Tom Clancy’s The Division 2: Hardcore Mode Guide

Simply put, it is a mode where an agent has only one life. If you die for any reason, the only option is to delete your character.

To start a Hardcore Agent, select the second option in the creation menu, just under the option to create a new normal character. It uses up an Agent Slot, and note that the mode is still in BETA, with little chance of further updates.

Don’t be afraid to try Hardcore Mode (HC) despite the many posts about DELTA errors being the reason people avoid it.

The error codes DELTA-01 through DELTA-06 occur when the game fails to connect with the server. In the past, it could take up to 30 seconds to log out, leaving you as a sitting duck in the game.

However, this has been mitigated to only 2 seconds of in-game vulnerability after a DELTA error. I’ve experienced only occasional DELTA errors, and I have not died because of them (knock on wood). Additionally, the playstyle I suggest later in this guide should help further minimize your risk of dying from a DELTA.

Disclaimer

You can still die from a DELTA error, or from anything else, including accidentally blowing yourself up (don’t ask).
However, part of the Hardcore Mode experience is learning to shrug off these deaths, delete the agent, and create another one. If you enjoy the mode, the stakes are part of the fun.

1. Intensity

Hardcore mode brings a level of intensity and focus to every. single. fight. If you’re tired or unfocused, this is not the time to play Hardcore. You have to be mindful and alert. Every encounter, especially with elites and bosses, becomes a nail-biting experience because the stakes are so high. If you enjoy rogue-like games, this mode will appeal to you.

2. A New Way to Experience The Division 2

Your play-style in Hardcore will differ greatly from normal mode. In normal mode, I play more aggressively, using DPS glass cannon run-and-gun builds, taking high risks for high rewards. But in Hardcore, that approach won’t work long-term. Unless you’re an above-average player, this aggressive style will eventually lead to your agent’s death.

Hardcore teaches you to be more tactical, focus on situational awareness, and prioritize targets. This mindset will make you a better player overall and will be noticed in other content like legendary runs and raids.

3. Greater Appreciation for the Game World

In Hardcore, I find myself slowing down, being more tactical, and oddly enough, appreciating the game’s design and world-building more. The slower pace makes you notice and appreciate the work and love the developers put into the game’s artwork and design.

4. Close-knit Community

The Hardcore community is small but close-knit. Seeing another agent in-game becomes a rare and exciting event. Over time, you may team up with other Hardcore players, gradually building a friends list of people who are in it for the long haul. This camaraderie significantly improves your chances of survival.

However, beware of hardcore DZ clans and solo agents who enjoy preying on other Hardcore agents in the Dark Zone (DZ). While it’s an option to gear up in the DZ, be aware of the risks.

The only thing I will add here, is I do farm the DZ sometimes pre-level 40, and so far I’ve never even seen another agent there, making it a decent place to farm xp and gear if you are comfortable with the greater difficulty spikes in the DZ.

5. The Reward

Successfully completing Hardcore content is deeply satisfying. Taking down strongholds or bosses like Keener in Hardcore mode is exhilarating in a way that normal mode can’t match. There are also exclusive rewards, like commendation patches, that showcase your accomplishments in the hardest mode of the game.

Forget about boosting levels or skipping straight to the Warlords of New York (WONY) expansion. In Hardcore, you start at level 1 and must progress through the entire story of The Division 2 before advancing to WONY.

Forget about watching builds, build vidoes, or attempting to obtain gear sets while leveling from 1-39.

When leveling, your focus should be on two things:

1. Increase in DPS
2. Increase in Armor

Equip anything that increases these stats, except for guns you’re not comfortable with.
Also, keep an eye on firing rates and ammo capacity—higher DPS doesn’t always mean a better gun.
For example, Emeline’s Guard may show lower DPS than other weapons, but its high rate of fire, superior ammo capacity, and survivability talent make it a solid choice for several levels.

Play style Tips for Leveling

I love my “Run and Gun” play style that I use in non-hardcore mode. However, I suggest to not lean on that play style in Hardcore.
I have played and do play with Agents that play exactly the same way as they do in normal, and I watch them die.
Sometimes the same person over and over are repeatedly deleting their agent, because they can not transition away from Run and Gun aggressive push tactics.

Most of us ‘average-everyday-player’ will not be able to approach Hardcore with that “non-hardcore” mindset. It is a different play-style.

Playing Hardcore teaches you to think in terms of tactics, situational awareness, and target priority assessment; All of which will prepare you for other game content where others will notice and appreciate your knowledge, like in legendary runs or raids where what you take out first and tactics you employ do matter.
Hardcore mode will teach you to slow down a little more and to be a little more methodical in how you approach each fight.

Personally, I prefer running with an AR or SMG as my primary weapon and a Marksman Rifle or Rifle as secondary.
Shotguns are situational, depending on the mission (ie I know their will be rush spawn in tight quarters).

**Pro Tip:** Don’t sleep on weapon attachments.
Craft attachments like increased range, stability, or ammo capacity and move them from weapon to weapon. These can make a noticeable difference in your leveling progress giving you a little bit of an edge.
I don’t recommend scopes that “scope-in” only. I prefer the craftable scopes that let you fire open sight or scoped in. Scoping in can remove your situational awareness.

Prioritize getting the perks that increase your xp gains, such as from headshots, muli-kills for example, that give extra xp each encounter. Overtime the extra xp does add up and make a difference.
Then go for a point or two in each of the following, Medkit increase, carry capacity increase, and the unlock the perk that automatically restocks your kits and grenades when you visit a safehouse.
Obviously you’ll unlock them all, but those should be priority.

I suggest the Carry Capacity perk because of the easy to finish projects that require mostly donations to complete, which is easy xp (I keep 3 of each and sell or deconstruct the rest, ie 3 maks, 3 backpacks, etc. as donations usually ask for 3 of something with a few exceptions).

Do the main story missions on level if you are learning still. If you know the missions really well (spawn doors, danger spots, rush areas), you should be safe doing missions that are over your level.
I find two levels above my current level to be easy for me, with three levels above my level forcing me to slow down more and takes longer to complete. Time wise, two levels and under seems to be the sweet spot for xp returns for the time invested’.

Others suggest to not do any side missions, and run just the main story missions. The thought is you get more xp from side missions if you save those for higher levels.
I have done it both ways, and I can not tell any difference.
Either way I have about the same amount of side missions available when I hit level 40, so I don’t think it matters. Do what you need to do to increase your chances of survival, including farming side missions when you feel you need it.

Run the side missions for sure that give you SHD points for perks, run the side missions that reward the weapon attachment blueprints I mentioned when you can safely do so, or other weapon attachment blueprints you would like to utilize while leveling up.

Do the projects when needing more xp gains before tackling a Story missions that you think could be too risky at your current level.
I find projects easy xp and generally knock out several at one time. Plus, some of the project blueprints can be helpful along with the xp gained.

Speaking of attachments/mods.
Deconstruct/Sell any and all gear mods from 1-39, as they are not really worth much to be honest, and you will be changing gear constantly while leveling up.
I find the weapon attachments actually make a difference in giving a little edge, but gear mods not so much. Wait until you hit 40.

First go see the Quarter Master and unlock your first specialization. I highly recommend Technician.

Run the Stronghold missions, and pick up any SHD points you’ve been ignoring along the away.

Before tackling a Stronghold, ask yourself, “how do I feel I’m doing?” Is everything a cakewalk, or is everything taking awhile to burn down?

The 30’s (and even sometimes in the 20’s) you will get these weird power spikes, where you get a lucky roll on a weapon that is just melting everything, including elites.
If you get that, whatever you do don’t level!
Go take that Stronghold and you will absolutely steam roll it, and probably more, with that current weapon.

If you see you are getting the job done, but each encounter is taking time, knock over another Control Point or two to see if you can increase your DPS and Armor.

Do that to better prepare and when you feel comfortable, take on the next stronghold until you knock them all out.

You most likely will be somewhere south of level 40 after finishing the Washington Main Story Line. Grind out any Invaded Missions, leftover side missions, and projects until you hit 40, which should go pretty fast. Most of the time I can get there in a two or three normal play sessions.

I know.. I said don’t worry about builds. This is true, but with one exception. I will give you a leveling build that incorporates all of the above advice.

1st Skill – Unlock Striker Drone
2nd Skill – Unlock Assault Turret

Both of these skills are powerful leveling tools that work for you in two ways.
They both will distract the enemy often drawing aggro which means you are safer, and they both dish out really great DPS, even at low levels.

Before you go into any fight, deploy at minimum your striker drone, to letting it serve as a distraction.

This may hlep mitigate those DELTA’s I mentioned above. The reason is your Drone and Turret are firing on the enemy and distracting the enemy, giving you that 2 seconds before the server logs you out. Most likely with a Drone and Turret, you’re going to survive a DELTA.

Why no Reviver Hive?
Here is the reason I don’t use a Revive Hive while leveling.
I never use it and if I die, which has been a super rare thing for me leveling from 1 – 40, I generally have died from doing something stupid when I was distracted, tired, or not really focused.

Hence my rules for ‘When to not play Hardcore’
Don’t play if you’re tired
Don’t play if you’re not “into it” (ie lack of focus)
Don’t play if you feel rushed
With the recommended build, and playing with the right mindset, I just don’t die.

I have ran in the past with the revive hive (and I still do in certain content while grouped) and I found it to just not be necessary for solo in most cases for three really big reasons.

1. You can still die
There are people on my friends list that run with it in Hardcore religiously, and I have noticed they die.. and I mean they die a lot.

My guess is that they push more and it serves as a mental crutch that there is a safety net that will get them back up.
Only I have seen it not get them back up, and more times than not, I have seen it get them right back up but they are still in a really bad spot and they die almost immediately after getting back up.
My thoughts are if I don’t have it, I don’t depend on it.

I know I must use good awareness, superior positioning, and not rushing up into bad pinch spots that will get me flanked and killed.

2. It is a huge loss of utility.
When I do use the Revive Hive, I now have limited my skill slots to effectively one, in a game that is meant for two. My build is just a suggestion, perhaps you have other skills you are comfortable with, but now you are down to just one. Loss of utility pure and simple.

One could argue that the Revive Hive itself is a utility, but I would counter it is a utility where you have to be doing something your are not prepared for, ready for, or should not be doing, like bum rushing an area that gets you gunned down.

3. Loss of DPS.
In my skill suggestion, using the Turret/Drone will most likely not only keep me alive, but I have just added a significant amount of DPS to my leveling strategy.
To lose one of those is just too much of a hit for me.

So how to use a build, that has no Revive Hive?
Situational Awareness at all times.
Proper Preparation at all times.
Superior Positioning of firing lane, of Tech deployment, (and of grenades placement if needed)
Fully deploying your Tech at all times prior to engagement

Even when I hit 40 and can set directives, that radar is never going away for me by me enabling the fog directive, not going to happen!
The more information you have on what is around you, the safer you are.

Are those enemies behind you within range enough to aggro when you attack that Control Point? Then eliminate them first.

What cover do you have?
Do you have cover behind you are an open field?
What is your egress point and how far away is it?

Case in point, last night while playing with a friend, they pushed up to a cover that was a long dash away (across open terrain) from where we were currently engaging the targets with MMR’s from a distance. Flankers rushed them and there was nowhere to retreat too fast enough, nor was the DPS fast enough to melt them down. Withering fire took them down while they tried to retreat back to me, the revive hive went off so they jump up and attempt to reach me for the second time, with the enemy gleefully tagging them with a hail of bullets, then I get the message that the session owner is missing.

So ALWAYS, situational awareness.
That is the reason I do not use a scope that only ‘scopes in’. You are blind to what is going on at that point.

You have your Tech, so use the Tech.
That sounds simple, but I actually learned that one the hard way and it bears repeating.
If you are about to engage, pre-engagement pick a great spot to throw that Turret that will have the best possible coverage of the area. I like it when I can throw it higher on top of something if I can, then even if they duck down it can still hit them or suppress them.

Deploy that Striker Drone just before you engage as it is generally noticed first by the enemy.
After deploying both, already have someone picked that they both will attack for you; Generally an elite, or a potential problem you wish to remove asap.

Even small street fight engagements. Check your surroundings, deploy all of your Tech, priority engage the targets.

Retreating is a valid tactic
Whether running Open World or Missions, retreating is always an option. No encounter is ‘do or die”, in the sense that you have to sat there and take it.

Be very mobile.
If I see them flanking me on one or both sides, I already know which side is best for me to run to so that I can outrun, and outflank the flankers, to get them between me and my Tech so that I can take them out.

Practice
I will add here, that there is no better practice for learning some of these tactics than playing Descent.
Descent will teach you very quickly how to position yourself so that you can address one enemy spawn, while putting distance and objects between you and the opposite enemy spawn (spawn doors). Learning this one tactic can make all the difference in Hardcore mode.

Until you get down pat that one basic tactic, you will fail in Descent, and that means you’re going to eventually fail in Hardcore.

Learn positioning and how to quickly, without hesitation, run to a new spot vaulting into cover.

As you level up, more areas become open to you. When you achieve level 40, Summit opens up and this is the first place you need to go to and get what you need for your first Load-Out Slot.

Since you hit 30 you have been raising points in Technician and now we are going to put it to good use.

3 Piece Empress International
Go to Summit and set your Targeted Loot to Empress International.
Run it until you get 3 pieces of Empress, nothing beats Skill Efficiency for Drones and Turrets.

Hana U
Then do the same for 2 pieces of Hana U

The last is subjective, I generally go for 1 Piece of Wyvern.

Look for Skill Damage, or use Tinkering to add Skill Damage to each piece of the entire armor set.

Talents
On the Backpack Combined Arms or Tech Support, with Tech Support being the superior choose for solo play.

On the Chestpiece you can use Tinkering to change the Talent to Unbreakable, or Kinetic Momentum if you’re comfortable Hardcore.

Gear Mods
Along the way you will pick up gear mods and you are looking for things like Skill Haste or Skill Duration, add those even if inferior, replacing them with better as you can.

Weapons
Weapon wise, I suggest the initial weapons have Perfect In-Sync on them, or at least on one of them.
There is nothing like hitting an enemy with Perfect In-Sync and then just watch them melt under the Drone and Turret fire.
As you get an initial set going, and even if it’s not what you fully want because there is a purple piece or two in the set, you can now easily raise the difficulty to Hard and add a directive or two if you wish to grind for better drops.

Remember these suggestions is just for the initial gear up phase.
Later we will hopefully be getting drops like the Capacitor, Test Subject, and other great Synergy weapons for a Tech Build.

Summit Difficulty and Directives
I run Summit after getting a few of those pieces on Challenging with two or three directives going. If I get a pistol with Perfect In-Sync, one of the directives I’ll add is Pistolero, as your Tech is going to just melt anything you hit with it anyway.

After I get all pieces in place with a few halfway decent mods, I run Summit on Herioc with directives to farm for something specific I feel I still want or need. I almost didn’t add that information as it is Hardcore and I don’t want anyone to lose an agent over bad advice; so ONLY do that if you are really familiar with the build and the play style that I have suggested above.

Farming Level 10
After reaching level 10 on Summit, if you are comfortable doing it, kill the floor boss, run grab his stuff, hide and go to the map and quickly “return to lobby”. If you do that before your Drone and Turret wipes out all of the floor, you can refarm that boss over and over. This is a very effective way to gear up initially.

You have your SHD Watch but in my opinion you will still want to run the WONY expansion story line.
There is a bug in the current game where if you get your watch from hitting 40 in Washington and not from beating Keener, you can not run Countdown to grind gear (it will be bugged, no one can see you, and gear does not drop) – the best gear grinding spot in game bar none, and yes I do run it very often with a Hardcore Agent (Different build I may add later).

Here is how I take down Keener every time without dying in Hardcore mode, solo.

Firewall Specialization
(I have increased a few points in this in the past by grinding open world or missions, which isn’t a terrible ideal to make it more effective)
4 Pieces of Eclipse Protocol (Roll or Grind for Status Effect). Summit is your friend for grinding it.
1 Piece Electrique
1 Piece of ? (at this point honestly, it doesn’t really matter as you are already going to kill him anyway)

Equip the Shield Skill you get from Firewall and Jammer Pulse.
I run the Drone/Turret Build until I get close enough that I need kills to max out my specialization ammo for the Firewall weapon, then I’ll switch load outs to this Firewall build so I can kill enough mobs before I reach Keener so my special Ammo is at full capacity.

Soon as you fully disable the Rocket, run close to where Keener drops and find cover to wait for him.
After he drops hit him with the Jammer Pulse, then with the shield and Firewall weapon equipped, facetank him and fully burn him down with the flame thrower. If he breaks your shield, dive for cover and as soon as he takes cover hit him again. If you run out of ammo, which I have had happen, stay right on top of him close, and with your AR or SMG finish him up not giving him a chance to medkit up.
Most of the time, one full Flame Thrower with one full AR/SMG magazine and the fight is over. I seldom even take damage.
The key is aggression, pushing him, and burning him down.
Now all of The Division 2 is open to you, including Countdown.

If it has been awhile since I have done a solo run on Keener with a Hardcore Agent, I will put that same setup with unoptimized gear on my normal agent and do a practice run until I’m sure I have the timing down. Something I fully recommend doing before attempting with your hard won Hardcore Agent.

I hope you have found this guide helpful and perhaps I will run into you in game.

With these strategies, you’ll improve your chances of surviving and thriving in Hardcore Mode.
What are some of your tactics that you employ, or other tips? Leave those thoughts in the comments section and I’ll see if I can add those into the guide.

Thank you for taking the time to read my Hardcore Mode Guide.

Best of luck, agent!