Finally, I’ve reached endgame in The Division 2 and it’s everything I would have hoped for considering that the endgame in the first Division was lackluster. In my review of the Division 2 I had played through enough of the game to get to the endgame and my foray into it was very limited. Now, after a full week and change devoted to the Division 2’s endgame I can say that I love the challenge, I appreciate how much better it is than its predecessor and I need and want more because tomorrow is World Tier 5 and shit’s about to get real.
HERE COME THE BLACK TUSK, PROTECT YOUR TURF
What’s new in the endgame? Not much in terms of a “new” game. We do know now that there is a group more violent, funded and organized than the makeshift groups we’ve dealt thus far. The Black Tusk is the supreme bad ass group in the Division 2 in endgame. You can see the difference in what they are right away. They are a private mercenary firm once employed by governments including ours. You’ll know it’s them when you see them. They’re well trained, they have walking robot turrets that shoot all types of bullets, drones that explode on you, not to mention their sheer size. The Black Tusk change the dynamic of the map and how you have to manuever.
No territory is safe on the map. Regardless of whether or not you retake a control point or even manage to remove a blockade from the settlement or the campus. The Black Tusk will consistenly attempt to retake territory seized from them and because the map is so vast and you’ll be focused on other events within the game it at least appears as if you cannot completely lock down a district as friendly. You can delay the process greatly by how much you offer in terms of assistance to control point group leaders with your water, food and building parts. They’ll be able to better prepare for attacks from the the Black Tusk thus allowing to help them to retain control.
STRONGHOLDS, GEAR SCORE & WORLD TIERS
Now that you’ve completed the base game (meaning you’ve reached level 30) you’re now going into a more challenging level of the Division 2. If you did all of the main missions and the side missions then you’ll have fewer missions to do in the re-do but ultimately you’ll be doing some missions over that are pivotal to the strongholds in the respective area that the Black Tusk has taken over. You’ll start off in World Tier 1 and you’ll see that the weapons and gear you’ve collected are now totaled into your gear score.
The gear score is your overall rating for your weapons, armor and perks and that is tallied into an an average. So the better your gear, the better your gear score. This can only be done by raising the World Tier level first and then by playing missions on hard or challenging mode (If you want the best weapons and gear, do it in challenging mode)
After completing the strongholds once again, you’ll raise your World Tier level to level 4 which I have reached. After that, that opens up Tidal Basin which is the final stronghold of The Black Tusk which coincidentally as of this writing isn’t open as of yet. Once it is, that will be when the gear score cap will increase to 500, as of now it’s 450 and you’ll also have another stronghold to take on in challenging mode for gear at least until the new Incursions are announced.
DEMOLITIONIST, SURVIVALIST & MARKSMAN
Another addition to your characters’ progression are the new “jobs” that you can now take on as a veteran soldier so to speak. Demolitionist, Survivalist and Marksman. Each job carries a new point system to whereas to you can earn points for your job to open up new combat skills. Not only that, you’re given mega/power stye weapon to use once you pick whatever tactical job you’re using. You are not beholden to one job, you can switch whenever you want from one job to the next. These weapons aren’t for every situation but they can wreak havoc if you’re fighting elites and you have it leveled to max damage.
WORLD TIER 5
Tomorrow is the update for World Tier 5 of the Division 2 and it promises to be huge. Not only do we finally get to take on the Black Tusk in Tidal Basin. Gear scores increase to 500 and if I’m not mistaken this is also the first step towards the Incursions. Enjoy the gear you have now because come Friday most of it will be pretty useless. So update your crafting bench, run your missions, get as many points as you can to update your specialist weapon and get ready.
World Tier 5 will be challenging indeed but If you’re prepared then just like the first Division you should have no problem handling World Tier 5. The gear drops in the game give you more than enough loot and hopefully you’ll have an idea of your play style and you’ve created your loadouts accordingly. I’ll be on non-stop tomorrow playing and getting my gear score up and kicking the shit outta the Black Tusk.
