Currently there is nothing to provide incentive or desire (with the exception of a piece of gear you might want) to advance in any particular faction due to a lack of storyline or reward. I realize that each has something that might require you to achieve level 3, but beyond that there is nothing to denote any further loyalty. Yes, I know that you get a package in the mail for each level beyond 3rd, but I am talking about something that once you have reviewed the factions, would make you want to serve one over another. What if each faction provided something at benchmark ranks beyond 3rd? Here are a few ideas we have been bouncing around. [b]Benchmarks at Rank 6, 9, 12, 15 and 20[/b] Rank 6: [b]Faction Emblems [/b](vender provides four different emblems related to the faction) Rank 9: (1) [b]Faction Bond[/b] - when worn increases % chance to acquire 1 additional chest loot item on Specific World, (2) [b]Faction styled shaders[/b] ( perhaps at least 2 available with potential to rotate through even more). Rank 12: (1) [b]Faction Styled Ship/Sparrow[/b], (2) [b]Faction Enemy[/b] - once this rank is reached the faction bond now increases % chance for higher type of engram drops from Majors/Elites of a specific race or on a specific world. Rank 15: (1) [b]Faction Styled Exotic Gear[/b], (2) [b]Faction Trader [/b]- allows class-based recovered materials (Sapphire Wire, Hadronic Essence, Plasteel Plating) to be traded for Ascendent Shard or Ascendent Energy (50/1). Rank 20: [b]Faction Styled Unique Exotic Weapon [/b]- After an Exotic Bounty related to the Faction is completed the Weapon has an additional effect when used against this faction's specific enemy. Further; at each benchmark there is an in-game conversation with the Faction representative (a cut scene or just recorded voice, whichever) that tells a little more of the story about the faction, its background and why it has its specific enemy. For instance.. [b]Vanguard Rank 9[/b]: [voiceover history of Faction] The Faction bond now provides a 10% chance for loot chests opened on earth to provide one additional item. [b]Vanguard Rank 12[/b]:[voiceover explaination of Faction's enemy] The Vanguard have hunted the Hive since they first invaded Earth, Defeating a Hive Major or Elite has an increased chance of any engrams dropped to be of Legendary or Exotic levels. [b]Vanguard Rank 15[/b]:[voiceover explaination of Faction Trader system, additional history] [b]Vanguard Rank 20[/b]: [cutscene of congratulations for Faction acheivement or challenge below] The Vanguard challenges you: Perform the following stages of our Faction Bounty and your "Hive Eliminator Weapon" will be granted an (example) extended clip to allow you to carry more ammo. [1] Complete 5 Tiger Strikes without dying, [2] Kill 50 Hive Majors/Elites, [3] Bribe Xur in the Faction's name (costs 12 Strange Coins), [4] Complete the final sequence of the "Dark Below" Raid without dying and score 20 hits against the final boss with your faction weapon. While this may not be the greatest approach to this idea, at least it is showing you some of the ways that Bungie might not only make Factions more meaningful, thier selection more important to an individual's style and goals, but also how it might be used to expose more of the story and history behind them and the world itself. If you'd like to see something like this vote it up so that Bungie sees it and considers the possiblities. EDIT: [i]The following section was placed in a reply to one of the comments below, but there was a good chance it might get missed by the casual reader, or lost among the posts, so I have added it here as well since it was a part of the original concept but when originally posted I felt that it was too long for many players to read through.[/i] [b]Faction Outposts[/b]: Each faction has a particular world where this Outpost is originally setup, for this instance Vanguard is on the Moon. The outpost is a new facility in the open world that can be accessed by wearing that faction's BOND. I imagine a console at the door that your guardian accesses, or a "Smart Door" that opens if you are in the proximity. Players of other factions can enter as long as one of the door is opened by a member of the appropriate Faction - it has a small delay before closing or closes after you enter. Within the facility are a couple of NPC characters that provide items or services based on you Faction Rank. Visitors from other factions can view their goods and services and perhaps even access a limited group of them. [b]Outpost Bountymaster:[/b] Holds bounties specific to the Faction. (Possibly public access once allowed inside) These would also have a few bounties that lead you to hidden bases or faction related bosses that are not available without access to the bounty. [b]Outpost Trader:[/b] Allows trading of various materials (Rank based unlocks) and sells Ammunition and perhaps other novelty items [b]Outpost Faction Leader:[/b] Holds faction styled items that are available to the Faction member based on rank and in all other ways (Storyline provider, etc.) serves as an extension of the one in the tower. This leader however has a little different story as it narrows in on or provides a slightly different perspective of the history of the particular enemy or world where the outpost is. [b]Outpost Exotic Faction Bounty[/b]: This bounty requires a Fireteam to fulfill a series of accomplishments that leads to the construction/location of a temporary outpost on another world. The final event in the bounty is a wave assault against the outpost that is extremely difficult to complete (like the Raid, failure allows reset for that week). Success earns a specific Item and the outpost remains on the world (or more easily to actually program - access to the building so they only need to design and place one) for the remainder of the week. Within the building should be the equivenant of that world's XUR. A vender that accepts Motes and Coins for new and unique items. If you take this concept and broaden your thinking to include the other factions, you can see where I would want friends in each faction (who were ranked or ranking up) so I could get access to these types of locations on each world. Alternately I might want to level up in one, two or three factions so I could switch Bonds depending on where I was to get into these facilities. IN all cases it means I want to play more, and that my time investment has real and profound meaning to me, the player. This concept of buying the players interest and investment in the game is expotentially increased by the available benefits and gear from each faction and the unique missions unlocked through advancement. If you consider how long it will take to earn Rank 20 in just one, how much of my time would Bungie be buying into if I wanted to earn ranks in several. To me this is worth a DLC's effort on the design part of Corporate Investments since the payoff for them is much greater than say a raid that after running it a dozen times time many player will get bored (or frustrated from the random rewards) and lose interest. This concept has a real path of reward that is both available and visible, which most players will enjoy since they have choices to make which have real meaning in how the game plays for them, as well as revealing the story from different points of view. Edit 2: OK the PvP aspect of the ideas has been presented here but due to limitations of text in a single post it had to be provided as a separate entry and you may need to scroll down to locate it. Other topics in the GKW's Expanded Series: [url=http://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/73318026/0/0][b]Races and Classes Expanded[/b][/url] [url=http://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/74023598/0/0][b]Ghosts Expanded[/b][/url] [url=http://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/74947949][b]Clans Expanded[/b][/url] [url=http://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/75151288/0/0][b]Activities Expanded[/b][/url]