Fastest way to grind Vanguard Commendations and Reputation

The first Destiny expansion brought many changes to the current method for purchasing Legendary items. In addition to existing currencies that players use for purchasing gear and weapons from different vendors, the Dark Below DLC introduces a new one named Vanguard Commendation. These Commendations are tokens you gain after increasing reputation rank with Vanguard vendor. They can be used for purchasing new Legendary items from Vanguard vendor, which will help you increase your Light and reach Level 30 / 31 without playing the Raids. The only way to gain Vendor Commendations is upon reaching Reputation level 3 and up with Vanguard vendor. Each Reputation level brings you 1 Vanguard Commendation in Reputation Reward Packages delivered by the Postmaster. Commendations can be Vaulted and traded between your characters.

Purchasing the following items requires 1 Vanguard Commendation per item:

• Legendary amour piece – Helmet or Chest
• Any Legendary weapon

How to farm Vanguard Commendations

Before you decide to go farming Vanguard reputation make sure you’re not wearing a factions reputation item – (cape, bond or skirt), as it prevents you from earning vanguard reputation.

• Completing Nightfall Strike is one of the best and fastest way to grind Vanguard reputation and commendations. Completing the strike rewards you with 500 reputation and 20% boost to all reputation exp gains for the week.
• With additional boost do weekly strike at the highest level possible, and get approximately 500 reputation.
• Completing Tiger strikes gives you about 32 rep per completion
• The only time when you should grind VIP patrol mission (the ones with the star inside) for rep is when you are getting close to leveling up, or while farming resources.
  
  If you decide to farm VIP patrols start Patrol: Cosmodrome. There are 3 different locations that you should visit.
  • As soon as you land on Earth in patrol mode you’ll be in Steppes. There are 3 different patrols in this area, so open up your nav menu and look for VIP patrols.
  • If you have no luck, and VIP patrols don’t appear head to Divide
  • If no VIP Patrols appear in Divide head to Rocketyard
  • Return to Orbit and do it again
  • If you have friends, you can split up and cover different regions each. Everybody in the fireteam gets credit for each patrol, and you don’t have to move areas. A well organized group can earn up to 600 rep pre hour.