In Destiny, once you reach the normal level cap of 20, you can start equipping armor that has a "+ Light" bonus stat that gives you additional levels above 20. I'm currently level 21 now.
How does this affect my gameplay, other than being an indicator that I have stronger gear?
Let me explain what I mean. The question is just the sentence above, however.
When I equipped the item that gave me enough total light to reach level 21, I'm still playing with the same weapons as I had before I equipped it. The armor piece I equipped was a lot better than the one I had, in addition to having light, so yes, I gained some survivability with the new item.
But let's assume I gain a few more armor pieces and reach level 22, still with the same green weapon from level 19, and try the level 22 strike missions, how did these items make me better equipped to handle the bosses in that strike?
Only survivability?
Or is resistance on the mob affected by level difference, meaning that if only my light level changed, I will still hit better as level 22 than as level 21, all else being equal?
Right now it only seems to be a gear score type of thing, and that can't be right. Can it?
Best Answer
To directly answer your question instead of quoting long winded and confusing reddit posts:
No, upping your light level will not make you more effective in terms of damage on content unless you were previously underlevelled for it, assuming the same weaponry. Your weapon reaches its maximum damage the moment you hit the same level as the enemy upon which you are firing (unless you're using severely underlevelled weapons, see below), and it will stay that way against all enemies you are of equal or higher level to. The only way to increase your DPS is by upping your weapon's attack or getting higher attack weaponry (or I guess unlocking certain armor mods, but that's besides the point).
Sidenote: This does NOT apply to abilities, just weaponry. Your abilities increase in damage as your light amount goes up.
You will, however, benefit from the better abilities that are on those pieces of equipment and the increased armor rating, which will allow you to survive better. You will also presumably have faster recharging abilities due to the higher level of stats on better gear.
The only way level applies to damage, then, is down scaling due to being underlevelled. If your level is below the level of the enemy you are fighting, you take sharp damage penalties, at four levels below you are not damaging the enemy at all (its level will show
??). There's also a damage penalty if your weapon's "internal level" is much higher than the enemy you are fighting, but that's rarely very useful information. It does, however, mean that you won't suddenly do worse against low level content just because YOU levelled up, if you're still using the same gun.