Call me crazy but I noticed whenever I start a new playthrough I can never seem to find elemental assault rifles and pistols early on especially for Vladof. Is there a certain level limit that happens first or not really?
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I’m not sure about this, but I have noticed that elemental weaponry of any kind is rare in the early going. I’d say that the majority of the time I get explosive pistols and ARs once I’ve passed Liar’s Berg and may occasionally luck out on a fire pistol (usually Maliwan). The only story mission exception is the Hornet, which has a 10% chance to drop from Knuckledragger. I believe that may be deliberate, since you don’t get properly introduced to elemental weapons (fire/acid/shock/slag) until you reach Marcus’ in Sanctuary (“Rock Paper Genocide”).
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Possible its zero percent chance before level 10 or some weird thing?
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Yes. I suspect there is indeed a minimum level before elemental guns other than Maliwan show up. Much like the minimum level before RLs and roid shields show.
I can’t ever remember getting an elemental (other than e-tech or Maliwan) until mid-way(?) through NVHM.
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Yep. They’re all “spanking new” Aegis’.
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The OCD part of me would love to find that information out but I am being very picky. I will just keep an eye out for maliwan early game. My problem was I kept holding out for elementals in other manufacturers and they never came.
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Well, since you’re doing it I nominate you for testing! 
Let us know what level you get your first elemental Vlad, Hyp, Dahl, Tediore or Bandit.
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Great idea! I am going through all the characters again except for axton since he is almost 72. But the others I would bring to 72 as well! Feel free to post your results as well if you happen to have low level guys. I will try to compare.
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Also I came across this post
"According to the limited guide its:
Fire = level 7
Shock = level 11
Corrosive = level 13
Slag = Level 15
Maliwan is always elemental, Jakobs never are elemental"
Do not know how true it is though.
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I strongly suspect that that is specifically Maliwan. Those levels seem correct to me.
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Oh if that is Maliwan then let the testing commence.
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You can get the Teapot from Tiny Tina in Tundra Express before level 13, can’t you (and the Teapot is a Dahl weapon BTW)?
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I think we’re specifically talking about non-red-text guns.
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Correct we cannot include teapot or hornet it has to be non unique+legendary guns
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But do we know if Vending machines follow same rules as world drops? hmmm
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You’d need to look in to the actual code to know that for sure. But I’m 100% sure that the Maliwan fire pistols start dropping at level 3. I start new characters all the time and by the time I go to pick up the bullymong fur, I have a Maliwan fire pistol at least 95% of the times. The bandits at Liar’s Berg or the Crimson Raider Safehouse can drop one. The Bullymongs in “Cleaning up the Berg” can drop one. The chest at the Safehouse or the Dook Hut at the electrical fence can have one. And finally… The vending machine can have one. It’s usually not the item of the day.
So… Yeah… This is something that I’m fairly certain about! 
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I concur about Maliwan. I start many (too many) fresh characters, and Maliwan fire pistols are both in the Liars Berg vending machine and do drop from enemies there. I have gotten lvl 3 Maliwan fire pistols from the bullymongs and the bandits.
The vendor by Hammerlock’s shack also often has lvl 3/4 Torgue explosive pistons, doing 38-42 damage, which is about twice the damage of other pistols in the same vendor. Just happen to have small mags and slow-is fire rates.
Then when you get to 3 horns divide the vendors by the catch-a-ride have fire weapons, I’ve gotten nice lvl 5-6 fire snipers from those machines.
Oh, and you can also get an Anarchist often from the vendor or from Hammerlock as a reward for Handsome Jack Here, and for me the Anarchist is what I use to go through everything in that area, including Capt. Flynt. I consider the Anarchist a poor man’s legendary, it’s really good at lower levels. Or even not-lower-levels, seeing as I just did all of the Tundra Express missions (including the tea party) with a lvl 38 anarchist in TVHM with an Axton. And a fire burst grenada, perfect for bottling up the entrance to tiny’s workshop.
–RoA
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