Questions about OP runs and Sal

Borderlands 2 Salvador the Gunzerker
#1

Finally got my Sal to 72. Farmed for some unkempt harolds, but couldn’t get the DP (ended up getting an intense and explicit I believe), then went and farmed a level 71 Bee shield. I ran through the first OP level and made it through by the skin of my teeth…

My build basically gives me max DPS and there’s barely any time I’m not gunzerking. My question is this: is the grog nozzle that worth it? Will it make things easier if I go get the grog nozzle, farm for a DPUH, and a 72/OP1 bee shield? I’ve never been one for glitching, so would a DPUH + grog nozzle zerker allow me to basically walk through OP levels like some people have implied?

Answers appreciated. Or if you have any better gear advice, I’d love to hear it. I’ve played around with most guns and the unkempt harold is absolutely second to none IMO

#2

Grog Nozzle and basically anything else makes Salvador nigh-unkillable. While holding the GN, 65% of any damage you cause heals you. Including that ridiculously powerful Bee-powered gun you’re holding in the other hand (preferably the right) or that grenade you’re using.
You also occasionally get drunk which causes you to temporarily lose fire right and accuracy but shoot 5 additional projectiles from the main hand which in the case of the Unkempt Harold causes you to shoot 6 bullets which all split into 7 each resulting in 42 projectiles as powerful as the first one (7 initial 49 in case of a Double Penetrating variant). Naturally, this is extremely dangerous up close or against large enemies. Also, if you’re not using the DP variant, every single projectile (yes, all 42 of them) receives the full Bee bonus (DP would half it). Add in an explosive Relic and you’re solid.
Not to mention the very high slag chance of the GN.
The Unkempt Harold thrives on simplicity. The main disadvantage is that it can’t receive any elemental advatages and critting isn’t that easy to do reliably with all projectiles. There are other more powerful but more difficult to use guns such as the Pimpernel or Lady Fist.
Also, what’s your build? What else are you using?

#3

Excellent response, I appreciate it.

I’m currently using a pretty generic build I suppose: focusing mainly on the fire rate/damage bonuses, with the legendary class mod to give me bullet regen (because I can’t find the +money shot mod ANYWHERE). I primarily use pistols so I’ve got the sheriff’s badge, but I have an explosive relic lying around somewhere.

Guess it’s time to go out and get that GN

#4

Using a Bee with Sal makes zero sense. Flame of the Firehawk, Neogenator, Rough Rider, Blockade, and Antagonist are all better options.

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#5

Can’t believe I didn’t mention that myself >.< Although it can be very helpful against certain stronger enemies, it’s just not that great for mobbing.

#6

I know I expected better from you :wink:

#7

The Bee is great on Sal in certain situations, but I agree that, for mobbing, definitely not a go-to. I prefer The Sham, Rough Rider (also situational), and in most cases, a good turtle shield personally.

To answer the original question, I’ll put it this way: if it made sense to dual wield two GNs I would.

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#8

I will have to live with this shame forever :frowning:

Anyway, back to topic.

The Raider and Monk COMs are best used for Raid Bosses. Salvador’s DPS is already completely nuts thanks to all the Fire Rate and mulitplicative Damage bonuses.
Your COM is very fun to use as it allows you to spam bullets for a much longer time. However, if you use the Rough Rider you are able to permanently get a 50% chance of saving a shot which may trigger several times in a row while gunzerking (potentially creating the infamous Money Shot chains). Raider COMs can put the capacity of the Rough Rider to negative however and the game will think you don’t have a shield equipped which negates the Inconceivable shield calculation so it only counts your health which is less than ideal (empty shield means you’ll get the full 50% chance but no shield gives you no benefit at all).
It is better to use an Explosive Relic (or the other Bone of the Ancients relics for other Elemental gear) as it is multiplicative. The Fire Rate caps can make some FR boosts pointless and the Pistol Damage boost is very small as it only increases the base pistol damage.

#9

IMO with Sal, the Evo or Neo are the best shields for him. The RR us good in some builds but not all of them. Sal has almost no shield skills and Hus health regen are % based, so turtle shields are lackluster on him.

The Grog nozzle is awesome. It’s not necessary, but it’s a great help.

IMO, a DPUH is not necessary either. I prefer a hard or explicit one personally. They’re slightly lower DPS, but they still do a great job.

And I have to disagree with you Black heart: a Sheriff’s badge is still a better choice than an explosive relic because the UH is slow enough that fire rate soft caps are not really an issue here, and fire rate boosts are also a kind if multiplicative bonus… So to speak.

#10

You do have a point regarding the Sheriff’s Badge. The Legendary Hoarder COM he uses improves Locked and Loaded, Lay Waste and I assume he has Keep Firing… enabled (or will have it enabled). KF does take a while to charge fully however and Lay Waste is kill skill while the Sherrif’s Badge is active pretty much all the time and more Money Shots can help too!
There are pros and cons here indeed and it is up to him.

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#11

I’m going to assume that you visit the 8 Torgue vending machines in the Campaign of Carnage dlc- you can usually complete a circuit of visiting each machine 3 times before enemies start to respawn. Just keep at it- and if you’re on the 360 I know I have a couple of level 72 DPUH’s if you want one. As for a shield, I usually use the Antagonist for Sal or- for certain bosses like Badassasarus- the Evolution (or any inflammable/alkaline/grounded shield as necessary). Speaking of grounded, try to get a The Transformer shield- it will save your ass against even super badass surveyors later on. If you really want to try something different try the Deputy Sal build- I switched to it a couple of weeks ago and have been having a blast ever since (be warned that the best gun for this build will be a Rustler’s Orphan Maker, so head to the Capt Scarlett dlc for that…

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#12

Ok, a more in-dept answer now that I have a proper keyboard :smile:

That’s good enough, just pick the one with the Torgue grip if it’s on one of the 2 and go with that :stuck_out_tongue:

No wonder.
the Bee is rubbish on Sal: You’re using the Harold, a gun that shoots slow bullets that fan out…so you need to be close to hit. If you’re close, they will hit you. If they hit you, your Bee is just a sub-par shield with no special ability. the Bee is only useful if you can avoid getting hit…usually by using snipers, using ADS a lot, and having skills that recharge shields… Sal has none of that available.

Go for an Adaptive shield, an Evo or a Neo. The extra health will be there to help you soak the hits even if the shield is down, and health is what your off-hand gun gets you. The Rough rider is a great shield…but it’s mostly a Raid boss shield: it’s not consistent enough for the peak IMO. Sure you get those crazy chains more often, but the peak is 90% mobbing, and most mobs will be long dead before the end of that chain. On top of that, when you come back from FFYL, you have very low health and your full shield is your only line of defense for a few seconds, so the RR leaves you vulnerable.

Another GREAT option is the Flame of the Firehawk. With a Grog Nozzle out, each nova is a full-heal, and you will get shot at often enough to keep it down… THAT’S much more DPS than a Bee in Sal’s case.

Yes.

Although a Slag Rubi is an adequate substitute. What are you using in your off-hand ?
I can already tell you one thing: if it’s not a slag gun, then you are NOT close to max DPS, and if it doesn’t heal, then it may be part of the reason you have trouble on the peak.
get you one! (Or a rubi)

It makes it fairly easy yes, especially at the early Op levels. There are more powerful combos, but this one is the simplest.

Speaking of build, what does yours look like ?
(use this, then copy the URL back into your answer: http://bl2skills.com/gunzerker.html#000000000000000000000000000000000 )

And what other pieces of gear do you have available ?

While I would be hard pressed to NOT recommend someone uses my build, this is miles away from what he has: not a single piece of gear in common… :smile:

(though if you feel like trying it, the Peak becomes a total cakewalk if you play it right)

Another great option, since you love the Legendary Hoarder (why wouldn’t you ? …it’s my favorite too :blush: ) is to go that route with single-bullets guns and take advantage of 5so6 (just have a look at Spunky’s Kitten build for a preview)

#13

This little fact would let you play sal easier.
The right hand (lady fist 800% crit) will tranfer to your left hand (harold or any gun).
Rubi on the right hand will only give you healing but grog give you 200% crit bonus on top of that.
If you hold your grog on your left and harold on the right, grog 200% crit will not tranfer to harold.
Hope this help.
Correct me if i am wrong :wink:

#14

Not quite accurate buddy. Critical hit bonuses transfer from either hand. The difference is that certain skill bonuses only work on your right hand gun. In general you want your main damage dealer in the right hand unless running off hand shenanigans such as RL combos.

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#15

But when i running deputy sal, grog or lady fist has to be on the right hand to provide crit bonus to ROM or any jakobs shotgun on the left. Likewise pimp and rl.
That is why my gunzerker’s fire bottun is inverted.
How you hold the gorg and harold?
Now i am confused.
@Chuck80 any thing to add.

#16

It’s not to transfer crit bonus that the guns are inverted in Deputy or Pimp/RL, it’s because money shot only sees the main hand’s mag size. So in the case of Deputy, you switch the guns so that your 12+ mag pistol is in the right hand to get full money shot bonus, and in the case of Pimp/RL, you do it so that the empty RL procs MS on each shot.

Crits transfer both ways. In fact, all crit bonus from all sources all apply to both guns, doesn’t matter which is where.

In the case of Harold and grog, you’re better off with the Harold in your right hand, as many skills don’t apply to the left hand. There is a list of those in the resources thread, but it includes I’m your huckleberry, 5so6, KIPH…

Like @BookEmDano said, unless you need to for a special combo, always have your main gun in your right hand

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#17

K thanks @Chuck80 @BookEmDano buddy.
Anyway i am stucked at gunzerker inverted firing as deputy is the only fun way to play for me. :blush:

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