In The Division 2, the most recent Halloween event introduced a new outfit called the Houndsman, which can be obtained through special bounties until October 28. The players are rushing to get the entire cosmetic set by completing these tough missions, and many of them are surprised to find the Houndsman a very strong enemy. The reactions from the players vary; some have been able to get the whole outfit already, while others are suffering from technical issues and extreme difficulty.
Ubisoft teased the limited-time outfit on their official Twitter account, showing a stylish tactical look that also has the typical Division flavor. The big issue, however, is not the costume but rather the player’s experience in getting it.
As predicted, the player SabonesJones has already shared his experience: “Houndsman whooped my ass trying to solo him. Either I’m not that good or he’s as tough as a dang hunter. I’m also shd lvl 853, haven’t played in months. I was a bit rusty but I’m pretty sure it’s bc he’s tough like trying to solo a hunter.” This person has a pretty high SHD level as well, meaning that this situation is really not easy at all.
To the contrary, some players are having very different situations. UmaineMark72 wrote, “And yet I got all the pieces in 3 bounty runs. LOL,” once again proving how random these loot drops are. The Division has always been this way—some get lucky while others spend hours grinding for it.
The methods players are using for farming are… to say the least, very creative. Player pellebubben73 gave a detailed strategy: “Go wc South there are 3 spots close that spawn The mini warhounds kill 1 logout repeat until you killed 5 The Do bounty. Do this 5 Times and you Will have obtained your outfit. Time it took me about 90 minutes.” That’s some serious commitment, constantly logging in and out just to get the right enemies to spawn.
But wait, more optimization tips are on the way. OrbitalShark stated, “Skill Build + Demolisher Firefly = Quick Bounty farming 🤣,” and attached a video that shows the right way to get these bounties done fast. It is quite interesting to see how different builds can make such a huge difference in farming efficiency.
However, this does not mean that everyone is having a blast. Mantis2099 warned others directly: “Don’t waste your time this game broken there’s a lot of people running it and no bounties smh,” which indicates that there are some technical issues that hamper certain players. This has always been the case with live service games—sometimes things just do not go as planned.
The percentages of completion among players are very diverse. JamesHutton80 joyfully announced, “None. Full outfit acquired on both Xbox and PlayStation.” Meanwhile, ElBartos70 is still working on it: “Only need drone skin. Other items rdy.” And truthisnearus said they were “All done. Just waiting to get bat cosmetic.” Thus, it seems that most pieces are being dropped at a relatively consistent rate, but that last costume might be the real trial.
Notably, the way players are helping one another in the replies is astonishing. When Motherbear54 found it difficult to find bounties, Leni_rose_ stepped in with “I have a few houndsman bounties if ur on ps5,” proving that even in competition, the community still extends a helping hand.
The outfit, on the other hand, has been getting good reviews. Vaunht simply said, “This is Fire 🔥,” while FamCloudGaming wrote, “Thank you. Looks great!” and posted a few screenshots. At least the cosmetic reward does not seem to be in vain, which is contrary to some previous events where the rewards felt a bit… less than adequate.
Also, there is a certain amount of uncertainty concerning other changes in the game. 2village_Studio asked, “Did something change during maintenance today? My mags are holding more rounds now,” which could indicate that the Halloween event is associated with larger changes. Sometimes Ubisoft makes balance changes without mentioning them in the patch notes.
The event is going to run until October 28, so players have one week left to complete their bounties. To those still having a hard time, the community has already offered various strategies—from fast travel routes between Jefferson Trade, DZ South, and DCD to builds that withstand the Houndsman’s level of difficulty.
It is the typical Division 2 seasonal content—some players glide through it, others hit walls, and everyone has something to say about the grind. But the fact that people are so involved with the game even years later after the initial release is a testament to the franchise’s power. No matter if you are already wearing the complete Houndsman outfit or still aiming for that last piece, you cannot deny that Ubisoft has the knack for keeping their community buzzing—and grinding.
