Key places | Dark Zone The Division Guide
Last update: 11 May 2016
You can find a number of unique places in the Dark Zone. What is more, those are the key points of the entire area, without which the adventure here would be pointless. Those are:
- Checkpoints
- Safe Rooms
- Extraction areas
- Landmarks
Checkpoints
Checkpoints are basically places through which you can enter and leave a Dark Zone - they connect the Dark Zone with the "normal" part of the map. Aside from the entrance, each checkpoint has a single vendor inside of it, who will offer you various goods (which can be purchased with the DZ Funds, of course), as well as a chest that can be used to replenish your ammo, grenades and medkits.
Note - you can get through a checkpoint and enter the regular part of the city even if you have contaminated (collected in the Dark Zone) items in your inventory. Those, however, will simply lie in your dark zone inventory until you perform an extraction in the Dark Zone. Afterwards, the items will appear in your Stash in any given safe house, under the "Extracted" tab.
Safe Rooms
Safe Rooms are small places scattered around the Dark Zone, inside of which you are perfectly safe - you can't be attacked, killed or robbed by anyone. Additionally, there's a special vendor inside who will sell you high-level equipment - most of which is of the "High-End" quality. To purchase them you will need to be at 30th level of experience and at 30th or 50th DZ Rank - this is definitely not the place to be interested in during your first hours in the game.
There are 5 Safe Rooms in the Dark Zone, and aside from the functions described above they will allow you to replenish your ammo, as well as respawn when your character is killed.
Extraction Areas
Extraction Areas are places in which you are able to call in a helicopter, which will then take all of your contaminated equipment (the one collected in the Dark Zone). Afterwards, go to your Stash (available in any safe house, as well as in the Base of Operation on the "regular" map) and collect them from the "Extracted" tab.
The whole extraction process is divided into two phases - calling in the helicopter and attaching your loot to it. During the first phase you must wait for 90 seconds, until a helicopter appears in the middle of the flashing area. As soon as it happens, you will have 30 seconds to attach your items to the special rope that was dropped from the helicopter. Afterwards, your items will be collected and transported to your Stash.
To make the whole process a lot more difficult:
- As soon as someone calls in an extraction, every single player inside of the Dark Zone will be given an information that the extraction is happening (a flashing icon will appear on their map). This means, that the extraction area will soon be flooded with normal players (those trying to extract their loot as well), as well as with Rogue ones, which are only looking for a way to kill you and take your loot.
- Remember that the map is filled with NPC characters - the ones located the nearest to the extraction point will rush towards it as well.
After shooting the signal flare, hide behind a solid cover and wait for the helicopter. Approach it only when you are certain that there are no neutral enemies, as well as rogues nearby - this is important, as you will be defenseless while attaching your gear to the rope. You should save your Pulse ability for the last 10-15 seconds before the helicopter arrives - use it then and check if there are enemies nearby. No foe should be able to reach the extraction area during those 15 seconds and you should be safe.
Landmarks
Landmarks are the characteristic places in the Dark Zone, which differ greatly from the other parts of the contaminated city. The looks aren't the most important, but the fact that you can fight the most powerful neutral enemies near them - named enemies (some form of a mini-boss in the game). Those foes are many times more powerful than their regular counterparts, and killing them is a guaranteed drop of a Superior (purple) item, as well as a few units of Phoenix Credits.
You shouldn't go to the those places on your own - the named enemies are guarded by a large group of regular enemies and the area is often filled with other players (also those hunting other players). Head there only when you are a part of a trustworthy, well-organized party.