Wild Billhelm, The Depunator (updated)

Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel Wilhelm the Enforcer
#1

Updating this after reaching 70 and soloing all content. Updated yet again 11/2/2016: beginning to add video.

In short, this build is about using big gun damage, Laser Guided, Overcharge, and Targeting Scope to turn Wilhelm into a devastating Flayer user. It’ll work great with any gun, but the Flayer, Maggie, and Machine become absolute superstars with this set up.

Skill build:

Core Gear:
Flayer
Maggie – try to get one with an 11 round mag.
Celestial Enforcer
Tranquility or Precision Oz kits, depending on area
Adaptive, Absorb, or Booster shields
Quasar
Viral Marketer for armored bosses
shock Practicable Face Time is ideal for shielded bosses, shock Machine is also great

I have used this to solo all content at 70.

Video:

Deadlift… this kind of demonstrates the need to buy time to recover:

Denial Subroutine:

Bosun…

…

4 Likes
#2

I forgot to mention that 5/5 Suppression was put in for a glitch Thinking that I’ve got waiting.

#3

Have you thought of the Mauler COM ?

A damage boost to shotguns is nice…and a boost to accuracy is almost as good.

#4

most of the time, the free 35% any gun damage plus 5 points in TS beats most coms.

1 Like
#5

Chuck,

I’m actually a fan of that COM, so far. I’m leveling up with a Mauler now. Overall, the CE beats it with flat damage, crit (Targeting Scope), and +5 in the gun damage skill. I may still tinker with it, though.

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#6

I didn’t know the Celestial COM had a flat damage bonus.
And the extra 5 points in TS might be almost as good as the accuracy bonus the Mauler gives.

Carry on :smile:

#7

Targeting Scope also gives accuracy, but…

I find myself wondering if the Mauler is quietly better. Targeting Scope is a kill skill, so it’s a no brainer for mobbing. However, builds generally perform best when they’re ready made for bosses & badasses. That is worth noting because those targets get Laser Guidance, so you can’t rely on Wolf to trigger kill skills on other targets. No Targeting Scope against EOS, unless you break off target to re-up kill skills.

It’s simpler to go with unconditional boosts. The accuracy on the Mauler may be a big blessing for that reason.

#8

Hey the crit is FREE, the Bonus damage is innately higher than the mauler iirc, especially when you add on fire support.

Let’s Start off the comparison by equating the Damage bonuses asnd the 5 points in TS’s accuracy to the Accuracy
Let’s also look at the COM boosts from the Mauler,

ER, half good half bad, it’s a long buff that boosts FR that you dont need and reload speed that you do. (CE boosts Afterburner which also boosts wolf and bullet speed in addition to reload speed that’s always up, so it’s strictly worse for a Jakobs build).

Rapid Reinforcement, Solid AF skill, but it’s a kill skill and moreso a mobbing oriented kill skill at that.

Aux Tank: Wash both boost it

Now lets look at the the other things CE Boosts aside from Damage+Acc
Shield Cap that works with DP Energize M+M etc.
M+M : Free Health and Shield
5 Points in Energize: More Tankiness
5 Points in Fire Support: MOAR DAMAGE (for both u and wolf)
50% Crit on Kill
MS while WS is Up (Comparable to RR’s MS)

2 Likes
#9

Thanks for helping me slow down and key in on the opportunity cost. I’m at work, so I’m half-braining it tonight. Your post helped a lot.

CE is a win. Next thing to sort out is the best ‘boss and badass’ defensive skills to throw tweener points into. Haven’t had a chance to test Hard to Kill against E&E or the Sentinels, yet. Any experience with that vs Heat Sinks in boss fights? My thinking is that Eddie and Saint should cover shield maintenance, and that incoming damage would probably make Heat Sinks a moot skill against bosses?

#10

H2K is more of a heavy mobbing skill like Mutator Arena.
Heatsinks is somewhat a niche skill that can be good depending on your shield, but generally only works great in a Cancelling build

#11

That’s about what I was guessing. I had hope that the rockets from E&E and the ads from the Sentinel could run up stacks of H2K quickly enough to make it notable, but … So it goes. Looks like it’ll be peek-a-boo defense.

#12

Currently L45 as I work into this. I’ve been incredibly lucky to find purple Coach Guns every few levels, and the I’m still using a blue Mauler with Auxiliary Tanks and Rapid Reinforcement. I’m blowing through enemies very quickly, and Overcharge and Laser Guided are making it shockingly easy on ammunition.

I’m looking forward to UVHM!

#13

Hi “working on leveling up a Wilhelm”! I’m dad! (dadjoke)

I’ve tried a couple of variety of shotgun willy builds but I found that the #1 problem is not the damage (willy pumps out a lot of damage) but survivability. As I have to move close to enemies and tank ■■■■, I find myself going down pretty quick even with saint in endgame. You might have better luck than me, but just know that it’s not damage that’s the problem - health management is.

#14

That is exactly what has been stalling me. I’ve found Wilhelm to be much better when played methodically and using cover. His skills all require time to keep him up (long cooldown for Divert Power, slow regen, etc).

#15

I’ve been aware that Wilhelm is literally “good” at basically nothing for a very VERY long time. He’s not even that good at tanking despite that being his moniker. He’s literally the “I’m average/below average at everything” character, which is a bummer because they actually gave all the other characters a solid identity. Aside from Scope and OC he’s really got not much going for him.

#16

IMO the best build for Wilhelm is the laser build with chronicler of elpis COM.

Trust me. I’ve been playing around with a LOT of wilhelm builds and nothing really plays as well as absolute zero + laser disker combo with chronicler COM. Freeze everything = nothing shoots back at you. That is the only way i found I could play tanky with Wilhelm. Not shotguns.

In other words, you don’t have to play methodically and using cover when you’re run and gunning with AZ. Try that out! Seems like it’s up your alley

#17

Agree totally with you that nothing works better than the Absolute Zero/Laser Disker Combo

Chronicleer of Elpis is superb in that regard but a Celetial will work as good or better as the Absolute Zero is freezing everything and the bonuses from the Celestial Com are too grood to pass up. Wolf and Ssint can stay out MUCH longer and you can paint longer.

Wilhelm has two REALLY great skills…Laser Guided and Overcharge

You WANT this guy on your team even if his firepower is less than desired. A great “painter” is beloved by all.

#18

Hmm, will try Celestial on AZ/LD combo.

#19

This is the Build I used to solo the mutater Level 9

One of the few times I use Hard to Kill but seems to work well here because of the constant damage you are taking in the mutater arena.

Divert Power and Hazmat Containment are great one point skills…but beyond one point the value decreases rapidly.
You can space the 5 points in Hard to Kill elsewhere if you don’t like it. If I am painting targets well…more than 8 points in Aux Tanks is probably not necessary.

I use a Purple Adaptive vice the Bulwark for more defense.
3DD1e or System Purge
Purple Homing Cryo Transfusions

#20

I think I’m hanging up Wilhelm for awhile. I’ve simply gotten to a point where I’ve lost any desire to continue with him. Jack is endless fun for me, and each other class is uniquely cool in ways which make them more appealing changes of pace than W.

@johnrr6, I respect your handle on this class. I’ve used your posts as reference material on this ride. Thank you for giving Wilhelm a champion.