Is the Flying prefix needed for the Sand Hawk?

[Blundering Rookie]

Hey,
I just reached level 80 and I'm about to farm the Sand Hawk. Now obviously Flying would be perfect but I have also fully specced into the Accelerate skill making bullet speed faster. Does Flying stack with the skill and does it have a meaningful impact, or is it unnecessary? The latter would obviously make farming the thing a whole lot easier.

[Zen_Disaster]

Originally posted by Blundering Rookie:

Is the Flying prefix needed for the Sand Hawk? Hey, I just reached level 80 and I'm about to farm the Sand Hawk. Now obviously Flying would be perfect but I have also fully specced into the Accelerate skill making bullet speed faster. Does Flying stack with the skill and does it have a meaningful impact, or is it unnecessary? The latter would obviously make farming the thing a whole lot easier.

No, the "Flying" prefix" isn't at all needed for Sandies at UVHM Levels 60 up thru to the medium OP Levels ~~~ for UMVH 60 up thru to the medium OP levels, many including me might instead recommend either no prefix at all or the better all-around benefits in this level range of the "Stopping" prefix.

Though you haven't shared the needed info with us, even when playing Maya with a fully specced "Accelerate" skill on your tree, generally speaking I'd suggest you might want to return to the "Flying" prefix in the medium OP levels up thru endgame ~ would truly need to analyze your current total Skill Tree in order to make optimal suggestions for you.

Let it be said that rumors to the contrary notwithstanding, with your good "Accelerate" rank, Maya can easily compete without turning to any Sand Hawks whatsoever so long as you've also specced into her deceptively brilliant Capstone Skill :of "Thoughtlock" ~ you may enjoy giving it a spin. Have fun

[robbbie01]

I saw your post so out came the testing gear.

I tested 2 sand hawks one with a flying prefix and one with a damage prefix and I found the damage one was usable with 5/5 accelerate and 10/5 was maybe around as good as having a flying one.

unless your hunting rakk the flying one is not 100 percent needed in my opinion but
if you want to come and see for yourself I think I could arrange that.

[Blundering Rookie]

thanks for the great answers guys! helped me a bunch :)

[z00t]

To a certain extent it depends on what your enemy is. The Sandhawk is not something I use as a general smg, but as something for when I want Lots_of_Damage_Now. The enemy is usually relatively slow moving or heading towards me at the time.
Because a standard non Flying one has a fairly slow flappy bird bullet pattern, enemies, especially moving ones can often be missed. Effective range is limited as a result.
Flying helps all Dahl smg's by making the bullets faster, effectively extending the usable range.
Stopping gives Damage, but slow bullets - useful for some enemies who are slow moving. It depends, but of the two Flying or Stopping I would prefer Flying.
For this gun it is possibly more important having a matching grip and matching stock - basically higher dps.

Maya's Accelerate makes any 'hawk more useful, as does Zer0's Vel0city. I always have Maya's Accelerate at 5/5, because the gun damage boost added to all of her other damage boost skills makes for some very compelling numbers. Faster bullet speed on Dahl smg's is a nice side effect, but is not why I do it.

My goto daily driver smg for Maya is a non-elemental B!tch. Far more useful than a Sandhawk in general combat. My #1 Maya's B!tch is a bandit gripped, Dahl stock and bladed, as it was dropped, and by far, that has killed the most enemies for her.
If I know I will be wanting damage later, I will get a Sandhawk out of storage as needed.

[Zen_Disaster]

I'd like to amplify zOOt's comments about best SMG's for the higher and the OP levels of BL2. Whether playing as Maya, Zer0 or any other playable, it's safe to say GOTO SMG's for any & all of us will include wherever possible Actualizers, Btches & Emperors. These are very serious kill machines that lack any significant or limiting negative traits (like one element-only guns do) for use against the game's biggest~time baddest guys ~~~ in situations where the likes of even best Sandies just won't do. My two cents only ~~~ por favor no flames for an opinion muchos gracias.

[robbbie01]

Originally posted by Dekardi:

about the guy with the dmg prefix
you dont use the dmg from sandhawk itself (atleast not only) you also add the bee shields amp,
the reason for flying is just the bullet speed over a longer range

A flying prefix sandhawk still has the highest bullet speed that is not in dispute.

The op wanted to know is there any flex in the variants you could farm in order to speed up the farming process. So ideally the goal was to INCREASE the amount of variants if it was still any good to use.


I find with the skill he mentioned (accelerate) another prefix of sandhawk would be ok to use. I am guessing maybe 10/15 percent difference in bullet speed at 5/5 accelerate.and that seemed to narrow further at 10/10 accelerate. And as Its my opinion and those can vary the op is a welcome to join my game to see the difference.