Bungie was all too eager to oblige the "I need to see number go up to want to grind and gamble" crowd who asked for it back. And that's what it is. It's a number to grind and stint you. You're going to always experience a level handicap when you do the "challenging" versions of activities. And not rewarded in proportion for your extra time and effort. The Guardian hardly feels the magnitude of their growth when we return to places from earlier in the narrative. It's not like a real rpg or mmorpg. The elements they adopted ignored some of the best bits. The sense of power and progression shouldn't just come from a higher number. The higher number should be truly representative of our power. If we return to noob island, nothing there should be able to kill us and we should instantly kill it. If you start by killing chickens in an rpg and slay false gods by the end, anywhere from earlier in the game would provide lackluster loot and experience but you would insta kill it. It helps sell the power fantasy. You have intentionally power crept the beginning of the game. Earlier bosses that were challenging become the lieutenants to the fodder and new bosses take their place. I like banes, champions, subjugators... These are steps in the right direction. They understand half of it... We saved Sol, arguably the universe, but go back to power level 10 hitting for 14 damage as soon as we come across a new Eliksni faction and juiced up Vex. Back on the hamster wheel. And that's fine. But the system is convoluted. [u]The stronger the challenges the greater the rewards should be.[/u] [b]DRAMATICALLY[/b]. And when we do earlier content, we should feel how powerful we have become. The loot is often obsolete anyway. And it prevents people from speed running/ Sherpa new or returning players. The old dungeons are harder to do the first week of a new dlc year than they are the last week of the dlc proceeding it because of how the game is designed.