In The Division, named NPCs are guaranteed to drop high-end items above level 30 starting with the April update. Crafting is set to become the “alternative”.
Massive has addressed the changes that will affect crafting in the April update. Not only will making items become more challenging, but enemy drops are also expected to become more lucrative. The focus is shifting more from crafting to killing enemies.
More High-end Items through NPC Kills in The Division
According to Massive, last month they found that loot drops from enemies are too rare and disappointing for agents. Therefore, players have recently – rightly so – invested all their efforts into crafting and collecting crafting materials.
The following graphic illustrates this situation:
Almost 50% of all level-31 high-end items have been crafted by the agents themselves. About 30% were purchased from vendors, and only 20% came from NPC kills.
As a result, the developers are now taking action: Every kill of a named enemy, known as named enemy with a proper name, guarantees a high-end drop. You will receive a high-end item from every Named NPC above level 30.
The gear score of these items will depend on the respective level of the enemy. For example, level-30 named enemies should guarantee a high-end item with a gear score of 163.
Additionally, item drop rates have been adjusted for all NPCs. There will be enemy types that drop more – or fewer – of certain items, as they have become specialized in specific items. You can find out which items you get most frequently from which enemy types to efficiently search for these items.
Crafting is to become the “alternative” and not dominate
It should now be worthwhile to take down NPCs when searching for high-end items. Crafting will become an alternative that should still remain rewarding. Therefore, the drop rates of Division Tech materials from named enemies in the Dark Zone will be increased by 40% at level 32.
The changes presented and those to the crafting system in The Division are intended to make agents seek fewer low-quality items, break them down, and convert the materials into high-end crafting materials. The intention is for agents to hunt strong NPCs and thus high-end items directly.
With these changes, the game should be more enjoyable and harmonize crafting and “dropping”.
The developers emphasize that it’s no easy task to adjust the balance of an online game. They believe these adjustments are a step in the right direction. They will monitor these changes closely and modify them further in the future.
What changes to crafting in The Division are coming have been summarized here.
