[Megathread] The Division 2

[Aeluron Lightsong]

Aaron Keener fight..... I thought Heroic Xanesh from Nyalotha was.....bad

[SirCowdog]

Aaron Keener fight..... I thought Heroic Xanesh from Nyalotha was.....bad

It's a pretty easy fight as long as you're not a skill build. I really don't know what the devs were thinking with that.

- - - Updated - - -

Can agree with this. It really feels out of place, but i think that wothout it clans won't have much meaning to exist otherwise, due to how the game is basically all solo/random.

Which is double bad. Both raids are really well done. Legendary should be like that and not dropping white dressed guys loaded with cheese so yoi need to bring even more cheese ot overcheese them

Clans don't really fit the Division either. I mean, I get that players want to have some kind of organization, but the rest of the game doesn't really support it at all. It feels tacked on because it fits an industry checkbox. Discord does its job better, anyway. :/

[Edge-]

https://www.ubisoft.com/en-gb/game/t...tion-breakdown

Getting a proper cosmetic appearance system! We'll finally be able to change how our gear looks to whatever set we want, no longer will we be stuck with ugly looking set pieces that don't with the rest of our outfits.

Looking forward to more info about TU11, hoping Skyscraper details are sooner rather than later.

Edit: https://www.reddit.com/r/thedivision...eb2x&context=3

Skyscraper info on Sept 2.

- - - Updated - - -

Best I can figure for the cosmetic TLDR -

You unlock appearances as you loot gear or if you have it in your inventory/stash at the time of the update. It's account-wide, so some of the grey/green/blue/purple stuff may require leveling an alt. Once unlocked it's yours forever.

You can change everything except exotics, and you can't make things look like exotics either.

Apparently it should save per-loadout, which has me hoping that actual appearance outfits will save per loadout as well (getting tired to changing that when I change builds : P)

Free for everyone, not just WONY folks.

Can't go gearless, gotta have something on.

UI looks alright, nothing to write home about, but it seems like it'll be functional and it's something I've been hoping they would add for a while.

[Coldkil]

https://www.ubisoft.com/en-gb/game/t...tion-breakdown

Getting a proper cosmetic appearance system! We'll finally be able to change how our gear looks to whatever set we want, no longer will we be stuck with ugly looking set pieces that don't with the rest of our outfits.

Looking forward to more info about TU11, hoping Skyscraper details are sooner rather than later.

Edit: https://www.reddit.com/r/thedivision...eb2x&context=3

Skyscraper info on Sept 2.

- - - Updated - - -

Best I can figure for the cosmetic TLDR -

You unlock appearances as you loot gear or if you have it in your inventory/stash at the time of the update. It's account-wide, so some of the grey/green/blue/purple stuff may require leveling an alt. Once unlocked it's yours forever.

You can change everything except exotics, and you can't make things look like exotics either.

Apparently it should save per-loadout, which has me hoping that actual appearance outfits will save per loadout as well (getting tired to changing that when I change builds : P)

Free for everyone, not just WONY folks.

Can't go gearless, gotta have something on.

UI looks alright, nothing to write home about, but it seems like it'll be functional and it's something I've been hoping they would add for a while.

I think there are higher priorities than a xmog system, but hell it's gonna be good. simple, streamlined, free for all. Cannot wait to get rid of the ugly providence backpack.

Now i'm waiting for the rainbow loot fix and skyscraper news.

Meanwhile im farming for Badger for my shotgun build. Mechanical animal build reached a halt since FFS it cannot equip the tech laser. Have yet to find a future perfect ar so i can put it on a good roller FAL or AK

[Edge-]

Mechanical animal build reached a halt since FFS it cannot equip the tech laser. Have yet to find a future perfect ar so i can put it on a good roller FAL or AK

I kept trying to make the FP build work and honestly...I don't really think it can without super optimized gear. Even with a more weapon damage focused build (2 yellow +1 from Tact, 4 red) I was finding that my drone was pretty frequently stealing kills from me, and in groups it was near totally unusable. It's just so hard to keep the stacks up. It can be alright for solo play since you have a better chance of maintaining them, but the performance was a bit underwhelming for me. Maybe I'm just doin it wrong.

Though I'm totes gonna roll a new character when the patch rolls around to collect the grey/green/blue cosmetics and whatnot just because I like having it. I'm realizing that I've now played around a lot more with MMR's and shit than I ever expected but that I've still largely not really built around SMG/Shotgun builds. Guess my new character is gonna end up being a short range character, maybe I can figure out how to actually use those things effectively for once.

[Popastique]

Been clearing content on challenging difficulty as a sniper with max headshot damage ( sitting at 330% right now ) but often myself squishy as hell and especially in trouble when rogue agents encounters pop up, usually die unless lucky or have someone in my party so i don't get any attention and can pop some headshots. Therefore want to ask - is playing sniper solo viable on Heroic difficulty and Legendary? Or is it better to swap to some build which has more def ?

[Edge-]

Been clearing content on challenging difficulty as a sniper with max headshot damage ( sitting at 330% right now ) but often myself squishy as hell and especially in trouble when rogue agents encounters pop up, usually die unless lucky or have someone in my party so i don't get any attention and can pop some headshots. Therefore want to ask - is playing sniper solo viable on Heroic difficulty and Legendary? Or is it better to swap to some build which has more def ?

So on heroic it totally is, though rogues will be a problem. I run a MMR build with Mantis and Headhunter on chest, lots of one shots and basically always having decoy up.

But rogues will be a challenge since they appear alone and there's not way to get Headhunter rolling again. They're a challenge on heroic, but the good thing is that even if you fail it doesn't reset the whole mission. But outside of rogue agents popping up I generally steamroll heroics with it solo.

[Popastique]

So on heroic it totally is, though rogues will be a problem. I run a MMR build with Mantis and Headhunter on chest, lots of one shots and basically always having decoy up.

But rogues will be a challenge since they appear alone and there's not way to get Headhunter rolling again. They're a challenge on heroic, but the good thing is that even if you fail it doesn't reset the whole mission. But outside of rogue agents popping up I generally steamroll heroics with it solo.

Thx, i have Headhunter on of course, but been using White Death this whole time despite having Mantis in my collection. Will try it and hopefully transition to heroic

[SirCowdog]

I've still largely not really built around SMG/Shotgun builds. Guess my new character is gonna end up being a short range character, maybe I can figure out how to actually use those things effectively for once.

SMG is lots of firing blind from behind cover. I know I harp on this a lot, but go watch my Negotiator's video. Weight of fire down range is surprisingly effective, even if lots of bullets aren't hitting anything.

Chatterbox is surprisingly good for everything up to Challenging if your aim is good. Get some armor on kill and use gunner. A single reload around 3 or more enemies and you'll just mow everything down. Breaks down on heroic, though, since the bullet sponge gets too heavy.

I still want to try the reddit Shotgun/Ninja-bike build, but even after all this time, and all the exotic chests I've opened....no kneepads.

[Coldkil]

I kept trying to make the FP build work and honestly...I don't really think it can without super optimized gear. Even with a more weapon damage focused build (2 yellow +1 from Tact, 4 red) I was finding that my drone was pretty frequently stealing kills from me, and in groups it was near totally unusable. It's just so hard to keep the stacks up. It can be alright for solo play since you have a better chance of maintaining them, but the performance was a bit underwhelming for me. Maybe I'm just doin it wrong.

Though I'm totes gonna roll a new character when the patch rolls around to collect the grey/green/blue cosmetics and whatnot just because I like having it. I'm realizing that I've now played around a lot more with MMR's and shit than I ever expected but that I've still largely not really built around SMG/Shotgun builds. Guess my new character is gonna end up being a short range character, maybe I can figure out how to actually use those things effectively for once.

Yeah, it's definitely a solo build. ALL talents with "on kill" stuff are next to useless in party. I'm am working towards a shotgun build now - i'm just gonna ditch the FB set, way too many stats wasted to get 3 pieces when i got a Forge holster with crit chance and rolled weapon damage on it. Gonna run 2 Badger so i get more armor and shotgun damage, 2 blue 4 red with Firewall shield for even more damage. Matador plus Intimidate and i have to snatch from DZ the Executor shotgun, which runs with perfect Pummel as Tsunami but hits for a lot more, making it way more consistent. Either that or a KSG.

- - - Updated - - -

So on heroic it totally is, though rogues will be a problem. I run a MMR build with Mantis and Headhunter on chest, lots of one shots and basically always having decoy up.

But rogues will be a challenge since they appear alone and there's not way to get Headhunter rolling again. They're a challenge on heroic, but the good thing is that even if you fail it doesn't reset the whole mission. But outside of rogue agents popping up I generally steamroll heroics with it solo.

I know you have decoy already due to Mantis, but EMP Sticky is just incredible as a skill. Double tapping the button makes it shot istantly where you're aiming and it's even better/more accurate than aiming manually lol.

If they're disrupted, they become sitting ducks.

[Edge-]

ALL talents with "on kill" stuff are next to useless in party.

I was really hoping they'd overhaul all of these for group play with the bigger what, TU9/10 pass at gear and shit. On-kill stuff is generally so bloody useless for a variety of reasons and there are just so many better ways to deliver the buffs.

I know you have decoy already due to Mantis, but EMP Sticky is just incredible as a skill. Double tapping the button makes it shot istantly where you're aiming and it's even better/more accurate than aiming manually lol.

If they're disrupted, they become sitting ducks.

True, but decoy brings two big buffs.

1. Functionally permanent uptime outside of a handful of boss encounters. When I'm grouped I use it less, but for solo play I can more or less have that sucker out for the duration of any fight, and since there's no "range" it's effectively distracting dudes coming from two different locations.

2. Pulsing enemies that shoot at it is ssoooooooooooo handy. Sure, Mantis shows you the headshot box thingy, but getting a quick idea of where everyone has proven super useful. Especially when it's foggy and you have lower visibility.

I haven't actually played around with the EMP sticky yet. I still need to look up a CC build, but keep getting lazy and distracted by other games >.<

[SirCowdog]

I know you have decoy already due to Mantis, but EMP Sticky is just incredible as a skill. Double tapping the button makes it shot istantly where you're aiming and it's even better/more accurate than aiming manually lol.

If they're disrupted, they become sitting ducks.

IIRC someone said that the EMP sticky disrupts them on hit, then again when you manually set it off a second time?

- - - Updated - - -

2. Pulsing enemies that shoot at it is ssoooooooooooo handy.

Wait...what? It does that?

[Edge-]

Wait...what? It does that?

Yep. Sadly the Wiki page is in another language, but it pulses them temporarily. I haven't paid too much attention, but it looks like it's only for a bit when they first start shooting at it and that it doesn't maintain/refresh the pulse over time.

Sadly no way to make that work with Spotter as like, why would anyone play a sniper build without HH on chest (I guess it's better for sustain with a MMR?), but it's not a bad side-perk for any group members rolling Spotter. That and pulsing them is just convenient as hell.

[SirCowdog]

Yep. Sadly the Wiki page is in another language, but it pulses them temporarily. I haven't paid too much attention, but it looks like it's only for a bit when they first start shooting at it and that it doesn't maintain/refresh the pulse over time.

Sadly no way to make that work with Spotter as like, why would anyone play a sniper build without HH on chest (I guess it's better for sustain with a MMR?), but it's not a bad side-perk for any group members rolling Spotter. That and pulsing them is just convenient as hell.

I once tried to make a straight DPS MMR build using Aces & Eights with the First Blood talent and a couple other things. Didn't really work out too well. A rifle just does the job of long-range DPS better.

[Edge-]

I once tried to make a straight DPS MMR build using Aces & Eights with the First Blood talent and a couple other things. Didn't really work out too well. A rifle just does the job of long-range DPS better.

Yeah, I had an old A&8 build that I ran long ago. Sustain is pretty good with it, but it lacks the "staying power" of HH when it comes to wiping groups of yellow enemies without helmets.

Even if you can't make full use of the pulsing, it's a great little side benefit. It's so useful in finding out enemies who scurry off to the side somewhere and end up hiding after only a few shots.

[SirCowdog]

Yeah, I had an old A&8 build that I ran long ago. Sustain is pretty good with it, but it lacks the "staying power" of HH when it comes to wiping groups of yellow enemies without helmets.

Even if you can't make full use of the pulsing, it's a great little side benefit. It's so useful in finding out enemies who scurry off to the side somewhere and end up hiding after only a few shots.

I usually rely on the striker drone for that.

[Coldkil]

IIRC someone said that the EMP sticky disrupts them on hit, then again when you manually set it off a second time?

yes, it does. The target you hit doesn't get the status refreshed (as every fucking status in the game - WHY) but you get to trigger a shortish disrupt aoe. Anyway, i got the grasp of it and i'm never gonna ditch it until it's a raid and there Reviver Hive is super valuable.

[Edge-]

Last manhunt is up, I'll be working on that.

Disappointed to read that folks who have it unlocked say the healing traps suck. Apparently the cooldown is pretty absurd (like 40s) compared to other healing options, and it doesn't even heal for that much. It doesn't even make much sense logically like...I'm throwing out "traps"...for my friends? That they're supposed to...intentionally trigger? And it heals them?

Wat?

[KrayZ33]

It doesn't even make much sense logically like...I'm throwing out "traps"...for my friends? That they're supposed to...intentionally trigger? And it heals them?

Wat?

I see no problem with the logic. If we go with logic, then the chem launcher or the ball doing healing stuff is just as stupid.

The trap version is basically a big blob of heal that splits off into tiny zones around the area.
Since you are moving around on the map, you trigger healing as you pass by, healing yourself while also flanking enemies. You create save zones that can be chosen to activate "on demand" - Everything in theory of course.

I doubt it's as realiable as that though. But I'm not really launching "traps", just as much as I'm not "shooting" allies with the chem launcher.
They couldn't even get the trap to work properly and cover an area, so I wondere why someone would use the most unrealible gadget in the game for healing. And since Massive doesn't allow cooldowns to expire as long as "traps" are still around somewhere, I don't see this working either way.
Again... another example of how poorly Massive handle skills in this game. They have no idea what they are doing or what is fun... or want to stop fun on purpose because they hate the players - I don't know.

The trap-skill is an ability that can never work properly with how skill cooldowns behave in this game. Even at it's best, it's a skill that doesn't work most of the time because no one triggers it (either version, heal or stun). So you are throwing a skill every half a minute or so that does *nothing* and it's unrealiable to boot because you can hardly control where that shit hits the fan and spreads.

If you could throw it and throw it and throw it and eventually overwhelm the area with it if you go really hard on +duration and -cooldown it would be a completely different story... it would also give the duration and cooldown reduce stats a purpose.
Instead, they cover up that awful system and go with awkward set bonuses dedicated to that horrible mechanic such as the hive stuff that suffers from a similar problem.
It should just regenerate charges, no matter if it's deployed or not - what's so unfair about it? Why does Massive think it's not okay?

[SirCowdog]

I see no problem with the logic. If we go with logic, then the chem launcher or the ball doing healing stuff is just as stupid.

The trap version is basically a big blob of heal that splits off into tiny zones around the area.
Since you are moving around on the map, you trigger healing as you pass by, healing yourself while also flanking enemies. You create save zones that can be chosen to activate "on demand" - Everything in theory of course.

I doubt it's as realiable as that though. But I'm not really launching "traps", just as much as I'm not "shooting" allies with the chem launcher.
They couldn't even get the trap to work properly and cover an area, so I wondere why someone would use the most unrealible gadget in the game for healing. And since Massive doesn't allow cooldowns to expire as long as "traps" are still around somewhere, I don't see this working either way.
Again... another example of how poorly Massive handle skills in this game. They have no idea what they are doing or what is fun... or want to stop fun on purpose because they hate the players - I don't know.

The trap-skill is an ability that can never work properly with how skill cooldowns behave in this game. Even at it's best, it's a skill that doesn't work most of the time because no one triggers it (either version, heal or stun). So you are throwing a skill every half a minute or so that does *nothing* and it's unrealiable to boot because you can hardly control where that shit hits the fan and spreads.

If you could throw it and throw it and throw it and eventually overwhelm the area with it if you go really hard on +duration and -cooldown it would be a completely different story... it would also give the duration and cooldown reduce stats a purpose.
Instead, they cover up that awful system and go with awkward set bonuses dedicated to that horrible mechanic such as the hive stuff that suffers from a similar problem.
It should just regenerate charges, no matter if it's deployed or not - what's so unfair about it? Why does Massive think it's not okay?

I guess I wonder why anyone would use this skill when the Healing hive exists. While not as large of an area, it seems like it's more directed. And with the BTSU gloves, the recharge should be much better.

I don't know. Seems like a really niche skill that doesn't fill a demand that anyone needed or asked for.