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Destiny: How to level your Guardian to 400 Light

Update: Destiny’s final live event, Age of Triumph, will cause items to drop at slightly different light levels than what’s listed below, but we feel our guide is still a great resource to get your numbers up quick. Enjoy!

Original story: You’re a pretty amazing Guardian. Having finished up Wrath of the Machine on normal mode — and possibly even hard — you’re looking to what could potentially be Destiny‘s final endgame: Light level 400.

Sadly, the ease of levelling that we’ve enjoyed since Destiny‘s April 2016 update is out the window — 385-390 really is the cap for most of Destiny‘s drops, meaning you’re going to have to work to get beyond that.

What can drop, and where

Here’s the state of items drops based on events in “Rise of Iron” (from the game’s 2.4.1 patch notes):

  • The SIVA Strike Playlist will now drop rewards up to 365 Light
  • The Heroic SIVA Strike Playlist will now drop rewards up to 385 Light
  • Archon’s Forge can now drop rewards up to 385 Light
  • Archon’s Forge can now drop Ghosts and Artifacts up to 400 Light
  • Trials of Osiris, Iron Banner, Crucible, and Strike Hoards will now provide drops up to 400 Light
  • Wrath of the Machine, Trials of Osiris, and Iron Banner will now attempt to reward higher Light items on average

Also, here’s what Engrams and Faction packages decode as:

  • Rare Engrams will now decrypt up to 365 Light
  • Legendary Engrams will now decrypt up to 385 Light
  • Exotic Engrams will now decrypt up to 400 Light
  • Vanguard, Crucible, and Faction packages will now provide drops up to 390 Light

How to get to 385 Light

If you’re under 385 Light, you’ve got all the options in the world — most everything will be offered up to you to raise your Light level. Here’s what you can do:

  • SIVA Strike Playlist (to get to 365 Light)
  • Heroic SIVA Strike Playlist (to get to 385 Light)
  • Archon’s Forge (to get to 385 Light; to get Ghost, Class Items and Artifacts at potentially up to 400 Light)
  • Public Events (your first of the day offers up a guaranteed Legendary Engram)
  • Three of Coins activities (for a potential Exotic Engram)
  • Wrath of the Machine normal Raid (to get drops of up to 385 Light)
  • Levelling up Vanguard, Crucible, Faction, Crota’s Bane, Queen’s Wrath, House of Judgement and Gunsmith reputations for a package drop (of up to 390 Light)
  • Trials of Osiris (to get drops of up to 400 Light)
  • Trials of Osiris bounties (Gold Tier can drop 385 Light items; Silver Tier can drop Exotics at up to 400 Light)
  • Iron Banner (to get drops of up to 400 Light)
  • Crucible (to get drops of up to 400 Light)
  • Shaxx’s weekly Crucible bounty (to get rewards of up to 400 Light)
  • Vanguard Nightfall (to get drops of up to 400 Light)
  • Strike Hoards (to get drops of up to 400 Light — see below for more information)

Keep in mind that the activities above all drop items dependant on your Light level (at the time of acquisition, not the highest potential level you can reach) — so don’t expect a 400 Light Ghost from Archon’s Forge if you’re a 375 Warlock.

Don’t forget that anything from the drops above can be infused into other items if need be.


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Steve Wright

Steve's the owner of this very site and an active games journalist nearing twenty (TWENTY!?!) years. He's a Canadian-Australian gay gaming geek, ice hockey player and fan. Husband to Matt and cat dad to Wally and Quinn.