Bounties, rep, and marks. You have to get the gear. The guaranteed way is to buy the gear. So level up your rep through bounties and also get your 100 marks per week. Every chance you level up you may get a free piece of gear. Also do the public events at least once when you are on to get the material to level up your armor. When doing patrol mission each completed mission is 10 rep points but one is a 25 rep mission (assasinate someone) which is the same a s a level 24 strike. There are guides to show you what the different patrol mission bounty symbols represent. As you go you may get lucky and get a drop so you won't have to buy it. Since they made the Cryptarch harder that would take longer. I ususally get enough engrams doing the bounties and daily missions that it takes care of itself. I've gotten my one character to level 29 this way and haven't done a weekly or raid. Mostly lone wolf stuff and all PVE. But now with DOD I should find folks to start running the weeklies and raids. Glad I signed up. GT: oldguy_plus1 (remeber underscore) PS4

Depends on what you like. My brother more of a PVP player than I am did a lot of Crucible to buy gear and some pieces from vanguard. Me I cap out Vanguard makes each week and only do some PVP bounties, the "easy" ones. But only buy pieces to fill your spots you have lower gear in and upgade your highest light levels first. Can't go wrong leveling up Exotics (Helms first if you can) then level up you legendaries. Be sure to always have bounties, do the daily and hit the strikes (your level) or crucible. Then finish out with some patrols.

Just keep grinding brother..... if you can find somebody thats a higher level to carry you through a few strikes you should get some decent drops....and you will level up your vanguard along the way...