Alright team. I would like some thoughts

Borderlands 2 Gaige the Mechromancer
#1

I’m working on my Gaige Build and making her more viable without a teammate. (A partner helps because my main partner is a Zer0 who is super used to slagging everything). So. I keep a pretty full LBT tree, include Shock and Ahhhhh and EB and Wires.

So. My question is: if I’m gonna be running a Slag Hail, Heartbreaker (fire), Bad Touch (Corrosive), Storm as my main go around and kill stuff loadout, and an Electric Chair grenade…should I keep the Shock Bone? Or should I consider swapping bones?

On a similar note. Should I switch out the bad touch in more flesh areas for another shock weapon instead? More accurately, in Flesh areas should I run Hail, Heartbreaker, Storm, Shock gun I haven’t decide. And in Armor areas Hail, Bad Touch, Storm, other shock gun?

Just trying to cover the holes I’m making in my plans here :joy:

Edit: Probably the Yellow Jacket, for another shock gun.

Edit 2: yeah, I’m gonna use the Twister myself, but I wanna make sure this is viable without The Best Shock Weapon In The Game That Makes Your Brains Die While Farming.

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#2

I think there is some discussion here before that element matching still beats shock on gaige.

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#3

Oh no, that’s not my question. I’m fully aware of that. There are pros and cons to Shock that go beyond simple “damage vs matching”.

My question is, should I keep my shock stuff up while also weapon switching, since I will always be popping off shock novas on reload and using a shock grenade.

Like, if I’m gonna pop a full clip of the Heartbreaker into the skag in front of me, and the pellets hit the skags circling me, and my reload pops a nova, is it more beneficial that that nova be stronger, or that the Heartbreaker be stronger? Mind you, that nova procs shock DoTs, and those DoTs proc new fire DoTs based on THEIR damage. Then possibly boosted by the on flesh AFTER the shock boost?

So. I’m just wondering if anyone else has thought about this and came to a more solid decision.

#4

As far as I know, a pure shock Gaige sits not too far below in damage compared to matching the elements because one of the LBT skills scale with Anarchy (forgot the skill name unfortunately).

I’d say that you should keep the Shock Bone since you are heavily invested into LBT anyway. The skilltree provides some general buffs for the other elements too, but with such a high investment in it, it would be more beneficial to keep it.

With such a high investment in LBT, a shock CC could work too if you are stil searching for another weapon in the fourth slot. Or an Octo perhaps, but I admittedly haven’t used an Octo often.
Thunderball Fist is a nice choice too considering the context, plus this is a relatively easy farm.

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#5

Wires Don’t Talk. One the tier 4 skills that boosts shock and electrocute damage.

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#6

It would work while farming for a shock CC. The Octo takes a little getting used to, but it’s not bad. Another option for in-your-face action would be a shock RokSalt. (Both are mission rewards, so farming the turn in for a shock version is going to be easier than farming for a shock CC!)

Hmm… What about a shock Slow Hand? How does that work with Gaige’s skills since it’s a splash weapon?

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#7

Actually took the Slow Hand out of main consideration because even a cutting edge will kill you in close quarters. It’s beautiful at early stage and at distance, but I had to pull it and the Shocket Launcher (peak opener) from my Close loadout because they just get deadly. Fast

It sucked cause the Slow Hand was great for dropping my shield at low levels of anarchy.

Also, trying to keep a diverse weapon pool. I don’t wanna put two shotguns in a loadout. At least, not here

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#8

If we stick with shotguns, a Dog could work too. It’s a bit more annoying to get, but Gaige does like the raw damage output it can provide.

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#9

Second the Dog. High pellet count, raw damage, decent fire rate, that’s a winner right there. I like the Octo but usually keep Tediore out of my Gaige loadouts. The Octo might not be bad for range if the fixed pattern mitigates some of that accuracy loss from Anarchy, but up close and personal I think the Dog would net you better results. I still keep matching bones on my BFF/OC Gaige, but I suspect that my LBT darling won’t really need them to survive once you can start chaining Evil Enchantress procs. But if experts such as Nova think I’m speaking out my posterior listen to them.

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#10

That like is not because I’d somehow think you are talking nonsense :stuck_out_tongue:

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#11

I appreciate the vote of confidence, but I assume nonsense is always a possibility when I post in the character specific subforums because I don’t main any particular toon. RNGsus knows I’m wrong often enough to warrant the disclaimer. :grin:

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#12

Varying a known meme: SHUT UP AND TAKE MY VOTE OF CONFIDENCE!
Usually your advice is solid and while this sounds less than dramatic it’s a compliment indeed.

On topic: If it doesn’t have to be another shotgun a shock Fibber works pretty good on Gaige, shock Bitch is viable and I think @MidnightNova suggested the Thunderball Fists already. All those get a bonus from EB in fleshy areas and admittedly can be sorted under tried and true. But hey, it works!

3 Likes
#13

Jolly Roger is one of the best shotguns Gaige can have imo so if you want sub the Twister, try it.

Now, about the bone, If you are not using shock guns I think it is better to use the fire Bone with your Heartbreaker to boost its damage. The fire Bone will also boost EB damage the same way the shock one would, so it is really the same.

Now, If you are playing around SaAAAHHH!!! nova, you may want to maximize its damage. The Electric Chair also seems to have a good burst damage that could get more from the shock Bone.

In short, if your main damage source are the nova + the Electric Chair, go with the shock bone.

If your main damage source is the Heartbreaker and EB, you should go with the fire Bone and maybe swap to a Chain Lightning. It has propably less shock burst damage but is the best EB delivery system imo.

Also, why the Hail to slag and the Bad Touch?
One corrosive gun I like is the Teapot, it is pretty accurate even with Anarchy and the low count burst wastes less ammo imo.

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#14

So. Hahah. I was doing testing of stuff and wound up going into a really weird direction I might talk about later. But let’s just say one of my loadouts is now 4 Shot Guns.

Okay, so, I had Hail and Bad Touch because I was trying to make an almost all Moxxi loadout because my playstyle was really really aggressive and I didn’t wanna lean on a Grog. I want my healing guns to have blades but also be useful as a shooter. I guess a Corrosive Rubi is a possibility for that too. But, it’s not going with my plan right now.

The Hail in particular was chosen for It’s pellet splitting and splash damage, increasing chaotic slag potential. The bad touch because it would keep me alive as I got in to slice a robot with my Claws. But I’m definitely looking against that, now.

On the topic of shotguns, do you think the Butcher is useful with Gaige, or does it’s mag-refill get in the way of your auxiliary effects?

Edit: ah eff. was just doing some reading…are the only guns that will DoT/Grenade/Melee heal Slow Hand, Rubi, and Grog?

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#15

I personally find it difficult to recommend the Butcher for Gaige. It’s not unusable, but there are better alternatives.

If I understood it correctly, unless the damage directly comes from them they just heal you for the DOT dealt when swapped to them. However, their healing effect is easily abused with the Electric Chair. I’ve been doing this with a Hail personally.

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#16

That’s what I figured.

I just wanna make sure that my Heartbreaker or Hail will add to my melee heals from the claws. Otherwise, half of their point to being here is wrong. The wiki makes it look like only Rubi Grog and Slow will heal damage they didn’t directly inflict. Which is a hard thing to word and surely isn’t possible to code easily :joy:

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#17

I think they should heal you just fine when using With Claws while held in hand.

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#18

It’s so hard to tell when everything is Cha0s :joy:

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#19

I don’t wish for it to be otherwise!

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#20

Try a corrosive Kitten, may be better. Never likes the Moxxi SMG personally, they would be better as Slagging tools imo. Her AR do a better job at doing damage imo.

But AR are usually a poor elemental status applier, arent they? What is the slag chance, about 9%?
The splitting pellets, Splash and good fire rate sure helps in the Case of the Hail, but I dont know If you can realiable slag with them.
The Rubi could be a good choice for Slagging purposes, as Pistols swap speed are good too.

Im pretty sure the Kitten does too.

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