Your Power Level (PL) is the primary indicator of your Guardian's strength in Destiny 2. It's an average of the Power Level of all your equipped gear (weapons and armor). Higher Power Level means you deal more damage and take less damage in activities. There are several Power Level caps:
- Soft Cap: The point where blue (rare) gear stops dropping with higher Power. You'll need to start seeking out Legendary and Exotic gear.
- Powerful Cap: The point where only 'Powerful' rewards (from specific activities) will increase your Power.
- Pinnacle Cap: The absolute highest Power Level achievable in a season, requiring 'Pinnacle' rewards from the most challenging activities.
To increase your Power Level, constantly equip gear with higher Power. Once you hit the Soft Cap, focus on activities that grant 'Powerful Gear' and 'Pinnacle Gear' as rewards. These are marked in the Director (map) with gold stars.