The Division 2 Beginner's Guide & Tips: Best Weapons, Skills & More (2023)

The Division 2 is a large and expansive game that tends to throw a bunch of mechanics at you all at once. There can be a lot to take in, especially if you skipped the first game.

This is where we come in with this handy guide to get you started in The Division 2. It is designed to help you get familiar with the core mechanics of the game, including combat, skills, cooldowns, loot and more.

MORE: Is The Division 2 Worth It For Single-Player? | How To Unlock The Dark Zone | How To Request Backup And Go On Call |

The Division 2 Combat Tips

The Division 2 Beginner's Guide & Tips: Best Weapons, Skills & More (1)

The right gun for the job
There are a ton of different weapons that you can take with you on your murder sprees in Washington D.C, and at first blush, it can be a daunting task to decide which boomstick to bring into combat. However, if you break it down, the weapons are divided into three categories: close, mid and long range. You can equip two main weapons and a sidearm so you will only ever be able to deal effective damage in two of these ranges. So, how do you choose which ones to focus on? Well, it depends on some factors.

(Video) Weapons Guide for Beginners! The Division 2 2023

If you happen to play the game alone, I would definitely forego the long ranged weapons in favor of close to mid range ordinances. This is because most of the battles in The Division 2 takes place indoors or in some seriously cluttered and overgrown streets. There simply aren’t a lot of places that need a really high powered long ranged sniper rifle. Besides, the AI is ridiculously aggressive and will constantly find ways to rush, flank or grenade you. Staying put to get some sniping done just isn’t very easy and you will need something to deal with those assholes that come running up at you.

So, are the sniper rifles useless? No, not entirely, if you find one with very high damage output, it can be effective at destroying the armor of elite troops or bosses. Additionally, if you are playing with friends you can designate roles better and have one player on “rushing-asshole” duty, leaving you free to do some sniping.

Personally, I had the best luck with assault rifles for mid to long range and SMGs or Shotguns for up close and personal business. With others, I preferred to have a semi-auto rifle or sniper rifle with a 4x scope instead of a full 20x sniper scope as it is more flexible.

The Division 2 Skills – Mind the skill gap
As mentioned above, The Division 2 can be a quite demanding game with some seriously aggressive enemies that can be a hassle to deal with. If you are playing alone, it is paramount to bring skills that would essentially take the place of another player.

To this goal, I recommend taking either the turret or the machine gun drone with you. They will be able to deal decent damage and basically cover some of your flanks when you are in a tight spot.

The second skill you bring should be a harassment skill; something like the flashbang drone, microdrones or the cluster mines are good at this. For me, I found that the microdrones worked the best at stopping bosses and heavily armored units. This is because the swarm of drones forces enemies to stop and seek cover, giving you precious seconds to fill them with lead or tend to other matters.

(Video) The Division 2: Ultimate Beginner’s Guide

If you are playing with others, basically assign roles and create a team that complements each other. For instance, one focuses on support skills while another takes the damage dealing ones.

Each skill platform can also be customized to further fill the gaps you might have. For instance, if you lack long-range weapons, make the turret a sniper turret. Trouble dealing with close range? Turn it into a close flamer instead.

The Division 2 Beginner's Guide & Tips: Best Weapons, Skills & More (2)

The Division 2 Cooldowns – Don’t let it linger
The cooldowns on your skills can be quite long in The Division 2. Luckily, there is a way to shorten them that oddly isn’t explained by the game at all. If you, for instance, deploy a turret and quickly murder the opposition, the turret will just sit there until its timer expires. However, If you hold down the skill button the turret will explode and you will have a reduced cooldown.

Shoot the red menace
There is a truckload of environmental hazards that can be made to blow up in The Division 2. Canisters, barrels, pipes and much more can be made to go boom as you shoot them so keep your eyes open while in a fight. If you manage to hit an enemy with fire or blind them with smoke, they will become a lot easier to deal with. Moreover, some enemies carry red bags or knick-knacks on them that can be made to blow up, damaging or killing people around them. So if you see a grenadier running around, look for the red bag he carries to make short work of him or her.

Conserve your armor
Once the last bullet has hit its mark and your enemies lie dead around you, the gods heal your wounds and mend your armor. Sadly, they don’t fill your pockets with repair kits as well. This means that if there are only one or two enemies left, try to save them and eat the damage instead, if possible. The armor kits can be essential to have with you for harder encounters so saving as many as possible is prudent.

(Video) The Division 2 Best Starter Build Guide! From Noob to Pro in Minutes (New & Returning Players)

The second wave is coming
The Division 2’s combat is essentially wave based. As you enter an area and spot some baddies going about doing baddie stuff, consider them only the first of at least two waves of enemies. As you clear them out, you will notice that doors will bust open and bigger baddies will come pouring in, making it a sad day for everyone.

The second wave is especially gruesome since the big armored elites tend to be in those. This means that you probably shouldn’t blow all your good stuff on the first thing that you see, as it will leave you with fewer options once the real challenge starts. It also makes it decidedly risky to be too aggressive in pushing forward. Many a time have I died while rushing forward to slay my last enemies, only to be blindsided by an incoming elite and his very big and very angry gun.

The Division 2 Exploration/World Tips

The Division 2 Beginner's Guide & Tips: Best Weapons, Skills & More (3)

Settle the settlers
Throughout the game, you will liberate and help out settlements. These places offer much more than a respawn point that you can do shopping at. You want to make sure to check in with them once in a while and help them out with their predicaments. This is because they will unlock some very cool and essential stuff for your agent. Solving side missions for a settlement helps you advance, letting you recruit new staff to the White House.

This, in turn, will let you do other nifty things like crafting and testing your guns at the shooting range. Besides the side missions the settlements also give you a list of things they want to be done, solve them and you gain lots of XP and blueprints. These blueprints can then be used at the crafting station to make some really great gear for you.

Build it as you want it
If you’re like me and tend to ignore crafting in these types of games, don’t. The Division 2’s crafting is actually good and can give you great gear and upgrades at a relatively low cost. It is at the crafting stations that you unlock specialized attachments and even upgrades to your skill platforms. Be sure to deconstruct at least some of your gear for materials and keep hunting for those blueprints, it will really pay off in the long run.

(Video) Loot, Gear and Weapons | Beginners Guide | The Division 2

The Division 2 Beginner's Guide & Tips: Best Weapons, Skills & More (4)

Where’s my SHD at?
Once you have unlocked a few safe houses and settlements, you will see some orange icons pop up on your map. These are SHD caches and will give you SHD points, basically free leveling. They are usually lightly guarded and all you need to do is blow the lock off some doors to get to them. Go get them as soon as you can to upgrade some quality of life skills like larger inventory or more armor kits for your agent.

Keep your eyes open
While running around the streets and buildings of D.C, be sure to keep your eyes open for some hidden nooks and crannies. While it is not a complete RPG when it comes to secrets, there are some concealed goodies to be had in The Division 2.

These range from boxes with incendiary bullets to unique loot and audio logs. Probably the most attractive one of these are the faction keys. These can be used to unlock special strong-boxes you find in mission areas which can potentially give you some great high-level loot. The keys can be rather well hidden but keep an eye out and always check out the underground passages you find, as they often contain one of them.

And there you have it, some general tips to get you started in The Division 2. Of course, each person’s playstyle will be different but I have found these to work best for me as I reclaim the streets of Washington.

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(Video) Beginners Guide - Level 1 to 30 || Part 1 || The Division 2

FAQs

What is the best beginner skill in The Division 2? ›

The very first skill The Division 2 solo players should unlock should be either the Assault Turret or the Striker Drone. Functionally, these skills are somewhat similar, allowing players to deploy a gadget that can effectively act as an extra teammate.

What is the strongest weapon in Division 2? ›

The 15 Best Weapons In The Division 2
  1. 1 ACR Rifle.
  2. 2 M1A (CQB) Rifle. ...
  3. 3 AUG A3 SMG. ...
  4. 4 SVD Sniper Rifle. ...
  5. 5 Vector SMG. ...
  6. 6 AKM Assault Rifle. ...
  7. 7 D50 Pistol. ...
  8. 8 P416 Assault Rifle. ...
Aug 29, 2022

What is the best skill gear set for Division 2? ›

The Gear
  • Heartbreaker Set: best for assault rifle and LMG DPS builds.
  • Hunter's Fury Set: best for SMG builds.
  • Foundry Bulwark Set: best for tank builds.
  • Future Initiative Set: exclusively for healer builds.
  • Eclipse Protocol Set: best for status effect builds.
  • Rigger Set: the perfect choice for skill builds.
Apr 28, 2023

What skills should I use in Division 2? ›

The Division 2: 20 Useful Skill Combos
  1. 1 Cluster Seeker Mine & Fire Starter Chem Launcher.
  2. 2 Striker Drone & Assault Turret. ...
  3. 3 Fixer Drone & Sniper Turret. ...
  4. 4 Blinder Firefly & Riot Foam Chem Launcher. ...
  5. 5 Demolisher Firefly & Assault Turret. ...
  6. 6 Bulwark Shield & Striker Drone. ...
  7. 7 Reinforcer Chem Launcher & Reviver Hive. ...
Nov 16, 2022

What is the best Assult rifle in The Division 2? ›

Chameleon, Police M4, FAMAS 2010, Carbine 7, and P416 are some of the best Assault Rifles available in all combat scenarios in The Division 2. While it is imperative to defeat enemies faster, these are potent in dealing significant damage while providing a fast enough firing rate.

What is a signature weapon in Division 2? ›

When you hit max level in The Division 2 you'll have the option of picking a signature weapon – sniper rifle, crossbow, or grenade launcher, to name a few – and then using it to unlock additional mods and stat bonuses.

How do you optimize gear fast in Division 2? ›

Hold down the Open Menu button. Select the Optimisation tile. Choose which category you want to optimise. Highlight the item you want to improve.

How do you make better gear in Division 2? ›

7 quick tips to making the best gear in The Division 2
  1. Hang fire until level 30. ...
  2. Buy the right perks. ...
  3. Upgrade your workbench. ...
  4. Scavenge everywhere and everything. ...
  5. Descontruct as much as possible. ...
  6. Keep equipment with key/interesting weapon perks. ...
  7. Amass a collection of blueprints.
Mar 26, 2019

How do you get all skills in Division 2? ›

After finishing the intro mission, you'll unlock your first skill point, which can then be given to the Quartermaster for one of the eight skills listed above. Future skills only unlock by completing main missions, but you'll have all of them unlocked about midway through the campaign.

Should I boost to level 30 Division 2? ›

If you haven't yet played The Division 2 and you're not getting the expansion, there's really no reason to use it. Besides bumping you to level 30 and gear score 500, the boost also cuts all the campaign, endgame campaign and side missions out of the game.

What happens if you boost your character in Division 2? ›

The character boost allows you to speed up the progression of any new or existing character you have, straight to Level 30. Boosting your character will complete all campaign and World Tier Invasion missions, maximise your Gear Score and automatically unlock all progress achievements up to that Level.

What are all the weapon attributes in The Division 2? ›

The Division 2 weapon stats explained

There are seven main values that you must pay attention to with each weapon: DMG (Damage), RPM (Rounds Per Minute), MAG (Magazine Size), Accuracy, Stability, Reload Time, and Damage Drop Off.

How do you level up proficiency fast? ›

Items that increase Proficiency include books, movies, and games that can be bought or rented at various shops in Yongen-Jaya, Shibuya, and the Shujin Academy. Remember that movies and games are done in Joker's room, while reading is done in the Shujin library, on a Leblanc stool, or in the seat of a train.

Does difficulty affect XP Division 2? ›

Playing on a higher difficulty will grant you additional XP.

What is the best way to level up gear score in The Division 2? ›

To raise your Gear Score, you need to find and equip better weapons and gear. Some activities, like Stronghold missions, will require you to reach a specific Gear Score before you can access them.

What to do after level 40 in The Division 2? ›

Once you reach Level 40 and complete the Warlords of New York campaign, you will gain access to Keener's Watch and with it, infinite SHD Level progression. SHD Levels will replace your Gear Score and allow you to continuously improve your Agent's attributes and resource rewards, and gain cosmetic unlocks.

What to do after 30 in Division 2? ›

As soon as you reach 30, you'll have access to the game's final mission at the Capital Building. But you shouldn't go there yet. Instead, head to the White House and talk to your Quartermaster. He'll offer you three new specializations.

What is the hardest boss in Division 2? ›

What is the hardest boss in Division 2?
  • 1 Outcast Tank. Perhaps the most nightmarish unit in this game is the Outcast Tank.
  • 2 True Sons Heavy Gunner. ...
  • 3 Warhound. ...
  • 4 Black Tusk Sniper. ...
  • 5 Black Tusk Controllers. ...
  • 6 Outcast Heavy. ...
  • 7 Black Tusk Heavy Gunner. ...
  • 8 True Sons Sniper. ...

What race is best for dual wield? ›

Dual wielding: how and why

Because of the high stamina consumption that comes with knocking out power attacks one after the other, the Redguards are probably the best pick when it comes to race due to the Adrenaline Rush ability that allows them to quickly regenerate stamina.

Is WW 2H better than dual wield? ›

2H is a stat stick and allows for larger numbers. Dual Wield allows for double enchants and generally more efficient damage that isn't relying heavily on big hits. A perfect world, 2H will do more damage, but in the consistent world DW is stronger.

What should I dual wield with rivers of blood? ›

It is recommended that players dual wield the Rivers of Blood katana alongside either the Uchigatana or Nagakiba, with the second of these two options requiring some additional points be put into Strength.

What weapon is best for tank Division 2? ›

The Scorpio Shotgun is the primary weapon recommended for the tank build, along with the Cavalry TAC-Pack for amplifying damage dealt. The Enhanced G36 is suggested as the secondary weapon, and the Backup Boomstick shotgun as the sidearm.

What is the difference between stability and weapon handling in the Division 2? ›

Accuracy and stability are often confused in Division 2, but they signify different aspects of weapon handling. Accuracy refers to how much your weapon reticle blooms after continuous firing, while stability refers to how good your weapon can handle the wobble of the gun when the recoil kicks.

What is snakes Signature Weapon? ›

FAMAS. A fully automatic assault rifle with a fast 1000 rounds per minute rate of fire and holding 25 bullets per magazine. It is the standard weapon of the Genome Soldiers, and used by both Liquid Snake and Solid Snake.

What is the max level in Division 2? ›

Players have to reach Level 30 in The Division 2 in order to unlock the endgame content. So here's a quick guide on how to get to the max level fast. The Division 2's max level is Level 30, but it could take some time ranking up all the way if players aren't aware of how to level up fast.

What does reconfiguring a weapon do in Division 2? ›

Functionality. The ability to reconfigure an exotic will do 2 things: The Exotic selected will be brought up to the level of your crafting bench, up to level 40. The attributes of the Exotic you reconfigure, will get new stat values assigned which are appropriate for the Exotic's level.

What is the best way to get classified gear in the division? ›

The following activities have a chance to drop a Classified gear-piece:
  1. Open World bosses.
  2. Dark Zone bosses.
  3. Underground Hunters.
  4. Phoenix Credit Cache at the Terminal.
  5. Season Pass Supply Drop.
  6. Legendary Missions.

How do you get the best sniper in Division 2? ›

Obtaining the Division 2 Exotic Sniper is a multi-stage process. First off, you have to progress your game to World Tier 4, then take on the Tidal Basin stronghold. Play all the way through in story mode until you reach the end, and you should progress to World Tier 5.

Does gear score matter in Division 2? ›

Some activities, like Stronghold missions, will require you to reach a specific Gear Score before you can access them. Loot drops you can find in the world are based on your peak available (anything in your inventory or stash) Gear Score and not the current Loadout power.

Does increasing the difficulty in Division 2 give better loot? ›

Higher difficulty has the chance to provide better items. Better items have higher attribute rolls. You can identify these rolls by looking at the bar in the item UI. A filled out bar is better than a shorter bar.

How do you get perfectly unbreakable talent in Division 2? ›

This is the named version of the Badger Tuff chest piece, with Perfectly Unbreakable talent. The best and fastest way to obtain the item is to farm Badger Tuff targeted area. Other sources could be Chest targeted loot areas and Named Caches, but the odds of getting Zero F's will be drastically lower.

What level should I be to play Warlords of New York? ›

Once you reach level 30, you can start the Warlords of New York expansion from the main menu or on the grounds of the Base of Operations.

How do you get to Tier 5 in Division 2? ›

After you complete the new side mission, you will unlock the Tidal Basin Invaded Mission. Completing this will unlock World Tier 5 much the same way you unlocked the previous tiers.

What happens at level 30 in the division? ›

Once you reach Level 30 in Tom Clancy's The Division, you not only gain the ability to awe lower level characters when you visit a safehouse, you also gain access to Daily Missions, Phoenix Credits, and a Challenging difficulty mode to tempt you out of the Dark Zone and back into the wider world.

How do you get legendary in Division 2? ›

Simply approach the entrance and select the Mission Options button. By completing Warlords of New York and reaching Level 40, you can also unlock Legendary difficulty, Global difficulty and Directives.

What is the max level in Division 2 without expansion? ›

Players have to reach Level 30 in The Division 2 in order to unlock the endgame content. So here's a quick guide on how to get to the max level fast. The Division 2's max level is Level 30, but it could take some time ranking up all the way if players aren't aware of how to level up fast.

What is the secret achievement in Division 2? ›

Secret achievements

Rescue Eleanor Sawyer from the Hyenas in the Grand Washington Hotel.

What is the max weapon score Division 2? ›

Since the introduction of the Warlords of New York expansion, the new maximum Gear Score in The Division 2 is 515. This is 15 more than is possible in the base D.C. game, so there's plenty to work toward as you play.

What are Signature Weapon kills Division 2? ›

Kills with Signature Weapon grants a chance to gain Signature weapon ammo to all group or raid members. The flashbang grenade applies blind to all targets within a large area of effect. 25% increased headshot damage, allows for precision kills.

What does skill tier 1 mean in division 2? ›

Attributes. The Core Attribute for skills is +1 Skill Tier. Each Skill Tier linearly increases the effectiveness of skills. The maximum Skill Tier a player can reach through equipment is +6.

Can you unlock all skills in The Division 2? ›

After finishing the intro mission, you'll unlock your first skill point, which can then be given to the Quartermaster for one of the eight skills listed above. Future skills only unlock by completing main missions, but you'll have all of them unlocked about midway through the campaign.

Is there a skill level cap d2? ›

One cannot add more than 20 skill points to one skill. While the level of the skill itself is not limited (i.e. passive bonuses from items, Skill Shrines etc. have no cap), only up to 20 skill points may be invested in a single skill.

What is the level cap in Division 2? ›

Max level cap in Tom Clancy's The Division 2

The developers at Ubisoft implemented a maximum cap at level 30 in Tom Clancy's The Division 2.

How do you level up fast in division? ›

Killing enemies with headshots or making multiple consecutive kills, discovering locations, helping random needy NPCs, picking up intel, opening chests, and doing all of those little distractions that make up the bread and butter of an RPG can all help you along on the road to the level cap.

What is the best way to level up gear score in the Division 2? ›

To raise your Gear Score, you need to find and equip better weapons and gear. Some activities, like Stronghold missions, will require you to reach a specific Gear Score before you can access them.

What is the best way to bleed in Division 2? ›

do you know what skills cause bleed? For applying bleed, try Knee Cap, Demolitionist Grenades, and Explosive Ammunition!

Can you solo Division 2? ›

Playing it either solo or in co-op, game is a blast. It's a fun, interesting , full of the content (even after the main story end). You can free roam the city and there is a ton of stuff to do or maybe you want to search for secrets and puzzles? Yea, you can do that too.

What is the max squad in Division 2? ›

Played from a third-person perspective, The Division 2 is a cover-based third-person shooter with up to four players being able to complete missions together.

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