The Division 2 Farming Guide – Best Ways to Farm Gear, Materials, and Resources

Start Every Farming Session With a Goal

The biggest farming mistake is starting an activity without knowing what you need.

Instead of thinking:

I need better gear.

Be specific.

Examples include:

• four pieces of a particular Gear Set;

• a chest from a specific Brand;

• an Assault Rifle with the right talent;

• Critical Hit Damage gear mods;

• better Recalibration Library rolls;

• crafting materials;

• Field Recon Data;

• SHD Calibration;

• Exotic Components;

• Proficiency progress;

• Prototype Cores;

• a specific Exotic blueprint.

Once the target is clear, choosing the correct activity becomes much easier.

Farming Volume vs Farming Precision

Most farming methods fall into two categories.

Volume farming gives you large quantities of drops quickly.

This is useful when you need:

• several Gear Set pieces;

• Brand gear;

• weapons;

• Recalibration Library upgrades;

• Expertise donations;

• deconstruction materials.

Precision farming gives you more control over what drops or gives access to a specific reward pool.

This is useful for:

• specific Exotics;

• Prototype Gear;

• certain Named items;

• Optimization resources;

• specialized blueprints.

Efficient players switch between both methods.

Targeted Loot Is the Foundation of Gear Farming

Targeted Loot is still one of the most important systems for building a level-40 character.

Targeted Loot adds additional opportunities for equipment from a selected category to drop alongside normal loot. Named enemies and activity completions are particularly important sources.

Depending on the available selection, you can target categories such as:

• Gear Sets;

• Brand Sets;

• Assault Rifles;

• SMGs;

• Shotguns;

• Marksman Rifles;

• masks;

• backpacks;

• chest pieces;

• other gear or weapon categories.

Target the Narrowest Useful Category

Suppose you need a Striker backpack.

You could target backpacks.

But if several Striker pieces are still missing, targeting Striker's Battlegear is normally more useful because multiple drops can improve the build.

Once the set is mostly complete, switching to the exact missing slot can make more sense.

The general rule is:

Target broadly while assembling the foundation, then narrow the farm when only one difficult piece remains.

Countdown for High-Volume Gear Farming

For players who want many gear drops quickly, Countdown remains one of the strongest general-purpose farming activities.

It combines:

• multiple enemy encounters;

• Named enemies;

• selectable Targeted Loot;

• large quantities of equipment;

• matchmaking;

• additional rewards through its activity currency.

Recent community discussions in 2026 still consistently recommend Countdown for assembling builds because of the amount of equipment generated in a relatively short run.

What Countdown Is Best For

Use Countdown when farming:

• Gear Sets;

• Brand Sets;

• weapons;

• chest and backpack combinations;

• Recalibration Library rolls;

• Expertise donation items;

• deconstruction materials.

It is especially good when RNG is the main problem.

A difficult chest piece may require:

• the correct Brand;

• two useful attributes;

• the correct talent.

You cannot guarantee that combination.

Your best strategy is often generating many drops from that Brand until one appears with only one property needing Recalibration.

Challenging or Heroic Countdown?

Current community farming discussions frequently favor Challenging Countdown because groups can clear it rapidly while still receiving strong gear volume and quality. Heroic remains available for players who prefer the additional challenge.

The important principle is not choosing a difficulty because somebody calls it the meta.

Choose the version your group completes reliably.

Failed or slow runs destroy farming efficiency.

Do Not Inspect Every Item During the Run

Countdown produces enough gear that inventory management can become the real bottleneck.

During combat:

• pick up useful-looking drops;

• mark obvious junk quickly;

• stay with the group;

• inspect everything properly afterward.

Stopping for several minutes to compare attributes can cost more farming time than the item is worth.

Retaliation for Open-World Farming and Exotic Progression

Retaliation is now one of the most important permanent open-world farming systems.

Enemy factions become increasingly agitated as you fight them and complete activities. Once a faction launches a Retaliation, it attempts to control an entire Named Zone and its Control Points.

Players then retake those locations through expanded multi-wave Control Point encounters.

Why Retaliation Is Valuable

Retaliation combines several useful farming goals:

• large enemy density;

• Control Point rewards;

• Named and elite enemies;

• normal gear drops;

• faction-specific materials;

• Exotic blueprint opportunities;

• SHD XP;

• open-world resources.

This makes it particularly efficient when you want more than one type of progression simultaneously.

Recent 2026 player discussions commonly mention Retaliation alongside Countdown as one of the strongest general farming options.

Farming Exotic Blueprints Through Retaliation

Retaliation also introduced a more direct path toward selected Exotic items.

Kill Squads can drop Exotic blueprints associated with their faction, while completing a full Retaliation can provide additional blueprint opportunities.

Faction-specific Retaliation materials include:

• Crystallized Spice from Hyenas;

• Biohazardous Canisters from Outcasts;

• Military Dog Tags from True Sons;

• Burning Ash from Cleaners;

• Crossed Balaclava from Rikers;

• DIAMOND Transceivers associated with Black Tusk Retaliation content.

These resources can contribute toward crafting Exotics associated with the Retaliation system.

When to Farm Retaliation Instead of Countdown

Choose Retaliation when you want:

• Exotic blueprint progression;

• faction materials;

• open-world XP;

• Control Point rewards;

• a mix of resources and gear.

Choose Countdown when your main goal is simply generating enormous amounts of ordinary build equipment.

Open-World Activity Farming

Open-world farming remains extremely useful because activities are close together and can be completed rapidly with a strong build.

Useful encounters include:

• Territory Control;

• Public Executions;

• Hostage Rescues;

• Propaganda Broadcasts;

• Control Points;

• Bounties;

• faction encounters.

Why Open World Can Be Extremely Efficient

The advantage is movement.

Instead of replaying one long mission, you can travel from one short activity to another.

When the area's Targeted Loot matches something you need, every activity can contribute toward:

• gear;

• SHD XP;

• materials;

• faction resources;

• Recalibration Library progress.

A fast Heroic open-world build can generate excellent returns.

Do Not Clear Every Activity Just Because It Exists

Prioritize activities with good enemy density and low travel time.

If one objective requires a long detour for a small reward, another nearby activity may be more efficient.

Farming efficiency is affected by downtime just as much as enemy kill speed.

Control Points for Resources and Blueprints

Control Points are valuable because they provide both combat rewards and progression resources.

Optimization materials can come from Control Points, with resource yields scaling with difficulty. High-alert Control Points can also provide blueprints used for crafting Optimization materials.

Why Farm Control Points?

They can contribute toward:

• gear drops;

• Named enemy drops;

• Targeted Loot;

• Field Recon-style Optimization resources;

• blueprints;

• crafting materials;

• XP;

• Retaliation progression.

This makes them one of the best multi-purpose open-world activities.

Loot the Supply Room

Do not capture a Control Point and immediately leave.

The supply room contains multiple containers and resources that are part of the overall reward.

When farming materials specifically, these extra containers matter.

The Summit for Controlled Target Farming

The Summit is less frantic than Countdown and provides a more controlled farming experience.

Players can choose Targeted Loot, and checkpoints provide additional targeted rewards based on that selection. Summit Challenges can also reward caches containing Recalibration and Optimization materials.

When The Summit Is Better

The Summit is useful when:

• you prefer solo play;

• you dislike Countdown's pace;

• you want controlled Targeted Loot;

• you want to test builds;

• you want Summit Challenge rewards;

• you are farming without relying on a large matchmade group.

Is The Summit the Fastest Gear Farm?

Usually not for sheer quantity.

Current community discussion generally considers Countdown or Retaliation faster for raw equipment volume, while The Summit remains useful for controlled and relaxed target farming.

That does not make The Summit bad.

It simply serves a different purpose.

Farming Weapons

If you need a particular weapon type, Targeted Loot should usually be your starting point.

For example:

• Assault Rifle Targeted Loot for AR builds;

• SMG Targeted Loot for Hunter's Fury;

• Marksman Rifle Targeted Loot for sniper setups;

• Shotgun Targeted Loot for close-range builds.

Do Not Farm Only for the Weapon Name

The weapon also needs the correct:

• attributes;

• talent;

• handling profile;

• synergy with your build.

A weapon with the right model but poor attributes may only be useful for:

• Recalibration;

• Expertise;

• deconstruction.

Use Recalibration to Reduce RNG

You do not need every property to drop perfectly.

The ideal farmed weapon may already have:

• correct base type;

• useful attributes;

• one incorrect talent.

If the correct talent exists in your Library, Recalibration can finish the item.

This is much more realistic than farming indefinitely for a naturally perfect drop.

Farming Gear Sets

Gear Sets are among the easiest complete builds to farm because the main mechanic generally requires four pieces.

Target the Gear Set and collect several copies of each slot.

What to Look For

If you intend to keep the original Core Attribute, prioritize the correct secondary attribute.

For example, a weapon-focused Gear Set may ideally drop with:

• Weapon Damage Core;

• Critical Hit Chance;

or:

• Weapon Damage Core;

• Critical Hit Damage.

Because Gear Set pieces have fewer secondary attributes than High-End pieces, finding usable pieces can be relatively straightforward.

Do Not Automatically Use Six Pieces

Once the four-piece mechanic is active, the remaining slots can often provide greater value through:

• High-End Brands;

• Named equipment;

• Exotics.

Farm enough Gear Set pieces to give yourself flexibility rather than equipping six simply because they match.

Farming Brand Set Gear

Brand pieces can be more difficult than Gear Sets because High-End equipment can have several random properties.

Chest and backpack farming is especially demanding because you need:

• correct Brand;

• useful Core;

• useful secondary attributes;

• correct talent.

Look for Items With Only One Problem

You want drops where Recalibration can fix the final issue.

Examples:

Good chest candidate

• correct Brand;

• Weapon Damage;

• Critical Hit Chance;

• Critical Hit Damage;

• wrong talent.

Replace the talent.

Bad chest candidate

• wrong Core;

• wrong secondary attribute;

• wrong talent.

One recalibration cannot fix everything.

Do not spend Optimization materials trying to rescue fundamentally poor gear.

Farming Exotics

Exotic farming depends heavily on the specific Exotic.

There is no single universal method.

Possible acquisition paths can include:

• Targeted Loot;

• Exotic caches;

• specific activities;

• raids;

• Incursions;

• Retaliation blueprints;

• Dark Zone pools;

• specialized rewards.

Identify the Exotic's Loot Source First

Before farming, confirm whether the Exotic:

• exists in the general loot pool;

• must first be unlocked elsewhere;

• is tied to an Incursion;

• is tied to a raid;

• uses Retaliation blueprint crafting;

• belongs to a Dark Zone-specific pool.

Spending hours farming generic Targeted Loot for an Exotic that is not available through that source wastes time.

RNG Still Matters

Targeting the correct category improves your chances but does not guarantee an Exotic.

Recent player reports show that even dozens of Countdown runs or many hours of Targeted Loot can fail to produce one desired Exotic.

Targeted farming improves probability.

It does not remove randomness.

Farming Crafting Materials

Standard crafting materials remain important for:

• crafting;

• Optimization;

• Expertise;

• recalibration-related progression;

• Prototype progression indirectly through other resource systems.

Common resources include:

• Steel;

• Ceramics;

• Polycarbonate;

• Carbon Fiber;

• Electronics;

• Titanium;

• Printer Filament.

SHD Scavenging can provide all of these resource categories.

Deconstruct Unwanted Gear

One of the simplest material-farming methods remains deconstruction.

Ubisoft's crafting guidance specifically identifies breaking down unwanted weapons and gear as a highly effective way of generating crafting materials.

That means high-volume gear farming has a second purpose.

A Countdown run may produce zero pieces you want to equip but still provide:

• crafting resources;

• item-type materials;

• Expertise donations;

• Library upgrades.

Very little loot has to be completely useless.

Farm Materials Through SHD Scavenging

Once you progress far enough through Keener's Watch, Scavenging Points become an excellent resource source.

Current Scavenging options include rewards such as:

• Steel;

• Ceramics;

• Polycarbonate;

• Carbon Fiber;

• Electronics;

• Titanium;

• Printer Filament;

• SHD Calibration;

• Field Recon Data.

When SHD Scavenging Becomes Powerful

Higher-SHD accounts accumulate increasing amounts of Scavenging currency.

This makes SHD progression indirectly valuable for:

• Optimization;

• crafting;

• Expertise;

• expensive endgame upgrades.

Do not spend Scavenging Points automatically.

Save them until you know which resource is currently limiting your progression.

Optimization Materials

Optimization requires several resource categories.

The system uses resources associated with:

• the item's type;

• Control Points or landmarks;

• enemy factions;

• project-style sources.

Many of these resources can also be crafted through blueprints using normal crafting materials.

Item-Type Materials

These come from deconstructing compatible equipment.

If you need to optimize a particular type of gear or weapon, unwanted drops from farming sessions can contribute directly toward that process.

Control Point and Landmark Resources

Control Points in the Light Zone and landmarks in the Dark Zone are traditional sources.

Higher Summit floors can also provide this category of Optimization resources.

Faction Resources

Faction-specific Optimization materials come from enemies belonging to the relevant faction.

If one particular tactical assessment is limiting your upgrade, farming enemies from that faction is more efficient than killing random enemies everywhere.

Crafting Optimization Materials

Optimization materials can also be crafted when you have the appropriate blueprint.

This is where your normal resources become especially valuable.

A healthy stock of:

• electronics;

• titanium;

• ceramics;

• steel;

• other basic materials;

can be converted into the specialized resource you need.

Field Recon Data

Field Recon Data is an important resource for Optimization and Expertise-style progression.

Control Point and Landmark farming is one of the established sources, while SHD Scavenging also provides Field Recon Data.

Efficient Field Recon Approach

Combine goals.

Instead of farming Control Points solely for Field Recon Data, choose a zone where:

• Targeted Loot is useful;

• you still need blueprints;

• Retaliation progression is relevant;

• faction enemies drop another resource you need.

You then advance several systems at the same time.

SHD Calibration

SHD Calibration becomes increasingly important for high-level upgrades.

Scavenging Points can provide SHD Calibration directly.

Optimization caches and other endgame reward systems can also supply it.

Do Not Waste SHD Calibration

This resource becomes increasingly valuable as you invest in finished gear.

Avoid spending it on:

• temporary weapons;

• mediocre gear;

• items you are still testing.

Use expensive resources on equipment that has already proven itself.

Expertise Farming

Expertise progression contains two different ideas:

• Proficiency with an item type;

• upgrading individual items after becoming Proficient.

You can increase Proficiency by:

• using compatible equipment;

• earning kill XP while it is equipped;

• donating matching items;

• donating materials.

Farming Gear for Donation

Countdown is particularly useful here.

If you target an item category that still needs Proficiency, the many unwanted copies you receive can be donated.

That means one farming session can provide:

• usable gear;

• Recalibration Library upgrades;

• Proficiency donations;

• deconstruction materials.

Use Equipment Passively

You do not always need to donate everything.

Equipping an item while playing normal activities also develops Proficiency.

This is useful for weapons, Gear Sets, Brands, or skills that you can comfortably incorporate into a functional farming build.

Donate Resources Carefully

Resource donation can accelerate Proficiency, but rare resources may be needed elsewhere.

Do not empty valuable material reserves simply to raise Expertise faster.

Exotic Components

Exotic Components are important for advanced upgrades and Exotic reconfiguration.

Common sources revolve around duplicate Exotics and reward caches, while newer systems have introduced additional ways to obtain Exotic-related progression.

Do Not Automatically Keep Every Duplicate Exotic

If you already own a stronger copy and do not need another for a second build, the duplicate may be more useful as an Exotic Component.

However, compare rolls first.

A second copy can also be useful if you want to experiment with Exotic Reconfiguration without risking your best version.

Retaliation Materials

Retaliation adds another set of resources to the farming economy.

Faction-specific materials can be used in the system's Exotic crafting progression and can be converted through Broken SHD Watch mechanics for additional flexibility.

This is particularly valuable when the faction you are currently fighting does not directly provide the material you eventually need.

Farm Retaliation Materials While Farming Gear

Do not treat the materials as the only reason to participate.

The activity also provides:

• gear;

• Targeted Loot opportunities;

• XP;

• Control Point rewards;

• Named enemy drops.

This makes it one of the better multi-resource farms currently available.

Prototype Gear Farming

Prototype Gear sits above standard High-End, Named, and Gear Set equipment and is designed for advanced endgame players.

Prototype pieces provide stronger attribute potential and additional Augments.

The previous conventional maximum attribute value becomes the Prototype minimum, with higher potential beyond it.

Escalation Is the Main PvE Prototype Farm

Prototype Gear can drop through Escalation, which is the primary PvE activity associated with Prototype farming.

Higher Escalation tiers provide stronger reward quality, and later updates improved Gear Mod and Skill Mod Targeted Loot within Escalation as well.

Do Not Farm Prototype Gear Too Early

Prototype is not a substitute for having a good build.

Before focusing heavily on it, you should already understand:

• which items belong in your loadout;

• which attributes matter;

• how Recalibration works;

• how Optimization works;

• how Expertise works.

A Prototype version of a bad item is still built on the wrong foundation.

Blackout Dark Zone for Advanced Farming

The newer Blackout Dark Zone provides another path toward high-end rewards.

It is non-normalized PvEvP, so SHD and Expertise progression matter.

Prototype Gear and Weapons can appear as contaminated drops from enemies, with stronger enemies providing better opportunities for stronger Prototype drops.

Why Blackout Farming Is High Risk

You are not simply farming NPCs.

You must also manage:

• hostile Agents;

• Rogue encounters;

• extraction;

• contaminated gear;

• PvP builds;

• losing unextracted loot.

Blackout can produce valuable rewards, but your farming efficiency can collapse if you repeatedly lose extractions.

Use it when you are comfortable with PvP and Dark Zone mechanics.

Toxic Dark Zone for PvE Farming

Players who want Dark Zone-style loot without hostile player combat can use Toxic Dark Zone, the PvE-focused variant.

This provides access to:

• landmarks;

• contaminated loot;

• extraction gameplay;

• Dark Zone reward pools;

without Rogue PvP combat.

It can be a good alternative for players who want specialized Dark Zone rewards without building specifically for PvP.

Dark Zone Landmarks for Materials

Dark Zone landmarks are established sources of Optimization-related resources in addition to their normal loot opportunities.

This makes landmark clearing valuable when you need:

• gear;

• specialized materials;

• Dark Zone currency or rewards;

• contaminated equipment.

Always remember that contaminated gear must be successfully extracted before it becomes usable.

Gear Mod Farming

Gear mods can be more frustrating to perfect than normal equipment because there is no Recalibration solution for a poor mod roll.

If you need a specific high-value mod:

• select Gear Mod Targeted Loot where possible;

• use high-volume activities;

• consider higher-difficulty farming when your build handles it efficiently;

• inspect high rolls carefully.

Escalation also supports Gear Mod Targeted Loot, with higher tiers receiving stronger roll-quality chances.

Do Not Delete Strong Mods Because They Are Not Currently Equipped

High-end mods take little conceptual build investment but can be difficult to replace.

Keep unusually strong examples of:

• Critical Hit Damage;

• protection-related mods;

• Skill Haste;

• Repair Skills;

• other specialized statistics.

They may become valuable when you create another loadout.

Printer Filament Farming

Printer Filament is used across several progression systems and can be obtained through Scavenging.

Deconstructing unwanted mods has also traditionally been an important source of Printer Filament.

If your mod storage is full of weak duplicates, converting them into resources is often more valuable than keeping them.

Credits

Credits are easy to overlook because materials usually become the greater endgame bottleneck.

You can gain credits through:

• normal activities;

• selling unwanted equipment;

• SHD Scavenging.

Scavenging Points currently provide E-Credits as one of their possible conversions.

Sell or Deconstruct?

Early in endgame, you may need both.

Sell gear when credits are limiting you.

Deconstruct when crafting materials are limiting you.

Once your credit reserve becomes comfortable, deconstruction usually creates greater long-term value.

Increase Difficulty Only When It Improves Farming

Higher difficulty improves the opportunities for stronger rolls and increases several resource yields.

But farming difficulty should always be measured against clear speed.

Example

If you complete Challenging encounters extremely quickly but Heroic takes twice as long, Heroic is not automatically the better farm.

The extra quality has to justify:

• slower kills;

• more deaths;

• more defensive play;

• longer encounters.

The best farm is the highest difficulty you can clear efficiently and consistently.

Build a Dedicated Farming Loadout

A farming build does not always need maximum boss DPS.

It should emphasize:

• fast kills;

• mobility;

• reliable survivability;

• low downtime;

• simple mechanics.

Strong options can include:

• Striker for sustained weapon damage;

• Hunter's Fury for close-range open-world clearing;

• Heartbreaker for damage plus Bonus Armor;

• Turret and Drone for safer solo farming.

The ideal build depends on the activity.

Open World

Mobility and quick kills matter.

Countdown

Reliable weapon damage and group compatibility matter.

Summit

A self-sufficient build becomes more useful.

Blackout

PvP survivability matters as much as NPC clear speed.

Do not force one farming setup into every activity.

Farm Several Resources at Once

The most efficient farming usually advances more than one goal.

For example, running a Retaliation can simultaneously provide:

• Targeted Loot;

• SHD XP;

• faction materials;

• Control Point resources;

• Exotic blueprint chances;

• ordinary gear;

• deconstruction materials;

• Expertise donations.

Similarly, Countdown can provide:

• build pieces;

• Recalibration Library upgrades;

• Expertise items;

• crafting materials from junk;

• activity currency.

Whenever possible, choose activities where even bad RNG still produces useful account progression.

Inventory Management Is Part of Farming

Inventory time can consume a surprising amount of your total farming session.

Start With Space

Do not begin Countdown or Retaliation with only a few free inventory slots.

Favorite Important Gear

Protect finished build pieces from accidental donation or deconstruction.

Mark Junk Immediately

If an item clearly has no value, mark it while inspecting the drop.

Check the Library Before Destroying Gear

A useless item may still contain:

• a maximum attribute;

• an improved stat;

• a missing talent.

Extract useful Library values before converting everything else into resources.

Decide What Junk Is For

Unwanted equipment has several possible destinations:

• Recalibration Library;

• Expertise donation;

• deconstruction;

• selling.

Do not automatically choose one for every item.

Common Farming Mistakes

Farming Without Targeted Loot

If a Targeted Loot option exists for the item you need, use it.

Random farming adds unnecessary RNG.

Running Only Countdown

Countdown is excellent, but it is not best for everything.

Retaliation, Escalation, Control Points, Summit, Incursions, raids, and Dark Zones provide rewards Countdown cannot replace.

Running Only The Summit

The Summit offers excellent control but usually falls behind current high-volume activities when the only goal is generating large numbers of drops.

Optimizing Gear You Should Replace

Optimization materials are valuable.

Continue farming when the item's underlying attributes are poor.

Chasing Perfect Rolls Too Early

A functioning build with average rolls is more useful than two perfect pieces and four random ones.

Complete the build first.

Hoarding Everything

If you cannot explain why an item is useful, it probably should become:

• Library progress;

• Expertise progress;

• materials;

• credits.

Ignoring Retaliation

Retaliation is now a permanent part of the endgame and combines conventional gear farming with Exotic blueprint and faction-material progression.

Farming Prototype Gear With an Unfinished Build

Prototype farming is advanced progression.

Use normal Targeted Loot to create the correct build before chasing the highest item tier.

Using the Hardest Difficulty Regardless of Speed

A farming run that constantly fails is not efficient.

Clear speed and consistency matter.

Best Farming Method by Goal

For Building a Gear Set Quickly

Use Countdown with the desired Gear Set as Targeted Loot.

For High-End Brand Pieces

Use Countdown or Retaliation, depending on whether you value sheer gear volume or combined open-world progression.

For Relaxed Solo Target Farming

Use The Summit.

For Open-World Gear and XP

Farm dense open-world activities and Control Points in a useful Targeted Loot zone.

For Exotic Blueprint Farming

Use the relevant Retaliation faction when the desired blueprint belongs to its pool.

For Standard Crafting Materials

Farm gear and deconstruct unwanted items, then supplement with SHD Scavenging.

For Optimization Materials

Mix:

• Control Points;

• faction enemy farming;

• Summit;

• material crafting;

• SHD Scavenging.

For Expertise

Farm large quantities of relevant equipment, donate duplicates, equip unfinished Proficiency items when practical, and use materials selectively.

For Prototype Gear

Farm Escalation once your normal endgame build is developed.

For Prototype Gear With PvP Risk

Use Blackout Dark Zone when you are comfortable defending and extracting contaminated loot.

FAQ

What is the best way to farm gear in The Division 2?

For sheer gear quantity, Countdown remains one of the strongest choices, especially when combined with Targeted Loot. Retaliation is another excellent modern option when you also want open-world resources and Exotic progression.

What is the best way to farm a Gear Set?

Select the Gear Set as Targeted Loot and use a high-volume activity such as Countdown. The Summit is a slower but more controlled alternative.

Is Countdown still good for farming?

Yes. Current 2026 community discussions still strongly favor Countdown for assembling builds because of its high drop volume.

Is Retaliation good for farming?

Yes. Retaliation combines open-world gear, Control Point rewards, faction materials, Exotic blueprint opportunities, and XP.

Is The Summit still worth farming?

Yes, especially for solo players and controlled Targeted Loot. It is generally less efficient than Countdown for raw gear volume but offers a more relaxed farming environment.

What is the fastest way to get crafting materials?

Deconstruct unwanted gear and weapons, then use SHD Scavenging to supplement whichever material you are missing.

How do I farm Steel, Ceramics, and Polycarbonate?

These materials can be obtained from normal gameplay and deconstruction, and SHD Scavenging allows direct resource conversion into Steel, Ceramics, and Polycarbonate.

How do I farm Electronics, Carbon Fiber, and Titanium?

They can be collected through normal gameplay and resource systems, while SHD Scavenging also provides direct access to all three.

How do I farm Field Recon Data?

Control Points, Dark Zone landmarks, and SHD Scavenging are established sources associated with this progression resource.

How do I farm SHD Calibration?

SHD Scavenging can provide SHD Calibration directly, while various endgame reward caches also contribute toward Optimization resources.

What is the best way to level Expertise?

Use unfinished Proficiency equipment during normal gameplay, donate duplicate items, or donate resources. Expertise and Proficiency progression are account-wide.

Where does Prototype Gear come from?

Escalation is the primary PvE source of Prototype Gear. Eligible existing equipment can also be upgraded into Prototype items under the system's requirements.

Can Prototype Gear drop in the Dark Zone?

Prototype equipment can be obtained through current advanced Dark Zone systems, including contaminated Prototype drops in Blackout.

Should I farm Heroic or Challenging?

Farm the highest difficulty you can clear efficiently. Heroic may provide stronger opportunities, but a significantly faster Challenging farm can produce more total useful loot over time.

Should I optimize gear or keep farming?

Keep farming if the item has the wrong structure. Optimize when the item already has the correct Brand, attributes, talent, and long-term purpose.

Final Thoughts

The best farming strategy in The Division 2 is not one activity.

It is knowing which activity solves your current problem.

Use Countdown when you need large quantities of Gear Sets, Brands, weapons, and donation items.

Use Retaliation when you want gear, open-world progression, faction materials, and Exotic blueprint opportunities together.

Use The Summit when you prefer controlled Targeted Loot and a slower solo-friendly environment.

Use Control Points and open-world activities when you need a mixture of XP, blueprints, Targeted Loot, and resources.

Deconstruct unwanted equipment for crafting materials, use your Recalibration Library before destroying valuable rolls, and convert SHD Scavenging Points into whatever resource is currently holding your build back.

Once your normal equipment is already strong, move toward Escalation and Prototype Gear rather than rushing there with an unfinished loadout.

Most importantly, make every farming run serve several purposes.

Even when the perfect item does not drop, you should still leave with more materials, Library progress, Expertise progress, resources, or SHD power than you started with.

That is what turns random grinding into efficient endgame progression.