Preng wrote:

Should I be saving a lot of money in the beginning of the game, or is it okay to spend as I please at any given point?

In the beginning of the game money plays a large role in how you progress through the first 15-20 levels.

After that, it is meaningless.

When my level 61 character dies I lose somewhere around $45,000,000. You can't even see that number on the screen because the highest number reported is 9,999,999.

Also, I pick up single weapons worth 5,000,000 - 7,000,000 at least once per playing session.

Once you break a mill, you'll never need money again and realize that being that wealthy in the game was not necessary. Oh... except for ammo slots. Yeah, but only buy the ones you use because future upgrades override previous ones, they are not incremental.

Weapon proficiency is earned when you kill an enemy with a weapon shot from the weapon you are holding. Quest experience does not count. Also experience from your special action will not count. This makes Brick very hard to gain proficiency with if you go Berserker with him. You shouldn't have trouble with Roland though.

Shotguns require a different play style than a rifle or smg. They are slow fire rate usually, so knowing when you get to take the shot and where it will be from need to be accounted for. They have the highest crit damage potential because each of the shots can crit individually and you can get a head shot with each one.

It is important to realize that not all shotguns are the same... or even similar.

Most guns have a variation of about 20-30% on accuracy. Not shot guns. They go from 0% - 80% as far as I have seen. If you have one at about 20%, you need to be close to use it. At 80% you can be at mid range. Shot guns also work best when they have an element on them. Without the element you really lose a lot of potential.

As for the choice of elements, character buffs will determine what works best for you. Brick will use explosive, while other characters will need to choose their Mods wisely to complement their weapon choice. Fire has the longest duration, however it blocks line of sight. Shock does less damage, but binds up the target. Corrosive seems to have the best penetration against the living, however I find that there aren't as many good high rate corrosive weapons available. Explosive is the highest damage, but often in the gun's stats, the explosive element weighs too heavy on the total stat for the gun and drags the rest of it down into the gutter. I really don't like explosive unless playing as Brick.

Why a Wildcat?

Hellfire is where it is at for an SMG, either that or Double Anarchy.

TheRoboSleuth wrote:

GPFontaine wrote: Why a Wildcat? Hellfire is where it is at for an SMG, either that or Double Anarchy. I just remember the wildcat being very good. Its been a long time since I had one honestly. Ive got a double anarchy, its very sweet.

I use a solid Double Anarchy as my primary.

I have a slow shooting Hellfire and honestly, I can see how if I had a 2x Hellfire it might be better than the Anarchy, but I really doubt I'll ever find one.

For those who have not used a Hellfire before, they always light up their target with fire. The 4x Hellfire always seems to proc, so that means max shot damage and always hits with an elemental burn effect. Even with all of this, it is a slower death than a Double Anarchy up close unless the Hellfire has a fast fire rate. Er.. at least faster than 2-3.

Update 1.41 (formerly 1.50) is in certification!

This is the level cap update that brings the game to level 69.

http://gbxforums.gearboxsoftware.com/showthread.php?t=111831

Make sure you get the game of the year edition at this point. Also, for what it is worth, if you aren't rushing to go out and play it with friends, you might want to wait until the Black Friday sales on Steam.

Steam hooked me up automagically.

Level 69 right away and life is good. Things are still easy to crush with the Siren.