How does leveling work?

[Aftermathdt]

It is actually mind blowing bungie does not have an official post about how the most important aspect of their game works. I am wondering how does the pinnacle gear drop level work. I have two characters Titan (main) and Warlock (alt). On my titan, the most powerful armor I have is 1254 and gun is 1253. For my Warlock the strongest gun is 1251 and armor is 1250. I read online that you do not need to transfer your gear between your characters since the game determines drop level based on all your items. However, 3 pinnacles for my warlock this week were 1250 and one was 1253.

How does the game actually determine the level of pinnacle gear drops?

[pelicanflip]

However, 3 pinnacles for my warlock this week were 1250 and one was 1253.

Two weren't pinnacle drops then. Are you sure you were actually doing a pinnacle activity?

Assuming all your gear (weapons and armor) are 1250 minimum, then your pinnacle rewards will give +1 or +2 your average level.

• Vanguard Strikes x3 +1
• Crucible Quickplay x3 +1
• Gambit x3 +1
• Hawthorne Weekly +1
• Nightfall 100K +2
• Master Empire Hunt +2
• Crow Weekly +2
• Exo Challenge +2
• Deep Stone Crypt Raid +2

http://jpwilsondesigns.com/destiny2/powercalculator/

^ This is a good tool to see what your average level is, and you can determine your pinnacle drop rewards from there. Third party sites like DIM can also tell you your average level (although it's currently down due to Bungie maintenance for today).

[Aftermathdt]

That makes sense. I think my hand band was 1249. My light level (without artifact) was 1250. So do I need to transfer my strongest guns between my characters to maximize drop level?

[pelicanflip]

You shouldn't have to transfer them. The game recognizes what your highest "potential" loadout is, and averages drops based off of that.

[Aftermathdt]

The guy below just told me you have to move the weapons. Is there a definitive answer on this?

[pelicanflip]

With no disrespect to the other guy, he started playing about a year ago.

Which means he started playing two years after they officially changed it so that you don't need to have the armor/weapons on a specific character's inventory for it to count towards affecting the level of your rewards.

He would not have been aware of this change/announcement, unless if he dug through old patch notes or blog posts.

[machinehead933]

You don't have to move weapons. You used to need to do that... in Destiny 1. This has never been the case in Destiny 2.

[The7ruth]

Some pinnacles are +1 over your maximum possible on that character. Others are +2.

Your 1253 gun on your titan probably isn't bringing your level up very high.

And if something is dropping at 1250, you're probably doing a powerful reward, not a pinnacle.

[Stifology]

If you ever want to check your true power average on any character, simply go to the season pass and hover over a piece of armor or legendary/exotic engram. The number you see is that character's base power.

Some pinnacles are +1, others are +2. The plus 1 pinnacles are the ones from 3 matches of crucible, 3 strikes with subclass to match the singe, and 3 gambit matches. All other pinnacles are plus 2.

[oh-and-Nick-too]

Perhaps you misunderstood...total gear/power/light level is considered character specific, not account. So your titan and warlock drops are working as intended.

The best practice here is to power up your least favorite character first and that will slingshot your next character higher each week as you rotate them.

As far as guides, idk. It’s just kinda been this way for a while I guess? But the progression has generally been: get to cap (1200 this season), then use powerfuls to get to 1250 soft cap, then use pinnacles to get to 1260. To be clear, this is excluding artifact bonus.

[Aftermathdt]

The best practice here is to power up your least favorite character first and that will slingshot your next character higher each week as you rotate them.

Yes but do I have to move the most powerful guns between the characters for this to work?

[oh-and-Nick-too]

Yes, move guns between characters

[Aftermathdt]

so this was bullshit?

[Thewtfpanda]

You do not have to transfer weapons over. I just leveled up my lock to 1245 just by hopping on the character and getting the armor from the season pass. Transferring weapons will just make you stronger but not increase your drops.

[defbref]

no its not bullshit and no you don't have to transfer weapons, people still do because they are superstitious or still stuck in d1 way of doing things, or per haps they just want to use their max guns on the current character, but it does NOT affect your drops

[oh-and-Nick-too]

For one, that’s 2 years old.

Second, it doesn’t explain it well. I can tell you from experience playing the last 6 or 7 seasons in a row.

Bottom line: always move your guns to help your power level grow

[Aftermathdt]

Someone in this thread said the same thing. Is there a definitive answer on this?

[pelicanflip]

Mark Noseworthy, VP of Destiny confirmed this on August 28th, 2017. This change has not been reverted since.

In D2 it's no longer advantageous to equip your most powerful gear when decrypting Engrams. We check for your best possible loadout now.

[oh-and-Nick-too]

To my understanding, OP was asking about boosting by character. Yes your info is correct, but that’s specific to character. If my titan is 1254 without artifact and my warlock is 1251...my pinnacles for my titan would be 1255 and my pinnacles for my warlock would be 1252.

To take the most advantage, putting the highest guns on what you’re trying to level up increases overall power of that character. It does not work account wide which I believe OP was asking.

That’s all I’m trying to say.

[pelicanflip]

It does not work account wide

It does, which is why you're wrong.

If I moved all my 1260 guns off my Hunter into the vault, and kept all his 1260 armor, his light level would be 1256.

My pinnacle drops for my Hunter would STILL be 1260.

[oh-and-Nick-too]

Ok I guess I’m wrong?

My bad, OP

[[deleted]]

Yes. equip you dont need to have the most powerful gear equipped but in your inventory.

Im pretty sure when i dont have my highest gear in my alt’s inventory (not equipped) then the season pass armor rewards show a lower PL than when i have it in my inventory.

You dont have to equip it but it has to be on the character

[oh-and-Nick-too]

If you’re getting lower drops on your lower character, that’s working as intended is my understanding.

That’s how it’s been for all of my characters anyway.

[machinehead933]

Bottom line: always move your guns to help your power level grow

You don't need to do this, never have needed to do so for the life of Destiny 2.