Summary (TL;DR)
There is a LOT of content in The Division 2, which is a great thing. But all the BEST content and gear shows up when you reach Level 30 and the End Game content.
In order to make the most of your playtime, here are some tips to move through the low level content more efficiently, while maximizing the amount of FUN you have!
- Don’t Waste Time Comparing Low Level Gear
- Manage Junk in Your Inventory, Quickly and Efficiently
- Don’t Craft Early
- Wait Until After the Mission to Check Your Loot
Don’t Waste Time Comparing Low Level Gear
The biggest time drain you’re going to have early in the Division is gathering gear that you’ll use for 10 minutes before replacing it with something better. End game gear is what we’re after, so don’t waste your precious time early on comparing the stats on low level gear!
For armor, we’re only going to look at the armor stat. Higher is better, and everything else is marked as junk.
For weapons, if you already know what weapon types you prefer (Assault Rifles over SMGs, Shotguns over Sniper Rifles, etc.), then just keep the types of weapons you like, and replace them every time you find a weapon of that type that is a higher level.
If you’re not sure what types you prefer, or like me you just like to keep the best weapon of each type that you’ve found, then when you find a new SMG that’s better than your current one, mark the old one as junk and move on.
Again, we’re not wasting our time comparing fire rates and damage drop off this early on. Unless you just HAVE to use an MP5, because you love H&K, you’re going to be better off in the early game just using the highest level weapons you find as you go.
How to Manage Junk in Your Inventory, Quickly and Efficiently
Again, since we’re talking about the early game, keeping low level weapons and equipment is just pointless. But if you’re not careful, you can waste a lot of time managing all the junk gear you’ll be picking up.
Each item you can equip in the Division 2 is compared automatically to what you have equipped by the game when you pick it up. If the item you picked up has higher values than what you currently have equipped, they are displayed in green. Lower values are displayed in red.
For armor items, always equip the item with the higher value in the early game. Your gear becomes obsolete so quickly, an extra 2% to a particular stat isn’t going to be noticeable enough to justify the time you’d spend trying to compare each item.
For weapons, there are a few stats to compare, and your personal preference will play a bigger role in which weapons you choose to equip. In general, try to equip a weapon that is at your current level. If you’re Level 6, try to use Level 6 weapons. If your FAVORITE weapon is a Level 5, and it’s doesn’t feel like you’re using harsh language to kill enemies, then by all means keep using it.
The key early on is DON’T OVERTHINK YOUR GEAR. Just swap it out fast and keep moving. All the cool gear comes later.
Save the loadout optimization for the End Game content!
For every other piece of gear you’re not using, mark it as junk. Don’t deconstruct it right now, that just wastes more time.
Many of the projects at the Safe Areas require you to donate some gear in order to complete them, so wait until you get back to base with your junk and check on these projects. Once you’ve donated everything you can, you can deconstruct all your junk at once.
And yes, you always want to DECONSTRUCT your junk, because it gives you crafting materials. Selling your junk to vendors gives you a tiny pittance. And crafting materials are more valuable in the End Game.
Speaking of Crafting…
Don’t Craft Early
Crafting is an important part of the End Game content for the Division. In the early game, crafting is a complete waste of resources. DON’T DO IT!
Those same materials you’re using to craft early on are the ones you need to craft high end gear later. Save them!
If you waste time and resources crafting a Level 6 SMG, you’re going to find a Level 7 SMG that’s better in every way in 20 minutes. Been there.
Loot and Scoot! Wait Until After the Mission to Check Your Loot
I know it’s tempting every time you pick up a glowing pillar of fresh new gear to stop and see what you found. And yes, there’s likely something better in there. But if you stop every time you pick up new gear to compare and swap it out, you’re wasting precious time you could be having fun and progressing to the End Game where the REALLY good gear lives.
Wait until you finish the entire Mission, Control Point, or whatever other content you’re playing before you swap out your gear. I’d even recommend waiting until you find yourself back in a Safe Area to sift through things, unless you’ve been out completing LOTS of activities. You’ll be in your inventory and skills anyway back at base, so save time and swap out gear THEN.
Conclusion
If you follow these fundamental tips in the early game, you will move much more quickly into the more exciting gear and content, and have a lot more fun in the process.
Less time in menus and more time shooting baddies in the face is always a good thing!
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