Hard Mode Raid.

As Jettison said, 29 is absolutely the lowest you can go into Hardmode with. Anything less and you become too much of a burden (unless your team is specifically carrying of course). 30 or 31 is probably best. And since you can hit that with vanguard/crucible gear, most random groups probably won't take anyone under 30 anymore. Best way to hit 30, if you are having trouble, is vanguard roc playlist. It's going to make you better at the game in general, give you marks, and, most importantly, it's going to rank up vanguard and give you engrams to rank up the cryptarch, both of which have a high possibility of just giving you new legendary gear. Beyond that, it's crucial you know the VoG Hardmode raid sections and basic strategies for all sections well. If you are dying to things that can be easily avoided, you will not last long in any raid group (since you can't revive someone until the next checkpoint). It's also important to have the right weapons and subclass for each section (since you're a hunter, Golden Gun is [i]usually[/i] preferred to Blade Dancer). Lastly, [u][b]always listen to and obey the strategies your team is using[/b][/u]. While it's not a bad thing, if your team is struggling, to ask "Hey, do you guys mind if I share a strategy?" If you are in a random group, even if you think your way is better, follow what the raid leader is doing. Teamwork will often be more important than "l33t str4ts". As a side note, genetics, you are kind of a young guy. I'm going to warn you, that's going to discourage some people from playing with you. Don't take it to heart, but understand that not everyone is comfortable/wants to play with younger players. Key here is to be confident, skillful, but respectful and willing to listen. If you do that, you should be alright. Also, having time is hugely important to Hardmode raids. If you only have a certain amount of time, be upfront with your team about that so they will know if/when they need to find a replacement. Hope that helps man!