Aces and Eights — Marksman and Rifle Burst Window Guide
Aces and Eights is the dedicated rifle and marksman gear set in The Division 2, and it remains the cleanest expression of the headshot-burst playstyle in the entire sandbox. Built around a five-stack "card" mechanic that triggers a powerful burst window, the set rewards precise headshot play with damage spikes that can one-shot named elites and crack raid bosses for double-digit-million crits.
If you grew up on rifles or marksman builds — Mantis, M44, MK17, Diceros — Aces and Eights is the gear set that pulls them all into endgame relevance.
Last reviewed: 2026-04-25 · TU22.1 · Verified vs in-game
At a Glance
Aces and Eights is a red brand set with a clear marksman identity. Every bonus in the set is tailored toward landing headshots on rifles and MMRs.
- Brand color: Red (rifle / MMR)
- Slots: 6 (Mask, Backpack, Chest, Gloves, Holster, Kneepads)
- Chest talent: Inside Straight
- Backpack talent: Free slot — Glass Cannon or Vigilance recommended
- Best content: Summit, Manhunt named bosses, Operation Dark Hours, Heroic open world
- TU22 patch status: Stable, minor card-stack window extension
Set Bonuses Detail
- 2-piece: +15% MMR / Rifle Damage. This is a flat damage bonus to both weapon classes. Rifles in Division 2 include Diceros, MK17, Mk20 SSR, M16, and similar mid-fire-rate weapons. MMRs include the M44, SVD, TAC-50, and Nemesis.
- 3-piece: +25% Headshot Damage. This is the foundational HSD multiplier that drives the rest of the build's identity. Applies to all weapons, not just rifles and MMRs.
The 2-piece + 3-piece combination already pushes Aces and Eights into competitive damage territory before considering the 4-piece. Many players run a 2-piece or 3-piece splash on other builds for the rifle/MMR damage and HSD floor.
4pc Mechanic — Inside Straight
The chest talent is what defines Aces and Eights. Each headshot you land builds a "card" stack. When you reach 5 cards, you enter a burst window:
- 5 cards stacked = burst window opens
- Burst window grants +30% Total Weapon Damage for 5 seconds
- After the window expires, cards reset to 0 and you must rebuild
This means the playstyle is rhythmic: hit five headshots, dump your magazine into the boss during the window, then reposition and rebuild.
The window is not affected by reloads, so you can pre-stack five cards on adds, swap to a TAC-50 or M44, and spend the entire 5-second burst on a single high-value target. This stack-banking mechanic is the secret to maximizing burst windows in raid encounters.
The card stacks decay if you don't get headshots within roughly 6 seconds, so partial stacks can be lost in chaotic add waves. With practice, you learn to land snap headshots on weak adds to maintain stacks between major DPS windows.
Best Weapons
Aces and Eights wants weapons with high headshot multipliers and clean ironsights. Magazine size matters less than per-shot damage.
- Eagle Bearer (exotic AR): Strong choice for hybrid play. Headshots build cards quickly with the high RoF, and the exotic talent layers nicely with the burst window.
- Mantis (named MMR): Considered the iconic Aces and Eights weapon. The named talent boosts headshot damage further, and the burst window doubles your damage during high-value shots.
- Nemesis (exotic MMR): The charged-shot mechanic pairs beautifully with pre-stacked cards. Charge during card-build, fire during burst window.
- TAC-50 (named MMR): Straight raw HSD. The slow fire rate works against card-building but the burst-window damage is monstrous.
- Diceros (named pistol): Niche, but the high HSD ceiling makes it a sleeper pick.
- MK17 with Boomerang: Standard rifle option with consistent headshot uptime.
Avoid: SMGs (low HSD ceiling), shotguns (no headshot mechanic in the traditional sense), full-auto LMGs (too much spread).
Top Builds
Aces × Eagle Bearer (Hybrid Marksman)
The flexible build for non-raid content. Eagle Bearer's high RoF builds cards quickly, and the exotic stack mechanic chains with the burst window for sustained spikes.
Loadout: Aces and Eights 4-piece + Eagle Bearer + Glass Cannon backpack Backpack: Glass Cannon Skills: Reviver Hive + Striker Drone Stat priority: Headshot Damage, Weapon Damage, CHD
This build excels in Summit, Heroic Manhunt, and any content where you alternate between add-clear and boss DPS.
Aces × Mantis (Named MMR Burst)
The dedicated marksman build. Mantis with the named talent stacks headshot damage further, and the burst window pushes per-shot damage into the 15M+ range on raid bosses.
Loadout: Aces and Eights 4-piece + Mantis + Vigilance backpack Backpack: Vigilance Skills: Sniper Turret + Reviver Hive Stat priority: Headshot Damage, Weapon Damage, then CHD
Used in Operation Dark Hours boomer wing for one-tap Black Tusk snipers, and in Iron Horse for Wyvern damage phases.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Highest single-shot damage potential in the game during burst window
- Card-banking mechanic allows pre-stacking before high-value targets
- Versatile across rifle and MMR archetypes
- 3-piece HSD bonus is universally strong
- Strong solo and group performance
- Burst window forgives reload timing
Cons
- Requires headshot accuracy — bodyshot players underperform
- Card decay punishes scattered firefights
- Weak against armored elites that resist headshot multipliers
- Lower sustained DPS than Striker or Heartbreaker between windows
- MMR playstyle has lower add-clear ceiling
FAQ
Q: Do critical headshots count as one card or two? A: One card per headshot, regardless of crit status. Crit damage during the burst window is still amplified, however.
Q: Can the burst window stack with other talents? A: Yes. Vigilance, Glass Cannon, perfectly Optimist (the AR talent), and Mantis's exotic all stack additively with the +30% burst window.
Q: How do I maintain stacks between fights? A: In open-world Heroic, shoot a regular enemy in the head every few seconds during travel. The 6-second decay timer is generous enough that careful play keeps a 4-stack rolling.
Q: Is Aces and Eights good for solo play? A: Yes, very. The marksman style is ideal for solo Heroic and Summit floors where positioning matters.
Q: Best stat priority on gear cores? A: All weapon damage cores. HSD on chest attribute, CHD on backpack, weapon damage on rest.
Q: Does the burst window proc on bodyshots after the 5th headshot card? A: Yes. Once the window opens, every shot — body or head — gets the +30% bonus.
Q: How does Aces compare to Strega? A: Strega offers higher peak burst on a single shot, but Aces and Eights has higher sustained burst across the 5-second window. Aces is better for raid encounters with phased damage; Strega is better for one-shot setups.
Closing
Aces and Eights is the rifle and MMR set the marksman community has wanted since launch. The card-stacking burst window creates a satisfying loop of patience and payoff, rewarding careful headshot play with damage spikes that justify every shot. Whether you're running Mantis in raids, Nemesis in Manhunt, or Eagle Bearer for flexible hybrid play, Aces and Eights pulls rifle and MMR builds into the top tier of the current meta.