure you only collect Powerful Gear, not Pinnacle (yet)
- Bounties: Banshee-44, Zavala (Tier 1 only), Shaxx, and Suraya Hawthorne
- Powerful Gear (Tier 2): You should only start this once you’ve completed the above Powerful Gear (Tier 1) activities:
- Gambit: 3 matches (and for a bonus: you can simultaneously tackle some bounties from the Drifter)
Getting to the 1010 Power Level
Only move onto this once you’ve reached Power level 1000 or are satisfied with the activities you’ve completed from above. As long as you don’t wind up in a Trials match with one of those morale-sapping cheaters Bungie has been working to weed out, maxing out your Power level will make you one of the most formidable opponents in any given game.
- Pinnacle Gear Activities: If you saved these until last, they will more effectively level you up:
- Season Pass Rewards: When you’ve finished the leveling process on each of the characters you wanted to grind Power for, don’t forget to collect your Season Pass Rewards.
If, after following all of this on one character, you have still not reached the Season of the Worthy’s 1010 Power level hard cap, you might choose to start fresh on this list with your next character. This guide will be here when you’re ready to continue the grind. Good luck, Guardian, and be sure to check back for the latest Destiny 2 tips and news.
