Dark And Darker gives much emphasis on the teamwork and cooperation, which explains why matchmaking takes such an important place in the game. If you are a rookie and do not grasp the significance of cooperating with high-level players with powerful gear, then you are not qualified to embrace funny game experience.
To ensure fair matching, your enemies are matched based on an attribute named “Gear Score”, which is calculated by Dark And Darker Items and equipment that you have owned in your inventory. The level and difficulty of the enemies you will encounter next are also determined by Gear Score.

This article will provide you with a deep understanding of the mechanism of Gear Score in the game.
The Details Of Gear Score
Every item in your inventory is set to have specific Gear Score. This value it marks will determine your matchmaking bracket, and then further influences the type of opponents you will encounter in the future. Items are naturally classified of disparate types and rarity, which have contributed to the total Gear Score in your inventory.
Rarity and item value are positively correlated, so it is recommended that players should collect those rare items to get higher Gear Score.
It is noticeable that only inventory items can be counted into your gear score instead of stashing items.
Duplicate consumables, or unequipped items, are also counted towards your Gear Score. For an instance, a stack of three Uncommon-rarity Potions are set to bring three times their individual Gear Score to your total.
How Does Gear Score Affect Gameplay?
As the sole determining factor in the results of matchmaking, it is undoubtably that Gear Score will influence gameplay significantly. The most serious impact comes to the level of opponents and the difficulties of the game. There are two matchmaking brackets in Dark and Darker. Here comes the detailed information:
- Low Gear Bracket (Gear Score 0-24): Players in this bracket are generally novices or equipped with less powerful weapons. Dungeons they are going to join in are less challenging and easy to deal with.
- High Gear Bracket (Gear Score 25+): Players in this bracket are typically equipped with more overwhelming gears and competitive strength. Suitable for experienced players.
Considering the fact that there are two modes in Dark And Darker, players may feel confused about the difference of Gear Score applied in these two modes. And here comes the explanation. Besides the two brackets mentioned above, there are no separate brackets provided for High Roller mode. In addition, it is noticeable that gears will not be limited in High Roller mode. And the above brackets are only available in the normal mode.
If you are not playing alone but have formed a team of two or three, then your matchmaking bracket will be determined by the highest Gear Score among your team members. Therefore, if you want to challenge higher-level enemies or more difficult dungeons but with low Gear Score, you can choose to team up with players with high Gear Scores.
The Way To Increase Your Gear Score
- Improving Gear Score is a gradual process. Here are the main methods for your reference.
- Upgrade Your Gear: The enhancement of your weapons and gears could be counted as the quickest way to embrace your Gear Score.
- Farm High-Level Dungeons: Challenging dungeons features rare items with higher scores.
- Craft Better Gear: Using some specific materials will help to craft some specific gears. But the premise is that you have those rich resources. The gear you make yourself will also be more suitable for your needs.
- Trade with Players: If you’re struggling to harvest Gear Score through the previous method above, then you can make a deal with other players. This is also a good alternative option.
- Complete Advanced Quests: Some quests provide rare gear as rewards. Pay attention to relevant information and prioritize these quests to enhance your gear score on your own.
That’s all the information about Gear Score in Dark And Darker. Thanks for reading.




