So lets say you have an Exotic Weapon maxed out, i'll gove you a break down of several different cost variants.
So lets say you maxed out an exotic weapon before the shard move it ran you 6550 glimmer plus materials and ass energy. Now if you redo this exotic it will cost you 7000 more glimmer plus 1 shard then 6550 and one more shard. (each shard is 7 strange coins). That's a total 20100 glimmer plus materials and 2 shards (14 strange coins) (to do ONE exotic pre Xur change.
Lets say you leveled up an exotic post Xur change. It would run you 6550 glimmer plus materials and 1 shard. Then to redo the weapon you have to give Xur 7000 glimmer and 1 shard. Then to re-level you have to do 6550 plus materials and ANOTHER shard.
This means you have to spend 20100 glimmer plus materials and THREE shards to max out one exotic (21 strange coins)
THIS IS FREAKING NUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUTS.
We have a 25k glimmer limit shared over 3 (optional) Guardians and if you have 3 guardians and run your weekly 3 times that's just 27 strange coins a week (not counting drops from random stuff). No one else finds this totally disgusting?
EDIT: I forgot to add suggestions
1) when you upgrade to the new exotic why not add a few more damage circles to fill in?
2) why not remove the last four earned upgrade circles on a maxed out exotic weapon and the last 3 on armor and just have us re-level the damage only. the best part about the exotics be it armor or weapon is the perk. don't take the perks away from us.
3) take away all the damage only circles on a maxed out weapon and defense on circles on a maxed out armor and make us re-level just that portion while again keeping all the perks we unlocked.
4) take all our exotics back to zero without the need of Xur or glimmer or a shard and make them just like we found them all post patch. if all my exotics simply reset themselves to zero and i had to level them again without xur and that extra shard for the trade i could see re-leveling a bit easier to take.
5) make the re-leveling of exotics as fast and easy as leveling up a rare gun/armor
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I apologize but I did not read your whole post. Too many of these going around to think anything is new here. But I'll say this. View it as a exchange. Xur has more powerful versions of your weapons for sale that he will exchange for the weapon, 7000 Glimmer, and a Exotic Shard. Presumably as well the upgraded Exotics require less XP to level. I believe Bungie said this and will find the quote if necessary.