This game is clearly designed around buying stuff from vendors and hoping you get lucky in the mean time. I've been playing it that way since day 1. After you get the gear from the vendors levelled you're ready for the raid. I cant understand why there's so many people crying about how other people play. You don't like Xur? Fine, don't buy anything from him. I mean anything. No shards, no heavy ammo. Nothing. If it's welfare weapons then it's welfare everything else. If you complain about Xur and have bought ANYTHING from him. You are a hypocrite. End of story.