Honestly, maxing out gear and weapons is great and personalizes things but leveling really shouldn't have been tied to the armor. It takes away from personalization and effectively nulls armor sets when new dlc comes out. As was proven with dark below. Instead, locking the cap to 20 and then being raised by consumables. Say consuming 108 *__ essence* gets you to 29 then by doing the raid you earn *upgraded essence* to consume that would hit the level cap. Which could be added to with different versions of *essence* earned via iron banner or new raids This would still allow for the grinding times destiny has but do so without the uproar of invalidating armor and gear. Gear could be better focused on and forcibly upgraded by putting the most unique trait of that gear as the very last possible perk that can be unlocked. Yes it's common practice to make older gear subpar with expansions but honestly the current practice destiny has with gear is subjective to Power Creep. ( which is when new stuff out performs older stuff and it's repetition leads us to be walking gods and this practice just flat out destroys any hope of balancing)