The Division 2's Rise Up update is live today, and if you've been waiting for Black Tusk to actually feel threatening again, this looks like the patch you've been holding out for. According to the official Steam patch notes, Black Tusk are launching coordinated operations across the city in direct response to Division activity, and the update brings some of their most dangerous units into the mix.

The season also has a clear focus on players who've been around long enough to find the base game comfortable. New challenge content for veteran agents suggests Ubisoft is trying to give endgame regulars a reason to log back in, which is exactly the right instinct for a live-service game at this stage of its life.

There's a lot in this one, and the notes cover it in full. Full patch notes below.

Black Tusk aren’t holding back this time. They’re moving fast, launching operations across the city in response to Division activity. Agents are left dealing with the fallout, putting out fires wherever they can, and facing some of their most dangerous units yet. 

At the same time, this season brings a number of additions aimed at veteran agents looking for more challenge. 

Settle in, there’s a lot to cover. 

ESCALATION 

Escalation introduces a new way to replay missions, with increasing difficulty and rewards. Designed as an endgame challenge, it’s aimed at agents who have completed the main campaign, reached Level 40, and are looking for something tougher.  

At launch, Escalation focuses on main missions and strongholds, but it’s designed to expand over time to cover more activities across the game. The rotation refreshes weekly on Tuesdays, bringing a new set of five each time. 

HOW IT WORKS 

You can access available Escalation missions from a dedicated menu in the Base of Operations, located near the Countdown vendor. From there, you can fast travel directly to the mission. 

To begin a run, head to the Escalation panel at the mission entrance. There, you can select a Tier, see the Escalation Token cost, preview rewards, and check which Mutators and Modifiers are active. 

Each mission has 10 Tiers, and the higher you go, the tougher things get. You can always attempt the lowest Tier for free, while higher Tiers require Escalation Tokens, with the cost scaling based on the selected Tier.  

Completing a mission rewards additional tokens while failing a run means the tokens spent on that attempt are lost. 

Each Escalation run is a single attempt. There are no checkpoints, and the mission has to be completed in one go. If your group is wiped or the mission timer runs out, the run fails and you’ll need to spend tokens to try again. 

The highest Tiers are meant to challenge even the most optimized builds. 

MUTATORS AND MODIFIERS 

Mutators add an extra layer to Escalation by changing how missions play. They are tied to the selected Tier, with each Tier having its own a consistent set of effects. 

This is the current set of Mutators: 

• Harvester - When dealing damage, this enemy regenerates Armor and Health by a percentage of your maximum Armor. Can overheal. 
• Suppressor - When damaged, this enemy charges an EMP blast and releases it once fully charged, disrupting everything nearby. 
• Aid Specialist – Repairs the armor of nearby allies when they are heavily damaged. 
• Anchor - Gains damage resistance and uses incendiary ammo while allies are still alive. 
• Hot Foot - Staying in one spot builds up a charge. Once full, you are shocked and take damage. 
• Unyielding - Enemies become immune to crowd control effects while heavily damaged. 

Each season, Mutators will be adjusted, with some added, replaced, or rearranged to keep Escalation feeling fresh. 

SOLO, GROUP PLAY, AND MATCHMAKING 

Escalation can be played solo or in a group, depending on how you want to approach each Tier. 

In a group, the party leader selects the Tier, spends the Escalation Tokens, and launches the mission. If the run is successful, the leader receives the main token reward, while everyone else earns standard mission rewards and a smaller share of Escalation Tokens. 

Matchmaking is available and based on the Tier you select, rather than a specific mission, making it easier to find others going for the same level of challenge. 

REWARDS AND PROGRESSION 

Escalation is currently the main source of Prototype Gear, with higher Tiers offering better chances and stronger rolls. If you’re chasing those pieces, this is where you’ll want to be. 

Higher Tiers also mean better rewards overall. You’ll earn more Escalation Tokens, increased XP and Season XP, along with rare Expertise materials, but you’ll definitely have to work for it. 

At the start of each season, Escalation Tokens reset, so everyone starts fresh as the rotation updates and new challenges come in. 

PROTOTYPE GEAR 

Prototype Gear is a new item quality that sits above High-End, Named, and Gear Set items. Your existing builds will still hold up, this is more about pushing them further if you want to. 

These items offer stronger attribute values and come with Augments, giving you more to experiment with. The previous maximum attribute value becomes the new minimum, while the new maximum can reach up to 1.5x higher. 

Skill Tier core attributes currently remain unchanged, though additional bonuses for Prototype Gear featuring Skill Tier cores are planned for a future update. 

You can obtain Prototype Gear in two main ways, through Escalation runs, where Prototype items have a chance to drop, or by upgrading eligible High-End, Named, or Gear Set items. 

UPGRADING TO PROTOTYPE 

Most gear items starting from High-End quality can be converted into Prototype Gear. Exotics are currently excluded but may be supported in future seasons. 

To upgrade an item, it will cost 1 Prototype Core and needs to meet a few requirements: 

• The item must be Level 40  
• At maximum Expertise level  

Reaching Expertise Level 30 is now less demanding, as the upgrade cost has been reduced. Fully optimizing an item is not required before converting it to Prototype, as the upgraded version scales as if the item had been fully optimized. 

One attribute is guaranteed to roll at the new maximum, while the others remain at their previous maximum values, with a chance for additional attributes to also reach the new maximum. The chance for additional max rolls has also been increased. 

Because of this, you might find yourself upgrading multiple copies of the same item if you’re chasing the best possible rolls. 

Once an item becomes Prototype Gear, it can no longer be optimized or recalibrated, so make sure you’re happy with the base item before upgrading. Options to allow recalibration are being explored for future updates. 

AUGMENTS 

All Prototype Gear comes with a special effect called an Augment. They function similarly to talents but are drawn from a shared pool rather than being tied to specific gear types, allowing any Prototype item to roll with any Augment. 

Augments can also be improved over time as you use the item, so they grow alongside your build. You can reroll them to try for a different effect and choose whether to keep the new result or stick with the original. 

Both rerolling and upgrading Augments require a new resource, Prototype Cores, which are mainly obtained by dismantling Prototype Gear. They can also be found in the Prototype Core Cache available in Raids and the Incursion. It’s a rare resource, so you’ll want to spend it carefully. 

Currently available Augments: 

• Quantum - Provides a small chance to become temporarily immune to damage. 
• Echo - Each bullet fired has a chance to deal its damage a second time. 
• Atomize - Increases grenade radius and damage. 
• Amalgam - Each bullet hit has a chance to apply a random status effect. 
• Trapper - Increases the duration of status effects you apply. 
• Entropy - Increases your Health based on a percentage of your total Armor. 
• Anomaly - Skills restore a portion of the damage they deal as healing. 
• Paradox - Provides a chance to refill part of your magazine while firing. 
• Synesthesia - Bullet hits have a chance to slightly reduce skill cooldowns. 

Overall, Prototype Gear is all about giving you more room to push your builds further. 

PROTOTYPE GEAR IN RAIDS, INCURSION, AND PVP 

Prototype Gear is handled differently in certain modes, including Raids, Incursion, and PvP (Dark Zone and Conflict). 

In these cases, Prototype items are normalized, with stats set to lower end of the Prototype range, and Augments disabled. 

RETALIATION

Retaliation is getting a few updates this season, with a new focus on the Black Tusk, something many of you have been asking for.  

The Black Tusk Agitation Meter works similarly to other factions, filling up as you eliminate enemies and complete related activities. It can also progress during other factions’ Retaliations, though at a slower rate. BT Retaliations can take place in Washington, D.C. and Warlords of New York. 

For the first time, Black Tusk can now take over Control Points in the open world. This only happens if a Retaliation is lost, and unlike other factions, they won’t expand further through convoys or territory control. 

Enemies defeated during these events can drop a new material, DIAMOND Transceivers, used for blueprints tied to Retaliation.  

You may also encounter a special Black Tusk Maneuver objective, which rewards additional time when completed. 

KILL SQUADS 

Black Tusk Kill Squads don’t just show up, they come prepared, and they hit hard. 

Taking them out is worth the risk, though. Defeating Kill Squads gives you a chance to earn blueprints for several rare Exotics, including Climax exclusives, as well as Capacitor and Vindicator. Completing a full Retaliation also gives you a chance to earn blueprints for certain Raid and Dark Zone exclusive Exotics. 

There are two types of Black Tusk Kill Squads, Regular and Elite. The Elite squad, known as BTSU Team 9, is rarer, more coordinated, and significantly more dangerous. They can also show up during other factions’ Retaliations, so you might run into them when you least expect it, watch your back. 

QOL UPDATES 

A few quality of life improvements have also been made to Retaliation. 

Agitation Overclock 

This season introduces a change to how the Agitation Meter behaves.  

Previously, once the meter was filled, you could trigger a single Retaliation before it reset. With Agitation Overclock, the meter now has multiple levels, allowing you to trigger up to three Retaliations back-to-back. 

Updated Timer 

Retaliation events are no longer tied to real-world time. The timer now progresses based on in-game playtime and pauses while you are participating in another Retaliation. 

The time available to collect loot after completing a Retaliation has also been increased from 30 seconds to 90 seconds. 

Matchmaking 

You can now use matchmaking to find other agents participating in Retaliation events. You’ll be matched with players using the same global difficulty. 

MODIFIERS

This season introduces a new modular system built around Recombinant, the core Global Modifier. It’s experimental Black Tusk tech that lets you shape how your bonuses and abilities behave. 

GLOBAL MODIFIER 

Recombinant is built around three modules, Offense, Defense, and Utility. 

At the start of the season, they’re evenly balanced, each one providing the same baseline value. As you progress, you can change that balance by increasing or redistributing stacks across the three modules through Active and Passive Modifiers. 

ACTIVE MODIFIERS 

Active Modifiers are abilities tied to Black Tusk tech, each linked to one of the three modules, and they play a big role in how your setup comes together. 

You upgrade them by using them and defeating enemies while they’re equipped. As they level up, they unlock additional effects and become more powerful. 

This season, three Active Modifiers are available: 

• Blackout Pulse - Releases an EMP pulse that disrupts enemy electronics and applies shock to enemies within range. Each level up raises your base stacks across all modules, and at the highest level the EMP will also pulse enemies hit by the blast. 
• Cloud Armor – Instantly restores armor to allies within range. Each level up raises your base stacks across all modules, and at the highest level the cloud also blinds enemies caught in the effect. 
• Optimize / Overload - Enhances skill performance by reducing cooldowns. Each level up raises your base stacks across all modules, and at the highest level it also Overcharges your skills for a short duration.  

PASSIVE MODIFIERS 

Passive Modifiers don’t give you an ability, instead they change how your Offense, Defense, and Utility stacks behave. 

This season introduces 34 different Passives, and you can equip multiple at once. The order matters, as each modifier influences the ones that follow and affects the final outcome. 

You can get Passive Modifiers through the Seasonal Journey, or pick them up from a vendor at the White House using BTSU Firmware, which you’ll earn through the Seasonal Journey and Scouts. 

HOSTILE COUNTERMEASURES 

Not every fight will play fair, some enemies bring modifiers that can mess with your setup. 

• System Drain - Each hit temporarily reduces your module stacks. 
• Inversion Field - Enemies create a polarity field that reverses the effects of your strongest module while you remain inside it. Taking them out grants temporary protection from these fields. 
• Obstructor Virus - Defeating affected enemies temporarily disables one of your Passive Modifiers, unless you eliminate them with a headshot. 

Enemies using these countermeasures will display modifier icons above their heads, so you can spot them and react in time. 

GEAR, WEAPONS, TALENTS 

This season’s gear and weapons are built around weapon swapping and adapting mid-fight.  

Instead of locking into one approach, you’re encouraged to switch, adjust, and keep your build moving. The more you adapt, the more you’ll get out of it. 

NEW EXOTIC WEAPON  

NEW EXOTIC GEAR 

NEW GEAR 

NEW NAMED WEAPONS & TALENTS 

MASTER CLIMAX MISSION 

Successfully completing the Climax mission on any difficulty for the first time will guarantee the Whiplash Exotic Pistol as a special reward. 

After that, Whiplash can still drop from the mission, but it’s no longer guaranteed. The higher the difficulty, the better your chances of getting it again. 

CLASSIFIED ASSIGNMENTS 

Two new Classified Assignments will be available this season. Library of Congress Retrieval launches with the season, followed by The Capitol Globe Anomaly later in the season. 

They offer a more contained experience, with a stronger focus on exploration and storytelling. If you like digging into locations and uncovering what happened there, these are worth checking out. It’s a chance to look around and pick up on the details you might normally miss, with collectibles, including echoes and audio logs, and a few extras like themed backpack trophies and named item drops. 

Classified Assignments will appear on the map once they become available, with access unlocking at Level 30. They can then be purchased and played from there. 

SEASON PASS 

The optional Season Pass is available for all The Division® 2 players starting at Level 1, priced at 1000 Premium Credits ($9.99 or your regional equivalent) in the in-game store and it’s available to everyone. While the Season Pass is accessible from Level 1, some of the rewards will be usable only when you reach Level 40. 

Additionally, players can opt for the Premium+ option, available for $29.99 or your regional equivalent, which bundles the Premium Season Pass with multiple rewards, offering even greater value. 

Players with the Season Pass can unlock premium track rewards such as: 

• 2 Prestige Arm Patches 
• The Black Tusk Drone Skill VFX 
• The Black Tusk Kill Squad – Clean Hands Outfit 
• The Black Tusk Kill Squad – Stitch Outfit 
• 1 Extra Copy of the Agitator Exotic Weapon 
• The Constellation Exotic Weapon Skin 
• 10 Gear Dyes 
• 10 Universal Weapon Skins  
• 400 Premium Credits 

The free track also includes rewards like: 

• 3 Arm Patches 
• The Black Tusk Seeker Mine Skill VFX 
• The Black Tusk Kill Squad - Car Bomb Outfit 
• The Agitator Exotic Weapon 
• The Investor Exotic Mask 
• The Star Sign Universal Weapon Skin 
• 2 Named Weapons 
• 2 Named Gear 
• 1 Brand Set 

Both tracks also feature multiple caches to unlock along the way. 

ONE TIME OFFER 

Don’t miss out on this exclusive One Time Offer, available for $19.99 or your regional equivalent. It includes 2000 Premium Credits and 600 bonus Credits, plus The Bug Mask Headgear to give your agent a standout look, even if it bugs your enemies. 

Briefing complete. 

We’ll have more to share later in the season, including a special spring event, so stay tuned. 

If you run into any issues along the way, you can now report them through our new Bug Reporter. 

Stay on top of every update, find all the latest patch notes and gaming news at XP Gained.