How do shotguns work?

[Steve from America]

I've seen people say that the Grimm Brothers akimbo is really good on high difficulties, but I don't see how. Compared to akimbo pistols, it seemed to have inferior damage and the shotgun skills give less buffs than the pistol skills. Is there something about shotguns that separate them from other weapons? Do pellets stack damage or something?

[Juliazim]

No because from what I understand pellets don't stack damage at all
which means less accuracy is better because it makes your spread way larger which equals a really big range

[Steve from America]

Originally posted by Juliazim:

No because from what I understand pellets don't stack damage at all
which means less accuracy is better because it makes your spread way larger which equals a really big range

So then what's the shotgun advantage?

[Jostabeere]

Dragon Breath ammo.
High pickup.
Hit mutliple enemies for full damage.
Insane firerate.
Shotgun and akimbo skills.

[Steve from America]

So shotguns deal damage to multiple enemies at once? The damage is kinda weak, wouldn't one hit kill weapons be more effective?

[Thermal Lance]

Simple. Point in the general direction where the enemies comes from. Then, apply pressure on the left mouse button. If your build ain't ♥♥♥♥, enjoy the show.

Thank me later.

[The Mad Doctor]

Originally posted by blackweed75:

So shotguns deal damage to multiple enemies at once? The damage is kinda weak, wouldn't one hit kill weapons be more effective?

the main advange is the spread.
Shotgun in payday 2 does not each pellet damage. instead 1 pellet does all the damage and the rest are ignored. thus you can make head shots much easier since headshots takes higher priority.

and since it has spread, you can deal more damage to others around them. yes even though pellet does not stack into 1 person, the pellets still hits other cops around them.

and also skills can improve the shotguns as well

basically, easy head shot machine that can spam

and also shreds dozers plates

[Jostabeere]

Originally posted by blackweed75:

So shotguns deal damage to multiple enemies at once? The damage is kinda weak, wouldn't one hit kill weapons be more effective?

Overkill, 10% damage, Underdog, Crits, Headshot damage. Everything adds up.

[Arrancar]

They are insane. Overkill(basic is enough) and other shotgun skills, Frenzerker build and you just destroy enemies.
Although huge enemy numbers + firing Brothers Grimm = FPS drops

[Steve from America]

Maybe I just need to try the shotgun out more. I tried the BG once on Overkill and it didn't seem so special compared to akimbo pistols.

[Jostabeere]

Originally posted by blackweed75:

Maybe I just need to try the shotgun out more. I tried the BG once on Overkill and it didn't seem so special compared to akimbo pistols.

You need a lot of skills to make them work.

[Steve from America]

Originally posted by Jostabeere:

Originally posted by blackweed75:

Maybe I just need to try the shotgun out more. I tried the BG once on Overkill and it didn't seem so special compared to akimbo pistols.

You need a lot of skills to make them work.

Are they worth using over something like the akimbo interceptor 45, though?

[Jostabeere]

Originally posted by blackweed75:

Originally posted by Jostabeere:

You need a lot of skills to make them work.

Are they worth using over something like the akimbo interceptor 45, though?

Yes. With all buffs they hit the breakpoints to OHK Heavies on DS and 2HK Tasers/Medics I believe. Atleast that's what my mod shows me.
Instead of aiming and killing single targets in 1-2 shots you unload a wide wall of pellets into enemies which can deal 4-digit damage numbers.

[TSense]

quick rundown how payday 2 works

Shotgun Damage 40
Headshot bonus x4
You fire 8 pellets.

7 pellets miss, 1 hits the body = 40 damage
7 pellets miss, 1 hits the head = 160 damage

You shoot into a group of enemys
3 pellets miss, 2 pellets hit Cop A in the body, 2 pellets hit Cop B in body and head each, 1 hits Cop C in the head.

Cop A gets 40 damage, because pellets don't stack
Cop B gets 160 Damage, because headshot overwrites bodyshot
Cop C gets 160 damage

A shotgun with 40 damage just dealt 360 damage in *a single shot*

When your ammobags run out, ammo pickups are your only way to keep fighting.
Pickup is 1 to 2 shells.
You do this kind of damage to more than one target, aka more drops.

Now here is the kick: Akimbo Shotguns don't fire double the pellets, it just fires 2 times, means *those* pellets do stack if they are from both left and right gun.

Now here is the real kick.
Fire Damage deals full damage, but no headshot.
Aka you hit him all over the map, deal 0 damage because shotgun range, but you put him on fire and the fire deals it's full damage + stun

[Jostabeere]

Originally posted by TSense:

Now here is the real kick.
Fire Damage deals full damage, but no headshot.
Aka you hit him all over the map, deal 0 damage because shotgun range, but you put him on fire and the fire deals it's full damage + stun

You don't ignite enemies with DB past a range of 30 meters.

[Copy & Cat]

The damage buffs from the shotgun tree is stupidly strong, to the point it makes the damage numbers dont matter