How the Power system is changing in Destiny 2: The Final Shape

The Final Shape is *ahem* shaping up to be quite the comeback for Destiny 2. In the latest TWID, Bungie unveiled how Power Levels will be changing in the much-anticipated expansion. While the company is known for using a monkey’s paw, I’m not yet seeing the drawback for these announced changes.

Power Levels in The Final Shape

Fireteam Power

Once The Final Shape is released, when teaming up with other players in a fireteam, a Power Level hierarchy will be instilled. The Guardian with the highest Power Level will become the Power Leader. Every other Guardian on the fireteam will have their Power Level adjusted to five below the Power Leader (if their Power Level isn’t already higher).

This adjustment only affects the difficulty of the activity, so rewards will still drop at the individual fireteam members’ Power Level. Additionally, the Power Leader will receive boosted commendations at the end of an activity. This looks like it will be a great way for New Lights and returning players to pal around with their veteran friends.

Power Level caps in Destiny 2: The Final Shape

Players will be making a significant jump in Power once The Final Shape arrives. The current Hard Cap is 1810, so there will be some ground to cover. Completing the campaign on Normal should put players at or near the Soft Cap of 1900 whereas completing it on Legendary will grant an entire set of gear at 1960.

With the raid launching quickly on the heels of the expansion, those who complete the campaign on Legendary will be primed to enter Contest Mode whose level is 1965.

• Floor: 1900
• Soft Cap: 1940
• Powerful Cap: 1990
• Hard Cap: 2000

Activity Power Levels

Power Enabled

Power Enabled Activities are where players can really flex their muscles. There are six difficulties, each with a Power Cap. So, you can view the combat difficulty of an activity before launching it and get an idea of how tough it will be for your current Power Level. Have a Guardian at the 2000 cap? Enjoy dunking on the Scorn in a Standard Vanguard Ops run.

• Vanguard Playlist
• Nightfalls
• Seasonal Activities
• Exotic Mission Rotators
• Trials of Osiris
• Raids
• Dungeons

Power Disabled

When playing in a Power Disabled Activity, all players will be on the same level. There is no way to overlevel for these activities.

• Normal and Legendary Campaigns
• Episodic Story Missions
• Free-roam Destinations
• Crucible
• Some Legacy Content

Account-wide Power Level

Beginning in The Final Shape, players will no longer have to level up each of their characters individually. Instead, all characters will have cross-progression. So, if you main a Titan and beat the Legendary campaign, you can swap to your Warlock and enjoy those 1960 drops. This will save a ton of time and should allow players to start tinkering with other classes now.

Powerful Rewards

Powerful Rewards will now drop from many more sources. Additionally, any piece of gear purchased from a vendor will be no lower than three below your highest possible Power, and items pulled from Collections will be five below that same bar.

Artifact Bonus Power

Bungie didn’t have much in the way of details on how Artifact Power will work. I surmise the studio is balancing Power gained against the length of the new episodic format.

Legacy Gear

Thanks to sunsetting, there were plenty of weapons locked at certain Power Levels. Thanks to the changes with Fireteam Power, it would be possible to sidestep that and roll into an activity with something like a 2000 Felwinter’s Lie. As such, Bungie is removing those limits.

This is likely a moot point for many like myself who have already dismantled those weapons. Fortunately, Bungie is working on reintroducing ways to obtain these weapons. We’ll have to see how this pans out, but I’m excited to see more old favorites return.