1.4 Patch Updates so far:
Difficulty progression / changes
Now you can play normal/hard mode missions without big problems but the gap between hard and challenge mode is huge and you basically need challenge mode gear to even play that content.
Reworking the difficulty scaling in endgame
- Greater granularity
- Even transition to endgame not huge difficulty spikes
- Better loot and mission rewards
- linear equipment progression
- Support solo players
- RPG/Shooter experience back
- Clearer path through endgame, what to do, where to get better gear and what you need to do, to get a progression
New World Level
- Players can now select the World Level when they hit level 30.
- You are able to set the level of the NPCs and the loot to a specific level.
- Named roamers are back in the open-world (Bullet King lives!) and now you can farm open-world again
- The World Level can be changed at any time
- There will not be level 34 / 35 NPCs
- The World levels will be unlocked as you progress
The World Level will affect the enemy levels of:
- Missions
- Open World
- Incursions
- Underground
World Level impact
- Tier 1 (Level 30 enemies GS 163 loot (rare 182)) no challenge mode
- Tier 2 (Level 31 enemies GS 182 loot ) challenge mode is available
- Tier 3 (Level 32 enemies GS 204 loot )
- Tier 4 (Level 33 enemies GS 229 loot ) heroic mode in Incursions
Normal / Hard / Challenge / Heroic selection
- Challenge-mode will not be scaled to four players, so you can play it solo now.
- Elite NPCs are now smarter than before so they will not be just bullet sponges but move faster and more tactical.
- Heroic will only be available for Incursions
- This difficulty will not increase enemy level but the amount of loot you get
- That is the same for solo and group players
Gear Score Changes
- Max Gear Score will be 229, so Gear Sets have the same as the highest possible high-end
- High-End items will be more important now, since they are at the same level as Gear Sets
Loot
- All enemies are able to drop the best loot of that Tier. But of course trash mobs have a less chance than a named enemy.
- Trash-mobs in Incursion are not included in that.
Matchmaking
- You matchmake with people on your World Level
- You can also play with players on a higher World Level and get the loot-drops from there (power leveling)
- You can also join players in a lower World Level to help them out
Dark Zone / PVP
- Dark Zone selects the World Level for you
- PVE Dark Zone: they are listening, but there will not be specific Dark Zone Changes in 1.4
- The World Level also applies to the Dark Zone
- The Dark Zone Bracket is still calculated based on your gear score