Destiny 2 Season of Defiance Power Level caps: Soft cap, Powerful cap, and hard cap levels

A new expansion means plenty of gear to chase and activities to do—and you’ll need to get on them, too, since expansions bring players’ Power Level back to the floor. Expansions and seasonal releases usually raise the goalposts for Power Level changes, with expansions bringing the most drastic changes.

The release of Lightfall pushed players back to the floor of 1600 Power (which was still more than the hard cap at the end of Year Five), giving them chances to rise up to 1810 if they’re willing to grind. There’s a steep journey from the Power floor to the hard cap (max level), passing through the soft cap and Powerful cap in between. But since you’ll need a higher Power to engage with the most difficult content in Destiny 2, the chase may just be worth it.

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Here’s what you need to know about leveling in Destiny 2’s Season of Defiance, including the soft cap, Powerful cap, hard cap, and how to get drops that raise your Power Level.

What is the max Power Level in Destiny 2’s Season of Defiance?

As of Season of Defiance, the max Power Level (or Light Level, for veteran players) available in Destiny 2 is 1810. This means you can’t level your gear above 1810, though you can move past that cap with bonuses from the seasonal artifact. With the recent push for challenging content, odds are you’ll need the extra push to engage in difficult content, such as higher-end Nightfalls, raids, and dungeons.

If you’re looking to get to the maximum possible level (the hard cap), you’ll need to be aware of Powerful and Pinnacle caps, which dictate what activities you can do to raise your Power Level. Here are the levels for each Power milestone after the release of Lightfall and what each of them means. These limits aren’t affected by the Power boost from the seasonal artifact.

All Power Level caps in Destiny 2’s Season of Defiance

• Minimum cap (floor): 1600
• Soft cap: 1750
• Powerful cap: 1800
• Pinnacle cap/hard cap: 1810

Floor to soft cap (1600 to 1750)

The first part of the Power Level grind is the easiest. Between 1600 and 1750, any drop you receive will boost your Power Level, so don’t go dismantling those blues just yet. Your drops will also take into account your maximum potential level on a character instead of your equipped items, so don’t be afraid to keep some bad drops in your inventory or vault. After that, though, it’s time to focus on Powerful and Pinnacle drops.

Powerful cap (1750 to 1800)

After reaching 1750, players will have a narrower pool of options to choose from if they want to level. The most notable change is that blues and regular world drops won’t boost their Light level past 1750 (or whatever their maximum potential level is). From here on, the only way to boost your drops will be through Powerful and Pinnacle sources. Treat Pinnacle drops as extra Powerful drops until you reach the Pinnacle cap since they’ll give you a bigger boost. The sources for Powerful drops are:

These are all Powerful drop sources in Destiny 2 as of Season of Defiance, but players can also raise their Power Level through Pinnacle drops. Completing the Lightfall campaign also gives you a set of 1770 armor, which helps you skip a bit of the grind. Once you’ve closed the gap to 1800, though, you’ll need to focus on Pinnacle drops.

Related: What is the Nightfall weapon this week in Destiny 2?

Pinnacle cap/hard cap (1800 to 1810)

This is the last level restriction in Destiny 2, and players can only advance their Power Level through Pinnacle drops until reaching the hard cap. This means players can’t improve their level beyond 1810, but they can artificially boost their Power with the seasonal artifact. Pinnacles will drop two Power Levels above your maximum level. You can also use Powerful drops to obtain at-level gear and potentially even out a character before chasing Pinnacles.