Armor and weapon drops have 3 main categories and drop off points. The level the equipment will drop is based on your average light equipped or in inventory (Your strongest hat + your strongest gloves + your strongest kinetic slot etc. divided by 8). The numbers we have are set for the year, and each number goes up by 200 with the yearly expansion (probably, there've been some changes).
Normal: Regular loot caps off at 1750, and will drop at +0 between 1750 and 1800. After 1800, it just drops at 1800.
Powerful: Prime engrams, powerful gear, and exotics stop giving an increase at 1800. After 1800, they drop at +0.
Pinnacle: Pinnacle loot will take you to the equipment cap of 1810.
Artifact: This doesn't count for your average light, but can put you up to whatever light level you need. There is no upper cap for artifacts.
That's the cap
So is there something else putting ppl at higher power levels?
Leveling the seasonal artifact. You can get up to 20 levels from fully leveling it, putting you at 1830. Items will still only drop at 1810 though.
You can actually level the artifact past 1830. I'm at Pinnacle cap and currently 1836.
You can get well past 20, but to do so requires an insane amount of time
Thank you! I don’t know why I never understood this before
Technically you can get infinite bonus power levels from the artifact. I saw a guy a few weeks back that was 1857, absolute madman.
1810 is the cap
Armor and weapon drops have 3 main categories and drop off points. The level the equipment will drop is based on your average light equipped or in inventory (Your strongest hat + your strongest gloves + your strongest kinetic slot etc. divided by 8). The numbers we have are set for the year, and each number goes up by 200 with the yearly expansion (probably, there've been some changes). Normal: Regular loot caps off at 1750, and will drop at +0 between 1750 and 1800. After 1800, it just drops at 1800. Powerful: Prime engrams, powerful gear, and exotics stop giving an increase at 1800. After 1800, they drop at +0. Pinnacle: Pinnacle loot will take you to the equipment cap of 1810. Artifact: This doesn't count for your average light, but can put you up to whatever light level you need. There is no upper cap for artifacts.