The Division 2 – Hardcore Leveling Log

The last hardcore agent took around 17 hours played time to get to level 40, the goal is to just do main missions with highest story mode xp, sprinkle in some SHD missions for the caches to unlock perks, and turn in any acquired projects as we go. You will level fully to 40 in the main DC map, the side missions will scale to your level so we keep those for later when we need xp to hit 40. More optimized each time I do it, here is current activities after arriving in Washington D.C. with level 1 hardcore new agent.

Will use this info to speed up next run.

• Walk to The Theater for intro missions.
• Upgrade gear from mob drops, keep all gear.
• Walk to Grand Washington Hotel, complete mission.
• Level 2
• Fast travel to DC, visit quartermaster, get assault drone skill.
• Head to Jefferson Trade Center complete mission.
• Head to The Theatre, Recruit Inaya crafting lady.
• Turn in Projects with gear donation you may have done.
• Unlock safe house in each new area as you get to them.
• Do the SHD Mission Bureau Headquarters.
• DC Quartermaster unlock all XP perks and Reviver Hive skill and equip.
• Can do open world activities quickly if in path, don’t go out of way.
• Skip liberations unlock safe houses only, skip side missions save for later better xp.
• If bags get full sell gear at vendor, will need money later.
• Level 5
• Viewpoint Museum complete mission.
• Level 7
• Back to DC quartermaster unlock new skill, assault turret.
• Travel to The Theatre , recruit Grace Larson for clans.
• Open all caches and update gear closest to your level while at it.
• I use assault rifles and lmgs usually.
• Go to American History Museum mission and complete.
• Level 9
• You will receive a level 8 blue gear cache set, use it very strong for a few levels.
• Back to The Theatre, recruit Senait Ezera dark zone officer, easy recon quests.
• Level 10
• Unlock East Mall safe house, use manhole on street to tunnel entrance.
• Head to Agent Brooks Support SHD mission nearby.
• DC Quartermaster and unlock weapon mods, inventory space perks..
• New skill seeker cluster mines, strong at low level can wipe out mobs alone.
• Check projects and donate gear, update gear.
• Played time 2 hours 27 minutes, could be faster but was blogging during parts.

• Air and Space Museum mission, complete.
• Level 12
• Travel to The Castle speak to Alani Kelso, will be in storm shelter on side.
• Did public execution by Air and a Space Museum, fast traveled for next mission.
• Level 13
• SHD Tech Beacon mission up next along path into Southwest.
• Gun felt weak, swapped for high level lmg in bag.
• Few gear pieces were very low level, had 5 gear caches not open.
• Updated lots of gear in SHD mission , was very squishy, now more blue gear.
• At end using turret skill top of hill, easy position firing down, complete.
• Outside mission a Propaganda Broadcast and named boss The Cardinal, done,
• This setup I have really sucks right now, even after gear getting low on hp.
• Project completed randomly from the activity..
• Looked at other projects, some gear donations ones, 3 to turn in now.
• Heading to Jefferson Plaza mission next.
• Watch out when entering contaminated area of mission, dc-62 been killing lately.
• Stay out of yellow clouds, no joke something changed in update recently.
• Jefferson Plaza complete.
• Level 14
• Fast traveling to The Theatre for project turn in, meet Odessa Sawyer.
• Recruit Charles Douglas, shooting range.
• Travel to DC for new skill/perks, 3 skills, repair drone, crusader shield, blinder firefly.
• Unlocked all weapon mods in perks menu, whatever you want from here on out.
• Heading to Liberty’s Call safe house for unlock in Southwest.
• Another public execution on the way done, another project competed.
• Yes some SHD missions are not done, don’t worry about for now up to you.
• Safe house unlocked, travel back to The Theatre turn in project.
• 3 hours 49 minutes played.

• Space Administration HQ mission up next.
• Swapped to assault drone for mission.
• Named Emelines Guard SMG dropped on align 3 satellites part mobs.
• Great gun for leveling on hardcore.
• Got dropped and reviver hived on right before boss at end.
• This makes two times reviver saved me, usually never drop leveling.
• Waited to remove uhf transmitter for reviver cooldown.
• Last few levels almost dying a ton, mission complete.
• Level 15
• Level 15 milestone purple gear set cache, now we have gear talents.
• My armor stat is now 11.0k which should help more.
• Back to DC, have 13 SHD tech to spend.
• Now we head to The Campus west of DC level 15 area.
• Once you talk to Hays a ton of main missions unlock.
• Now we head to Bank Headquarters mission., complete.
• Level 16
• Back to DC meet President Ellis, unlock skill scanner pulse, perks.
• Heading to The Campus, recruit Joshua Summers a barber.
• Now all the main missions are at level 18 but I am 16 so we need to farm xp,
• Got a bunch of projects that just need activities done in areas we’ve been.
• The projects give blueprints for crafting too, have 5 projects with donations.
• Have 4 liberation projects too, skipping those because SHD searching is slow.
• Federal Triangle 2 activities doing this, completed and it finished 3 projects alone.
• Doing DZ east recon mission, simple.
• Doing SHD mission Empire Autumn Hotel finally, using repair drone.
• Been going through bandages like nothing.
• SHD mission done, 6 SHD,.
• Level 17
• Someone called for freeroam backup, was in fight at end of mission.
• Call for backup is very rare on hardcore mode.
• Turn in some projects at multiple settlements.
• Heading to DCD Headquarters mission, about to hit 18 in a few kills.
• Have to be careful facing the Outcasts, fire and exploding enemies.
• Lost a few hardcore agents to Outcasts before.
• Mission complete, new skill unlock.
• Heading to The Campus to recruit Otis Sykes for bounties.
• 6 hours 10 minutes played.

• Heading to The Archive safe house to unlock in Constitution Hall.
• True Sons Broadcast Outpost mission is next nearby.
• Complete, 6shd, laser pointer blueprint.
• My gear has some +incoming repairs so used repair drone during mission.
• Doing open world activities in Constitution Hall, 15.1k armor.
• Control point and public execution done.
• Level 19
• Seeing some optimization in my early game is needed.
• The Campus to turn in project.
• East Mall complete two activities.
• Heading to The Theatre for project turn in.
• Heading to The Shop safe house to unlock in West Potomac Park.
• Lincoln Memorial mission (level 20 enemies) next, rpg enemies got to watch it.
• Guns are level 17 and 18, bit low and turret is a tank, playing very carefully.
• Turret placement and slow progress is key since I’m a bit weak, skill tier +2.
• Couple gear and gun upgrades in the locked loot areas.
• Mission completed, it was fun though when the fight is harder.
• Level 20
• To The Campus recruit Emma Richard’s tinkering station, mega helpful.
• Tinkering station with come money aka credits will allow us to boost stats on gear.
• Heading to Truman safe house to unlock in Foggy Bottom (21)
• Now I am lower level but entering higher level areas.
• Ran into named boss The Cursed with squad of veterans.
• Tinkered in 6.9% weapon damage on chest vs 1.5%, boost already.
• Heading to DC to spend 28 SHD or what I can.
• All perks unlocked that can be now, the rest need level 30.
• Unlocked riot foam skill.
• All the left over stuff is done whenever, we just trying to level and do the story.
• Heading to Potomac Event Center mission (22), huge risk but all the fun.
• Will stop and do any open world activities on the way.
• The boosted weapon damage is super noticeable.
• Need to work on 0- 30 gear library though to do this with tinkering, extract stats.
• So from here on out, we try to make credits and build gear library higher.
• Next hardcore agent can make use of this at level 20, like my 6.9% was in library.
• Pickup gear everywhere, try to extract stats if none sell it all as junk for credits.
• A tech enemy downed me with the bladed car thing, revived, it was strong st 22.
• Mission completed, was tougher but fun.
• Level 21
• To The Campus to talk to a Henry Hayes.
• Now open world activities mainly control points at or below my level.
• Control points for the gear and resource farm is great now.
• Done about 3-4 control points.
• Level 22
• Purple Military AK M assault rifle is tearing them up.
• Strongholds can be done at level 22, but are higher level.
• Crafter a few purple pieces of gear why not.
• While running to control point Rescue the community members side mission activated, so did it.
• Level 23
• Just crushing control points, game will get easier here on out.
• Level 24
• To DC craft a purple police m4 assault rifle.
• Heading to The Attic safe house to unlock in West End.
• Now to Federal Emergency Bunker mission, complete.
• Back to DC reactivate SHD network.
• Level 25
• Best milestone cache in game for hardcore High End Uzina Getica 25 gear.
• Right now the leveling feels a tad slower on this run, but it speeds up.
• 11 hours 25 minutes played.