Hello this is a collection of information, guides, and tidbits to be used as a resource. If you would like to contribute please feel free to. I will be editing this post and the next few to keep adding information. If you want information that is not presented please ask.
UPDATES
4/10/2013
- added Gold Medals to Videos
- added Mission List to Videos
- added Data recorder Locations to Videos
- added Answers: Section.
- added Weapon Skill to Videos
- added How not to lose things to Tidbits.
- added Level 5000 explained section.
- added Quickest way to get Keycodes.
4/11/13
- added Secret Data Recorder to Easter eggs
- added Senergy list
- added Vehicle list link
4/20/13
- Episode 1 and 2 Pursuit Data Recorders, Lights, and Pilgrim locations.
- Removed Quickest way to get Keycodes (no longer works)
- Added To Tidbits
Tidbits
- Keys have been removed from emergencies
- There are no "levels" per se, but there is EGO rating, and that has a 5000 EGO rating cap.
- Melee attacks do not give Weapon EXP.
- If you cannot find your pre-order items check Claim Items in the Defiance Store on the wheel menu.
Found this tip from hereUpdated time trial you can hit it anywhere does not have to be dead on.Time Trials
As you are driving the course on the timed race events your path is marked by a series of arches that go from red to white (sorry can't find a picture!). Some of the arches have smaller circles in the center of them. If you hit these smaller circles, Going through these arches will instantly refill your boost fuel to the top. So, if there are several of these arches strung together, you can mash boost and keep refilling as you go. Hope this helps!
This Info came from here
This info came from hereA Beginners FAQ for Defiance.
Greetings fellow Ark Hunters! So I've been playing since just after launch, and I've decided to cobble together a condensed list of FAQ's to help new players out. Most, if not all of this information (and then some) can be found on the wiki, so be sure to check it out! Play the tutorial before reading, this is extra information that they fail to mention. I'm playing on the 360, so some information may be a little different. This post if far from comprehensive but it's all I can come up with right now, feel free to suggest additions, and I'll edit the post to include them. Also, up vote for visibility please!
Q: Does the race/background I pick matter?
A: Very minimally. As far as I know, it only changes your starting costume and weapon. You will find more weapons almost immediately.
Q: What are bits?
A: Bits are the in game cash shop currency. They are basically equivalent to Microsoft Points. Most of the cash shop items are cosmetic only, and really have no effect on the game. Lockboxes are the exception as they contain random weapons and mods. I also highly recommend shelling out some money to increase your inventory slots, they fill up quick.
Q: So, I should buy a bunch of tier 1 lock boxes because they're cheap, right?
A: If you're just starting out, maybe one or two, but generally no. The developers have told us that Tier 4 boxes have much better high level and rarity weaponry. (At the time of writing, Oranges seem to be dropping more frequently from level 3 boxes, however.)
Q: Weapon rarity?
A: The names of weapons are in various different colors. The order, in increasing rarity, is as follows: White, Green, Blue, Purple, Orange.
Q: Ok, so I have some rare-ish guns now. I should do pvp to show of my skillzors, yeah?
A: Absolutely not. I don't recommend entering pvp until your Ego level is at least 200.
Q: What is the difference between minor and major Ark Falls?
A: The biggest difference is the difficulty involved. In a major ark fall, several smaller battles must be completed before the "final boss" of the AF. The difficulty of the enemies you encounter ramps up for each player in the area, and big AF's tend to attract 100+ players. The rewards are slightly better for a major AF but in the beginning, it's best to stick to the minor ones. I recommend waiting until you have at least 100 ego before entering your first major fall. Any less and you'll probably just be in the way.
Q: How do self revives work?
A: There is a small icon on your hud of a man in a grey box. This is your self revive timer, when it is full, you can self revive again. Some weapons have effects which help restore this timer.
Q: So I'm fighting some hell bugs and then OHGODIMONFIREITBURNSAHHHHHH!
A: Not quite a question there, rookie. But you'll want to roll that off. This also helps break those mud cocoon things the archers/pods fire at you.
Other things:
- Vendors are your friend! Always check back to see what the new deals and sales are. I've gotten some of my best middle tier gear that way.
- When participating in Ark Falls, try to know where the closest ammo box is. It may be up the road, but the vehicles are fast. You will almost always run out of ammo at least once during an Ark Fall, so don't be that guy who tries to melee the crystal.
- Gear that drops is different for every player, and no one can pick up what you see, so don't risk going down for a crappy grenade mod. It will be there when the skitters are gone.
- Boost is A on the Xbox, Shift on the PC and X on the PS3.
- Now get out there and make some scrip!
- Edit: Here is some added information provided by your fellow Ark Hunters!
- "You can unlock all four of the powers but can only equip one at a time. This also gives you access to perks that you wouldn't normally have access to. (Assuming you steer clear of "Increases your (Individual power such as cloak) by X amount perks.) For example you can pick Increase item drop by 3% if enemy is killed by an explosive, as long as you unlock the top right power, then unlock the perk. And despite not having that power in use, you can still use the perk if you have it equipped." - TimeLordPony
- "There are Co-op missions that are instanced like other MMOs. You have to go through a queue to get to them. Command for the 360, off the top of my head: Dpad Left: Quick Menu Matchmaking Coop Mission It should list all the available Coop missions that you have as well as Quick Join. If you don't see any there, do some missions and level up, Coop Missions open up as you progress." - Desdomen
- (On items not appearing if inventory is full) "If you go to the store tab, all items that wont fit in the backpack go down to the bottom in a claim items section... you can get them there. I learned this from defeating instances and Items disappearing only to end up there!" - Alexiib
X360 Known Issues, Resolutions.
1. "Critical: The Defiance Service is unavailable."
1A. As the error states, the server is offline, probably in maintenance.
2. "Critical: Your connection to the Defiance service timed out."
2A. As above, the server can't respond to your request because of a high volume of traffic. Wait a while and try again.
3. "I'm pressing up on the D-pad to spawn my vehicle, but it isn't showing up."
3A. This is generally caused by lag - high traffic, or a poor connection - Patience is key, as the game is still ever so young.
4. "I'm holding X on this objective but it's not doing anything."
4A. Again, this is caused by high server traffic or a poor connection.
5. "My ATV just changed color, why?"
5A. This seems to be a bug. ATVs will swap to the color of the most recently spawned one.
Common Questions, Solutions.
1. "How do I delete items?"
1A. In your inventory, make sure it isn't equipped on any of your load-outs, and press "Y".
2. "How do I sell items?"
2A. Like above, at a vendor make sure the item in question isn't equipped and press A to sell it.
3. "How do I salvage items?"
3A. See 2A.
4. "I can't see my friends when I join a group. Why?"
4A. Press right on the D-pad, and find your friend's name in "Group". Then select "Go to friend". This will not work if they are in a solo instance.
5. "My friend sent me an invite, but I didn't receive it."
5A. This is most likely due to a desync somewhere. Try relogging into the game.
6. "I can't trade an item. Why?"
6A. Unequip it from all of your loadouts and try again.
7. "I can't add mod slots to a weapon. Why?"
7A. See 6A.
8. "How do I cue up for shadow wars/Co-op/Competitive?"
8A. One of two ways. Press > on D-pad, and go to matchmaking. Alternatively, press start and hold LT, then select "Matchmaking". Go from there.
9. "Is loot individual or shared?"
9A. Loot is individual. You will see your own drops, and others will see theirs. Don't feel bad about picking up that orange!
10. "I can't find any more main missions. Why?"
10A. Assuming you haven't finished the game, this happens now and then after a story quest. Drive around and do pursuits or side quests for a while, and you'll be contacted by radio, and given coordinates for your next quest start.
11. "How do I leave a group/clan?"
11A. Press Right on the D-pad, select group or clan, whichever corresponds to your situation, and continue pressing right until you see the "Leave" option.
12. "I did a mission/Arkfall but didn't get any loot."
12A. Open your menu and go to the Defiance in-game store. Your item will appear in the "Claim item" tab.
13. "Where do I get orange rarity items?"
13A. As in any other RPG, drops are a random chance. The best bet is to go for lockboxes - Tier 2 seems to be the cheapest, for what you get. Good luck, be patient.
14. "What's the rarity color code?"
14A. White - Common. Green - Uncommon. Blue - Rare. Purple - Ultra Rare. Orange - Legendary.
15. "How do I remove a mod from a gun?"
15A. Much in the same way that you applied the mod via the Matrix. Note that if you remove a mod, the mod will be destroyed.
16. "Is there item storage?"
16A. No, there is no player storage (Banks, etc.) in Defiance as of yet.
17. "I can't see my stats on the Defiance website's player Hub."
17A. As of yet, the player hub stat tracker isn't working.
18. "How do I open the trade window?"
18A. Press Right on the D-pad while near someone you want to trade with, and select "Trade invite".
This info came from here
TIPS FOR NEW PLAYERS GETTING STARTED
1. DO ALL THE 120 TRAINING CODES - Go to the defiance website and go to- My profile then click "My EGO" and enter all 120 codes. These will give you a lot of bonuses worth starting out with and will make the begining a lot easier for you here is a link with all the codes-https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0ArsAFVgquNyVdGhXdTF0VVZLOEJYTVBSbWtzYTRmb nc#gid=0
2. THE FIRST 4 EGO POWERS INFORMATION -
The first EGO power is Decoy and this will send out a mirror image of you. You can also swap places with the mirror image once per use. This EGO power will attract the enemy and allow you to take some free shots.
Decoy is useful for getting aggro off yourself but can be very handy in a team as well because you can get aggro off of your party members as well. You can also use it to warp by swapping place with the Decoy if you want to get out of a tight spot.
Decoy will help you if you are not too good at the shooter aspect of the game as it will take the attention away from you and you can practice your shooting skills.
Good for beginners to the game.
Next up we are going to look at Cloak. If you want to play as a Sniper than the Cloak EGO power will be the one for you. It will surround you in a cloak so you are near invisible and you will also get increased damage while cloaked with the perks that you can add on to this.
It is quite a defensive skill but if you add the perks that trigger effects on critical hits you can make this in to quite an offensive ability as well.
If you are going for a Sniper playstyle grab Cloak.
Next up we have Blur and this is if you want to close distances fast. Maybe you prefer melee attacks or maybe you prefer blasting with the shotgun up close. Either way if you like close range work this EGO power is for you.
The perks that you get for this EGO power seem to center around increasing speed and melee damage.
If you are going for a Shotgun build then pick up Blur as that should help you a lot.
The final EGO power is Overcharge and this will increase your damage as well as reload your weapon. If you are going for pure damage then this is the power for you. You can use this EGO power with weapons that have a high reload rate like SMG’s or LMG’s as you will reload as soon as active. You can also get a perk with this power that will reload your secondary weapon which is very handy to know that is always ready to use.
Awesome for power and really overpowered early in the game. The only downside is defence as there is none!
Still if you are going for damage this is the EGO power for you.
You can always respect of course but try and pick your EGO powers to the way you want to play and remember to look at the perks next to them.
3.GREEN GEAR - A good reason to stick to the main story missions is that you will get green gear faster. It is not perfect by any means but greens are a lot better than standard issue. Within 30 minutes you can have a green pistol, green shotgun, shield and grenade. Also make sure you actually replace your gear in your loadout screen.
4.DECOY RECOMMENDED FOR NEW PLAYERS - When you start out you will want to pick the best EGO powers and I suggest if you are new to go for Decoy. You can read about the EGO powers and perks but the main thing to remember is to pick one to match your playstyle.
Following the tips above you should be able to make much faster progress through the game.
GAINING EGO FAST & GETTING SCRIPTS
1. MAIN MISSIONS & SIDE MISSIONS- Doing the main missions is a very decent way to gain EGO and get scripts. My friends and I are racing to see who can get EGO the fastest and who can get the most script and so far doing Main missions & side missions seem to be the fastest at the moment also we are gaining a decent amount of drops and scripts. It is a mmo so we all know there will be more updates and releases on ways to train more efficiently, this is just the best method that i know of at the moment.
2. SCOUT MISSIONS & PURSUITS - Also, a great way to boost your EGO level (not leveling up, but the EGO level itself) is by doing the pursuits. For example, if you do the 'scout' missions in the first area (visits all the locations, doing the time trials and rampages, finding the recorders) you get about 25 EGO from the missions apart (5x5) and another 40 EGO for completing them all. Plus you get a new outfit and headgear.
COMBAT TIPS AND STRATEGYS
1. DAMAGE AND WEAK SPOTS - Normal shots is just weapon damage x1.00 (100%), critical hits depend on your weapon (some weapons have x1.30 (130%), other have x1.50 (150%) or 1.80x (180%) and some enemies have armored spots. I think (don't know for sure) you deal 50% of your normal damage if you hit a Hellbug on his shell and it crits when you hit the weak spot. They dont really have normal spots... The sound also changes when hitting a vital area. When hitting the head on a human or vital area of a hellbug the pitch of the sound goes up and is slightly different. That way you can tell if you are striking a vital area with out having to have the damage numbers on.
2. GRENADES & DODGING - use your grenades as much as you possibly can and constantly roll when under attack to avoid damage, always try to find cover behind a bunker and let your health restore before going back out in combat.
3. GOOD WEAPON SET UP - I find that having a shotgun for my secondary weapon helps a lot when ever i have to take cover or go into close quarter combat. for example, when using my primary weapon out in the open and i start taking damage i will roll and take cover to a bunker or hide behind any object i can find and quickly take out my shotgun and lay low because your opponents will come after you regardless and this way you can blow them away quickly and will get max hits when using the shotgun in close quarters and potentially save your life, it has saved me many times.
4. WHEN SHOOTING THE ARKFALL CRYSTALS - hit crystal deal little damage. Hit yellow spot on bubble deal moderate damage hit orange area around yellow do massive damage and both bubble shots get numbers in yellow like a crit.
MONSTER WEAKNESSES AND TIPS
1. HELLBUGS - Hellbugs the Orange spots on their body are usually where the crit spots are I.E. the mouth as well as the tail and the underbelly of certain ones.
2. MUTANTS - ALways aim for the head on mutants and human form monsters for critical damage.
WEAPON MODS
1. WHEN MODDING - basic guide:
DO NOT MOD the gun in your hand you have to UNEQUIP it first
DO NOT MOD when your about to lose connection, go into a load screen mp/ fast travel, server updates, defiantly NOT during the 10 minute countdown for the add mod slot
you need lots of green currency (scrap the grenades and the shields usually) and a weapon that is mod-able,
now you can mod most weapons.
when your in your inventory look at the gun description do you see 4 boxes? if yes you can mod it.
now the top box is for the stock
2nd box if for barrel
3rd box is for ammo/magizine size
4th box is scope
if you see pictures you can install the mod right away
if it a box with a dash in it, you have to "add mod slots" and it random (fun) it take like 10 minutes, and cost green currency, and more expensive if you do all 4 slots depending on the gun its 2,100 to 6,400 green currency
if the gun you find/buy has something in there you cannot break it down and get the mod, just what you install.
you want the mod back you have to destroy the gun
TO BUY MODS travel to Iron Demon Ranch. there a couple more spots too
YOU CAN NOT MOD SHIELDS/GRENADES, maybe they will update
im not responsible if the game eats your gun
PERKS
1. UNLOCKING PERK SLOTS-you unlock perk slots at 20, 50, 100, 250, 500, 1000, 2000, 3000 & 4000 ego rating
SALVAGING TIPS
1. SALVAGING TIPS - It is a pretty easy process and there are a few things that are worth bearing in mind.
Not all items can be salvaged at the beginning of the game so don’t worry if you do not see the option on all items. All you need to do to get started is go to the load out screen and then go to Modifications at the top of that screen.
Select the item you want to salvage and then Click on “Breakdown to resources” – this will give you the Ark resources you need to add modification slots to weapons.
Mod slots come in four different types and these are Barrel, Magazine, Sight and Stock.
Mods are also restricted on what weapon they can be used on. So if you end up with a mod for a sniper rifle and you know that you are not a sniper or will never use it – it is a good idea to break it down to resources.
Another thing worth bearing in mind is that not all weapons can have mods so you might want to change your weapons to ones that can have mods and make some basic weapons more powerful.
When you hover over a mod you will get a tool-tip that will tell you a bit about it and then you can choose whether you want to hold on to it or break it down to resources.
Another option for mods that you will not use is of course to sell them – either way free up those inventory slots from mods that you won’t use and start making some awesome modes for weapons that you will!
WEAPONS AND DAMAGE TYPES
1. WEAPONS These are the follow types of weapons listed that we know of:
Assault Rifles
Bio-Magnetic Guns
Bolt-Action Sniper Rifles
Charged Sniper Rifles
Combat Shotguns
Detonators (Grenade Launchers)
Grenades
Infectors
Light Machine Guns
Pistols
Pump Shotguns
Rocket Launchers (Guided)
Sawed-Off Shotguns
Semi-Auto Sniper Rifles
Sub Machine Guns
Different type's of ammo/variations will depend on the quest rewards or random drops.
(You can view some of the weapons and detailed descriptions here - Weapon Descriptions)
*Additionally to the character leveling system there will be a weapon type leveling system as well. The more you use a certain type of weapon eventually you will level and it will raise the stats for that weapon type.
2. DAMAGE TYPES - There are a number of damage types to include:
Electrical – Stuns targeted enemy and nearby enemies for a short period. The burst of electrical activity will short out the Heads Up Display provided by the ego for this duration.
Incendiary – Lights targeted enemy aflame, harming him for a short period of time.
Biological – Attaches biological compounds to a target, slowing them down and causing them to do less damage for a short period of time.
Radiation – Irradiates the target, weakening their armor and causing them to take more damage from attacks for a short period of time.
Syphon – Steals health from the target http://forums.defiance.com/clear.gifand transfers it back to the shooter.
***There will be 5 additional load outs, which you will be able to swap out on the fly after you unlock them.
FACTIONS
1. TYPE OF FACTIONS - There will be many different factions throughout the game. These are the following factions that we currently know of (more TBD):
Top-Notch Toolworks
Soleptor Enterprises
Von Bach Industries
Echelon
Paradise Territory
2. FACTION REPUTATIONS - Each faction will have their own reputation system, like WoW, the more reputation the better unlocks/rewards you can get from them.
Hostile factions include:
Dark Matter
Hellbugs (scientific name Scylla Formicida)
Earth Military Coalition or Mutants
Ninety-Niners
Raiders
Scrappers
Volge
This is from here
This info came from hereFactions in Defiance and how they work.
There seems to be 5 ''factions'' right now in the game.
1 which is PVP related ''Echelon''
1 which is related to the coop Maps you complete ''Paradise Territory''
The 3 left are ''world'' factions ''Von Bach Industries'', ''Soleptors Entreprises'' and ''Top-Notch Toolworks''.
That's cool but how do I earn Reputation with said factions?
Well, the way the reputation system currently works (as per my understanding) is that you have to complete certain objectives listed as ''contracts''. There are two types of contracts for most factions:
One that is quickly do-able and changes every 24 hours. Example: get x number of y from z mobs at w location, every mob you will kill at said location will give you one of the X and you usualy need 20. Even kills done by other players near you (even out of a group) will land you an objective so they usually complete very fast. Theses contracts, while easy to complete, seem to only provide 10ish rep points for said faction (number to verify)
The other type of contract is a bit harder to complete, usually involves Killing a CERTAIN type of enemy (more often than not hard ones like bulwarks for dark matter) in a secluded location ( San Fransisco island for example). The trick here is not only finding the mobs, but also on the right patch of land and you need A LOT MORE (75ish). This type of contract seems to stay available for a few days (between 3-7) and land a lot more Rep points (I haven't fully done one because they changed mid week after launch so I'll need to add a number later)
That's awesome! but I cannot find for the life of me the Contract list that you speak of! where is it?
The contract list can be found next to the ''pursuits'' list. Default key to access the Pursuit list is ''J'' on PC. Once you are there click on the ''contracts'' list right next to it. If you cannot see them yet, IT MIGHT BE BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT EGO 250 YET. Contracts require you to be ego 250 before you can start doing them.
So now that I got Reputation with factions what do I do with it? and does it stop when the line completes?
You use said Rep to buy certain items at the faction's ''HQ'' they all have their own vendors on special spots on the map. The way it works is you will see the script cost of a weapon and next to it the emblem of the faction with a number, the number is the minimum rep required to buy said weapon.
No, like in most MMOs the bar, once filled, will change you status with said faction (example for the 1st time it goes from ''unknown to Familiar''). And you can keep on earning rep. What are the benefits of maxing a Reputation? I don't know yet, the game has been out for less than a week and I have school/work give me a break.
But Why would I even want to buy Faction related items?
For a few reasons.
They are adequately priced.
They have great starting stats
But mostly because they give out ''synergy bonuses'' which can be seen before buying them. These bonuses stacks with the mod synergy bonuses (as per my understanding) making your guns truly stand out from normal drops.
Also, some have a starting bonus, for example; +2 mag for a gun before you even ''level it'' or mod it.
Important to note
It seems that once you complete the objectives of a contract, you get your reputation and that's it. You have to wait for the timer to reach 0 (next 24 hours for smaller contracts) to get a new one. So it seems you can only get so much ''reputation farm'' per day. Let's say you complete both contracts for X faction, you have to wait till the next day before you can get a new small contract and to whatever time the ''big'' contract was gonna end at to get a new one of this one as well.
The ''coop faction'' (name: Paradise Territory) only gives you contracts to complete a coop mission, it changes daylie. Just do it :P
The ''PVP faction'' (name: Echelon) only gives contracts that seem to be do-able in shadow wars, I haven't pvped much yet so I cannot elaborate on this faction.
EDIT: apparently when they do server restarts the contracts tend to change and restart so it's either a good thing (if you wanna farm lots of small quick ones) or a bad thing (if you were working on a tough long one)
Alright I hope this was helpful, keep in mind that I will update this in time, correct the mistakes, change the numbers and names to correct ones when I can verify them. Also, be kind english is only my 2nd language
Happy hunting fellow Ark scavengers !
This is from here.About Weapons and leveling them up:
For those that may not know, every weapon gains EXP and ranks up. This is evident by an EXP bar below the Mod slots on every weapon. As the weapon's EXP bar fills, you also gain EXP towards the Weapon Skill.
However, each individual weapon can only rank up once. After you fill the bar, you gain no more EXP for either the weapon or the weapon skill. Because of this, you'll need to constantly switch weapons that you use.
For instance, I'm focusing on LMGs. I buy the Frontier SAW outside Happy Pow Ranch and level it up. Once filled, I sell it and purchase another one. Each weapon gains exp and levels and I gain Weapon Skill levels.
- The amount of Weapon EXP gained is based off the amount of regular EXP gained. Which is, in turn, based on the amount of damage you dealt.
- In group situations (Arkfalls, Coop Missions, PvP), you gain Weapon EXP if you dealt the killing blow
- The Ego rating of a weapon affects the strength of the bonus you gain when you rank a weapon.
- Specific to the BMG, you gain Weapon EXP for healing IF you restored shields or health.
- Needs Testing: Does the damage a party member deal give you Weapon EXP if you are linking to them with a BMG?
- Melee attacks do not give Weapon EXP.
This information came from hereNano Effect Symbols
Toxicity
EFFECT: Increases damage done to the affected target by 20%
Electrical
EFFECT: Stuns target and enemies near target, also shorts out HUD.
Incendiary
EFFECT: Burns the enemy, dealing damage over time. Also, causes NPC's to panic.
Biological
EFFECT: Slows enemies movement and decreases their damage dealt.
Radiation
EFFECT: Makes target vulnerable and increases the damage they take.
Syphon
EFFECT: When the effect is triggered, it will heal the players HP, or shield should the player have max HP. When the effect occurs you will hear a sound and a few seconds later around ~450 damage will be applied to the target and you will be healed.
This info came from hereSo you want to mod your gun? Welcome to modding 101
The modding process is essential to effective weapon use. With mods a decent gun can be good, a good gun can be great, and a great gun makes you an ark hunter to be reckoned with.
That being said, modding a weapon can be a confusing and troublesome process. First you'll need a few things to get started. A weapon, a mod, and at least 100 EGO rating. Access to the Salvage Matrix is unlocked prior to 100 ER, but at 100 ER you should be able to start adding additional mod slots to weapons.
First let's start with where the salvage matrix is: Right here PIC
There is no hotkey to immediately take you to it, so going through the Loadout menu is the quickest, and will also help keep you mindful of what you have equipped, as that can make a difference to your modding experience, but we'll cover that in a minute.
Welcome to the Salvage Matrix! PIC
In it you select a weapon, and depending on the weapon and your EGO rating you have several options. First is to break the weapon down for resources. This gives you an amount of ark salvage depending on the rarity of the item.
In order:
- White - 250
- Green - 500
- Blue - 750
- Purple - 1000
- Orange - 1250
You should be doing this with almost any weapon, grenade, or shield that you don't want. Modding weapons can deplete your ark salvage quickly if you're not careful, and an ark hunter flush with ark salvage can buy keycodes at lockboxes, and potentially get even better guns to work with!
So now you've got a gun, and you want to put a snazzy new mod on it. Awesome! This is what it looks like when you've got a un-modded gun selected, and ready to go.
Looking good! PIC
But you realize that maybe you don't really want to mod that pistol. You're going to scrap it, and get some salvage. What you really want to do is put another mod on that awesome Infector that absolutely destroyed those pesky 99er's. You already put a barrel on it to increase it's damage, but it needs a better scope for accuracy.
Oooooh, check out that DoT! PIC
So you can see what a gun with a mod already attached looks like. See how the icon for barrel is lit up, and has the mod stats next to it?
Well lets load that bad boy into the salvage matrix!
Uh oh PIC
Whoops! That's right, if your weapon is equipped you can't perform any action to it. So make sure you check all your loadouts before you try to mod something.
There we go! Much better PIC
Notice that there are now options to remove or retrieve the mods currently equipped on the weapon. Removing the mods destroys all mods that are attached to the weapon, clearing the slots. Recovering the mods destroys the weapon, but you get the mods back.
I mentioned that cost was a factor previously. To simply attach a mod, there is no cost, however everything after that costs ark salvage and time.
- Remove mod: 285 ark scrap, 2 minutes PIC
- Retrieve mod: 5,690 ark scrap, 2 minutes PIC
- Add mod slot: 11,380 ark scrap, 10 minutes PIC
So yeah, the costs add up, so breakdown those worthless pieces of gear cluttering your inventory all the time!
So that's how you navigate the salvage matrix. But what about the actual mods? There are four mod slots, and four mod types. Stock, barrel, magazine, and scope. They follow the same color scheme for rarity, but also have the additional marker of being named with a roman numeral, I-V to denote their rarity level as well.
There's a breakdown of all the types and their in game names here: http://www.ign.com/wikis/defiance/Modifications
You get mods from side quests, arkfalls, hotshots, and rampages. They are also available from some vendors on sale, but there are a few vendors that deal exclusively in mods, such as Headlands Transport and Cronkhite Station, and the faction vendors of Toolworks, VBI, Soleptor, and Echelon have a random mod from a synergy set for sale.
A synergy set? Yep, there are even more bonuses to be had with some mods and weapons, and this is where it gets really fun.
Synergy sets are a set of bonuses that all have something in common, they can be on weapons and mods, and the more of synergies you have of the set on a weapon, the more bonuses from the set appear.
Let's take a look!
Here's my baby PIC
She's a faction Frontier SAW from Toolworks, and she's got it where it counts. Look at all those stat bonuses in the top box! That's from the synergy set on just the weapon. If I had four mods on there from the Preperation Synergy Set, they'd be even bigger!
It's level is also maxed out, so it has a bonus x1.04 dmg, and a magazine mod that adds x1.4 magazine size. So what do those two rather small stats do overall? Well like any modifier for your gun, they actually can do a lot.
So what? x1.04 dmg, and x1.4 magazine size? Big whoop! But that's the beauty of mods! They stack with everything else you're doing as well. So what about with all the perks I've got normally equipped?
Modded vs Stock PIC
That's an almost 50% jump in damage capability from just a magazine mod! Add in everything else, and suddenly you've got an exceptional weapon!
As you can Prepared deals with ammo regeneration, and increased melee damage on a kill, so Prepared would be good for weapons that need ammo, or for builds looking for increased melee damage, like Blur!
So what are the other synergies, and where are they available? Well right now You can get synergy weapons at vendors. The three main, Toolworks, VBI, and Soleptor all have two types available, and Paradise and Echelon each have one. They're on purple or higher weapons, and it's also possible to find them, very rarely out in the world or through lock boxes. I've only found one that way
So what are the synergies?
Synergy List
This is list of the synergies in Defiance alphabetically by name. If you know of any synergy not on this list, feel free to post your findings
Note: This is not an official thread, and it is not sponsored by any developers, it is just me trying to compile a list so we can make the best possible builds for our Ark Hunters.
Note: I will hold myself responsible for everything added to this OP. I'm not accusing anyone of lying, but I will personally be confirming all additions to this thread in order to keep everything as helpful to the players as possible.
Note: Posting pictures from in game, saves me the time of having to personally find each synergy, and would help greatly
Note: If the Mods can be purchased, I will add the vendor and location to the list. Otherwise assume the Mods come from Synergy Mod Cache sold at any Lockbox Vendor
Thanks in advance for all the help!
Synergy: Assassin CONFIRMED
[1]: +2% Crit Mult
[2]: +4% Crit Mult
[3]: +5% DMG on next shot after critical kill (Expires after 10 sec)
[4]: +10% DMG on next shot after critical kill (Expires after 10 sec)
Synergy: Brutal CONFIRMED
[1] +5% Melee DMG
[2] +10% Melee DMG
[3] +5% Reload on Melee Kill
[4] +10% Reload on Melee Kill
Synergy: Cannoneer CONFIRMED
[1] +3% Fire Rate
[2] +6% Fire Rate
[3] +10% nano-effect chance for 2 sec after full reload
[4] +20% nano-effect chance for 2 sec after full reload
Synergy: EGO Precision CONFIRMED
VBI Mod Cache / Shondu's Consulate (fast travel)
[1] +10% Accuracy
[2] +20% Accuracy
[3] +3% active EGO ability duration on critical kill
[4] +6% active EGO ability duration on critical kill
Synergy: Hard-Boiled CONFIRMED
[2] +2% refresh self-revive on a kill
Synergy: Machinist CONFIRMED
[2] Take 5% less damage while reloading
Synergy: Nano-Executioner CONFIRMED
[2] +5% nano-effect chance on a kill
Synergy: Nano-Mastery CONFIRMED
[2] +5% nano-effect chance on a critical hit
Synergy: Outlaw CONFIRMED
[2] +5% damage from last shot in clip
Synergy: Prepared CONFIRMED
Top-Notch Toolworks Mod Cache / Top-Notch Toolworks (fast travel)
[1] 1% ammo regen/10 sec
[2] 2% ammo regen/10 sec
[3] +5% DMG on next shot after melee kill (expires after 10 sec)
[4] +10% DMG on next shot after melee kill (expires after 10 sec)
Synergy: Quartermaster CONFIRMED
[1] +5% Reload
[2] +10% Reload
[3] +50% Reload on self-revive
[4] +100% Reload on self-revive
Synergy: Rolling Thunder CONFIRMED
[1] +5% Mag
[2] +10% Mag
[3] +10% Hip Accuracy
[4] +20% Hip Accuracy
Synergy: Run-n-Gun CONFIRMED
[1] +5% Movement Accuracy
[2] +10% Movement Accuracy
[3] +10% Accuracy and -10% Recoil at low health
[4] +20% Accuracy and -20% Recoil at low health
Synergy: Sawbones CONFIRMED
[2] Fully reload weapons after reviving another player
Synergy: Scavenger CONFIRMED
Soleptor Enterprises Mod Cache / The Crater (fast travel)
[1] +1% item drop chance
[2] +2% item drop chance
[3] +10% nano-effect chance against out-of-combat targets
[4] +20% nano-effect chance against out-of-combat targets
Synergy: Survivalist CONFIRMED
[2] +2% damage to targets with full health and shields
Synergy: Veteran CONFIRMED
[2] +10% rate-of-fire after a full reload
Synergy: Wrecker CONFIRMED
[2] +10% DMG to vehicles
This info came from here
This info came from hereArkFalls and how to properly do them!
First off lets cover What kind of arkfalls there are.
"Minor Arkfalls"
"Red Crystals"
"Blue Crystals"
"Major Arkfalls"
HellBug
Scrappers
Now lets cover minor arkfalls first and then we'll get down and dirty with major arkfalls! :3
ok First of all "Red Crystals" and "Blue Crystals" Look very much alike though their objectives are quite the opposite!
"Red Crystals" objective is to destroy the Crystal while waves of enemies attack you, though not all the enemies are ment to be killed. the "Skitterlings" (Smallest of all hellbugs) bite the crystal and will cause large Glowing yellow bubbles to form on the surface of the crystal which can be shot to do critical damage to the crystal! (though dont mistake the large bubble with infector Growths)
The following is a list of what NOT to kill in the corresponding Minor Arkfalls unless you need amo.
Hellbug arkfalls - Skitterlings (Smallest hellbugs)
Mutant Arkfalls - demolitionists (the ones that carry a barrel and a bomb to the crystal)
Things to JUST Damage.
Scrapper Arkfalls - Mongrels (small dog-like one which after getting damaged will sit next to the crystal and try to repair themselves then you kill them and will send shock pulses into the crystal)
Specific things TO kill.
99ers Arkfalls - somtimes drop a "pulverizer" which is a fist weapon that you use to hit the crystal.
Raider Arkfalls - Rocket launcher raiders will sometimes drop rocket launchers wich you can pick up and use on the crystal.
What not to do in "Red Crystals"
1. DONT KILL THE SKITTERLINGS!!!
2. Dont drive your cars through the area to try to kill enemies, its annoying and kills the skitterlings! This goes for "Major arkfalls" as well! the mass of vehicles and arkfall going may cause lag and you will get in the way!
2. Try not to use rocket launchers or detonators their damage is usually low and they take too long to reload when shooting, they also splash damage the skitterlings and kill them.
"Blue Crystals" Are a lot like "Red Crystals" though instead of you having to destroy the crystals you kill all the enemies that come around. in these arkfalls you can use any weapon and even your car if you want.. though they still get in the way a lot!
Now lets get down into the Fun stuff! "Major ark falls!"
"Major Arkfalls" Are made up of many "Small arkfalls" that have to be beaten before the actual Arkfall appears. when you DO finally get to the Major Arkfall there will be a boss surrounded by "Blue Crystals" though you don't have to pay attention to them. Depending on the "Boss" you'll have to shoot different places. On hell bugs bosses (and normal hell bugs) a part will be glowing Orange or Yellowing color, you shoot these spots to do extra damage on them. on scrapper major arkfalls you'll have to shoot the three yellow dots on each of the giant arms before the "Boss" itself goes out for a "Repair run" to fix each arm, while its repairing them you shoot up at the swirling "S**t Storm" inside it lol.
At these Major arkfalls you can use any weapon you want and even your cars. though some enemies can destroy them just by touching them and also your vehicles could cause lag.
This info came from herehere are some tactics for arkfalls! :3
1. Resuscitate your teammates, and maintain the situational awareness to see them. Every teammate that dies makes the battle take longer, or makes the event that much harder to complete. Players who are down aren't typically there, because they were stupid. They are typically the damage dealers of the group, and to do the best damage possible they have to take risks by getting close. You can't win a lot of these events with sniping alone.
Helping them helps you in the long run. So if someone is wallowing at your feet. Do the right thing and get them up off the ground. also don't use your self revives unless no one picks you back up, save them for when you need them.
2. Balance your load out. Rocket launchers, infection weaponry, and magnetic guns aren't terribly effective in the larger events. The first two run out pretty fast, and the last doesn't do too terribly much damage. A couple of players running around healing is usually more then enough. A dozen of them is just silly. Have a shotgun, machine gun, carbine, or even a pistol on hand. So you can do consistent damage throughout the entire event. Especially for the large scrapper events. You want to do the most damage possible when the big bot in the middle is most vulnerable.
3. Figure out how to best serve the team, and you know what that isn't always about converging on the most dangerous enemy in the area. It isn't usually the big guy that takes most players out. It is one of the smaller guys that is performing support. Just taking out the Archers at Hell bug events greatly improves the overall effectiveness of the team. They slow other players down, and make them easier to hit, and keeps them out of effective range to attack. The same is true for the mid level scrappers. It is relatively easy to avoid the attacks from the Scorpion. Mob control is pretty vital in big events.
4. Get some grenades with decent damage over time, and actually use them during the event. Every time they come back throw them. There is no friendly fire. Crippling the mid range guys makes it more likely that if one of your teammates gets in a bind with one. They will have a better chance of getting out of it, because you did some of the work for them.
This info came from here.List of Contracts Discovered so far:
Von Bach Industries Contracts:
- Scavenger Hunt: Collect 20 Weapon parts from Raiders on docks.
- Artificial Intelligence: Collect 50 control chips from Bulwarks in San Francisco.
- Aegis Gambit: Collect 10 shield implants from goldrushers.
- The Long Bomb: Collect 10 hulker bombs.
Soleptor Enterprises Contracts:
- Atlas Attrition: Collect 20 navigation logs from mutants at the radio towers.
- Spike in the Vein: Collect 100 mineral samples from 99ers in mines.
- Pelts for Poseurs: Collect 40 hides from skitterlings aroind Marin.
- Student of History: Collect 35 battle plans from Dark Matter Monitors.
Top-Notch Toolworks Contracts:
- Down to the Wire: Collect 20 wiring fragments from mutants in northern Mount Tam.
- Always On: Collect 75 data cores from Bulwarks in San Francisco.
- Metal Gear Wrecks: Collect 20 gears from omnivolts in San Francisco.
Paradise Territory Contracts:
- The Motherlode: Complete "The Motherlode" co-op map.
- Soleptor Excavation: Complete "Soleptor Excavation" co-op map.
Echelon Contracts:
Reap What You Sow: Record 5 avenger kills in Deathmatch.
Slayer of the Flock: Kill 50 players in Deathmatch.
King of the Mountain: Record 5 attack kills in Capture and Hold.
Seize the Day: Complete 10 Capture and Hold matches.
A Contract Resource Site
Level 5000 explained
We as players get Xp for a lot of things: Kills, Quests, Weapons and Pursuits(a combo of the rest)
And with that Xp we will be EGO levels and EGO points for unlocking perks and powers
But here's the math:
So to start lets look just at the bonus EGO levels you get just for finishing all the pursuits
Pursuits:
Mount Tam – 65
Madera – 65
Marin – 70
Sausalito – 65
San Francisco – 65
Co-op Maps – 105
Arkfalls – 60
Enemy Groups – 30
Competitive Multiplayer – 180
EGO Evolution – 95
Combat – 180
Vehicles – 100
Reputation – 80
Social – 40
Total = 1200
Next come weapons...
Weapons:
13 weapon types
19 level-ups each (1-20)
4 EGO per levelup
= 76 ego per guntype X 13 weapon types
Total = 988
Finally we have the perks and powers section
Perks/Powers:
80 total perks that require 3 points to max (or 10 in game levels) = 2400
IE: You jump 10 in game levels for ever experience bar fill and receive 1 ego point for that
4 Powers requiring 5 points each to max =200
Total = 2600
Totals
Pursuits = 1200
Weapons = 988
Perks/Powers = 2600
Total = 4788
... And that leaves you with a little bit of fun and grinding left before hitting max level.
Thanks to Arkfalls where I snagged most of this info from but they included vehicles which DO NOT give you any XP upon leveling. Either way, seeing this made me feel justified in being a completionist and wanting to do all the pursuits now. lol
So, THAT seems to be why the level cap is 5000.
Enjoy, my friends
I am really interested in best ego layouts for
Rifleman
Explosives
Combat Medic / Support Role
Snipers
Blur
Cloak
Decoy
Overcharge
I saw a post asking about Snipers and they listed two builds.
Build One
Hunter's Stance
You deal more critical damage while crouched
(You have to hit them in the weak spot to get a critical to make this skill work. If you don't you will not get any effect from this skill.)
Hunker Down
You take less damage while crouched
Height Advantage
You deal more damage when higher than the enemy
(You do more damage if you hit the enemy anywhere)
Fortified Stance
You take less damage while standing still.
(This skill I don't know if it help when you are crouched being you are crouched and standing may be when you not crouched but not moving)
by CidxLucy
Build Two
Ambush
Insult to Injury
Predator
Shadowed Strike
Hunter's Stance
Height Advantage
Longshot
Sucker Punch (would be usable if they're walking away from you or you can position yourself to shoot them in the back of the head)
by Arsenic_Touch
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