As in all other games, Borderlands 2 gives you four slots to choose your weapons. Although we always hesitate in which weapons we should carry, one of the last slots is almost always reserved for the most obvious and safest late-game choice: A Rocket Launcher.
Although Rocket Launchers are not usually the weapons that get the most attention, having them can be a great option to make the game much easier. Whether to kill a large number of enemies at the same time or to obtain a miraculous Second Wind, we should always carry one of these weapons loaded.
But… Which one should we use in each case? Many of these weapons do not compete with each other since they have different effects that we can use on different occasions. Therefore, in this guide, we will see a list of the best Rocket Launchers for Borderlands 2 and in which situation we should use them.
Hive
Drop
Getting Hive is surprisingly easy; to find this weapon, we must go to Arid Nexus Badlands and fight against Saturn, the giant robot. However, be careful, as this boss is quite dangerous if you are not prepared enough to face him.
Try to carry weapons with corrosive effects and, if possible, go with a friend. In the beginning, you will die a few times, but when you understand his patterns, killing him over and over again until you drop Hive will be much easier and faster than you think.
Special Ability
fires a “hive” that is added to the ground, and it starts to rotate and shoot messenger rockets, after finishing this effect the “hive” will explode.
When should I use it?
Just like the boss that gives you this weapon, Hive always has corrosive damage and is very useful against robots. It may not be a Rocket Launcher that will always save you or give you an easy Second Wind, but it is the ultimate weapon to destroy enemies that are weak to acid as fast as you can, so even if it is not your first weapon, you should always carry it just in case.
Swapper’s Launcher
Drop
Being an Eridian weapon, you can get it from any loot source throughout the game. Keep in mind that it’s an E-tech weapon, so it won’t be that easy to find, but at least you don’t have to farm a boss to get it.
Special Ability
It has a large blast radius, and those within that radius will be inside a catastrophic plasma aura causing devastating damage.
When should I use it?
This weapon is a much more easily available and accessible version of Norfleet. The legendary weapon will surpass and replace it when we find it, but in the meantime, Sweeper’s Launcher will be our best option as a Rocket Launcher. Its high damage and blast will serve us to defeat a large number of enemies at the same time and, as it is one of the most powerful rocket launchers in the game, we will have to have it equipped and ready to save our lives when we need a Second Wind.
Badaboom
Drop
To get this powerful fan favourite Rocket Launcher we must go to Eridium Blight. When we get there, we can go all around the map to find King Mong and start farming it to get the Badaboom. Otherwise, the quickest way to find it is to jump over the big wall at the beginning of the map using The Jump Strat with grenades and rocket launchers, but as this is a somewhat advanced technique, we recommend you to take the long route first, it will be more worth it.
Special ability
Fires a cluster of 6 rockets, each rocket with slightly reduced damage, so the accuracy is bad.
When should I use it?
Unlike Norfleet, the strongest Rocket Launcher in the game, Badaboom should never be used to obtain Second Winds. Having very bad aim but doing very considerable spread shot damage, Badaboom is the best weapon for clearing large hordes of enemies coming in your direction. It is also important to clarify that this weapon can be used with all elements, so you should try to get it in the variants that suit you best depending on the build you have at the moment.
Norfleet
Drop
You can get Norfleet in two different places, but that doesn’t mean it will be easy. In fact, this will be the hardest Rocket Launcher to obtain in any Borderlands. The first option (and the most chosen one) is to get it by defeating Vermivorous the Invincible. Although for this you will have to be alone for hours for this boss to appear, and you will have to be playing with other players. On the other hand, Norfleet is also a rare drop of Hyperion the Invincible, but the drop chances are really low, so it’s better to go for the previous option.
Special Ability
Like Swapper’s Launcher, Norfleet is an E-tech weapon. This Rocket Launcher fires 3 rounds per shot and has increased Damage and Blast Radius, but its accuracy drops considerably. When fired, the 3 violet ammunition are launched in a straight line but the trajectory becomes erratic.
When one of the enemies is hit by one of Norfleet’s ammunition, a plasma field is generated around it that continues to damage it for a while longer.
When should I use it?
It may be hard to get, but Norfleet is worth every second of grind you had to apply to get it. This is the most powerful Rocket Launcher in the game by far, and although you can use Swapper’s Launcher as a replacement, getting Norfleet will make the game much easier.
Once you get it, this weapon should always be equipped first before the other Rocket Launchers, which you should only equip in very specific cases. You can use Norfleet in any way you want, from clearing large amounts of enemies before fighting them to focusing on a boss and damaging it as much as possible. However, the most significant use you should make of this weapon is to get Second Winds, as it is the highest-damage Rocket Launcher in the game.
These were the best Rocket Launchers in Borderlands 2! Is Norfleet your favorite, or do you prefer another one? Tell us in the comments!
