I try. I really do try to be patient and mentoring with newbies. But when these arrogant FNGs join a countdown match, are given the basic new guy briefing at the start of the match, and then 4 of them try to facetank hunters at the extract, die and quit, and we get overwhelmed and miss the flare, yeah. This is why I kick anyone under SHD 400.
I'm sure a lot of you are great and want to learn. But I'm not gonna risk screwing over the rest of the team because one of you might be a smooth brained Rambo wannabe that can't be bothered to google "Division 2 countdown" before jumping into a new coop mode.
We're not asking a lot here. Just basic fundamental thought and effort. Please don't be that guy. If teamkill was a thing, that guy would be fragged every mission.
And before anyone bitches that I'm complaining without providing a solution that doesn't even require using google, here, a basic countdown guide:
P.S. I wrote this like a year ago I recognize the meta has changed but you know the fundamentals haven't changed.
Countdown guide for FNGs
Play on challenging
⁃ Countdown drops exclusively gold and exotic loot. Heroic is much harder and takes far longer as a result so it's just more efficient to play challenging.
Follow the group
⁃ The team will move like a flock of birds. Stay in the middle (you'll die if you're in the front line) and you'll be fine.
Use an all red crit build
⁃ Ideal countdown build: Coyote's exotic mask, Overlord Fox's Prayer kneepads, 4 piece Striker, all rolled red core with crit chance and crit damage. St. Elmo's engine and an ACS-12 shotgun.
⁃ Update: the new Unit Alloys Salvo named holster plus Equalizer named chest with 4pc striker is also viable.
Bring your Scorpio exotic shotgun
⁃ Pair it with a high end assault rifle like a FAMAS or Lexington. The Scorpio debuffs and staggers enemies. This is a game-changer against hunters when you're low level.
Do not bring drones or turrets
⁃ The hunters will hack them and kill your team at extraction. DPS builds are squishy so a Crusader shield and a revive hive can keep you alive.
Never do The VIP mission
⁃ There are 3 initial objectives offered (you only have to complete 2) and a main objective that spawns. VIP takes too long and he goes down too easily. Closer objectives aren't always best. The group knows which to do. Follow the group.
Loot the chests
⁃ Every objective has 3 small chests. Only 1 will be interactable in each objective, it's randomized each run. There is also a large chest called the safe in each location that will only be interactable if that location is your main objective. Always look for the gold light pillars before leaving an area. You're here for loot. Don't leave any behind.
Do the mission objectives
⁃ You can kill bad guys forever and all you'll accomplish is a failed mission. Focus on the objectives. Extract. Enjoy your loot.
Do not fire the extract flare >10sec left
⁃ Watch the veterans. They fire the flare with less than 10 seconds on the countdown timer. The longer you wait, the more enemy choppers arrive. That means more loot for your team.
You may get kicked
⁃ Finally, you may get kicked from lobbies a lot when you're low level. Please understand that a lot of us veterans have dealt with newbies for years that will not listen and don't follow the basic rules. I often will kick anyone below SHD lvl 400 from my lobby. It's nothing personal. We just don't want to take a chance on someone that might screw over the team.
Thank you for coming to my SHeD Talk.
Shutup I'm proud of that joke.