A Field Upgrade Path
Field Upgrades are a game mechanic featured in Battlefield 4. Functioning in a similar manner to the Specializations of Battlefield 3, these grant additional abilities to players.
Field Upgrades function in a similar manner to Battlefield 2142. There are 29 different field upgrades available for use when choosing from the 11 available Upgrade Paths (short for Field Upgrade Path). Each path holds up to four different field upgrades that are obtained by progress chained by squad-based team work.[1] There are a total of eleven upgrade paths, with three paths available for all classes and two paths unique to each class.[2]
Paths can be freely chosen anytime during matches with progress for each path saved whenever a new path is chosen, a kit has been changed, or a new squad has been joined. Some progress, however, is lost for the path currently in use whenever the player and their squad have been wiped.
Three of these field upgrades are initially locked. As the squad completes objectives, or the squad is granted a promotion by the commander, the remaining field upgrades are unlocked and stack. Some of these objectives are as follows:
- Killing enemies
- Repairing vehicles occupied by squad mates
- Resupplying squad mates
- Healing squad mates
- Spawning on squad mates
- Completing objectives given by the squad leader
- Saving or avenging squad mates from enemies
If every member of a squad is dead or has yet to deploy, the squad loses the use of one field upgrade each time this occurs. This system replaces the collaborative system in Battlefield 3 and the potential waste if squadmates selected the same specialization.
Progress will not carry over to consecutive matches if the squad is disbanded. However, if all members of the squad stay together after the map rotation/faction switching, the lost progress will be refunded back to all members after the first squadspawn in the new match.
Field Upgrades[]
| Name | Icon | Effects | Upgrade Path |
| SPRINT | 
|
Increases maximum Sprint speed by 10%. |
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| AMMO | 
|
Increases maximum amount of ammunition held by 50% to 100% depending on the weapon being used. (This only affects all three M82A3 variants, all three AMR-2 variants, both USAS-12 variants, the M60-ULT and the Rorsch Mk-1.) |
|
| GRENADES | 
|
Increases the maximum number of Grenades held by one. |
|
| REDUCED FALL | 
|
Increases the height a player is able to fall before sustaining damage. Only works at certain height thresholds such as that similar to a two-story building. |
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| ARMOR | 
|
Reduces incoming damage taken to the torso by 10%. Requires most primary weapons to fire an extra bullet in order to kill players with ARMOR equipped. Also prevents standard sniper rifles from earning close-range kills to the chest. |
|
| COVER | 
|
Decreases the amount of incoming suppressive fire by 50%. |
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| FLAK | 
|
Decreases damage from explosives by 15%. Does not protect against direct hits from explosives. |
|
| QUICK REGEN | 
|
Decreases the amount of time it takes to start regenerating health by 20%. |
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| QUICK UNSPOT | 
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Reduces the amount of time a player is spotted when they move out of their spotters sight from seven seconds to five seconds. |
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| STEALTH | 
|
Causes players to be undetectable to the MTN-55 and T-UGS except when sprinting. |
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| MEDKIT UPGRADE | 
|
Increases the number of Medkits and First Aid Packs able to be deployed at once by one each. |
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| DEFIB UPGRADE | 
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Increases both the charge up and recharge speeds of Defibrillators by 100%. It also increases the minimum health upon revive from 20% to 34%. |
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| MEDICAL UNIT | 
|
Slowly heals nearby teammates when inside a vehicle. |
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| 40MM GRENADES | 
|
Increases the maximum number of any type of rounds for the M320 or GP-30 by three. (Also affects the M32 MGL, giving it a total of 30 grenades upon pickup.) |
|
| FAST REPAIR | 
|
Increases the speed of repairs or damage to vehicles by 35%. |
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| REPAIR UNIT | 
|
Slowly repairs nearby vehicles when inside another vehicle. |
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| MINES | 
|
Increases the maximum number of Anti-Tank Mines and M2 SLAM munitions able to be held to six. |
|
| ROCKETS | 
|
Increases the maximum number of AT and AA ammunition to seven. (Also affects the HVM-II, but does not affect the M136 CS, due to it being a single-use launcher.) |
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| MORE DEPLOYED EXPLOSIVES | 
|
Maximizes the number of AT Mines and M2 SLAMs to six. |
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| AMMO BAG UPGRADE | 
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Increases the maximum number of Ammo Boxes and Ammo Pouches able to be deployed at once by one. |
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| INDIRECT FIRE | 
|
Increases the maximum ammunition of the M224 Mortar and XM25. |
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| RESUPPLY UNIT | 
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Resupplies ammunition to nearby teammates when occupying a vehicle. |
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| SUPPRESSION | 
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Increases the amount of outgoing suppressive fire by 50%. |
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| CLAYMORES | 
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Increases the maximum number of M18 Claymores able to be held to three. |
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| MP-APS UPGRADE | 
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Increases the number of times the MP-APS can deflect incoming explosives before getting destroyed. |
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| C4 EXPLOSIVES | 
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Increases the maximum amount of C4 able to be held to six. All six can be deployed at once. |
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| MOTION SENSORS | 
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Increases the number of MTN-55 able to be held to five. It also increases the sensing range of the T-UGS and MAV by 40%. |
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| HOLD BREATH | 
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Increases the time a player can steady a scope of a sniper rifle by 100%. |
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| ADVANCED SPOT | 
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Increases the amount of time an enemy is spotted by 45%. |
|
Upgrade Paths[]
All Kits[]
| Name | Image | Description | Field Upgrades | Unlocked |
| Offensive | 
|
These give you quicker sprint speed, more available ammo magazines, one extra hand grenade, and allows you to fall from greater heights without taking any damage, respectively. This universal upgrade path is great for players who enjoy being at the front lines and leading the charge |
|
|
| Defensive | 
|
These grant you increased protection from shots to the chest, a decreased rate of being suppressed, decreased damage from explosions, and a shorter time span before the out-of-combat health regeneration kicks in. If you are more defensive-minded, perhaps playing as Support from the sidelines, this can be an excellent choice. |
|
Default |
| Shadow | 
|
Inspired by the fabled shadow warriors of the Orient, the “SHADOW” career grants you the mystical powers you need to infiltrate enemy territory without being seen. Okay, not really, but it grants you some perks that accumulated will give you an edge when going behind enemy lines. |
|
Default |
Assault Kit[]
| Name | Image | Field Upgrades | Unlocked |
| Combat Medic | 
|
|
63000 |
| Grenadier | 
|
|
141000 |
Engineer Kit[]
| Name | Image | Field Upgrades | Unlocked |
| Mechanic | 
|
|
64000 |
| Anti-Tank | 
|
|
108000 |
Support Kit[]
| Name | Image | Field Upgrades | Unlocked |
| Indirect Fire | 
|
|
50000 |
| Perimeter Defense | 
|
|
104000 |
Recon Kit[]
| Name | Image | Field Upgrades | Unlocked |
| Spec Ops | 
|
|
42000 |
| Sniper | 
|
|
78000 |
Trivia[]
- The Shadow path was won in a contest by DICE that was meant to add the most popular of four paths created into Battlefield 4.
- Some of the paths are based on Battlefield 2 classes, namely Anti-Tank, Spec Ops, and Sniper, based on the Anti-Tank, Special Forces, and Sniper classes respectively.
References[]
External Links[]
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