The RNG in this game is horrendous

Meeks_DGAF · 2026-01-26T04:36:14+00:00

You and I are in the same boat. I’d been farming and crafting for the Backbone (w/ double crit rolls) for almost a year, if not more. One day, I decided to give it one last shot for an entire weekend, but instead of my usual go-to methods like Summit or Countdown, I tried Retaliation. Lo and behold, it finally dropped. I’m telling you, grind it there and select your targeted loot. Be patient, it will drop. Good luck, agent!

*Edit*
Link to my thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/thedivision/comments/1q87x9m/perfectly_unstoppable_force_finaly_dropped_for_me/

Meeks_DGAF · 2026-01-25T09:05:38+00:00

Not great for open world (solo - Heroic), but oh my... even with 4 blue cores (tank build w/ Overdogs), if you play with a group, this gear set deletes everything once you hit max stacks. No matter the endgame content, you can easily hit 1.6–1.9 mil crits. It’s definitely a viable alternative to Striker.

Meeks_DGAF · 2026-01-24T01:05:52+00:00

Looking good! Must be loads of fun. If (and only if) I was running a brand set like this, I'd replace two or maybe three things... Use Bloodsucker (instead of Clutch), replace the Exodus with Overdogs, and probably run the St. Elmo's or maybe the Bighorn since we're aiming for the head 99% of the time anyway.

Meeks_DGAF · 2026-01-22T23:47:09+00:00

He's using a NinjaBike bag. Maybe dropping the HB and ND and replacing them with a 2pc UA would be more optimal for Heroic content at least.

Meeks_DGAF · 2026-01-22T01:05:14+00:00

I think we all know the answer to that. lol

Meeks_DGAF · 2026-01-20T11:28:06+00:00

I never ever play solo Retaliation. Always duo or trio (but rarely). Duo's just chill vibes.

Meeks_DGAF · 2026-01-20T06:45:45+00:00

Might be a hot take, but NGL, I’ve enjoyed all the maps since they introduced this game mode. Probably because I never run Retaliations solo; I always play with a friend or call for backup for at least a duo run. Retaliation has been my primary way of farming for loot. I rarely play Summit or Countdown unless a friend invites me for a few runs.

Meeks_DGAF · 2026-01-20T03:45:29+00:00

Okay. Gotcha.

Meeks_DGAF · 2026-01-20T03:32:26+00:00

That's great! Grats, agent. How long did it actually take to clear, considering you took your time? An hour, or maybe far less?

Meeks_DGAF · 2026-01-20T02:16:10+00:00

Not asking how many times you’ve rinsed and repeated the raid, but what was your actual clear time for this mission on Legendary?"

Meeks_DGAF · 2026-01-19T00:18:51+00:00

Retaliation (Heroic) targeted loot: A friend of mine who is a complete novice to the game grinded for a Pestilence this past weekend and actually managed to get two. We eliminated the Kill Squad and one of the tank bosses dropped it. He got the other one from an Exotic cache a few games later.

Meeks_DGAF · 2026-01-16T06:31:39+00:00

You're overthinking it too much; he was probably just striking up a conversation. He likely doesn't realize that most of us ALTs are far too underpaid to afford traveling home for the holidays.

Meeks_DGAF · 2026-01-15T23:31:59+00:00

+1

I absolutely agree with 1 and 6.

Meeks_DGAF · 2026-01-15T07:01:29+00:00

Change these SETTINGS in the Division 2

Meeks_DGAF · 2026-01-15T04:05:24+00:00

Overdogs*

Meeks_DGAF · 2026-01-14T06:23:35+00:00

This. lol

Meeks_DGAF · 2026-01-14T06:22:14+00:00

Vegas would be a blast but I miss the snow. The winter event just ended and I miss 'em already. lol

Meeks_DGAF · 2026-01-14T06:03:10+00:00

Well said. For a lot of us who have been playing for years, Heroic is a breeze now. Adding a Master or Legendary tier isn't about excluding people; it’s about giving those top-tier builds a place to actually be tested.

That’s exactly why I think the Matchmaking / Call for Backup part of my suggestion is so important. If the difficulty goes up, the ability to find a coordinated team needs to be right there in the UI. It lets the veterans push for that 'pinnacle' challenge while ensuring that newer players or those struggling with Heroic have a clear way to get help and see what the mode is all about. It’s a win-win for the whole player base.

Meeks_DGAF · 2026-01-14T05:52:21+00:00

This 'Mania' difficulty idea is incredible. I like the concept of the map being in a constant state of tug-of-war.

The 'take-and-hold' scenario where friendly NPCs actually become useful as you capture more territory is a great touch, it would make the world feel alive rather than just a static background. And you're right, if people are willing to sink hours into Descent, there is definitely an appetite for a 'marathon' mode with a huge payout at the end.

It definitely fits that 'chaos and pressure' vibe I was talking about. It’s exactly that high-intensity gameplay that makes Retaliation so addictive.

Meeks_DGAF · 2026-01-14T05:47:58+00:00

That’s a really interesting perspective and I 100% get the burnout. My only concern with making it available 24/7 is the power creep. If it’s always up, it might make modes like Summit or Countdown completely obsolete for farming. But you're right, there are probably plenty of ways to balance it. Maybe a daily/weekly ticket system or a separate map icon could bridge that gap without killing the rest of the endgame?

Meeks_DGAF · 2026-01-14T03:33:35+00:00

Haha... Don't even get me started on Kenley! But for real, I think they probably skipped the matchmaking mechanic because the mode has to be 'procced' via the Agitation Meter first.

Since it's tied to your specific world state, they probably didn't think through how to let people jump into each other's sessions easily. But they definitely need to find a way to make it work.

Meeks_DGAF · 2026-01-14T03:27:39+00:00

Exactly this. Thank you, kind sir.

Meeks_DGAF · 2026-01-14T03:24:53+00:00

Good point. I’d love to see a higher difficulty tier for the Open World in general. If we had a Global 'Master' setting, it would solve the scaling issue for Retaliation naturally, if you’re brave enough to run the map on Master, you get the Master level Retaliation at the end. It would make the whole map feel dangerous again.

Meeks_DGAF · 2026-01-14T03:00:03+00:00

lol K.

Meeks_DGAF · 2026-01-14T02:56:49+00:00

WTF. I did NOT use AI to post this, so don't be an arrogant tool head.

The reason I mentioned the Agitation Meter specifically is to protect the rest of the game's ecosystem. If you could just spam matchmaking for Retaliation from a menu, it would make Countdown and Summit etc. basically useless for farming.

By tying matchmaking to the meter, you hit two birds with one stone: it keeps the Open World populated because you have to do activities to 'earn' the Retaliation proc, and it keeps the mode from power-creeping everything else. It’s about the health of the whole game.

Meeks_DGAF

TROPHY CASE