There is a little black pyramid, like a paper weight, on the table in front of Petra. Think it means anything?

The Speaker has one too, and I think one of the other NPCs.

That's entirely your prerogative. If your entire goal is to get the gear, not play different versions of the campaign missions for the challenge, then go ahead and spend the 3-10 minutes it takes to find the easy mission. It probably would be faster to do the given missions (none take more than ten minutes, except maybe the last boss), but whatever you prefer. Heck, I'd say just join a friend who's doing one (it tells you) and reap the rewards that way.

Yeah, I just have a sneaking feeling that this is actually a legitimate mistake and not simply a side effect of game mechanics. It is basically a guarantied way to receive Legendary armor when even some of the most challenging modes of the game don't give that. There is no RNG to deal with, no time/effort investment like gaining faction rep, just an immediate purple if you can hide in a hallway and pick off strong enemies. Cheapens the reward.

If you want to be really cheap . . . you can just quite each mission you get until you get Riksis. That mission is significantly easier than the others. I would be surprised if Bungie doesn't remove it soon though, as it lowers the bar in a substantial way.

It's definitely easier and faster -- right up until the endless spawn of Vandals when Riksis gets low on health. I was not expecting that. :)

Okay, so in my frustration at having that simple mission taken away from me, I did something that I felt pretty skeezy about. I entered into new Queen's Wrath missions until I got the Riksis one again. Basically I felt like that was the original one that I received, and a failure of netcode or routing shouldn't prevent me from playing it for the Queen's mission. And at the end I got the Legendary armor.

But now, there is nothing to prevent me from doing that each time to get new Legendary armor. Just quit missions until I get Riksis which is many many times easier than the other missions. I hope Bungie can patch this, because it is very clearly gaming a small side effect in order to circumvent one very difficult mission.

That's entirely your prerogative. If your entire goal is to get the gear, not play different versions of the campaign missions for the challenge, then go ahead and spend the 3-10 minutes it takes to find the easy mission. It probably would be faster to do the given missions (none take more than ten minutes, except maybe the last boss), but whatever you prefer. Heck, I'd say just join a friend who's doing one (it tells you) and reap the rewards that way.

But going after the Gate lord solo with Solar Burn was intense, and terrifying (fear the Hobogoblin snipers).

Also, today's Daily is really fun on the hardest difficulty. Definitely one of the more "Halo" missions.

But did it cost him a "Queen's Orders" token? (Or whatever it's called)

Yep. He only gets stuff if he has a Kill Order himself. Saves some trouble, but does spend the order.

I beat that one, it had the solar damage modifier, and I have a great sniper that has solar damage. One shots the Psions, and the Phalanxes when you hit them in the hand (since they don't flinch in the mission).

Ooh. Didn't think of that; my Exotic machine gun does solar. (And now it returns over half the rounds I miss with to the magazine... thrifty.)

-- Steve'll definitely give it another try, though it seems weird to save heavy weapon ammo for the littlest guys.

I am a little disappointed that there are no new missions, but I have to say I am really enjoying these missions with the modifiers on, reminds me of playing Legendary Halo with a few skulls on.

Nghgh! I couldn't finish my first mission for the Queen... a Mars mission, and though I could handily match blows with Legionaries those wee Psions were kicking my [hindquarters] because they had Void shields and moved too fast for me to hit with my only Void weapon, a fusion rifle.

-- Steve'll give those missions another try, of course, but cautiously... he can't really afford to replace a controller should it be flung off the balcony.

I beat that one, it had the solar damage modifier, and I have a great sniper that has solar damage. One shots the Psions, and the Phalanxes when you hit them in the hand (since they don't flinch in the mission).

I am a little disappointed that there are no new missions, but I have to say I am really enjoying these missions with the modifiers on, reminds me of playing Legendary Halo with a few skulls on.

Nghgh! I couldn't finish my first mission for the Queen... a Mars mission, and though I could handily match blows with Legionaries those wee Psions were kicking my [hindquarters] because they had Void shields and moved too fast for me to hit with my only Void weapon, a fusion rifle.

-- Steve'll give those missions another try, of course, but cautiously... he can't really afford to replace a controller should it be flung off the balcony.

New stuff unlocks up to tier 3 of Reputation. I'd guess you'll have to get almost all the bounties to hit 3, going to be rough, that Scout Rifle one took me forever today.

But now, there is nothing to prevent me from doing that each time to get new Legendary armor. Just quit missions until I get Riksis which is many many times easier than the other missions. I hope Bungie can patch this, because it is very clearly gaming a small side effect in order to circumvent one very difficult mission.