In The Division, we take a closer look at the Pulse skill.
Many agents use the Pulse in The Division with the “Tactical Scanner” mod to deal more damage to marked enemies. We want to take a detailed look at this skill as it offers advantages that some agents may not have noticed yet. Additionally, we will explore the question: Is the Pulse effect stackable?
This is the Pulse in The Division
The Pulse is a skill from the Medical branch, which is available to agents early in the game. You can send out a pulse that marks enemies and allies through walls and cover. The base effect alone is useful to ensure you don’t suddenly find yourself amidst enemies. Additionally, you gain an increased chance for critical hits on the marked target. The damage from critical hits also increases.
Once you have unlocked the Master Mod, the Pulse gains additional permanent benefits: it gives early warnings when enemies are nearby and determines if the user is detected by an enemy Pulse.
The early warning is indicated by the Pulse icon lighting up red. The faster it flickers, the closer the threat is. In the following image, you can see the icon lighting up:
If you are marked by enemies with a Pulse, you will notice small squares on your agent’s body. If the squares are white, you have been scanned by a neutral agent; if they are red, you are on an enemy’s radar:
If you upgrade the quarantine in the Medical wing of the Base of Operations, three modifications will be available to you:
- Pulse Amplifier: The pulse has a greater range (80m) and can additionally locate nearby loot crates. This mod is likely used by very few agents, but it can be useful when you want to farm materials and don’t have a fixed route for it yet.
- Disruptor: The Pulse protects the user and all allies from enemy Pulses. This benefit can be used both preventively and reactively: even after you have been scanned, you can shake off the marking. This mod is particularly effective in the Dark Zone: if you are marked, you can escape from pursuers more easily. Additionally, it allows you to turn the tables: remove your marking, scan the other player, and gain advantages over them.
- Tactical Scanner: Damage increases when attacking enemy targets identified by the Pulse. This mod is considered the favorite of most agents, as “More damage is always good.” But is this damage bonus stackable if multiple agents in the squad use the Tactical Scanner?
The Tactical Scanner’s effect does not stack
The YouTuber Arekkz Gaming sought an answer to this question and came to the disappointing conclusion: No, the damage bonus is not stackable. However, the Pulse works on a principle that may lead some agents to believe otherwise:
- If an agent activates the Tactical Scanner, the damage bonus is increased.
- If another squad member with higher skill strength (making the effect of the Tactical Scanner stronger) then activates the Pulse, the skill of the other agent expires: now the better Tactical Scanner is active.
In other words:
The effect of the Tactical Scanner is not stackable; the better one simply overrides the worse one.
Arekkz Gaming reached this conclusion through a self-experiment with some friends, who examined this effect in various scenarios. You can watch the video below:
Which skills with which mods do you use?
Here you can find an overview of all skill mods in The Division.
