.50cal: Explosive vs Anti-armor

[KitKat]

Tried to google and reddit this stuff, but sooo many contradicting info out there...

Anyway. Here's what I have:

> .50cal MG "Final Word", the one from the quest.
+50% Armor-pen
+25% Weapon Speed
+250 DR when reloading

> .50cal MG that I rolled myself
+50% Dmg to Scorched
Bullets Explode for 20% Dmg
10% chance to go invis when hitting enemy

Both with Prime receiver aka Ultracite ammo, so both also get +65% dmg to Scorched on top.

Also, I run both Stabilized(R3) and Demolition Expert(R5), paired with Grenadeer(R2) - for my other guns (explosive gatling and a two-shot auto-grenade launcher).

So here's the question: Which one is better?
- For random stuff all around (daily questing, events, leveling, random looting around, etc);
- For SBQ fight - will the +50% to Scorched stack with the +65% to Scorched from the Ultracite ammo? And will the extra explosive damage - with all the perk cards - outperform the Armor-pen?

[lordoftheapes79]

AA for using, Ex for tagging.

[KitKat]

Originally posted by lordoftheapes79:

AA for using, Ex for tagging.

Thing is, for "tagging", I've already got either the Gatling or the Two-shot nade launcher, sooooooo... :D Question still stands.

[lockwoodx]

#whynotboth

[KitKat]

Originally posted by JG Wentsworth:

#whynotboth

Carry Capacity limit. That's why.

[Cookie]

Armor pen if you want to kill things.
Explosive ammo is only good with 1* multishot and maybe other affixes.
Basically, if you want to get good eplosive ammo weapon - get a god roll.

[lockwoodx]

Originally posted by KitKat:

Originally posted by JG Wentsworth:

#whynotboth

Carry Capacity limit. That's why.

You don't have the perk to lower the weight of your rifles?

[BizarreMan]

Zealots is only useful if you spend your days fighting scorched and scorch beasts.

[KitKat]

Originally posted by JG Wentsworth:

Originally posted by KitKat:

Carry Capacity limit. That's why.

You don't have the perk to lower the weight of your rifles?

Nope. My STR is at 15 and is full:
3 points for Travelling Pharmacy
3 points for Heavy Gunner
3 points for Expert Heavy Gunner
3 points for Master Heavy Gunner
3 points for Ordnance Express - which is a temporary thing for when I'm running around with the 2-shot AGL, for the fun of it. Usually Blocker goes here instead, for the same 3 points.

[lockwoodx]

Originally posted by KitKat:

Originally posted by JG Wentsworth:

You don't have the perk to lower the weight of your rifles?

Nope. My STR is at 15 and is full:
3 points for Travelling Pharmacy
3 points for Heavy Gunner
3 points for Expert Heavy Gunner
3 points for Master Heavy Gunner
3 points for Ordnance Express - which is a temporary thing for when I'm running around with the 2-shot AGL, for the fun of it. Usually Blocker goes here instead, for the same 3 points.

Protip: It's a small waste to stack those damage cards. 1 point in 3 cards is better than a single 3 point card if you're looking to be ultra efficient.

[KitKat]

Originally posted by JG Wentsworth:

Protip: It's a small waste to stack those damage cards. 1 point in 3 cards is better than a single 3 point card if you're looking to be ultra efficient.

Would like to hear a better explanation of that. Is it about "diminishing returns" or some other stuff that is not explained anywhere? (not saying you're wrong or anything, just truly curious)

[lockwoodx]

Originally posted by KitKat:

Originally posted by JG Wentsworth:

Protip: It's a small waste to stack those damage cards. 1 point in 3 cards is better than a single 3 point card if you're looking to be ultra efficient.

Would like to hear a better explanation of that. Is it about "diminishing returns" or some other stuff that is not explained anywhere? (not saying you're wrong or anything, just truly curious)

a single 3 point card is a 25% buff. 1 point into all 3 cards is 10% each for 30%.
You're got a full blown damage build so it makes sense you maxed them all out but if you want to add some quality life cards like weight reduction now you have a smart way to cut back on points spent.

[KitKat]

Originally posted by JG Wentsworth:

Originally posted by KitKat:

Would like to hear a better explanation of that. Is it about "diminishing returns" or some other stuff that is not explained anywhere? (not saying you're wrong or anything, just truly curious)

a single 3 point card is a 25% buff. 1 point into all 3 cards is 10% each for 30%.
You're got a full blown damage build so it makes sense you maxed them all out but if you want to add some quality life cards like weight reduction now you have a smart way to cut back on points spent.

Since we're talking about Heavy Weapon perk cards... It's actually 20% for 3 point cards, not 25%. With 3 cards totalling at 60% bonus, for 9 points. And I really would prefer to have all the damage I can, in order to even remotely try to not fall too far behind all those boring stealth-archer bloodied 20%hp bar people - since I"m running full health and in power armor instead.

[lockwoodx]

Originally posted by KitKat:

Originally posted by JG Wentsworth:

a single 3 point card is a 25% buff. 1 point into all 3 cards is 10% each for 30%.
You're got a full blown damage build so it makes sense you maxed them all out but if you want to add some quality life cards like weight reduction now you have a smart way to cut back on points spent.

Since we're talking about Heavy Weapon perk cards... It's actually 20% for 3 point cards, not 25%. With 3 cards totalling at 60% bonus, for 9 points. And I really would prefer to have all the damage I can, in order to even remotely try to not fall too far behind all those boring stealth-archer bloodied 20%hp bar people - since I"m running full health and in power armor instead.

tbh I haven't looked at my cards in a while because my build works and thought it was 25% lol

[RMPyro]

AA is the best one. But keep in mind AA has dimishing returns, if you are using stabilizer perk, the AA on the weapon is removing 50% of the remaining armor. So its only a 25% anti armor bonus if you have that perk.

[KitKat]

Originally posted by RMPyro:

AA is the best one. But keep in mind AA has dimishing returns, if you are using stabilizer perk, the AA on the weapon is removing 50% of the remaining armor. So its only a 25% anti armor bonus if you have that perk.

I mean, even if it works like that... Still sounds like it's worth combining either way. It's still just more damage (together with Tenderizer too btw), no?