My motivation for reporting my results was that Cody's 5-7 hours estimate seemed awfully low to me. I got to rank 32 the first week, which for me meant not playing every day, but doing quite a bit of grinding on that Saturday and Sunday.

I think the math for 7 levels/hour works out if you play every day, when you count daily bonuses and multiple characters. That number goes down as you skip days, because those daily bonuses basically count for 2 free levels/day - there were quite a number of data points on day one last Faction Rally (from Reddit) that showed that 10 hours of constant playing would get you to 50. I think his '5' was an optimistic estimate assuming you 1) played every day, and 2) were SUPER-efficient during your activities. (That is: I think it's possible. I don't think it's easy.) Like I said, I averaged about 7 levels/hour last night, in ONE day. (That average would have gone down with each additional hour played, of course, because the initial bump would count for less and less.)

So a question: Looting a LS with a full stack gets you 10 tokens, but doing a heroic PE gets 5. It seems much faster to just do PEs. What are people's strategies for that?

Doing a heroic PE gets 5 - and there is ALWAYS time to run the lost sector afterward before the next one starts. (Well, 'always' is really only true when you pick PEs near easy lost sectors. :) ) Get the 15, not just the 5.

So a question: Looting a LS with a full stack gets you 10 tokens, but doing a heroic PE gets 5. It seems much faster to just do PEs. What are people's strategies for that?

In my experience, Public Events are typically timed in such a way that you have time to knock out a Lost Sector anyway. You’re leaving a lot of tokens on the table by not doing them.

I forgot about using Crimson, that would have helped a lot. I was wearing my full Dead Orbit kit.

I also agree with Claude et al regarding LS selection. I just did the closest LS to where I was when I got 5 stacks; I bet spending the extra time driving the sparrow to an easier LS would have been worth it.

My motivation for reporting my results was that Cody's 5-7 hours estimate seemed awfully low to me. I got to rank 32 the first week, which for me meant not playing every day, but doing quite a bit of grinding on that Saturday and Sunday.

So a question: Looting a LS with a full stack gets you 10 tokens, but doing a heroic PE gets 5. It seems much faster to just do PEs. What are people's strategies for that?

Was he playing alone? If you play with two others you can clear everything way faster.

Use Celestial Nighthawk instead of Wormhusk Crown. As long as take the shield down, you can one shot the boss and basically ignore most adds. Makes it much faster if you’re playing alone.

Also, Crimson is your best friend. You don't need any healing items with it.

Was he playing alone? If you play with two others you can clear everything way faster.

Use Celestial Nighthawk instead of Wormhusk Crown. As long as take the shield down, you can one shot the boss and basically ignore most adds. Makes it much faster if you’re playing alone.

If I'm in a fireteam, I'll usually start a Lost Sector with 4 renown and a kill patrol active. Finish it on the way through the Lost Sector for 5 renown, kill the Boss, and proceed. And even if I die, that patrol will still recoup the 1 renown. It's almost like having an extra life.

Depending on how focused and grindy you want to make it, you can make it go by pretty quick. Some Lost Sectors are definitely easier than others. The one below the church in the EDZ is really short and easy, for instance. Some of the more expansive ones in the caves in other zones have a lot more enemies and can take a while if you're alone.

The Ogre one on Titan can be amazingly fast, after a few runs.

For example: I went to Siren's Watch to wait for the Walker public event to start. A couple of minutes before it started, a High-Value target showed up, and it got killed super-fast (there were about 6 of us there). I looked at the clock after collecting the chest (it put me at 4 Renown), and I had 1:15 before the event started. I jumped on my sparrow, flew over to the Rig, dropped in to the Lost Sector, killed the ogre with about 10 DARCI shots (two more shots for the two knights), grabbed the 8 tokens, and fast-traveled back to Siren's Watch... I arrived before the Walker did.

(I played solo for a bit over 3 hours, I'm level 21. Having the gear helps a lot, so does doing the Milestones on multiple characters.)

I played for 1:05 tonight. I got 90 faction tokens for 4.5 levels, which would mean about 31 ranks over the course of 7 days.

Did you do the Milestones? I got 41 tokens on my first Lost Sector because of those. I played for about an hour and a half and hit Rank 8. It definitely takes longer than the 5-7 hours Cody is talking about, but it's not awful, either.

If you can, playing with a Fireteam makes it much faster, but I played alone all night and got that far. I typically go to where I see a Public Event getting ready to start. I pick up the easy bounties (either the kill enemies or salvage ones) while waiting for it to start.

I often only go into the Lost Sector with four stacks instead of five. Sometimes the extra time to find and complete another activity for that last stack isn't worth the extra token or two you'll get for having a full stack of Renown.

Depending on how focused and grindy you want to make it, you can make it go by pretty quick. Some Lost Sectors are definitely easier than others. The one below the church in the EDZ is really short and easy, for instance. Some of the more expansive ones in the caves in other zones have a lot more enemies and can take a while if you're alone.

For me, I barely scratched out 50 for New Monarchy at the last minute. I mean, I did it foolishly with how I got gear and stuff. But now I'm just gonna chill and spend two rallies to get DO.

Are there any NM weapons that are must-haves? I keep hearing people rave about an FWC energy SMG, and since I have a fair amount of FWC armor, I'll likely pledge that way, but I'm trying to figure if it's really worth doing all three factions this season.

Personally, if you at all like the Graviton Lance, then I would continue with that. If you think you can get to 50 this week then I would choose another faction and then polish off DO on the last Faction rally.

Thanks for the reply.
I'm not sure how anyone can discount the Graviton Lance at this point. It has become a new 'go to' weapon for many. I do like it and its short Time-to-kill, but I also try to utilize other weapons besides it. (Unless someone is really hammering me with it then I will occasionally equip it and hammer back - Like MIDA Multi-Tool used to be, or Uriel's Gift became)

And this is why I would suggest getting it. Cause even if you don't LOVE it, it's a great fallback weapon that is great in PvP and PvE.

That is the entire problem, if I do go back to Dead Orbit at all during Season 3 Faction Rally pt. 2 or Season 3 Faction Rally pt. 3, I will be locking myself in and forcing myself to lose out on an entire Faction's Inventory(or the Season Specific items).

Yeah, that's why I was thinking just put DO in your pocket. Enjoy this faction rally as much as possible with another faction and then the last FR you can just finish up DO. Unless you think you will be gone or something.

For me, I barely scratched out 50 for New Monarchy at the last minute. I mean, I did it foolishly with how I got gear and stuff. But now I'm just gonna chill and spend two rallies to get DO.

Personally, if you at all like the Graviton Lance, then I would continue with that. If you think you can get to 50 this week then I would choose another faction and then polish off DO on the last Faction rally.

Thanks for the reply.
I'm not sure how anyone can discount the Graviton Lance at this point. It has become a new 'go to' weapon for many. I do like it and its short Time-to-kill, but I also try to utilize other weapons besides it. (Unless someone is really hammering me with it then I will occasionally equip it and hammer back - Like MIDA Multi-Tool used to be, or Uriel's Gift became)

That is the entire problem, if I do go back to Dead Orbit at all during Season 3 Faction Rally pt. 2 or Season 3 Faction Rally pt. 3, I will be locking myself in and forcing myself to lose out on an entire Faction's Inventory(or the Season Specific items).

I missed out on the Warlock Helmet Ornament and the Graviton Lance Masterwork.

What should I do Tuesday?

Play for 1 hour a day over the course of the week and you'll hit 50.

Well that wasn't very helpful

If you can't play everyday, make it up on the days you can. It's approx 5-7 hours to get to 50.

I'm fairly disappointed. I faithfully play 1 character only, as that is what life dictates.
I'm sad enough already at the turn of events where Faction Ornaments are no longer account wide and somehow character specific. But now I have to difficultly weigh out my options about which pieces of content I can't acquire, through play, because of the short period of time that has become: Season 3.

I was sadly not able to play each and everyday during Faction week (life happens) and I missed a few nights of play early in the week (and 2 or 3 daily token bonuses). For as diligently and as many hours as I forced myself to play at the end of the week/weekend I was not able to overcome and reach Level 50 with Dead Orbit. I was only able to reach Level 36.
I missed out on the Warlock Helmet Ornament and the Graviton Lance Masterwork.

What should I do Tuesday?

• Pledge Dead Orbit again to get my final 2 rewards...?
  
• Or lose out on an entire Faction's Season 3 Inventory (Weapons, Ornaments, Ship/Sparrow, Masterwork, etc. )?

Personally, if you at all like the Graviton Lance, then I would continue with that. If you think you can get to 50 this week then I would choose another faction and then polish off DO on the last Faction rally.

I made it to rank 8 for Dead Orbit on Xbox. I still think I’m going New Monarchy this time. Their new shader is too fucking good. I don’t have Sweet Business or Sunshot yet on Xbox. I’ll probably start up my Titan the week after and grab a Sunshot from the campaign and then do FWC for the final Factions Rally.

I’m sort of assuming the catalysts will be available from other methods in the fall, but that could be a dangerous assumption.

I doubt that they would keep you from getting the catalysts. My bet is that, at the worst, they just reset the factions and you get another go at it.

I’m sort of assuming the catalysts will be available from other methods in the fall, but that could be a dangerous assumption.