The Division 2: Skill Tier system explained
The Division 2: Warlords of New York expansion is now live and the skill tree system has undergone some pretty major changes.
Previously in The Division 2, players had to have substantial Skill Power on their equipment if they wanted to focus in on one particular skill tree. In Warlords of New York, the Skill Power system has been removed and replaced with the Skill Tier, which adds three core components from The Division: Firearms, Stamina and Electronics. There will also be more skill orientated gear to collect and some items will have one of these Skill Tiers as an attribute.
The Division 2: Skill Tier system explained
Skill Tier items will also roll with a +1 attribute and each skill has six tiers in total. So, to max out a new build, you'll need six pieces of gear with the new Still Tier core attribute. Skill Tiers and God rolls can also be banked in the Recalibration Library and added to gear later on. Certain talents and Exotic gear can boost skills to Overcharge, which can be a temporary effect caused by the gear you're wearing or triggered by using an Exotic.
Each skill will receive a boost to its stats based on the total Skill Tiers you have from your equipment. You'll be able to see what Perks this provides you with and you can preview this power so you can easily create a new, powerful build. Mods can also be installed without any limitations and the new UI will indicate clearly how powerful your chosen mods are. You'll also be able to see each player's Skill Tier, meaning you can identify the heavies or healers quickly.
There's also a new SHD infinite progression system where you can earn Perk Points at regular intervals which will improve your stats and bonuses, which is handy and God-rolled items are now back in business. It's good to see a more streamlined RPG system returning to The Division 2, which will make progression a lot clearer so you don't waste your time equipping useless gear for your specialisation and build. The level cap has been increased for 30 to 40, so there's still enough for players who feel they've exhausted the endgame activities so far.
You can take a look at The Division 2's new skills here, including the new Firewall specialisation.