Niche Playthrough Ideas

Borderlands 2 BL2 General Discussion
#1

I was thinking this could be a decent idea for a thread, having been inspired by @Jefe to do my Dahl allegiance Salvador. We can list ideas here, be it specific allegiance runs, or other obscure ideas. I’m a sucker for trying out odd ideas so here it is!

I was thinking a decent idea would be an only-world-drops run. No vending machines, no quest rewards can be used, etc. No farming either, if you get a Legendary on the first kill of a source then that’s fine, but no farming :slight_smile: and the class i’d feel would best suit this is Krieg, because he’s a bandit, a psycho, so he just uses what he finds!

You can use ammo machines for ammo, but no grenade mods :slight_smile:

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#2

Im doing a only find gear playthrough with Gaige, but using vending machines. I’m in UVHM right now.

One thing that I’m inclined to do is running Assault on Dragon Keep with only “RPG” guns. Longbow, Rapier, Swordsplosion, Tinas COM and spell grenades. The shield should be free, as I cant think in something specific.

#3

RPG guns? How do you mean?

#4

Guns that can be found in RPG games.
Like, the Longbow is a bow.
Swordsplosion is a sword.
Rapier is a type of light sword.
Etc

2 Likes
#5

Bandit Krieg, because he’s a Psycho and Psychos are… He wouldn’t mind being weaponless early or having underleveled weapons for long periods either.

Maliwan Maya, too easy? I love Tediore Salvador, because he makes his own ammo and throwing two Plasma Casters is just delightful. Dahl Axton, as niche as niche gets?

#6

Dahl Salvador is fun lol

#7

Some Vault Hunters lend themselves to a weapon-agnostic playthrough?

  • Maya (once she gets enough points for Cloud Kill) can use almost anything to deliver the corrosion, especially if she’s allowed to freeze fast-moving enemies with Phaselock. Even the worst white, under-leveled Bandit thing can bring the Cloud.

  • Krieg’s action skill is, apparently, good enough on its own for much of the game? I’m taking other peoples’ words for this.

  • Zer0 can stack enough Critical Ascensi0n to make any sniper rifle a brutal killer.

  • Gaige can stack enough Anarchy to make almost any weapon a killer.

  • Zer0 can use a low-level, white-rarity thing with a blade for melee and do quite well.

  • Axton should be able to run quite a bit of the game (especially pre-UVHM) with turrets only (especially with a Gemini/Nuke build). I’ve gone through the WEP using dual Nukes, using weapons only for de-shielding and slagging at OP3. I suppose if I put an Auto Gunner COM on there and let them actually shoot the enemies at length, it would be even easier. (I may try this in the Bandit/Creature slaughters some day). Big boss fights (Warrior, Saturn, Wilhelm, BNK3R, even random Constructors) would be… time consuming.

  • Outside of some boss fights, Deathtrap can do fairly well on his own if you back him up with a good shield and skill set. While I like One Two Boom, Explosive Clap, and The Stare, I don’t think I’d add those to a Deathtrap-only (non-boss) run; Robot Rampage, Make It Sparkle (with the appropriate element on deck), and a Love Thumper (with Gaige on de-shield and slag duty) are a combination that very few mob enemies can stand (generally their success relies on killing Deathtrap before he can reach them or being a Skeletaur/flying enemy). I’ve run through a fair amount of the Lair of Infinite Agony like this at OP3.

I play a Dahl Commando largely for Expertise, which is the only skill in the game that increases one’s scope speed (which is Dahl’s primary weapon gimmick). They don’t make rocket launchers, but their grenades are brutal under Axton’s tutelage.

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#8

Jakobs allegiance Mechromancer, you’d be surprised how well Gaige can use a revolver without having to rely on CE.

#9

With melee Krieg, all you really need weapon-wise is something to deliver slag. His skills do the rest.

#10

Melee Krieg + Slagga + Fastball + Bloodbath + Bloodsplosion = an axe wielding maniac who can blow you up with one grenade to the face and make you crap it out so he can use it again!

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#11

How about a mission reward only playthrough?
Including boss drops if they come whilst doing a mission.

2 Likes
#12

This has been my exact playstyle with him ever since they fixed the Fastball drop. So much fun!!

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#13

I was about to make the same comment- using the gear gifted to you by the major NPC’s in Sanctuary before heading to Hero’s Pass would be a good test- too bad that comes near the end of the game…

1 Like
#14

I’ve done it but in normal mode. UVHM should be challenging haha

#15

Got one that I’m gonna try next time I run a new toon - using the worst version of gear you can find! Rubberized Grenades? YOU GOT IT! :smiley: Maybe always choose the bottom option on quest rewards too.

Something that will just make you shudder even selecting the character! :smiley:

#16

Anyone ever try a run that would make a Knight of the Invisible Empire proud? :sunglasses: (For accuracy’s sake let it be known that i would not qualify as a member of that organization :wink:…)

#17

Nearly all of my playthroughs are soft allegiance at least when it comes to the weapons I use. I only use Torgue weapons when playing Axton and I only use Jakobs when I’m playing Zer0. What I’ve been planning on doing once I finish leveling up my Siren is a non-red text gear only Zer0 playthrough. No unique gear of any kind and only Jakobs weapons (but I am planning on using the Citrine versions of the weapons, If I manage to gather all of them). For the weapons: Citrine Muckamuck, Quad/Coach Gun, Iron and Gattling Gun. A decent purple Turtle in the shield slot and a purple Longbow Slag Transfusion in the grenade slot. A purple Proficiency relic to help with the Deception cooldown. I’m still figuring out which COM to use, but the Sniper, the Professional or the Killer could all work well with my build.

#18

Jakobs Allegiance Axton like my Leatherneck build is a fun little challenge, but one that unless you get the Unofficial Patch is stuck at OP0.

#19

Hmmm had a possibly viable idea!

Legendaries only playthrough? No gear until then so fisticuffs all the way! Farming allowed unless you want to do some sort of super hardcore mode!

#20

No Gear until Legendaries and no farming… based on my previous 3 new characters, i’d be left with a bonus package (level 4) and nothing else :smiley: