Help

Many of the game's systems are explained here along with other information.

Combat

Aim Mode

Press to sight in with your weapon and take more accurate shots. If your weapon has a scope equipped, this will allow you to sight down the scope of the weapon.

Dive Roll

When moving, double-tap to roll out of the way of attacks. This can also be used to reduce the duration of Nano-Effects your character is suffering from.

Difficulty Scaling

As more players enter the area, enemies will get harder to kill to help compensate for this. If players leave, the enemies will get easier to kill.

Weakspots

Look for bright orange glowing spots on enemies. Hitting these will do more damage, and can have special effects such as interrupting attacks.

Nano-Effects

Nano rounds or “Nanos” are high-tech rounds embedded with purpose-built nano-machines to counter the various threats of the terraformed world. Nanos provide a tactical edge versus their specified targets, but like everything in the new frontier, there comes a price. The nano-bots are far less dense than the lead used in standard ammunition, giving them less base stopping power. So pack your clips and pick your targets carefully Ark-Hunter.

Corrosive Rounds

Based off of the deadly saliva of Hellbugs, Corrosive Rounds contain a chemical payload that sticks to the target and melts through thick armor. Corrosive Rounds deal bonus damage to Armor, but disperse against other materials, causing them to be less effective against Shields and Health.

Incendiary Rounds

The bane of all carbon based life forms, Incendiary Rounds deliver thermite payloads exceeding 4,000 degrees. Armor and Shields are resistant to Incendiary damage. But tender, unprotected flesh will take bonus Health damage, making these rounds a solid all-around choice.

Ion Rounds

The Nanobots packed in to Ion Rounds are primed to self-destruct on impact, releasing a field of energy that disrupts any nearby electronics. Ion Rounds deal bonus damage to active Shields, however the self-destructing nanos lower the kinetic energy of the rounds, providing less stopping power than standard ammunition against Armor and Health.

Piercing Rounds

Piercing Rounds were developed to counter the heavily armored creatures of the post-Arkfall world and the shields built to emulate them. Designed to latch on and tunnel like a drill through armor to find the vital parts underneath, Piercing Rounds deal a portion of their damage directly to health against armored targets. The miniature ‘drillers’ have less impact than standard ammo, causing them to deal less direct damage to Armor, Shields, and Health.

Quantum Rounds

Quantum Rounds’ Nanos are keyed to detect field generators, and upon reaching proximity, will match frequency and phase a portion of the payload, bypassing the shields to deal some direct health damage. Since Quantum Rounds are keyed specifically for full coverage Shield generators, they deal less direct damage to Shields, Armor, and Health.

Powers

Through the use of their EGO implants, ark hunters have access to various bionetic powers that allow them to succeed in highly dangerous situations. Powers gained are based on the EGO Class chosen, and range from increased speed and invisibility, to healing and the ability to taunt enemies. An ark hunter can use Class points to upgrade the effectiveness of these powers and unlock new ones.

Loadouts

Loadouts can be accessed with the button. They determine the gear, EGO Powers, and perks that an ark hunter has equipped. More loadout slots are unlocked when the ark hunter’s EGO Rating passes certain thresholds.

Advanced Weapons Systems

Advanced weapons systems can be picked up in the hidden corners of the world. Though they have limited ammunition, they also do incredible amounts of damage or have unique effects. Changing weapons or entering a vehicle will drop an advanced weapon system.

Scoring

Many events rate your performance based on score. At the end of an event or after leaving an event’s area, you will be granted rewards based on the score you achieved.

Sentry Turrets

Sentry turrets pose a special challenge for ark hunters. While they can be temporarily disabled with traditional weapons, the only way to shut them down for good is to deactivate their generator.

Enemy Difficulty

Enemies also have Power Ratings that determine their combat strength. Enemies stronger than you will display skulls. Each skull signifies an additional step above you in Power.

Movement

Player Navigation

Use to move your ark hunter, and to look around and aim your weapon.

Sprinting

Press to sprint. This will enable you to run faster.

Jumping

Press to jump. This will allow you to overcome obstacles and avoid some attacks.

Dive Roll

When moving, double-tap to roll out of the way of attacks. This can also be used to reduce the duration of Nano-Effects your character is suffering from.

Vehicle Controls

Press to create your vehicle. Press and hold to move forward. will slow you down and reverse the vehicle. Use to engage the handbrake. will turn your vehicle right and left. Press to get a boost of speed for a short period of time. Use to sound the horn.

Map

Fast Travel

Blue icons on the map indicate Fast Travel points. Selecting them will open up the Fast Travel option. Selecting it will immediately move you to that location.

Missions

If you have a currently active mission, you can see a summary of it on the map screen. If you choose to, from this screen you can abandon the mission, allowing you to pick up another one.

Arkfalls

Arkfalls are pieces of debris that fall from the arkbelt down to Earth. They present increased challenges and rewards for ark hunters willing to face them. Some arkfalls require a large group of players to secure.

Sieges

Sieges are special events which task players with capturing and defending objectives while fighting hordes of enemies. Once the siege event is kicked off, players have a limited time to increase their score by capturing objectives and by defeating enemies. Kill enemies to progress stages. Later stages have more enemies, more enemies means more points, more points mean better rewards!

Challenges

Challenges are a special kind of mission available to ark hunters. These fall into three categories: time trials, hotshots. and rampages. Ark hunters may complete challenges multiple times to earn a spot on the leaderboards.

Salvage Matrix

Break Into Salvage

Weapons that are not equipped can be broken down into salvage used for Enhancement.

Social

Social Screen

The Social screen is a hub for activities that allow you to interact with other players. From this screen, you can access or manage clan Information, perform various friends functions, and see the people you recently played with.

Grouping

You can join up to three other ark hunters in a group. Groups offer unique benefits. Not only can group members see the location and status of other group members, but also certain EGO perks benefit all members of a group.

Friends

If you enjoyed ark hunting with someone, you can add them to your friends list. This list can be accessed on the Social menu and will tell you the online status of your friends.

Clans

Players may form large social groups called “clans.” Join a clan to meet new players. You can create or join clans on the Social Screens, accessible using the Radial Menu on any Menu Screen.

Clan Progression

Any experience earned by members of a Clan while participating in an eligible activity earns points towards a Clan activity line. Each rank of an activity line gives a bonus and adds to your Clan’s rating. When a Clan reaches specific ratings. an extra bonus is unlocked.

Chat Channels

Press to open the chat window. From there, you can change chat channel or filters. Additional chat tabs can be added in the Chat menu under Settings.

Menu Navigation

Radial Menu

The radial menu can be accessed from any menu screen by pressing . To access a screen, simply highlight that section of the of the wheel and press .

Character

The Character screen contains functionality to let a player change and adjust loadouts, Enhance weapons, unlock, upgrade and equip Classes and Class abilities, review your current Stats (including skill levels. faction status and amounts of various resources) and view all of the items in your inventory.

Goals

The Goals screen shows the current status on Pursuits, along with what Contracts are active if they have been unlocked.

Map

The Map screen contains information about what is going on in the world. From here, you can see the active Arkfalls, missions, and various challenges. You can also see a summary of your currently active quest. Press to access your map from in game.

Intel

Information from data recorders and unlocked intel can be found on the Intel screen, along with any unlocked videos. In addition, the Help section of the Intel screen is a large resource of information about how the game functions.

Settings

The Settings screen contains options for Gameplay, Video, Audio, and the Controls. You can also access some Account functions and view the credits from this screen. Under the Controls tab, if you turn on Controls Remapping, you can see how to perform most actions in the game.

Matchmaking

The Matchmaking screen is used to get into Co-op Maps. This same functions can be performed on the Quick Menu in-game. Once queued, you don’t have to remain on the Matchmaking screen. In-game notifications will let you know when your match is ready for you to join. If you are part of a group, your whole group will join the match or map together.

Social

The Social screen is a hub for activities that allow you to interact with other players. From this screen, you can access or manage clan Information, perform various friends functions, and see the people you recently played with.

Progression

Player Power Rating

Your current Power Rating is the average of the items equipped in your active load out which includes both weapons, shield, and grenade. Power Rating modifies your damage, health, and shield/armor values to determine your final combat effectiveness. The higher your Power Rating, the stronger you will be.

Dropped Items Power Rating

The Power Rating of dropped items is based on the average rating of the highest items you’ve found so far. The two highest weapons, the highest shield, and highest grenade. You are not required to always have your highest Power items equipped, or even in your inventory to get the highest Power rating drops available to you.

Purified Gulanite

Purified Gulanite is a valuable commodity used to purchase high-quality gear from Ex lnanis merchants that appear at the end of coop maps and Major Arkfalls Earn Purified Gulanite by completing Ark Hunter Bounties or purchasing from the Defiance Store.

Ex lnanis

Mysterious Gulanee have begun appearing in Paradise. Seemly able to detect the presence of Gulanite, they frequently appear at end of major arkfalls and coops. The Ex lnanis trade their wares for both Raw and Purified Gulanite. Their inventories vary greatly, so make sure to check what they have in stock.

Weapon Skills

Each weapon is associated with a particular weapon skill. Every time an ark hunter successfully uses a weapon, they are rewarded some skill points to the appropriate skill. As players earn skill points, their weapon skills will improve, granting bonuses to all weapons associated with that skill.

Vehicle Skills

As an ark hunter pilots the vehicles around the world, their vehicle skills will improve. This will provide them with better performance when operating vehicles of that kind.

Factions

Various groups in the New Frontier have formed factions. These factions provide vendors where ark hunters may spend reputation to earn exclusive gear. Ark hunters gain reputation with these factions by completing contracts. Contracts become available once an ark hunter reaches EGO level 50.

Contracts

Each Faction will put out contracts for ark hunters to complete. A list of the currently active contracts can be found on the Contracts tab of the Goals screen. Contracts come in daily and weekly varieties. If you aren’t able to fully complete a Contract, you can still get partial credit for the work you have done. Contracts improve your reputation with the faction that offers them. You can use that reputation at Faction Vendors around the world to buy items at a discount from normal vendor prices.

Pursuits

Pursuits are lists of tasks which provide rewards once completed. All Pursuits will increase an ark hunter’s EGO Rating, but many Pursuits will have additional benefits.

Experience

A variety of activities will reward an ark hunter with experience. When ark hunters reach certain thresholds of experience, they will increase their EGO Rating and gain an EGO Unit.

Respeccing

EGO Units spent on perks and EGO Powers can be reset by respeccing. The cost to respec increases based on your EGO Rating.

Gear

Gear Rarity

Ark hunters can loot 5 different rarities of grenades, shields, and weapons. The more rare, the more functionality the item has. Gear rarity is color-coded into the name of the gear in your inventory.

Grenades

Grenades are a special weapon which can be thrown by pressing . Different types of grenades have different effects when they detonate. After use, grenades need a period of time to recharge before being able to be used again.

Loadouts

Loadouts can be accessed with the button. They determine the gear, EGO Powers. and perks that an ark hunter has equipped. More loadout slots are unlocked when the ark hunter’s EGO Rating passes certain thresholds.

Outfits

Ark hunters can customize their looks by acquiring various outfits while adventuring. These outfits don’t affect any statistics. Change outfits from the Loadouts tab of the Character Screen.

Vehicles

Ark hunters may create a temporary vehicle at will. Press to create yours. If your vehicle is destroyed, there will be a delay before it can be fabricated again. New vehicles may be purchased from vendors or from the Defiance Store. In some cases, ark hunters can be awarded vehicles for completing missions.

Weapon Mods

Weapon mods can be found all over the New Frontier. These items fit in to mod slots on weapons. and will improve performance, or even change the behavior, of the weapons.

Inventory Overflow

There are times when an item is claimed as part of a reward or a purchase from the store when an ark hunter’s inventory is full. In these cases, those items can be found under the Claim tab of the Defiance Store, and claimed when the ark hunter has available inventory space again.

Shield Generators

Personal Nano generators, commonly referred to as “Shields”, are small devices that disperse a field of nano-machines around the user in a defensive formation. Too small to be seen with the naked eye, the bots interlink and create tiny barriers that intercept incoming damage for the user. After damage is sustained, the P.N.G. will slowly regenerate nanobots to replenish the shield, so long as the user can avoid further damage.

Armor Generators

Using the same base technology as standard shields, Armor generators were designed to emulate the thick plating natural to endemic life of the Bay area. Instead of evenly distributing the nano-machines in a wide field around the user, the fields are concentrated over vital points of the body. Once damaged, the bonds of a plate cannot be repaired normally. Each individual plate will be replaced entirety when enough time avoiding damage has elapsed.

Bio Generators

Eschewing some of the external protection offered by standard Armor and Shields, Bio generators divert a large portion of their nano-machines from the energy field directly into the bloodstream. These nanos work to reinforce and strengthen the body’s cell walls and muscle fibers to increase natural durability.

Vehicles

Runners

The nimblest of the vehicles in Defiance, Runners excel at off road driving. They are balanced in speed between haulers and rollers. Due to their small size, they don’t hit for as much damage or have as many hit points as either Rollers or Haulers.

Rollers

Rollers are car sized vehicles that usually can carry a passenger. They are the fastest vehicles on the road, but are not as good at off-roading as Runners. They are a good balance of speed, health, and damaging capability.

Haulers

Haulers are larger trucks that move slower than other vehicles, but tend to hit harder and have more hit points than their smaller counterpoints.

Cerberus

The Cerberus can be found on competitive multiplayer maps, and in Shadow War. It sports a main turret that can be mounted from the rear of the vehicle, and a passenger side rocket system. The main turret rotates through a full 360 degree range, but the rocket system has a limited forward firing arc.

Co-op Maps

Coop Map Tiers

Coop maps are separated into difficulty tiers. Which tiers are available to you is based on your current Power Rating. Each successive tier offers increased rewards, and increased difficulty. Higher tiers will require powerful gear and efficient teamwork.

General Information

Co-op maps are available under the matchmaking menu. These scenarios challenge 4 players to complete objectives in a confined, cooperative environment.

Competitive Multiplayer

Competitive Multiplayer Maps

From the Matchmaking menu, you may access a list of available PvP maps. In these events, ark hunters are pitted against each other in tests of skill and endurance.

Shadow War

Shadow War operations occur when Echelon identifies high-priority targets in the area. These open-world battles pit teams against each other to control points of interest.

Quick Menu

Navigation

The Quick Menu can be accessed in game by pressing . Once in, there are nested options that are context sensitive. Using , , and to navigate the various levels of the tree and make selections.

Matchmaking

The matchmaking option will let you join in on Competitive Multiplayer maps, Co-op Maps and Shadow War. All the options you can find on the Matchmaking screen are available through this menu option.

Find Player

This shortcut will open up a dialog, allowing you to search for a specific player and find out their current status. Once found, you can also perform actions, such as sending them friend invites, clan invites, or group invites.

Defiance Store

This shortcut will take you into the Defiance Store Screen.

Area

This option allows you to perform various actions, such as sending friend invites or group invites to other players that are near you.

Synergies

Overview

Synergies are powerful sets of relics that modify and enhance an Arkhunter’s natural and EGO driven abilities. These relics manifest in the form of Synergy Crystals and are synced to an Arkhunter’s EGO via the Synergy Matrix. The Synergy Matrix houses three main components. From left to right, the Matrix Battery, the Crystal sockets and the Core.

Matrix Battery

The Matrix Battery represents the raw power output of your matrix before being focused through crystals into the core. The Battery is powered by obtaining Matrix Battery Power (MP) from contracts or converted automatically from duplicate Crystals. The Battery is divided into 4 separate cells, each containing 25 levels of power. When a cell is maxed out, any MP obtained will be automatically converted into Chromatic Dust that can be used to purchase Expanders needed to unlock the next cell or additional items.

Synergy Crystals

Each Synergy Crystal has a specific Synergy, rarity and gem type assigned to them. Each Synergy has a set of bonuses assigned to it, the more matching crystals of that set socketed, the more of those bonuses you will have access to, up to a maximum of 6. While a full six set bonus is powerful, the sets can be mixed and matched at will, creating unique combinations to fit your playstyle. The gem types indicate which color socket it can be socketed into, with only one crystal per color able to be socketed at a time. Ruby = Red, Topaz = Yellow, Citrine = Orange, Emerald = Green, Sapphire = Blue and Amethyst = Purple. The higher the rarity, the higher the quality of a crystal. Higher qualities allow more of the Matrix’s Battery to be focused into the core, ultimately creating a higher core output, increasing the strength of all your currently equipped synergies.

Collecting Crystals

Obtaining a Synergy Crystal permanently adds it to your collection in the Synergy Matrix. Once collected, crystals can be freely swapped in and out, and used in multiple loadouts. Only the highest Quality crystal of the same Color and Synergy will be kept, and any duplicate crystals of equal or lower rarity will be automatically converted into MP.

Core Output

The current strength of the equipped synergies is determined by your current Core Output. Core Output is how much of your total Matrix Battery Power (MP) is focused through each your equipped crystals. The higher your Matrix level, and the better the quality of your crystals, the higher levels of power you will be able to achieve. The power required to achieve each level of effectiveness can be viewed in the Synergy Info Screen.