Probably common sense stuff or stuff you will all figure out, but here's some advice I think would be helpful to those just starting out:
Encrypted Engrams seem to be based off your current light level when you decrypt, so make one character your "main" and work on their light level, and then decrypt any weapon engrams on that higher level toon for your non-main toons (remember that armor decrypts to class specific armor, generally).
The 25 Hadium Flakes for the sword quest (off of Lord Shaxx) can be obtained pretty quickly just by checking the four hidey holes for chests in the starting patrol area and then going to orbit. Rinse and repeat. These Hadium Flakes are only obtained via opening chests on the dreadnaught. I got mine done in about 30 minutes last night. Also, it sounds like if you infuse the sword up to 290 light level, then you can open up the quest line to forge it into the exotic sword.
Keep your lower light level legendary items in the beginning as you can infuse them with other items of the same slot - you do not need a higher level rocket launcher to infuse another rocket launcher - just needs to be heavy to heavy, ghost to ghost, etc. Those lower light legendary items still have much better stats than the blues you may find with higher light level.
Save your legendary marks for Friday after you buy something off of Xur so you know which armor slot needs an upgrade after, hopefully, equipping your first Year 2 exotic.
Reputation packages do not stack, reportedly.
After you complete the main quest line with the Taken King, go visit Amanda Holliday if you have The Last Word. She is supposed to hand out a quest for the new exotic shotgun, The Chaperon, if you already have a TLW. This does seem to be bugged though... I have TLW and am not getting the quest to pop up.
The story missions seem to be tough this go around to do solo, especially the daily heroic story mission!
