The Division - PvE Marksman Build by aGreatGambino

Hello fellow agents! I've put in a large amount of time to the game like most of us, seeing as we will need to gear up for the incoming incursions and other content. I wanted to begin sharing the build I have been theorycrafting for PvE during my time with the game and experience with the Challenge difficulty. The damage output is absolutely an asset to any squad play. I'm working on it's viability to solo challenge modes though I will have to fully gear high-end before working on it. This build rewards quality gunplay coupled with proper positioning and cooldown management. You will be on the back line of your squad outputting as much damage as you can. I'll go over skills selection, weapon choice, talents, gear stat priority, and basic gameplay style. Apologies if it's long winded and descriptive, it's the min/max in me. Let me know what you think of the build and your personal tweaks to it!

Skills

• Pulse: Tactical Scanner Mod: This will amplify the damage and crit chance of your headshots. Couple it with the bonus headshot damage of marksman rifles and you've got a ton of damage potential
• Support Station: Ammo Cache Mod: Marksman rifle ammo is precious, so this alleviates that problem. Also helps with the cooldown reduction of your Pulse since the up-time on that will be key

Note: The Skill Smart Cover-Recharger can also be an alternative for sustained heals and cooldown reduction as well as a boost to damage

• Tactical Link Signature: Such damage, much wow. Combined with pulse and talents we will be detailing, this is capable of incredible things even in the DZ

Talents

• One is None: Headshot a hostile to have a 50% chance of not consuming the bullet. This is essential to this build since you will be trying to put out as much damage as possible without interruption. The more bullets you can output with a magazine the better
• Tech Support: Kill a hostile while any skill is deployed to extend any active skills duration by 10%. If you have both your Pulse and Support Station going whilst killing enemies, you will keep more up-time on the upgraded damage and ammunition
• Tactical Advance: Complete a cover to cover move to increase weapon damage by 2% per meter covered for 10 seconds. Can have great potential to increase your damage further if used constantly. Movement is essential to this build since it will allow you to reposition yourself to avoid abilities, or find sightlines enemies aren't paying attention to
• Evasive Action: During a cover to cover move incoming damage is reduced by 30%. This guarantees less damage taken when performing your damage increasing cover to cover shifts. You can take other talents besides this, such as Steady Hands or Precision, but I prefer the simple damage reduction

Stat Priority
Firearms > Skill Power > Stamina
Take into account this build is for group play, with supports and/or a tank. If you see you are dying too easily, simply recalibrate to adjust accordingly or have separate gear to switch into since recalibration can be expensive. Solo with this build, things should die quicker than they have time to damage you, bosses included.

Rolls to look for on gear: These are the optimal stat rolls you will want to be looking for on each piece of gear.

Mask:

• Firearms/Electronics (Add mod for whichever isn't there)
• Crit Chance, Skill Power, or Health on Kill for more sustainability
• Enemy Armor Damage, or Scavenging if looking for more gear drops
• Pulse Critical Hit damage bonus

Body Armor

• Stamina or Firearms (Mod for one not present)
• Armor, Mod Slot, or Health on Kill or all three if a god roll
• Ammo Capacity
• Pulse duration or Support Station Health

Backpacks

• Firearms or Electronics (Mod for one not present)
• Critical Hit damage, Skill Power, or Skill Haste. Can't go wrong here
• Ammo Capacity
• Pulse Critical Hit damage bonus

Gloves

• Stamina or Firearms (Mod for one not present)
• Marksman Rifle damage
• Critical Hit chance
• Critical Hit damage or Damage to Elites
• Support Station duration or Pulse Critical Hit damage

Holster If you can find one with all three stats do it

• Skill Haste or Gear mod
• Pulse Critical Hit damage

Kneepads

• Firearms or Electronics (mod for what is not present)
• Critical Hit damage
• Enemy armor damage
• Burn resistance
• Scavenging
• Pulse Critical Hit damage
• Damage to Elites or Health

Weapon Talents/Mods Here's a list of talents and mods to look for on your Marksman Rifle of choice
Talents

• Brutal- Headshot damage is increased by 10% when using this weapon
• Coolheaded- Performing a headshot reduces all skill cooldowns by 2%
• Meticulous- Killing a target has a 11.50% chance to instantly refill the magazine (My personal favorite)

Mods
Muzzle

• Critical Hit damage
• Reduced threat
• Accuracy and Stability are nice, but not at the cost of the stats above

Optic

• Headshot damage
• Critical Hit chance
• Accuracy

Underbarrel (For non bolt actions)

• Initial Bullet Stability
• Accuracy

Magazine (For non bolt actions)

• Magazine size
• Critical Hit damage
• Critical Hit chance
• Weapon damage %

Secondary
This comes down to personal preference. I myself use an SMG for those who get too close like rushers. IM LOOKING AT YOU LMB YOU PIECES OF...Anyways, pick what you like and optimize it accordingly.

This build is highly rewarding and you can show off really flashy crits and carry squads through Challenge Modes if you can keep up-time on your skills and land headshots in succession!

SOURCE