The Division takes you to a New York City currently in the grips of a full-scale breakdown. As you strive to gain a foothold and level up your Agent in order to push back the chaos, your knowledge of the people, places, and things of The Division will come in very handy. We've gathered some key terminology and sorted it based on a few different stages in your life as a Division Agent. Brush up on these terms so that you'll be prepared to face the challenges ahead, seek out new adventures, and level your character to take on ever tougher tasks.
Section 2: Time to Get Serious
Section 3: Bring on the Endgame
Starting Out: Welcome to Manhattan. It's Bad Here.
Agent - This is you. And your friends. And any other player you meet in The Division. You're part of a secret government cadre of highly trained civilians who are called on only in dire emergencies. Things in New York City are pretty dire, and it's up to you and your fellow Agents to pull the city back from the brink. Armor - The higher the Armor number of a given piece of gear, the less damage you will take. You don't like taking a lot of damage, do you? Of course not. Keep those Armor numbers high and getting higher.
Base of Operations - If you think your local post office is bad, wait until you see the Base of Operations for the first time. It's a fixer-upper, to put it mildly, but you're just the Agent to fix it up. Start by bringing each Wing online--the Medical, Tech, and Security Wings are your avenues to unlocking Skills, Talents, Perks, and more. As you earn more Supplies and spruce things up, you'll find a variety of Vendors and Crafting Tables to help you buy, sell, dismantle, and craft gear and weapons. Some areas will even start generating free items for you, and the whole place will just take on a more peaceful, functional vibe amidst the chaos.
CERA - The Catastrophic Emergency Response Agency folks were some of the first on the ground to set up quarantine and provide supplies to those affected. If you keep an eye out for their logo, you might find something helpful.
Collectibles (Crashed Drones, Incident Reports, Phone Recordings, Survival Guides) - You'll learn a lot about what government agencies are up to during the pandemic, but what about the dad stuck at work while his kids are home alone? What about the family with plans to host relatives for the holidays? What about the less scrupulous folks looking to take advantage of the disaster? Seek out these collectibles for a fascinating array of Division stories. Seeing the uncertainty, the societal disruption, and the eventual chaos unfold from myriad different angles brings a strikingly human angle to these dire events. Plus, you get some XP bonuses, which is sweet.
Commendation – You'll be doing a lot of cool stuff in The Division, and Commendations are a way to track that cool stuff, reward you with cool stuff, and give you ideas on other cool stuff to do. Each one you accomplish adds to your Commendation Score, which gives other players an idea of how much cool stuff you've been doing.
Consumables (water, food, flavor bullets, etc) - Ever get so thirsty that, when you finally slug some water, you feel like you could jump over a building? You can't jump over buildings in The Division, but you can eat some canned food to boost your healing rate or drink water to increase the damage you do to elite enemies. Special bullets are also in this category; feed 'em to your gun and your gun will light bad guys on fire. Yummy.
Contamination level - There are some places in the city where the presence of the virus is still an active threat. If ISAC tells you your mask isn't up to the task, you'd better listen and steer clear until you get a better mask filter by upgrading the wings of your Base of Operations.
Cosmetic gear - Anyone who tells you that cosmetic gear items do not affect your combat attributes is a) completely correct and b) lacking imagination. I always fight better with my stylish purple slouchy keeping my head warm. Find dress-up items in apartments, buy them from vendors, or receive them as gifts from grateful strangers when you share some food and water. You can also get rarer items, including backpack skins and multi-piece outfits, in Encrypted Caches at the Premium Vendor.
Cover-to-cover movement - Using cover is a great way to avoid getting shot to death in The Division, and moving between cover points is a great way to limit your exposure to enemy fire. Look towards a nearby car, barricade, or other cover position and you'll see a button prompt. Hold that button down and you'll scurry over there right quick, no other controls needed. Once you've safely arrived in your new cover, resume using all the other controls. You'll need them.
ECHOs - Created with a combination of surveillance data, audio records, and technological wizardry, these fascinating glimpses into the past reveal pivotal moments in the decline of New York and highlight key characters who had a role in the disaster. Walk around inside each holographic reconstruction to find all the points of interest and also see a cool effect when you pass through a person's image like whhhhoooaaaa it's kinda freaky.
Emotes - Whether you're saluting your allies for a mission well-cleared or applauding a dog in the street for being a good boy, never underestimate the importance of body language. And if you want to expand your vocabulary, you can learn new moves at the Premium Vendor.
Encounters - These missions give you small, but valuable supply boosts to help upgrade your Tech, Security, and Medical Wings.
Enemy Factions - As you progress through the streets of New York, you'll face off against hooligans with guns (Rioters), escaped prisoners with a penchant for violence (Rikers), fanatical flame-throwing goons (Cleaners), a private military company gone rogue (LMB), and, in a few special scenarios, deadly assassins with a thing for Division Agents (Hunters). Good luck!
Evasive rolls - You know that button you tap to get into cover, or hold to do a cover-to-cover move? Double-tap that button to dive and roll in the direction of your choice. Very helpful for getting away from the red-tinted areas where grenades are about to explode.
Firearms / Stamina / Electronics - These numbers appear at the top of your Inventory Overview screen and are an at-a-glance way to assess the power of your current Loadout. When considering a new weapon or gear item, check these numbers for a quick look at how it would affect these numbers. Trying to make these numbers get bigger is generally a good idea, but be aware that high-level weapons often have Talents requiring certain levels of Firearms/Stamina/Electronics and equip accordingly. Gear - This refers to all the stuff you're wearing on your body that helps protect you and boost your skills. Gear slots include body armor, a mask, knee pads, a backpack, gloves, and a holster.
The Green Poison aka The Dollar Flu - This is the nasty bug that started killing a lot of people in early December, leading to a quarantine, riots, and the general tailspin that you find the city in. Think it was just a virus that happened to evolve naturally? Maybe start listening to your local pirate radio for some alternate theories.
Grenade types - One of the perks of your government job is access to a variety of grenades, not just the garden-variety frag ones that explode real nice. Some set fires. Some make enemy gadgets break. Some shock enemies and freeze them in a rictus of pain. Hold down the Throw Grenade button to bring up a radial menu that allows you to choose which one to throw. Then throw it.
ISAC - Your friend, the Intelligent System Analytic Computer, will update your regularly on things that are happening in your world, including when a player joins or leaves your team, when you enter/leave a contaminated area, and when a variety of situational or mission-related things happen. It'll even tell you when you're dead. Computers are very helpful.
JTF - The Joint Task Force are the first responders that took a whack at containing the problems of the outbreak. It didn't go well, so they activated Division Agents. You're there to help these folks regain control over the city, so don't shoot the people in fatigues with green health bars over their heads. They're on your side. Missing Agents - You aren't the first wave of Division agents to arrive in the city. What happened to those that came before? Follow the clues to retrace their footsteps and uncover their fates.
Named Elites - When a bad egg is so bad that people know their name, or have maybe just made one up for them that everybody uses now, you know they're bad. Bring your A-game to take Elites and their crews down and you'll get some Better Than Your Average Loot.
Perks - The nice thing about a Perk is that once you unlock it by investing supplies in your Base of Operations, it's always there, helpin' you out while you try to save the day. They'll increase your inventory size, boost your XP gain, and unlock new areas of your Base of Operations, just to name a few. Thanks, Perks!
Safe House - Two of the sweetest words in The Division's vocabulary. A place to rest, restock, and pick up new missions. A place to buy, sell, and craft gear. A place to listen to Rick Valassi's latest pirate radio updates in peace. It's neat to see what kind of spaces get made into a safe havens, like gymnasiums, bars, and... video game development studios?
Skills - Doing stuff besides just shooting guns in combat is important, and your two (2) skills give you a variety of ways to tip the battle in your favor. Throwing down an auto-turret to shoot bad guys and draw attention away from you is good. Popping a quick healing charge to restore health to you and your buddies is good. Busting out a big shield and walking straight at your foes while shooting them with your sidearm is risky! But also good. All the skills are good, so use 'em as often as you can and look for gear and mods that can increase the power of your skills and reduce their cooldowns so you can use 'em more often.
Strategic Homeland Division aka The Division aka SHD aka "Shade" - This is the organization that sent you in, the "Break Glass in Case of Very Bad Emergency" crew. You are part of the second wave of Agents sent in by this powerful and secretive group, and if you think every Division Agent sent into Manhattan played things by the book, you've got a lot to learn.
Talents - While it is certainly possible that your Agent could Tap Dance While Singing "Goodbye, My Coney Island Baby", these talents are more along the lines of Combat Bonuses to Help You Stay Alive and Win Fights. Whether you like to pick off enemies from the safety of cover or aggressively press forward during firefights, there are talents to help you make it in this world. You're gonna be a star.
Weak spots - Target your enemies weak spots to jack 'em up good. Usually it's their heads. On the Cleaners, it's their red fuel tanks. Elite enemies and bosses often have special weak spots, so try to identify them and then shoot your bullets into them.
Weapons - Guns. Two primary slots for the big ones, and one sidearm slot (with unlimited ammo!) for the small ones. Their color allows you to judge them at a glance; in order of increasing rarity, you'll find white (worn), green (standard), blue (specialized), purple (superior), gold (high-end), and red (exotic!). Rarer is usually better.
XP - Experience points will help you gain levels and you earn them from doing most things in The Division, from completing major Story Missions to pistol-whipping a Rioter in a parking lot. Once you hit the maximum level, XP will be funneled towards Field Proficiency levels that lead to sweet, sweet Caches.
Time to Get Serious: Feeling Strong, Getting Stronger.
Caches - These sealed boxes have loot inside them for you. Take the loot out, and it's yours! Gear, weapons, crafting materials, currencies... it's all good stuff. There are a lot of ways to earn caches, like completing Daily and Weekly Assignments, taking on Missions on harder difficulties, and gaining XP past level 30, just to name a few. Cypher Keys and Cypher Key Fragments - Required to open Encrypted Caches, Cypher Keys can be acquired whole or pieced together with Fragments. Find them in the world or buy them with Premium Credits purchased from the online store.
Dark Zone - Some of the Division Agents that dropped into NYC went bad, but have you ever asked yourself, "What if the Agent that went bad, was me?" The Dark Zone is a sizable region smack dab in the middle of Manhattan where you can explore your darker side, or bring those who have gone bad to justice. Agents in the Dark Zone can go Rogue and take out other Agents, stealing their loot and potentially earning big rewards if they manage to escape the Manhunt that ensues. You can also play it by the book, hunting down roving bands of enemies and earning DZ Funds to purchase weapons and gear. Just be warned: Any gear or weapons you loot or purchase in the Dark Zone needs to be extracted by helicopter at one of the designated areas in order for you to use it. And extracting gear tends to draw a crowd...
Encrypted Caches – Find them at the Premium Vendor in The Terminal and crack ‘em open with Cypher Keys. What'll you find inside? Cool cosmetic gear that'll show other Agents you mean business.
Expansions - There are three expansions to The Division that must be purchased separately in order to enjoy the unique challenges and reap the rich rewards bundled therein. They are Underground, Survival, and Last Stand.
Extraction - Any weapons or gear you acquire in the Dark Zone is contaminated, so you can't equip it immediately and you can't walk out with it. You need to have it extracted by a helicopter at one of the designated extraction areas. Summon a helicopter, however, and everyone nearby is gonna hear about it. People calling for extraction usually have loot, you see, and that is something that Rogue Agents and enemy factions may take an interest in. Be on guard!
Last Stand - The biggest PvP brawls in The Division can be found in this expansion, where two teams of eight players fight to control strategic terminals across street-level and underground areas covering multiple city blocks. Captured terminals can activate crucial defenses, and currency earned by taking out enemy factions can be used to purchase valuable boosts. Coordinate with your team and read the battlefield to take the fight to where you need it most. It's a rollicking good time!
Loadouts - This term refers broadly to the weapons, gear, skills, and talents you have equipped. You can save a bunch of loadouts in the Loadouts tab and switch between them as you see fit. This is really helpful for when you want to experiment with different stuff, and very handy once you start assembling on some fancy Gear Sets.
Mods - Sometimes you just need a little extra in life. Some extra Electronics to trigger a Weapon Talent. A little extra range for your Support Station. Mods are things you equip to certain gear items to get a little extra, and fun fact: mods can be used on different gear items in different Loadouts, so you can always be using your most effective ones.
Premium Credits - Buy these with real-world currency to spend in-game at the Premium Vendor on cosmetic items like outfits and emotes, as well as skins for your backpack and weapons. PvP/PvE - Player vs. Player means other human players are gonna try to kill you. Player vs Environment means it's just the enemy factions who are out to get you. Some modes and areas are just PvE (the open world, Resistance, Underground), while others are just PvP (Skirmish, Last Stand). The Dark Zone is both PvE and PvP, and in Survival, you can choose PvE or PvP when you queue for a match.
Resistance - People from different walks of life coming together with a common goal can be heartwarming, unless those people are the enemy factions of The Division and their common goal is to kill you. In this PvE mode, you team up with up to three other players (a full squad is definitely recommended) to take on wave after wave of tougher and tougher foes from every enemy faction. Pay special attention to the objective of each round to maximize your rewards, and use the currency you earn to resupply, activate bonuses, or unlock chests with awesome loot. Find Resistance matches in the West Side Pier area.
Rogue Agent - One of the reasons the Dark Zone is so dark is because other players can just up and kill you. This makes them Rogue Agents; they get marked on the minimap for righteous Agents to hunt down and bring to justice. So why go Rogue? Well, if you're notorious enough and manage to reach a special terminal to call off the Manhunt, the rewards will be sweet. Looks like crime might pay after all?
Signature Skills - The third skill slot is reserved for one of these beauties that come in three delectable flavors (corresponding to the Wings of your Base of Operations). From massive boosts to damage and fire rate to instant revival upon death, these bonuses can turn the tide of battle in your favor. Just beware the lengthy cooldown period. Skirmish - A PvP mode in which two teams of four fight it out for supremacy in short, speedy skirmishes. Hence the name.
Survival - Every time you start a new match in the Survival expansion, you wake up alone with no armor and only a pistol to your name. You are sick and will die in one hour if you don't keep the infection at bay with medication. There's a winter storm and you will die from the cold if you don't keep your body temperature up and find warm clothing. Your mission is to scavenge weapons and gear, fight your way to the Dark Zone, find a virus sample, and extract before you die. Whether you're playing PvE or PvP, each playthrough is a new challenge that tests your Division skills in new ways. It's an absolute blast!
The Terminal - Located in the basement of the Base of Operations, this is your access point to competitive game modes (Skirmish), special Vendors (Global Events, Special Blueprints, Special Equipment, and the Premium guy with the Encrypted Caches), and the three DLC expansions (Underground, Survival, and Last Stand). That's one busy basement!
Underground - The labyrinthine, procedurally generated tunnels beneath New York City play host to intense PvE missions in this expansion. Set your difficulty, choose your operation, and descend to face the unknown. As you level up in Underground, you'll gain access to new difficulty modifiers, including some double-edged-sword bonuses that challenge you to adapt your tactics. The tougher the mission you take on, the bigger the rewards at the end, and you might even have the both-good-and-bad fortune to get hunted by a Hunter down there. It's a real gas!
Weapon talents - While it is certainly possible that your weapon could Juggle Scarves While Reciting the Gettysburg Address, weapon talents are more along the lines of Special Boosts or Status Effects Your Weapon Can Activate to Kick More Ass. If you've got the right Firearms/Stamina/Electronics stats, talents could do anything from speeding up reload times to increasing headshot damage to accelerating skill cooldowns. With these babies in your corner, you're going straight to the top!
West Side Pier – This area was recently opened up for exploration and plays to the Resistance game mode, as well as a new social space to hang out and buy stuff called Camp Clinton. Think of it like a miniature Base of Operations, only way less needy.
Bring on the Endgame: A Legend in the Making.
Assignments - Delivered on a Daily and Weekly basis, these tasks are a regular source of Caches for the assiduous Agent. Find them in the Mission Overview tab of your Map screen.
Gear Score - This number is a quick way to gauge how powerful your current Loadout is. Derived from the rating of your weapons and armor, your Gear Score is a handy reference that can help you take on the right enemies, target the right upgrades, and set a World Tier that suits your fancy. You're never too young to start investing in a good Gear Score.
Gear Sets - Gear generally follows the same quality rainbow of colors as weapons, with one important difference: the top tier color is green for Gear Sets (Don't worry, it's a different shade of green). Gear Sets are unique, named gear combos that can confer powerful Set bonuses when you equip a few from the same set. Slap on a few FireCrest pieces to drastically increase your fire turret range and damage. Suit up with some Reclaimer pieces to boost your healing skill, or take Banshee's Shadow pieces to make your Dark Zone activities more lucrative. A standalone green gear item isn't necessarily better than a gold gear item, but when you start stacking set bonuses, it's a game changer. Take it even further and earn extra bonuses by collecting and equipping Classified Gear sets, and pretty soon even your own mother won't recognize you.
Global Events - These modifiers descend on The Division for a limited time, shaking things up and giving you a chance to earn special rewards. One modifier might cause headshots to damage nearby enemies, while another might increase the damage you do if you and your teammates are close to each other. Adapt your tactics to suit the Event, and you'll be rewarded handsomely with GE Credits that you can use to buy caches of Classified Gear.
Incursions - Big, bad boss fights against some of the toughest opposition you'll find in The Division. You'll need a crew with complementary skills and a sound strategy if you hope to take these bad boys down. Watching a YouTube video probably wouldn't hurt, either.
Legendary Difficulty - Sounds hard. Bet the rewards are good, though.
World Tiers - World Tiers are The Division's way of ramping up the challenge for you as you continue to get better and better gear. Higher tiers mean tougher enemies and better rewards, so keep an eye on your Gear Score and move to a higher Tier when you're ready. Once you hit World Tier 5, you're running with the big dogs, chasing an even higher gear score, and ready to earn some of the best loot in the game.
