50 Ways to keep Axton alive in UVHM

Borderlands 2 Axton the Commando
#1

So, I’ll be editing this over time.

This is a elaboration of this thread as it pertains to Axton.

I was thinking we should create a 50 pointer list of the best tips as to staying alive in UVHM (if we can’t get to 50, we’ll go up to whichever number we work our way up to).

Unlike the general list, this list can be centralized around the design of the character, and therefore can speak on specific builds as well as a moderate degree of item loyalty.

  • Please add a tip and a suggestion as to where it should be in retrospect to all the other tips.
    -This list will be numbered in order of importance, so if there is no consensus on the position of the tip, it shall be placed on the tail end.
  • Avoid tips that are too alike to previous tips.
  • Avoid tips that would allow for no personal influence on a build
  • Tips as to important items to own are welcome.
  • Tips as to common mistakes to avoid are welcome.

Lets begin!

  1. Don’t over rely on your turret. Axton’s ability as a runner-and-gunner is also impressive.
  2. Get Grit. Suddenly avoiding death has no downfall.
  3. Preparation is useful for any build for any build. Even Solo, his turret can provide a nice enough distraction to keep your shields up for that 2% per second healing bonus.
  4. Be strategic were you place your turret - position yourself so you can pick off enemies attacking it.
  5. Double-up adds slag - use it well!
2 Likes
Another UVHM Frustration Question
#2

Get Grit. Also, are you doing this for every character?

#3

Indeed I am.

A bit of credit to Gulfwulf for that idea as well.

#4

I’d reccomend Preparation for any build. Even Solo, his turret can provide a nice enough distraction to keep your shields up for that 2% per second healing bonus. Not even counting his shield-boosting skills. Get a nice fast Tediore shield for extra-fullness.

#5

I’ll bite:

  • Be strategic were you place your turret - position yourself so you can pick off enemies attacking it
  • Double-up adds slag - use it well!
#6

I have a quick Q: how the hell does Axton players run really fast and can other characters do it?

#7

I think it’s the Kill Skill. Onslaught. As well as the fact they can move relatively fast while looking down the sights.

#8

That sounds about right. Maya has Fleet, Sal has Bus…, Zer0 has f0ll0wthrough. There is also at least one shield that boosts movement speed when depleted.

#10

I hate to consider adding this, but it is tough to beat the Legendary Soldier class mod. I still use the others for a hoot, but that one really is like Christmas compared to the others.

Also! If you have Double Up, and you’ll be tossing one of your turrets in a safer location than the other, toss that one first. You can re-toss the second turret if it gets destroyed, but if the first gets destroyed, you can’t re-throw. I, for example, will occasionally toss one right on me and throw the other into a distant mob. If they die fast, I can reclaim them for the cooldown bonus by grabbing my “local” one. If the far one dies, I can re-toss it as long as the timer is up. (I’m not sure how to put this into your list elegantly… "manage your turret deployment properly with Double Up?)

#11

Axton gets crazy good grenade buffs. Use them!
Don’t bother with laser sight because it actually makes your turrets less accurate.
Skip the RR and get a blockade instead.

#12
  • Not only does Longbow help you position your turret, it also more than doubles it’s health; even if you tend to throw your turret next to you, it’s still a worthy investment if only to keep it up longer in UVHM.
  • As you go through the OP levels, Enemies, in addition to gaining more health, will start to gain damage reduction as well as they out-level you. Your Turret however, will be at the same level as you + your OP level, meaning that it won’t deal reduced damage (Gaige’s Death Trap also has this benefit.)
  • With his Shield Recharge Rate Bonuses and Shield Recharge Delay Reduction, Axton can make great use out of AMP shields, especially The Bee. However, always carry a more defensive shield such as the Blockade or an Adaptive Shield for when you need more survivability than DPS.
  • The Quick Charge constantly recharges your shields while it’s active, even while your shields are still taking damage. This can potentially save you from DoTs that would normally eat away at your health.
  • However, there are a few Synergy problems this can produce: not only is Axton a terrible character for melee builds (recharging your Maylay Shields when you want it down for example,) but Willing, Quick Charge, and Pressure all don’t work very well with Crisis Management, as CM is active while your shields are down.
  • Axton gets several Grenade bonuses, which not only apply to the grenade mods, but also towards the Splash damage of most Torgue Weapons and the Tediore Reloads.
  • However, while there are very good Tediore Reload builds available for Axton, be aware that they can consume A LOT of your SMG and Pistol ammo, and tend to be best used against Bosses rather than mobs. Carry a few backup weapons, such as a Torgue Assault Rifle or Shotgun if you’re planning on using such a build.
  • While Axton doesn’t have any Flashy skills like B0re, Anarchy, or Gunzerking, he can prove to be a very useful team-player in Co-op, having the survivability from skills like Grit, redirect aggro with his Turrets, or constantly debuffing the enemy with Double Up.
#13

To actually expand upon something Gen said here, while Crisis Management doesn’t work well with his shield boosting skills, it DOES work well with some survivability builds. If a player finds themselves going down quite a bit, Crisis Management might be work taking. With CM included, Axton has TWO skills that will buff his gun damage while in Fight For Your Life.

#14
  1. Don’t overlook Willing and Quick Charge. They synergize amazingly with Preparation.
  2. Don’t sleep on Expertise. The extra weapon swap speed can really help in FFYL.
  3. Use your turrets to get out of a tough situation if you need to.
  4. Tediore quick shields are amazing, especially with Axton’s shield buffs. You’ll get your shield back almost instantaneously.
  5. Moxxi weapons are great, but be careful of using them in FFYL if you’ve specced into Last Ditch Effort. They’ll take away the bonuses from that skill if they’re used while you’re down.
1 Like
#15

I back this up 100%. I used a lot of Turtle or high capacity shields on normal mode. Those only carried me halfway through TVHM, when I started dying literally all the time. In desperation, I tried the exact opposite of those huge shields, a purple generic Tediore. I’m never going back. With fast Tediore shields, Axton’s shield buffs and health regen when they’re full, you’ll never be unprotected unless you do something stupid. I just got a level 71 purple Tediore Blast Proof Shield. Higher recharge rate than capacity, less than 2 seconds delay and resistance to explosive damage. My shields are practically never down. I think it’s honestly my favorite piece of gear I have in my inventory.

#16

If you don’t have nuke and want to distract an enemy (like a badass), throw you turret right in front of the enemy. Your turret won’t last long though.

#17

Call me crazy but I use

-legendary engineer mod
-double turrets with shield that slag
-bee shield
-43% turret cool down relic (my 61 is still better than any OP 4 relic I can find).

One thing I ended up loving about UVHM is how it makes you better and you eventually lose the fear of getting dropped. Sometimes with my DUKH you almost can live forever.

A guy hides, your turret is distracting him, run in head first and shoot him, if he drops you then more often then not you will easily get back up with second wind.

I’m OP 4 now but with a OP 3 bee shield, and 72 weapons it is almost unfair to enemies right now.

1 Like
#18

I’m assuming you mean Gemini? This works, I do this all the time and it does make things easier.

#19

Yes! My mistake :blush:

#20

The kill skill “Onslaught”, any mod that boosts it (Shock Trooper, Legendary Ranger), and the glitch: http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/638785-borderlands-2/

–

Not a walk-in strategy, but build/spec in preparation for the high possibility of dying, and fighting out of it. Get good at that, tho, and NOTHING will keep you down…long.

#21

For me in normal and even in TVHM I did a lot of dropping my turret and essentially running away. It got the job done as I would also toss out a couple of grenades.

That strategy doesn’t work in UVHM though. Your turret is your brother in arms or more then that according to Axton. Take your longbow and take your mag lock. Have the Gemini perk.

You can throw one on a far wall and one on the ceiling almost right next to you. As it slags the enemies just mow them down with your favorite gun. As they will fall like it is TVHM.

I prefer a Tediore SMG if I go down to spam reloads to get back up with.

A side note. I find it to be very ignorant how if you were to only throw out one turret for a battle and it goes through it’s cycle you have to wait for the cool down cycle before throwing another one. This needs to be patched as it is extremely unfair. Considering Gaige for example has upshot robot allowing Death Trap to be spawned as long as kills continue to be made. There is no perk I know of to increase the duration of the turret once it is deployed via number of kills. I know you can increase its base duration but that still isn’t the same.

I apologize if any of this was already said. I am not trying to steal anyones thunder. Just trying to help everyone. As Axton is my favorite Character.

1 Like
Noob question about bl2 characters
The Community Axton Guide - All you ever wanted to know