Choosing the right gun in Borderlands 2 can be overwhelming with the sheer variety available. Knowing how to quickly assess a weapon’s potential is crucial for survival and maximizing your damage output. One of the fastest ways to compare guns is by understanding their parts. Recognizing weapon parts can instantly tell you if a gun is potentially awesome or definitely trash.
For a deeper dive into weapon parts, this resource provides comprehensive information: http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/638784-borderlands-2/66132390
However, for a quick comparison, here are some general pointers to keep in mind:
General Tips for Gun Comparison Based on Parts:
- Matching Barrels: If a gun has a barrel that matches its manufacturer, it generally translates to increased damage. This is a primary indicator of offensive power.
- Matching Grips: A grip that is from the same manufacturer as the gun usually means a larger magazine size and faster reload speed. Faster reloads and more bullets are always beneficial in combat.
- Hyperion Grips on Non-Hyperion Weapons: Be cautious with Hyperion grips on weapons from other manufacturers. They often reduce both the weapon’s damage and magazine size, making them generally undesirable unless you are specifically building for a very niche purpose.
- Vladof Parts: Vladof parts are synonymous with fire rate. On many weapon types, a Vladof part can significantly boost the fire rate, leading to a substantial increase in damage per second (DPS). Keep an eye out for Vladof parts if you prioritize rapid fire.
- Dahl and Hyperion Stocks: For stability and accuracy, Dahl and Hyperion stocks are generally preferred across most weapon types. Dahl stocks are often considered top-tier, followed by Hyperion stocks, as they provide more predictable and accurate weapon handling.
Manufacturer-Specific Quirks to Consider When Comparing Guns:
Beyond the general parts, each manufacturer in Borderlands 2 has unique quirks that can drastically change how a gun performs. Learning these nuances will further refine your ability to compare guns effectively:
- Jakobs Pistols and Snipers: Fire rate accessories on Jakobs pistols and sniper rifles have a unique effect: they cause shots to ricochet off surfaces. Skilled players can use this to their advantage, even scoring double critical hits with a single shot by strategically bouncing projectiles. Also, be aware that white and blue rarity Jakobs snipers are bolt-action variants. These deal higher damage per shot but have a significantly slower rate of fire compared to their non-bolt-action counterparts.
- Dahl Assault Rifles: A basic Vladof barrel on a Dahl assault rifle grants it a special double accessory effect. This is not typically found on other assault rifles and can be a powerful combination, boosting fire rate while maintaining Dahl’s burst-fire characteristics when zoomed.
- Torgue Assault Rifle Barrels: The effect of a Torgue assault rifle barrel is not consistent. It changes depending on the manufacturer of the other parts of the gun. This variability means you need to pay close attention to the complete parts combination when evaluating Torgue assault rifles.
- Maliwan Pistols and Sniper Rifles: If a Maliwan pistol or sniper rifle description mentions “bonus elemental damage,” it signifies an area-of-effect (AoE) splash effect. This splash damage means each shot effectively rolls twice for inflicting a status effect. For example, a Maliwan pistol with splash damage will deal significantly more damage than listed when you factor in both the direct impact and the splash damage, often reaching around 180% of the stated damage.
- Rocket Launchers: Every single part on a rocket launcher directly influences its performance. This makes rocket launcher performance highly variable depending on the parts. When comparing rocket launchers, understanding the parts is even more critical due to this significant performance variance.
Rarity vs. Parts in Gun Comparison:
Weapon rarity certainly plays a role in overall weapon effectiveness. Higher rarity (like purple) provides a general stat boost across the board, independent of the parts. However, it’s important to remember that bad parts can negate or diminish the benefits of higher rarity. For example, a purple rarity weapon with a detrimental Hyperion grip might end up performing worse than a lower rarity weapon with optimized parts. Don’t solely rely on rarity; always consider the parts.
The Underrated Importance of Reload Speed:
Reload speed is a critical stat, especially for certain manufacturers and weapon types. For manufacturers like Torgue and Dahl, a matching grip that significantly boosts reload speed can dramatically increase your DPS. Faster reloads mean less downtime and more bullets in the air.
This guide provides a solid starting point for quickly comparing guns in Borderlands 2. By focusing on weapon parts and manufacturer quirks, you can rapidly evaluate a weapon’s potential and make informed decisions about your arsenal. Keep experimenting and learning the nuances of each part and manufacturer to become a true Borderlands 2 weapon expert.
