As we all know by now, loot in Destiny runs off the basic principle of tiered quality. Anyone who has played any MMO is aware of this system: Common -> Uncommon -> Rare -> Legendary -> Exotic. This is the tiers used by Destiny, other MMO's might have extra tiers but this is the basic idea behind how the quality of loot is distributed. Normally you would be able to quip a full set of exotic gear but this is not possible in Destiny because each exotic piece has an overly powerful ability. So to limit the character and preventing it from becoming too powerful only 1 exotic armor piece and 1 exotic weapon can be equipped at once. Exotic weapons aren't too much of an issue as you can only have one on hand at a time, but this is for another time to discuss. The limitation is, as pointed out, is due to the perks that the armor has, providing powerful buffs to their Super, grenades or melee abilities. The only way to be able to equip multiple exotic armor pieces would be for the perks to be removed from them. Not a popular opinion. And, once again, this is for another time. So, the new level system brings us a problem, Bungie doesn't want us to keep old legendaries or exotics, but we want to keep them... so what do we do? The answer is rather simple, Bungie keeps old gear in the game but adds a "required level" system to the gear based on when that gear was introduced into the game. Also a "Raid Tier" quality would be added. Raid gear would be better then Legendaries but not as good as exotics. So to put it into perspective; [b][u]Vanilla Destiny (MAX effective level for gear):[/u][/b] [b]Legendary: [/b] 28 [b]Raid:[/b] 31 [b]Exotic:[/b] 32 [b][u]The Dark Below (MAX effective level for gear):[/u][/b] [b]Legendary: [/b] 32 [b]Raid:[/b] 32 [b]Exotic:[/b] 34 [b][u]House of Wolves (MAX effective level for gear):[/u][/b] [b]Legendary: [/b] 35 [b]Raid:[/b] 36 [b]Exotic:[/b] 37 [b][u]The Taken King (MAX effective level for gear):[/u][/b] [b]Legendary: [/b] 38 [b]Raid:[/b] 40 [b]Exotic:[/b] 40 It would be easier to split if they had raised the level cap to 60 and increased the required level of the content, this way legendary/raid/exotic gear would have a clear [b]MAX[/b] effective level, as such; [b][u]Vanilla Destiny (MAX effective level for gear):[/u][/b] [b]Legendary: [/b] 25 (can first equip at level 20) [b]Raid:[/b] 30 [b]Exotic:[/b] 30 [b][u]The Dark Below (MAX effective level for gear):[/u][/b] [b]Legendary: [/b] 35 (can first equip at level 30) [b]Raid:[/b] 40 [b]Exotic:[/b] 40 [b][u]House of Wolves (MAX effective level for gear):[/u][/b] [b]Legendary: [/b] 45 (can first equip at level 40) [b]Raid:[/b] 50 [b]Exotic:[/b] 50 [b][u]The Taken King (MAX effective level for gear):[/u][/b] [b]Legendary: [/b] 55 (can first equip at level 50) [b]Raid:[/b] 60 [b]Exotic:[/b] 60 This new system would allow for old and new gear to co-exist in the game and work in a stream line progression based system that would not need to change again. If the level cap for TTK was increased to 60 and this system was implemented then if each DLC increased the level cap 10 then the new gear added would be able to follow the above model. Because of the split between preference of PvE or PvP, there would be a set of armor that requires rep 5 for Iron Banner that has the same armor value as Raid tier gear. [b][u]Edit #1: Acquisition of Raid Tier gear[/u][/b] As it currently is, to acquire raid gear, be it armor or weapons, is based purely on RNG. You have no say in the matter. To get raids played more frequently I propose a sort of "Raid Currency". This would be similar to what Guild Wars 2 has. To explain it in Layman's terms; When you complete a checkpoint in a raid you would gain a currency specific to that raid, you would then use that currency to purchase the raid tier armor and weapons, you are only getting what you want without removing the need to run raids And because of the leveling system I proposed, raid armor is required for your survival throughout the missions in the next chapter of the story. This means that our current gear would still be useful and new players would have a smooth transition in leveling throughout the whole game. [b][u]Edit #2: Bringing the old along with the new[/u][/b] I didn't plan to put forward a suggestion in regards to upgrading Y1 gear. But having though about it it dawned on me that I have actually made a proposal that would work perfectly for implementing a way to upgrade old gear. I should note at this point that anything and everything I say is based on my proposal of the level cap being set at 60, and without further delay, let me explain. Up above in the [b][u]Edit #1: Acquisition of Raid Tier gear[/u][/b] proposal I suggested the addition of a raid specific currency, each raid would have it's own currency used to buy raid gear (armor and weapons). I wish to take that a step further, that we could introduce a new upgrade material. Etheric Light is becoming useless in TTK, but the basis of earning something to use to upgrade gear is solid. So why not allow players to complete raids and use the currency they earn to buy an upgrade material to bring it up to the next value of gear? The materials would be as such; [b]Vault of Glass - Vex Control Chip:[/b] used to upgrade gear from Vanilla Destiny to match the values of gear from The Dark Below [b]Crota's End - Hive glyph:[/b] used to upgrade gear from The Dark Below to match the values of gear from House of Wolves [b]Prison of Elders - Fallen Shock Core:[/b] used to upgrade gear from House of Wolves to match the values of gear from The Taken King As you can see, to upgrade gear from the base game to hit the same value of gear from TTK requires you to play all end game raids in order to be able to gain the required materials for the upgrades. The upgrade system would only change the value of the gear and not touch the upgrade nodes, as it currently is in game. Something that I will suggest and will most likely be shot down for, all gear will be reset to values of the content that it came in with. This means that if you had upgraded a weapon or armor from Vanilla Destiny to be 365 in HoW then it would be dropped back down and you would have to re-upgrade it (once again, upgrade nodes/perks wouldn't be touched, only the damage/armor value). This is to bring people back into playing the old raids again more often to bring back the gear they truly loved. [b][u]Edit #3: Bringing back the old gear into active service[/u][/b] With the proposal of progressive gear over content and a new way to upgrade gear via raids, let's talk about how to acquire the original gear. Once again this is very simple, Vanilla Destiny gear would drop from Vanilla Destiny missions, TDB gear would drop from TDB missions and so fourth. Also, each faction vendor as well as the Vanguard and Crucible will sell the gear that was obtainable during that time of the game. The newer the gear, the higher the required level to equip it will be, based on the proposed level system above. [b][u]Edit #4: Clarification of upgrading old gear with new leveling system[/u][/b] People seem to be under the impression that this system will hand out upgrades to old gear and little effort would be required, thus making the new gear pointless right? No, because it's easier to go to a vendor and buy the new gear then it is to repeatedly run the raids to gain the currency to buy the upgrade materials. It's about what you are willing to do to keep you gear. Take the easy way and use the new gear or be dedicated to a few pieces of gear and bring them with you. The later option will be far more time consuming and only really viable to the hardcore players that are will to put hours into the game raiding. It should also be made clear that only raid armor and weapons would be upgradable via this system. [b][u]Edit #5: Complete removal of Light Level system[/u][/b] Exactly as it says, Light Level should not be a thing. It's too restricting and adds to much that isn't needed. As of right now your level just says what gear you can equip, nothing wrong with that, in fact that's how it should be. But Light Level is what really matters, you need a full set of gear with the highest values to reach the best value. This is not how this should work. Armour values should only dictate how much damage you receive: the higher the armor value the less damage you take Weapon values should only dictate how much damage you deal: same as above, the higher the value the better Ghost, Class items and Artifacts should not contribute to the above values but can still grant bonuses