Too f*ckin MANY Axton drops, IMHO.

Finally had a Siren drop (good one too, +8k hp, 25% burn, 25% burn chance) and the top sniper one, now I've reinstalled the patch and I'm crying as I remember how the bee was pre nerf:(

Keeping score, that's 31 Terramorphus kills (all via Axton, as those sentries draw sooo much aggor, it's awesome) solo and with a sit-in (to see if the drops were different) Basically, it IS random, but biased (~ 60%) towards the one doing the most damage.

Apart from the pitchforks, nothing of note dropped, no shields, not one other unique - lotsa glorious purples though, so that's fine.

Cruised about the lands on the Siren (Warrior kill x 2, so everything's level 50-52) trying to get another infinity drop (From Dr Mercy) but after wasting his ass 40 times, I've gotten a little bored trying for it.

Managed to get a 50 Neogenator off of Spycho (Frostburn canyon) by accident and that sucker's going to my gunzerker friend (when he's high enough). I was running from a level 53 God-lieth loot goon that happily killed every fucking thing in the place before sucumbing to a rocket->face barrage. Gleaning through the wreckage, yep, legendary. (Was looking for the hellfire, as that is sick DOT damge with an elemental-specced Siren with the Tetra mod on (~ 107% burn chance, or something stupid)

Amazingly, got a level 41 Baby-maker off of Madam VonBartably with my Axton (not killed warrior, so not level 50+, mores the pity) first go, but as the Bee's been nerfed, it really doesn't have the wow factor it used to. (It's a Teledor SMG, that when tossed, explodes and spawns another smg, which also explodes. Teledore loads used to get the Bee amp so you could murderize anything in seconds with a gunzerker tossing them at almost full-load)

Uh, stupid me - Hellfire drops from Scorch, not Incinerator Clayton. Oh well, kill them anyway:)

Good hunting kids - share the stories, no one else will believe you:)

I started a new game with Axton, after realizing I was hardly ever using Salvador's Gunzerk ability. I like Axton's turret much better.

Man, I just got this the other day, and unlike BL1, playthrough 1 is no joke.

He treats it like his girlfriend for a good reason.

No kidding. Even with minimal upgrades (the talent that increases shots-per-volley and duration), it kicks more ass than I do. I can't imagine what it will be like when I add rocket pods to it.

I'm quite content with deceptioning and meleeing the snot out of everything.

The shields are also nice. And so are the longer bursts. And the second gun. And the auto-slag effect. And all of it, ever, that it does.

While playing BL2 with Mrs. Crit and her Siren, I loudly and politely thank the turret -- over and over again -- for being my most useful and trustworthy squadmate, for saving me so very often, for being so competent and fearless in a scrap, and for asking for so very little in return.

Were you.... shaming... your wife....?

How long did she withhold the goodies from you for doing that?

I bet it would piss her off even more if you were playing as Gaige and using Deathtrap.

Oh man... I wish I trusted my computer enough to try and run Brolands 2 on it.

Four Gaiges is hilarious. And by that I mean it's the unholy rapetrain. The players can oftentimes just sit back and do nothing.

Considering how accurate she is, not surprising.

The 4 x Deathtrap Robo-Fist extravanganza IS hilarious, and beyond messy if there's more than one electro-mechanomancer playing, but having seen 4 x Axtons, mostly with multiple turrets? Yeah, that got wrong VERY fast. (One went full retard, the middle tree, so when he tossed a turret, it set off a nuke. That got everyone's attention, then we tossed out the GF's and sat behind a rock, lamenting that we didn't have a gunzerker for bait/ammo regen.)

I also healed (Siren) 3 x gunzerkers - that was pretty hectic as I barely got a shot off before someone was down and they needed another heal/rez.

Was also cruising with an elemental (Helios/convergence Siren) and 2 x assassins - the might have health regen but combined with mine, they were recovering something like ~ 600hp/sec, and that was before I got people stuck in a bubble. The assassins love convergence - makes multiple melee kills easy.

Mixed groups are lots of fun - makes the drops more interesting as well:)

-Tir

(God, level cap 50, how I hate thee.)

Oh, and Canray - if the Mechanomancer's missing, chances are she's an Anarchy spec and bullet-spewing in order to get ricochets. Another give away? If she's jumping around a lot, yep, Anarchy spec. (tricky, and mainly of use later in - say, level 30+, when she is a bit more survivable)

What? Of course not!

Just praising my turret, is all. *whistles innocently*

Somehow I doubt he's going to properly explain the black eye.

Or the gold-edged membership to the Adonis club...

And Bigity - wait until you hit "True Vault Hunter" mode. Difficulty starts to ramp up right away and keeps ramping. Bring a friend!

-Tir

My new favorite tactic: finding a goliath in the middle of a crowd of enemies... and sniping his helmet off.

I'm debating if it's worth trying to grab it at 25% off, or seeing if they pop it up for 50% off one more time.

Why wouldn't that be fun? The goliath's drop quality increases as he gets more killed and hulks out to even greater degrees. For even more fun, snipe the helmets off all goliaths when there's a pack of 4.

I haven't managed to get one up to GOD-liath status yet; none of the camps in the early game have enough bad guys for them to kill. Where's a good place?

Yup, my assassin sniper loves this.

I even had one trying to attack one of those banshee vehicles, jumping way up into the air and swinging at it.

Frostburn Canyon (or whatever the F the name of the place with the train is , escapes me at the moment). Sometimes you need to run the buggers around, a couple of shots to keep them chasing you, then run them into a bunch of varkids. I've heard you get a certain percentage of experience based off of what the goliath killed in order to get leveled up, but the main reason to do it is for the better loot. There's also plenty of goliaths in that region to pop the tops off of, so if one goes down, you can find another one.

*Goliath Kills*

When enraged, if a goliath kills another (bandit, whatever) and you manage to kill the goliath, you will have 3x the xp of that individual kill (scaled to your level), chained with each goliath "level up", ie:
Bandit 1, normally 120 xp, killed by rampaging pencil-neck, kill the goliath, get 360 xp
Bandit 1 and a baby spiderant, normally 120 xp and maybe 25 xp, total of 435xp when the goliath drops. ((120 x 3)+(25 x 3))
And so on.


This can develop into a stupidly-high xp gain IF you chain high-kill goliaths.
ie: get a Godlieth, piss off another Goliath, almost kill the godlieth, have the Goliath kill the bigger one, wash, rinse, repeat.

And that's how you can accidently get 45-90K xp (MAD XP if you're tagging along with someone a few levels (Less than 5) higher than you)

...Well you could pre-patch, they may have capped the xp to a maximum of ~9k in one hit (going on level 1 characters tagging along for a tetra kill, and many multiple Warrior slaughters)

But yes - get a high-level Godlieth (or a big un) and let it whale on anything as you run like a little girl and the xp drop's rather juicy - also useful to create a diversion if the bandits are getting unecessarily grumpy.

-Tir

So, I took a little side trip to Oasis, to break up the tedium of replaying the bits I'd already played as Salvador. I haven't gotten far, but I have to say that Shade has the kind of smile that makes me reach for the reassuring heft of a really big gun. Plus, that whole thing with the townsfolk who are totally not dead.

Not surprisingly, you tend to get better loot from the DLC. Good stuff there.

Yeah, both DLCs were a lot of fun. The Torgue one had me literally laughing out loud several times, though.

*Feels left out due to being broke*

So, a couple levels ago I added rocket pods to my Sabre turret. Sweet Cthulhu's naughty tentacles, I totally understand why Axton refers to it as his girlfriend, because now I want it to have my babies, too. I just fought Grendel, and it was a breeze. The turret opened up such a can of whoopass that I barely had to fire my weapon and was never in danger.

Yyyyyyup. Just wait until you max out that tree. Extra accuracy, extra-long bursts, extra duration, missile pods, TWO guns, and it causes slag? There's a reason I belittled my wife for the entirety of our gameplay time, and insisted my turret was my real partner and she was just this NPC that helped me out sometimes.

In other news, another of my favorite things about BL2 is just how cheap and easy it is to re-spec whenever you want to. Especially once you're plateaued at 50, it can be a lot of fun to just fiddle around a little and try a whole different branch, and it's so trivially cheap (oh no, cash money!) that you don't mind doing it even just for one game session. Right now I'm fiddling around with maxing out the middle tree, and then investing in the third -- so that my Axton is a murder machine, and the turret is something he longbow-launches (that sticks to walls and ceilings), that he mostly uses as a distraction and to give him MORE damage bonuses whenever it's deployed. It's a total gameplay shift from my first build, feels like a whole different game...and when I get bored, I'll just change back and it's no big deal.

I so love cheap/easy respec.

So, I'm playing through the first game since I never finished it, and even though I picked up 2 on sale, I'm not allowed to play it until I finish the first

Anyways, decided to roll as Mordecai, and I remembered how much I LOOOOOVE revolvers in that game. Currently maxing out the bloodwing tree, then finishing out the pistols/revolvers tree. Sniper rifles are nice and all, but I do a mean headshot with iron sight revolvers. That being said, once I start BL2, which class is gonna be up my alley? Have they really changed all that much from the first, or is it still Turret-Guy, Disappear-Chick, Sniper-Guy, KindaSucks-Guy?

Imagine how I felt switching from a sniper rifle Zer0 to a melee Zer0.

Oh, man, in the late game of Borderlands, a spread of good elemental revolvers will carry you through anything. In particular, I massacred the Crimson Lance with an acid revolver and lots of headshots.

I can tell you that Axton ("Turret Guy") is 100% fucking awesome, particularly once you put points into upgrading the turret. I started out playing Salvador the Gunzerker, but wasn't really using his action skill. Haven't played Maya or Zer0, so I dunno about them.

I always love it when Roland or some no-name NPC uses their turret. I then get to holler [Hollywood Aussie Accent] "That's not a turret! Now this is a turret!" [/accent] and toss my girlfriend out there to razzle dazzle 'em.

I play Gaige, and that's pretty much exactly how i feel when Axton throws out his turret and I introduce him to my Deathtrap.

He's such a cute little murder machine!

I want this game now.

A murder machine?
This is not the way to go.
Inflict death yourself.

Canray - if possible, you might want to hold off on the buy until the GTOY edition's out (and you know it's going to be a solid one) or if you're not one of the glorious gaming master race (PC users) get a "Season Pass" as the expansion are lengthy, fun and in regard to the latest one, HARD.


Yep, it's hunting season folks - Sir Hammerlock's invited us for a fancy weekend of hunting and class-based humour (as in, high and no class) but some idiot's gone and drunk from the fountain of stupid and it's up to you and the ton of guns you have to make the weekend enjoyable.

First: Level 30, minimum. And you may want to have finished the main story unless SPOILERS. Meh.

Second: Oh holy fuckstick and Andraste's boiling knickerweasels! This is a MONSTER step up in AI and I live in fear of the first bastard to mod the NPC behaviour to the main game.
Basically, there are bosses (usually witch doctor types) and you're going to want them dead first.
If you dont, well, have fun.
They Buff, they heal, they force respawns, they slow you and your vehicles, they suck the life out of you and THEY USE THAT TO LEVEL THE BASTARD SAVAGES until they're something like 4 levels higher than you. (assuming you're in a scaling/Vault Hunter environment.)

Example: My level 41 Gunzerk, a level 44 buddy siren and his level 35 assassin GF went for an adventure in True Vault mode. Ok, level 41 beasties about, nice xp, ok, time to kill that guy, oh holy crapsticks...

It took us 3 vehicles (each with ~234k health) and most of our ammo (yes, I was ammo-regen ~ 2.1/sec) to take out 3 of them, mainly because we didn't afford them the usual respect. It also caused about 6 fight-for lives and 2 player spawns, mainly because while you're trying to kill this apparently-unkillable level 45 (!) Devil-Savage that's levelled up after the shamen's finished sucking your Siren dry and healing the rest of the group (area heals, also Line-of-sight if the shamen are badasses).

We've not seen the witchdoctor types level this way, but the badass versions are very hard to kill. Also, if they're in a group, seperate and destroy, one at a time. AOE-armageddon doesn't mean much if just one weak-ass on the side can heal them all up in 5 seconds because he's untouched.


Not to mention the non-stop wave-attacks that a lot of the savages seem to crave. The AI's smarter now, using and sniping from cover, then getting out to pepper the rest of the group if you're destracted by the melee badass in your too-close group.

Animals are...not fun. After the super Spore pods, you'll wish for raks. The skorpid things don't like fire (or explosives, it switches) much, but a lot of them are immune to melee ("No Effect") and they tend to swarm like skag pups.

Maps are big - get in your new fan-boat (Like the sand barges, but in Acid (fast, need lead shot, small splash), Electric (Big splash, slow, small ball, big effect, sticks for 3-5 seconds) and fire (FLAMETHROWER, small range, enormous fun.) with a big enough footprint that your fancy new painjobs look rather nice.) and bring a good rifle with you, sniper or assualt, but scoped and able to do the damage as the maps are big and ranges long.


Basic class thoughts on the new DLC:

Gunzerk - The ammo-regen is a godsend, as the enemy AI (Screaming waves, supported and buffed by elites) makes for frantic gameplay and lots of ammunition use. The extra DPS helps as well, but not as much as decent and repeated crit-shots. (Enemy hp is high->boss) Explosive revolvers and sniper rifles, and a ton of grenades and rockets. Shops aren't at all handy - long trips back for more when you could be killin'
Siren: Health regen for the team, distance res and convergence are really tasty here. Elemental damage does get a bit of a say, but the high HP and witchdoctor-dispells/buffs makes things tricky. SMG and sniper, with the Rocket-launcher in it for desperate times.
Axtron (Commando) Oh, the turret's going to get a workout here. ROF boosts for the team are delicious. If you went full-retard into the centre column, now's the time where you laugh mockingly at your detractors (Me) and toss that turret intoa bunch of crazies with the accompanying nuke-it noise. Otherwise, use the turrets defensively and take them enfilade as they charge, screaming, into death. Assault-rifles, if they're good and well-scoped. Sniper and whatever works, depending on the combat situation.
Gaige: Ulgh - the deathtrap's not much use, unless if you're pressed and in close-quarters (when having aoe and melee-bonuses work for you nicely) as the majority of the opponents are only able to be seen at long-range. The electricity-immune/resistant bastards are also in thick supply - bring a lot of guns that fire really fast and use a lot of bullets. Bandit SMG's worked well. (BLagggagggagagagah and the Bulls, mostly.)
Zer0 - snipe away! Long maps and melee-resistant enemies makes close-quarter Zer0 cry. Team crit bonus slotted for preference - choose your shots and a lot fo the DLC are one-hits. Crit-area vision is a godsend, let your buddies know where to shoot. Crits are always there...


...Apart from the helmeted (masked) witchdoctors and some hardass badasses.
If possible, run them over in a flybarge and then smash them when they're down. Then repeat. Work together as a team:)



Anyhoo, time for bed!

Oh, and they've fixed the duping bug present in the Borderlands series, so no more "drop shiny things and then log for your buddies to loot", as well as some of the unique duping. (Some maps, notably Sanctuary, seem to still sort-of work.) The bee's still nerfed (boo) and you need ~ 100 Eredium to open up the raid boss, so get some level 50 buddies and make a mess. Sereph chrystal rewards incoming:)

-Tir

Tir, I <3 your writeups for this game. Yet another thing to add to my spring break list (classes this semester are gonna be killer )

<--- PC gamer. Has Season Pass.

That Pass isn't a console exclusive, you know.

I am holding off until GOTY comes out. But I don't like FPS' on PC. That said, I do have a gamer rig now and am getting some very nice strategy games.

Also, I have one question to ask...

EXPLOSIONS?

CanRay, do you have a big TV? Can it take DVI or HDMI input? Could you run an appropriate cable from your PC to where the TV is?

If so, Steam's "Big Picture" mode sounds like it was made for you!

_Pax_ - god, I so hate you now, Rub in the superiority of the glorious PC master race why don't you?

...Actually, Ironic, considering your handle:)
-Tir

^_^

I was once a very Console-centric player - because my finances made it easier for me to play via Rental services, than to go about buying everything myself. Plus I couldn't afford a gaming-capable rig.

Now, though ... let's just say "I just sank three and a half grand into a new PC", and leave it at that. ;D

I don't think there's any "superiority" between PC and Console, though .... just different areas in which each excels.

Done and done. Well, VGA connection to my TV, there's no HDMI connection on my video card for some reason.

At least, I don't think there is... ... Either way, it's the controller I have issues with. Mouse and keyboard don't work well with me after I broke my elbow. Controllers are easier on my pain levels now for FPSes.

While I get what you're saying, I just cannot play FPS at all on console (notable exception going to Goldeneye on the N64... not sure why).

Speaking of strategy games, I've still got a free copy of Civ 5 hanging on my steam account from buying XCOM if you want it.

Just got some DLC for CivV, which I got on release day. It's very nice and is one of the things that keeps me sane at times. Tropico 4 is another. Gratuitous Space Battles just got a renewal on me.

I actually haven't played it in a while. I picked up Alpha Centauri on GOG and that eats up my strategy niche (well, and JA2).

EXPLOSIONS? ENCHANTMENT? ENCHANTMENT!

Silly CanRay, EXPLOSIONS! isn't a question. It's the answer. To everything.

Wired or Wireless Xbox controller - depending on the proximity of your PC to your TV. In fact, Big Picture was made with Controllers in mind, specifically.

Even for gaming at my desk, a lot of the time I prefer to use my Controller rather than KB+M ... for the same general reason you cited: pain. Though in my case, just due to age, and parts wearing out.

Except when the answer is really BIGGER [Torgue] EXPLOOOOSIONS!!1!!eleven!!!barbarastreisand!!! [/Torgue]