What is everyone's 18-30 level strategy?

[MadeOfMetal]

Go in the DZ to get good gear, or don't, by the way im a Solo player, and i don't have a group.

is there places good purple and above gear drop outside the DZ?

Is crafting even viable anymore? 

or should i be getting drops of NPC's?

How should i build if im always in DZ by myself or with one other? Glass cannon or mixture of Health and Damage?

 

[TheDarkZone]

My strategy between level 18-30 was to get to level 30.

There is no good gear below level 30. Everything you collect you will want to replace once you hit level 30. 

Crafting below level 30 is only a waste of materials. 

 

[quinch1199]

My strategy between level 18-30 was to get to level 30.

There is no good gear below level 30. Everything you collect you will want to replace once you hit level 30. 

Crafting below level 30 is only a waste of materials. 

I think that's a bit nillest to be honest. Crafting below 30 is often a valid tactic if you can't get the drops. Take one of mine for example, he's level 29 but he's just not been getting decent gear/weapon drops (pink Elite enemies not dropping ANYTHING!) and I've had to resort to crafting as a lone player mainly as 29k DPM is not sufficient to burn through Mobs in places even like Murray Hill without emptying my ammunition cache. Luckily I had a 40k AR pattern and a 35k SMG pattern and I've been forced to build them. 

Ideally, yes, rely on drops...crafted should never be as good as drops...but if you DONT get the drops (lets face it I should be using Pink gear all over by now for this guy and I have hardly anything!!)..sometimes you have to craft. 

 

[ThePassionateGamer]

I think that's a bit nillest to be honest. Crafting below 30 is often a valid tactic if you can't get the drops. Take one of mine for example, he's level 29 but he's just not been getting decent gear/weapon drops (pink Elite enemies not dropping ANYTHING!) and I've had to resort to crafting as a lone player mainly as 29k DPM is not sufficient to burn through Mobs in places even like Murray Hill without emptying my ammunition cache. Luckily I had a 40k AR pattern and a 35k SMG pattern and I've been forced to build them. 

Ideally, yes, rely on drops...crafted should never be as good as drops...but if you DONT get the drops (lets face it I should be using Pink gear all over by now for this guy and I have hardly anything!!)..sometimes you have to craft. 

I think that is where grouping get's more interesting. Because with a 4 player group you will face more enemies, but you will also have 4 times the firepower. That way you'll finish missions faster and if you get downed every here and there you can be revived from your group mates. I'd give it a try. When my buddies are not online I use PUG's to play as long as I do not want to play the incursion. That one I try to only play with my buddies.

But since the upgrading of crafting mats to the next higher tier was nerfed so heavily it makes not that much sense anymore not to craft at lower levels. Yes you should try to save "most" of you mats anyways for level 30 but every now and then it is ok to craft something when RNGesus has no mercy with you for days. :10_wink:

 

[quinch1199]

I think that is where grouping get's more interesting. Because with a 4 player group you will face more enemies, but you will also have 4 times the firepower. That way you'll finish missions faster and if you get downed every here and there you can be revived from your group mates. I'd give it a try. When my buddies are not online I use PUG's to play as long as I do not want to play the incursion. That one I try to only play with my buddies.

But since the upgrading of crafting mats to the next higher tier was nerfed so heavily it makes not that much sense anymore not to craft at lower levels. Yes you should try to save "most" of you mats anyways for level 30 but every now and then it is ok to craft something when RNGesus has no mercy with you for days. :10_wink:

Well that's always the crux of the issue, I have no regular people I can team up with. 

Crafting was a necessity to get me past the last two levels and to 30. Since then I've managed to get into the DZ and get some gear out meaning I'm in a more healthy position as a lone-gun. However, I've still hit some issues and had to buy from the Special Weapons Vendor at the FoB to help bump up DPM once more. I was using my crafted primary right up until last night though, even though I got a drop of a Classic AK 47 (Specialised) my Blue crafted was still a far more effective weapon even though the DPM was slightly less simply because it had a slower RoF and far greater stability. 

Of course now I'm at the "playing with mods" stage to try and get special weapon skills activated. 

 

[ThePassionateGamer]

Well that's always the crux of the issue, I have no regular people I can team up with. 

Crafting was a necessity to get me past the last two levels and to 30. Since then I've managed to get into the DZ and get some gear out meaning I'm in a more healthy position as a lone-gun. However, I've still hit some issues and had to buy from the Special Weapons Vendor at the FoB to help bump up DPM once more. I was using my crafted primary right up until last night though, even though I got a drop of a Classic AK 47 (Specialised) my Blue crafted was still a far more effective weapon even though the DPM was slightly less simply because it had a slower RoF and far greater stability. 

Of course now I'm at the "playing with mods" stage to try and get special weapon skills activated. 

That is what matchmaking is for. Just go to a mission, select the difficuilty and hit "F" once to start the matchmaking. If the prompt to join appears press and hold "TAB" to join the group. Those will be strangers and maybe they just rush through the mission so "enjoying the scenery" may be hard to do, but they will help you complete missions faster and normally revive you when a shotgun rusher suprises you. Give it a try.

Since you play from the UK I may also be able to lend you a hand here and there. I am lvl 30 a while now and got my first 2 sets together so if you like we can run some missions together. I may more often then not play with "my" fixed group especially on weekends so please don't mind if my group's already full. :10_wink:

My english is not perfect but I think we'll have no problem with the cumminication in game. I'll send you a friend request when I come home today. You said your Uplay name is the same as here on the forum right?

 

[quinch1199]

That is what matchmaking is for. Just go to a mission, select the difficuilty and hit "F" once to start the matchmaking. If the prompt to join appears press and hold "TAB" to join the group. Those will be strangers and maybe they just rush through the mission so "enjoying the scenery" may be hard to do, but they will help you complete missions faster and normally revive you when a shotgun rusher suprises you. Give it a try.

Since you play from the UK I may also be able to lend you a hand here and there. I am lvl 30 a while now and got my first 2 sets together so if you like we can run some missions together. I may more often then not play with "my" fixed group especially on weekends so please don't mind if my group's already full. :10_wink:

My english is not perfect but I think we'll have no problem with the cumminication in game. I'll send you a friend request when I come home today. You said your Uplay name is the same as here on the forum right?

Oh I use the auto match making but often it won't find me anyone as I'm online at an odd time. Besides as you get to higher difficulty PuG's (Pick up Groups) aren't ideal as you have no synergy or understanding between you. I could get stuck with a CoD "run n gunner"  like I've been before (and after 5 wipes I gave up)

Thanks for the offer to group, I'll look for you but doubt our schedules will match as I generally don't get online until 23:00hrs UK time! 

 

[Xeromaus]

Go in the DZ to get good gear, or don't, by the way im a Solo player, and i don't have a group.

is there places good purple and above gear drop outside the DZ?

Is crafting even viable anymore? 

or should i be getting drops of NPC's?

How should i build if im always in DZ by myself or with one other? Glass cannon or mixture of Health and Damage?

Below 30, work on completing all of your sidemissions/encounters/main missions. The gear drops from each will be more than sufficient to get to 30, and they're easy to solo (plus they teach you effective battle mechanics)

You don't need purples for PvE. Blues or greens will do just fine.

Don't craft at all. You'll need the mats later.

If you get stuck at some point in your gearing up, collect intel, especially drones (but ALL intel save for echoes has a good chance to have a nearby crate spawned). Most drones are in out of the way areas that require some odd climbing to get to, and often they have a large crate nearby. These crates will fill out your gear holes. Don't grab them all at once, just grab what you need to move on.

Glass cannons die more often than they kill. Build to survive, and the damage will come.

 

[MadeOfMetal]

Below 30, work on completing all of your sidemissions/encounters/main missions. The gear drops from each will be more than sufficient to get to 30, and they're easy to solo (plus they teach you effective battle mechanics)

You don't need purples for PvE. Blues or greens will do just fine.

Don't craft at all. You'll need the mats later.

If you get stuck at some point in your gearing up, collect intel, especially drones (but ALL intel save for schoes has a good chance to have a nearby crate spawned). Most drones are in out of the way areas that require some odd climbing to get to, and often they have a large crate nearby. These crates will fill out your gear holes. Don't grab them all at once, just grab what you need to move on.

Glass cannons die more often than they kill. Build to survive, and the damage will come.

yeah i was playing with a glass cannon at my level 24, and he had 45k dps, and he was mopping through npc's on the dz. and i felt like my 30k health and 18k dps was not good, and that i needed to change my build, but basically i should wait till level 30 to build DPS? i use a marksman rifle, and second an ACR.

 

[Xeromaus]

yeah i was playing with a glass cannon at my level 24, and he had 45k dps, and he was mopping through npc's on the dz. and i felt like my 30k health and 18k dps was not good, and that i needed to change my build, but basically i should wait till level 30 to build DPS? i use a marksman rifle, and second an ACR.

I ran a glass cannon for a long time, even through vanilla challenge modes. It works, but it works even better to drop that hit slightly and be tougher to kill.

While you CAN improve your DPS before 30, as long as you have enough to do what you need/want to do comfortably, I wouldn't worry about it. You'll only start seeing big improvements in your stats after 30 anyway, when gear really piles the stats on.

 

[Dr Luigi Phd]

I enjoyed a slow grind up to 30 stopping at lvls 14, 19, and 24 to get into the DZ at the top of each bracket and really enjoyed it.

There is a lvl 19 superior AUG blueprint you get from a side mission down in the SE corner of the map somewhere that I highly recommend. 

Get the base upgrades from the medical wings that allow you to enter lvl 4 contaminated areas like the subways in the DZ. There are lots of chests down there that give purples that are relevant. 

Don't be afraid to matchmake at a safehouse for a group to run in the DZ with. It beats going solo.

 

[MadeOfMetal]

I enjoyed a slow grind up to 30 stopping at lvls 14, 19, and 24 to get into the DZ at the top of each bracket and really enjoyed it.

There is a lvl 19 superior AUG blueprint you get from a side mission down in the SE corner of the map somewhere that I highly recommend. 

Get the base upgrades from the medical wings that allow you to enter lvl 4 contaminated areas like the subways in the DZ. There are lots of chests down there that give purples that are relevant. 

Don't be afraid to matchmake at a safehouse for a group to run in the DZ with. It beats going solo.

yeah i liked the Aug, but its outdated now.. at me level. i use the Military M4, Hunting M44 18k damage per shot, and a headshot can crit for 59k helps take out those elite named NPC's imo.

i also like the ACR, but its a bit unstable on aim for headshot at long range. i prefer AR-15's and M4's in real life, they may not have much range but are all around well guns in most situations with incredible accuracy.

the  Austrian AUG or the Steyr AUG got adopted by their army for a reason.

 

[MadeOfMetal]

I ran a glass cannon for a long time, even through vanilla challenge modes. It works, but it works even better to drop that hit slightly and be tougher to kill.

While you CAN improve your DPS before 30, as long as you have enough to do what you need/want to do comfortably, I wouldn't worry about it. You'll only start seeing big improvements in your stats after 30 anyway, when gear really piles the stats on.

thanks for the tips.

 

[Dr Luigi Phd]

yeah i liked the Aug, but its outdated now.. at me level. i use the Military M4, Hunting M44 18k damage per shot, and a headshot can crit for 59k helps take out those elite named NPC's imo.

i also like the ACR, but its a bit unstable on aim for headshot at long range. i prefer AR-15's and M4's in real life, they may not have much range but are all around well guns in most situations with incredible accuracy.

the  Austrian AUG or the Steyr AUG got adopted by their army for a reason.

I had a couple ACRs I liked, but if you need a good gun when you hit lvl 30 there is a superior lvl 30 LVOA-C blueprint up you get from a side mission in the NE that can be pretty good. 

what lvl are you up to now?

 

[MadeOfMetal]

I had a couple ACRs I liked, but if you need a good gun when you hit lvl 30 there is a superior lvl 30 LVOA-C blueprint up you get from a side mission in the NE that can be pretty good. 

what lvl are you up to now?

almost 26 i expect ill be 28 by midnight, if all goes well. and might make it to 30 tomorrow.

i took everyones advice, i have 25k health and 35k DPS  and 5000 Power

i am focusing on survive-ability from armor and resistances and DPS to get me through the elites armor.

ohh btw i got an AUG purple level; 25 and its great for my level. my m44 is getting outdated now though. where would i get another purple marksman rifle at level 26-28?

 

[MadeOfMetal]

I had a couple ACRs I liked, but if you need a good gun when you hit lvl 30 there is a superior lvl 30 LVOA-C blueprint up you get from a side mission in the NE that can be pretty good. 

what lvl are you up to now?

i got it im at level 28 right now. but that LVOA-C has to much climb on its recoil for me. i was wanting to be able to full auto fire, i know it works fine if you burst fire with it and its a great gun. but i mainly do headshots and it keeps climbing faster than i can pull it down with right joystick.

(Thanks for the tip though i appreciate it)

what Assault Rifles are there that have minimal recoil or Climb when full auto'ed? and what are the best ones?

 

[Xeromaus]

i got it im at level 28 right now. but that LVOA-C has to much climb on its recoil for me. i was wanting to be able to full auto fire, i know it works fine if you burst fire with it and its a great gun. but i mainly do headshots and it keeps climbing faster than i can pull it down with right joystick.

(Thanks for the tip though i appreciate it)

what Assault Rifles are there that have minimal recoil or Climb when full auto'ed? and what are the best ones?

Black Market AK (or any AK really)...or just add stability to any other.

 

[MadeOfMetal]

@Xeromaus

ok now im level 30 and im wondering what is the best way for me to get my gear score up, and  how would i do this Solo?

here is some info i found on the WEB but not exactly sure where to start.

Increasing Gear Score

Gear Score can only be increased by equipping new gear with a higher Score value. Any gear you find or earn after reaching level 30 will have a Gear Score associated with it. You can compare your existing gear to assess whether the new item has a better score or not.

You might not want to equip everything you find because items will have an RNG score value based on your current score. Sometimes the Score will be slightly below your current value and sometimes it'll be slightly higher. You can never expect a huge gap though. 

There's also the consideration of mods and talents. A higher score item may have less impressive talents and thus you may choose to hold off equipping the new item and keep your current one whilst you wait for both a better stats roll and also an equally high Gear Score. 

However in most cases, players will usually want to increase their Gear Score as fast as possible early in the game to engage in a greater variety of end game content. It's usually only once you approach max that you become picky.

Examples of Gear Sets

Tactician's Authority - enhances electronics and support capabilities.

Striker's Battlegear- provide bonuses for assault capabilities.

Sentry's Call - enhances marksman capabilities.

Path of the Nomad - provides bonuses for lone wanderers.

 

The Bonuses and Talents for the four sets have been revealed, check which Gear Set is the best.
 

How to get them?

Game developers have confirmed that Gear Sets can be collected in the following ways:
 

• Incursion rewards
  
• Built from Blueprints that players can buy
  
• Dropped in Challenge Mode Missions
  
• Loot from the Dark Zone
  

Data miners have confirmed exactly how to get the different Gear Sets. Note that for Blueprints you might need to wait for vendor refresh:

Striker's Battlegear

Chest & Backpack:
 

Incursion reward - Hard

Knee:
 

Incursion reward - Challenging

BoO Vendor (Blueprint, Level 32 Item)

Larae Barett (Challenging)

Finch (Challenging)

Gloves:
 

Incursion reward - Challenging

Supply Drop

Named Enemies (DZ)

Larae Barett (Challenging)

Finch (Challenging)

Mask:
 

Incursion reward - Challenging

BoO Vendor (Blueprint, Level 32 Item)

Holster:
 

Incursion reward - Hard

i assume thats a DPS build^ which i would love, but id just like to get started

just let me know now, is this an extremely hard thing to do solo?

or do you have tips of your own?

 

[Xeromaus]

run missions on hard, all of them. When you're done those, run Lexington event center and Lincoln tunnel on challenge mode. When you get comfy with that, run Warrengate power plant and Russian consulate on challenge mode. When that gets comfy, do the incursion on hard. DZ anytime in there, but you'll likely get your butt handed to you until later. Matchmake for everything.

 

[MadeOfMetal]

run missions on hard, all of them. When you're done those, run Lexington event center and Lincoln tunnel on challenge mode. When you get comfy with that, run Warrengate power plant and Russian consulate on challenge mode. When that gets comfy, do the incursion on hard. DZ anytime in there, but you'll likely get your butt handed to you until later. Matchmake for everything.

ok so i can't solo this shit, and what gear score do i need for those missions on hard would you say?

the 2 incursions have a gear score guide on them already. and what does the hard mission you speak of drop? do they drop me better gear.

im only at gear score of 58, and id like to get to at least 150-160 so i can try pvp in my low bracket.

and your right, i went in to run mobs, and a gearscore 158 team of 3 kept camping east and west checkpoints, to kill me over and over in dz1. then i went to dz2 and they found me there. it was sickening.