Infiltrator com viable with UCP?

Borderlands 2 Zer0 the Assassin
#1

A build that always interested me was shotgun-melee build based around BLW, but the bonuses weren’t good enough for making the skill management worth it. Also, Ir0n Hand which is boosted by the Ifiltrator com as well didn’t help with it’s mediocre bonuses.

However, recent changes improved both skills and I wonder whether this build would be good at level 61:
http://bl2skills.com/patch/assassin.html#505051000050550145013505010000

It seems to me that the buff to BLW isn’t big enough to make it worth it to build around it, but I also haven’t tried out the UCP yet so I want to get feedback on both build and skill changes.

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#2

I liked the Infiltrator for +6 in Unf0rseen pre buff and pre UCP, so only the most extreme definitions of viable should still find it lacking. Have you tried +11 points in Unf0rseen with Zer0? Pre UCP (at OP3, maybe not much higher), I could kill Scavengers with one hit if I slagged them and softened them up with some Kunai.

Shotgun-based Zer0 based around Be Like Water was also something I enjoyed pre-UCP, but I knew full well that the damage wasn’t anything to write home about (I just liked the combat mechanic). The UCP helped, but I did buff it further so it stings a bit. I’ve added Be Like Water to other COMs too.

I like it with my Jakobs build because it’s damage goes into a single shot. Coming out of Decepti0n with Execute enables Be Like Water, forces the enemy to face you, and stuns them for a moment to lay that shotgun into their soft bits. I only go into Decepti0n long enough to fire Execute, since I’m only using it to apply Death Mark and Be Like Water (and to stun and flip) for this strategy so I can keep the cooldown short.

I still don’t use a purple variant for the “new” Ir0n Hand definition, just because I still don’t put points in there. I’m sure it’s fine now, but I just prefer points in more fun skills. If I was stripping Roid shields, I’d certainly take it.

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#3

I haven’t mentioned Unf0rseen because it is a great skill and there no doubt I’ll boost it with the Infiltrator com if I end up making this build.

Does making personal changes in the UCP hard? Being able to increase the bonus to BWL further sounds good and adding BWL to a different com (or creating a new com altogether) would great for a personalized build.

The strategy I have in mind is different. I want to use Jakobs weapons as well for the high damage per shot but while in deception for the 200% gun damage bonus, then finish them of with a melee attack.

Wouldn’t the added durability from the damage reduction be useful in a medium-close range build even if I don’t plan on using roid shields? If it isn’t necessary I’ll move the points somewhere else too.

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#4

It depends. If the change doesn’t have to be a hotfix to work, it’s fairly easy. If the change needs to be a hotfix, I’d recommend using the Filter Tool to do it (since it has to be incorporated into a gigantic line of text in a specific way, and this has a feature to do it automatically). For the COMs, you can see how current alterations are done for other ones (like the Slayer of Terra line). Make a line for the Infiltrator and swap out one of the skills. I’d ask on the Discord channel for specifics though.

Almost certainly - it’s just not a personal preference for me. I’d recommend it for anyone though.

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#5

http://bl2skills.com/patch/assassin.html#505051000050550145015035010000

This is the build I’ll test and try to see if it works. I don’t think I’ll have time to create my on coms but I will look into it.

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#6

I’m not too familiar with the UCP changes since I don’t use it but I don’t see any change to BLW based on the skill calculator vanilla vs ucp. Is there some change there?

Afterthought: I wrote the below because you were talking about BLW a lot here before realizing the UCP probably changed the COM itself. I just focused on BLW mostly. Please tell me what it changed about the COM for better commentary.

Going with what I know of vanilla Adabiviak’s method is exactly how I’d use BLW because some additive melee damage is not a big deal but gun damage on top of a real powerful gun is. The inherent problem then comes from sacrificing the deception gun damage for forcing the enemy to face you but being able to reliably crit them with BLW bonus damage. Usually it’s not worth it because Grim is also there as a option even for gun based builds. UCP as far as I know switched Grim into the Cunning tree making BLW that much more desirable although the damage reduction on Iron Hand is also good.

Now, I don’t know the UCP that well but as it seems the skill is relatively unchanged (please correct me if I’m wrong), so it still favors the suggested style of meleeing and enemy for a gunshot multiplier. The idea of shooting an enemy and then finishing them off with melee is already kind of workable in vanilla but BLW has no part in it really because it’s melee damage kind of sucks thanks to additive damage if you don’t put a lot more points in to boost it. I also don’t know how the infiltrator COM got changed but if you’ll tell me I’ll give you my thoughts on that.

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#7

They increased the melee damage bonus and decreased the gun damage bonus as far as i know.

The com itself wasn’t changed but the skill changes affects it.

That’s what I thought might be the case, if the melee damage is additive then I’ll guess I’ll go with the other strategy. But then I would also be less interested in using this build as well. I really liked the idea of BWL but it seems that the execution is just poor.

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#8

I see what you did there :smirk:

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