As in most games, our first contact with a weapon in Borderlands 2 is with a pistol. What sets Borderlands apart from the rest of the games, is that you know that the guns will not be limited to being those slow and weak weapons that we are used to.
Borderlands 2 has a huge amount of guns in its catalog. Whether they are guns with explosive ammunition, guns that explode, or even guns that can be used as machine guns, in this list we will see the best pistols that we should always carry with us at high levels.
Unforgiven
Drop
You can find this powerful gun by defeating the Legendary Dwarves or Boss 01001111110100010011010101000100011101010101010101010001001000. The Dwarves are usually in ammo boxes, but where they are most concentrated is in the Wildlife Exploitation Reserve. On the other hand, you can find the boss 0100… in the DLC The Raid On Digistruction Peak.
Special Ability
Despite not having any ability that we can consider distinct, its stats make the weapon even stronger than some legendary pistols. This gun has increased damage and aims in exchange for some fire rate and recoil. In addition, it has a 100% critical damage bonus, much higher than the 25% that other Jacobs weapons normally have.
When should we use this weapon?
Until we get the Unkempt, this should be our Default gun. Its stats make it a very powerful and reliable weapon to use at all times, although we should use another pistol in specific situations that we will see later in the list.
Who should use it?
Because of its high critical damage and being a slow but high-damage weapon, all Vault Hunters can use it, but Zero players will enjoy it a bit more than the rest.
Grog Nozzle
Drop
This weapon is obtained as a quest weapon during the side quest “The Beard Makes the Wizard,” included in the DLC “Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep”. The only way to keep the weapon permanently is to keep the quest unfinished or find a player to trade or duplicate it who got it during the “$100,000 Loot Hunt” event by killing the Golden Golem or modifying the game files.
Special Ability
Despite having a huge damage reduction, Nozzle has a 200% critical damage increase and a 50% chance of elemental damage. It fires large, slow projectiles that explode up to 3 times in the air, destroying itself on the third detonation. When equipped, it heals the wielder for 65% of all damage done to the enemy in any way, including damage from grenades, shield nozzles, or even projectiles from other weapons that have not yet hit when the weapon was equipped.
In addition, the Grog Nozzle has a random chance to “intoxicate” the wielder, causing the chamber to oscillate and the character to hiccup. As long as the inebriated state is maintained, the character will fire five extra projectiles with the weapon they are using and without any added ammo cost, at the cost of less accuracy and rate of fire.
When should we use this weapon?
If we have the right combo, this weapon will be ideal for clearing large waves of enemies. On the other hand, you should always try to use it when you are near a vending machine because, without realizing it, you may spend a lot of ammunition depending on the number of enemies you face.
Who should use it?
The Grog Nozzle is practically essential for any high-level character, but Krieg, combined with his Hellborn tree skills and Fire of the Firehawk shield, and Salvador, being the combo of Grog Nozzle and Unkempt Harold, create some of the most powerful and well-known combos in the game.
Infinity
Drop
Infinity can be obtained randomly from any loot source and has an increased chance of being obtained from Doctor Mercy (will only appear after completing the “Medical Mystery” mission, the Golden Golem (Mines of Avarice, from the “Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep” DLC) and the chubby, tallowy skeletons that appear from the UVHM in “Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep.”
Special Effect
Does not consume ammo when firing, although at least one bullet is required for the weapon to function. Shots trace a ∞ pattern, ignoring normal recoil. Accuracy increases when shooting downward. It can appear in any element.
When should we use this weapon?
As its special effect suggests, this is a weapon we should use when we have little or no ammo left. Likewise, if we have ammo, we should use other weapons in the list, as they are more powerful.
With his Metal Storm ability and other abilities from his Gunpowder tree, Axton produces a high DPS, especially when combined with shields like the Bee.
Unpkempt Harold
Drop
The Unkempt Harold can be obtained randomly from any loot source and has an increased chance of being obtained from Torgue vending machines as an item of the day in the DLC “Mr. Torgue’s Campaign of Carnage,” and can be obtained by killing Savage Lee in Marrowfield, on the Three Horns Divide map.
Special Ability
It fires seven bullets that scatter horizontally, costing three bullets per shot. If obtained with the Double Penetrating prefix, it will fire another seven bullets parallel to the originals at the cost of 6 bullets. Being unlisted projectiles, they receive the full bonus of the shields like the Bee.
When should we use this weapon?
This should be our first weapon to grab if possible. As mentioned above, the Unkempt can make great combos with other guns and is the most powerful gun in the game.
Who should use it?
Being the best gun in the game, all Vault Hunters should have it, although, unlike Infinity, Gaige will get an additional benefit from it thanks to the fact that she will get several stacks of Anarchy. Also, because the projectiles receive bonus damage from grenade damage increases, a lot of Axton’s skills buff the Unkempt Harold.
Hornet
Drop
The Hornet can be obtained randomly from any loot source and has an increased chance of being obtained from Knuckle Dragger, the game’s first boss, making it possible to obtain it from levels 0-1.
Special ability
It always appears with corrosive elemental damage. Being a Dahl weapon, it fires a 6-shot burst with high elemental probability, with each shot having an increased area of effect.
When should we use this weapon?
The Hornet should be the weapon with which we start fights at a distance. While we can, we should start applying its elemental damage and some damage so that, when we switch weapons, they are a bit more weakened or even dead.
Who should use it?
Being a highly corrosive damage weapon, it is helpful with all characters for armored enemies such as stirrups or the infamous armored psychos. Maya can boost corrosive damage with her Cataclysm tree, and Krieg can heal in large amounts with his Hellborn tree. In addition, having an area damage encoded grenade, she benefits from Axton’s Ready abilities, which boost grenade damage.
These were our pistol recommendations for Borderlands 2! Which one was your favorite? Tell us in the comments!
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