Light

See also: Light Level Guide

Up to 365 LL

• Rare Engrams - PvP/PvE
• SIVA Strike Playlist - PvE

Up to 385 LL

• Legendary Engrams - PvP/PvE
• Heroic SIVA Strikes - PvE
• Archon's Forge (Weapons and Armor) - PvE
• Wrath of the Machine Normal Mode - PvE

Up to 390 LL

• Vanguard Reputation Packages - PvE
• Crucible Reputation Packages - PvP
• Faction Reputation Packages - PvP/PvE
• Crota's Bane Reputation Packages - PvE
• Queen's Wrath Reputation Packages - PvE
• House of Judgment Reputation Packages - PvE
• Gunsmith Reputation Packages - PvP/PvE
• Trials of Osiris Gold Bounties - PvP

Up to 400 LL

• Exotic Engrams - PvP/PvE
• Strike Hoard - PvE
• Nightfall - PvE
• Archon's Forge (Ghost Shells, Artifacts and Class Armor) - PvE
• Wrath of the Machine Heroic Mode - PvE
• Crucible Legendary Drops - PvP
• Iron Banner After Match Drops - PvP
• Trials of Osiris - PvP
• Crucible Weekly Bounties - PvP
• Iron Lord Bounties - PvE

General Information

The Light Level cap at the release of Rise of Iron is 385. The current Light Level cap is 390. The Light Level cap at Wrath of the Machine Heroic Mode is 400. Mechanics of Infuse to increase Light Levels of Weapons and Armor remain the same.

How to Level Up Light

1. Engrams (Rare up to 340, Legendary up to 365, Exotic up to 385)
2. Faction Packages (Up to 385)
3. Strikes (Heroic up to 365, but skeleton key can drop up to 390)
4. Vendor Gear (All 350)
5. Archon's Forge (Up to 365)
6. Wrath of the Machine (Up to 385, but siva cache keys can drop higher)
7. Wrath of the Machine Heroic Mode
8. Iron Banner (up to 385, but with rank five up to 390)
9. Nightfall (up to 390)

General Information

In Year 2, Light score is an average of the Attack and Defense values across all of your currently equipped gear. A higher Light score improves both your damage output and your defense. Light score calculation includes all of your equipped weapons, armor, class armor, ghost shell and artifact. Each activity has a recommended Light level. Players need to be within 40 levels to enter the activity.

Ability damage and health is computed directly from your light score. Weapon damage is heavily weighted by both your Light score and the Attack value of the weapon.

• Mechanics of Light levels changed after the release of The Taken King and end of Year 1. Light Level 34 armor and 365 Attack weapon from Year 1 will have 170 Light, Defense and Attack in Year 2.

Difference between Light and Level: Light is based on your equipped gear while Level is based on the experience points you've earned.

335 Light Items

• Challenge of the Elders (Elder Weapons and Armor)
• The True Meaning of War Crucible Bounty
• Court of Oryx Tier 3 Artifacts
• Trials of Osiris (Lighthouse)
• Iron Banner (Rank 5 Package)
• Exotic Engrams
• King's Fall Heroic
• Vanguard Heroic Strike Playlist

Vanguard Heroic Strikes

• Primary Weapons: Will of Crota, The Shadow Thief, Cerberus Vae III, Dust Palace, The Undying Mind, Shield Brothers, Echo Chamber
• Special Weapons: Sunless Cell, Winter's Run (Taken version)
• Heavy Weapons: Fallen S.A.B.E.R.
• Helmets: Fallen S.A.B.E.R., Sunless Cell, Blighted Chalice
• Gauntlets: Shield Brothers, Echo Chamber
• Class Items: Will of Crota, The Shadow Thief, Dust Palace, The Undying Mind

330 Light Items

• Weekly Nightfall Strikes
• Faction Packages
• Trials of Osiris Bounties

Year 2 Max Light Level

In The Taken King, max Light level was 320.

After April Update, released on April 12, 2016, max Light level was 335.

Year 2 Light Level Calculation

Under Level 40

Overall light level is a weighted average of your weapons, armor, ghost shell, and class armor. Your ghost shell and class armor are the base units of value. Armor is 25% more important than this base value and weapons are 50% more important than this base value. With that information, you can calculate what portion of your light level comes from each item:

Above Level 40

Level 40 (Speculation): At level 40, the artifact slot is unlocked and added to the calculation. Assuming it weighs as much as the ghost shell and class armor results in nice numbers:

Light is a stat that increases the player's level beyond level 20, allowing the player's abilities to do more damage to higher level enemies. For example, normally a level 20 player will do reduced damage to a level 23 enemy. By increasing your Light stat, you can increase your level beyond 20 and do normal damage to a level 23 enemy. Additionally, you will take more damage from enemies higher levels than you and less damage from those that are lower.

• Like other stats, players gain Light stats from their Armor.

Endgame Rare, Legendary and Exotic gear will have Light stats. Players need to be high level in order to compete in Raids such as Vault of Glass. High Light level also gives the player a slight advantage in Iron Banner.

• Do not compose Light stat with Motes of Light, which is a currency used to purchase gear from The Speaker.

Players who are newly level 20 should equip gear with the highest Light stats regardless of other stats. Higher Light increases the player's level and allows the player to participate in higher level strikes and raids to earn greater rewards.

• Higher level is far more important that a few seconds off of grenade or melee abilities.

Light on Armor

Base Game

The Dark Below

Level vs. Damage Test

Using the same weapon against the same enemy (Level 24 Acolyte) with only Light Level as the variable.

• Light 21: 184 damage per shot
• Light 23: 261 damage per shot
• Light 24: 383 damage per shot
• Light 26: 383 damage per shot
• Light 28: 383 damage per shot

Level vs. Damage Scaling

Damage Scaling:

• If you are 4 levels or lower below the enemy: 100% damage penalty
• If you are 3 levels the enemy: ~52% damage penalty
• If you are 2 levels the enemy: ~42% damage penalty
• If you are 1 levels the enemy: ~32% damage penalty
• If you are 0 levels below or higher than the enemy: 0% damage penalty