[Build] The Jakobs Way, but it's actually Torgue!

Borderlands 3 Zane the Operative
#1

I thought I could add the build I am running to the list, so here it. Maybe. I won’t mention accomplishments, because I’m a coop only player, but we did split farming and had I no trouble.
This build gets better with higher guardian rank and with very specific gear, so I guess it’s not for “fresh 50s”. That’s why I start with the gear.
(build at the bottom)

Gear:
Weapons:
Scourge: Kinetic/Cryo
Hive: Radiation
Flakker: Kinetic/Fire
One punch chump
Toolbox-guns: Storm and Firestorm, Skeksil
Annointments, Preferably damage after clone swap. Skill end buffs are alright, too.

Classmod:
Executor with 2-3 in playing dirty and 2-3 in good misfortune. Good secondary stats are: cooldown, damage reduction, damage increases benefitting your weapons.

Shield:
Re-router. Shock resistance or if not that then radiation resistance, annointment and random bonus effect are not important but 10% max health is nice to have as well as the 20% cooldown after skill end.

Relic:
Ice Breaker - Anything (if you use a cryo hex)
or literally anything else with the right secondary stats, but until emergency response is working as it should, I wouldn’t use deathless relic because it slows down the shield reload.
Secondary stats are cooldown, damage reduction (if it can even be on it? ), magazine size, damage increases benefitting you weaponry

Grenade:
it’s piss (bosses)(change relic)
cryo hex (mobbing)
generator tranfusion or anything homing with cryo element

Guardian skills:
up until Overkill
up until Shield reboot (emergency response if it’s fixed)
up until Topped Off

Skills:

Screenshot_20191021-140006
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Screenshot_20191021-135844
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Screenshot_20191021-135742
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Playstyle:
For bosses and badasses:
Call clone with scourge or hive,
deploy shield on top,
Shoot,
switch places with clone,
(reload weapon), swap weapon,
if shield’s full, shoot again if needed.
If you have the swap annointment make a swap before your first shot.
Reposition shield first then clone.

For mobbing:
Call clone with scourge or hive
Snipe around with opc or nuke bulletsponges with Flakker
Swap if bored

Hive seems better for the clone except if the line of fire is free of obstacles.

If you want to shoot the same weapon twice animation cancel on PC or quickly smash the weapon swap button 4 times on Console.

Variations:
for boss battles I often try to use recharge relay instead of all-rounder

Digital distribution does damage to the clones life instead of shield so he can still heal with re-router.

If you feel save, get points out of salvation into cool hand

I hope it works for you as it does for me!

Operative Master List: Build Collection
Operative Master List: Build Collection
#3

Hmm… a clone build that doesn’t use any movement speed buffs. Interesting. After yesterday’s patch, this might actually work better since the clone will have more HP and therefore more time to fire that Hive. I’ll give it a go once I farm myself a level 50 Hive. I’d love to actually be able to use the clone as a reliable means of DPS besides just from activating the skill or swapping places with it.

#4

I’m using this for some time now, and I’m doing fine. I’ll have to change some things in the original post now, because it might be viable to switch to big boom blaster shield and spam rockets now, as well as using jerichos alt fire mode.
If I’ll get to test things, I’ll update.
You don’t necessarily needed a hive btw, and scourge is doing more immediate dmg while the hive takes some time but lasts longer.
I hope you like it of you try it, have fun.

#5

My personal problem is that I have no idea what’s good to copy for the clone. Best weapon doesn’t equate to best clone weapon, after all. The Hive sounds good because it doesn’t need to be accurate at all to create absolute carnage. But you’re right about Big Boom Blaster being viable now that the boosters are auto pick up. I tried it with a Quadomizer last night and was able to spam it infinitely. I hit myself a few times with it too like an idiot but the boosters kept me alive. Maybe the Jericho buffs will make that a top tier pick now. I’m honestly surprised more people haven’t at least wanted to try this because to me, running a clone that is just as deadly as Zane himself was how I hoped he would work before release. I can’t be alone in that regard. If you’ve been running this build with success since before the hotfixes, then this should be not only viable but SUPER fun. I like the cryo RR build and all but it’s not how I want to really play him. I’ll try it out over the next few days. I don’t have days off so it’ll take a bit for me to really see all the build has to offer. Either way, this is huge for me because even if I decide to choose a different skill or 2 to suit my personal play style in the end, this template should allow me to actually play him the way I originally wanted to. So thank you!

#6

Theres a thread dedicated to the weapon of choice for the clone here. I’ll link it if I get the time.
Change what you want, I’m not 100% sure on the clone tree either switching trick the light on and off, if you have big boom blaster you don’t need pocket full of grenades as well, but can use 5/5 ductape mod. But without the rerouter the clone can’t heal himself as much and you can’t fully capitalize off digital distribution yadayada it might a a WIP at this point…
In doubt just switch to any OP gun and melt everything as usual