Sludge Pump any good?

[Locane]

I just unlocked access to the Sludge Pump, and I've been playing with it for a few hours worth of sessions. I also realized I don't see a lot of people using it.

https://deeprockgalactic.fandom.com/wiki/Corrosive_Sludge_Pump

I can't really seem to get a good feel for it. It seems like it does less damage than the flame thrower, and isn't as useful as the cryo cannon at defensive stopping enemies kind of stuff, especially in close quarters (which a lot of the maps are).

I feel like it needs a boost - it takes a lot to finally unlock, and while using it against bosses in Dreadnought hunts, it's kinda useless. The charged shot just goes everywhere (including back toward me and my allies) and only sometimes gets stepped on, and it doesn't cut through the grayed-out invincibility stages like I had hoped it would.

If I had some feedback for this weapon, I'd say throwing on a small chance to charm for 5 seconds, or having it cut through invincibility stages would be a nice bonus to help offset how hard it is to actually earn and finally get.

[pi73r]

Well, noone uses it because of how op the cryo is.

[FreddyTheMonkey]

It's my favorite Driller weapon in terms of fun. I now use it almost exclusively, with Disperser Compound and Goo Bomber Special being my favorite OCs. Yeah, Cryo is better, but if you have some skill you'll pull your weight with the Sludge Pump and then some, especially on higher Hazards with more bugs. I usually outkill the Gunner with it in Haz 4, and I'm not a particularly good player.

Bottom line, though, is if that playstyle appeals to you. I've seen some videos explaining some great, effective build for the LOK for example, but I just can't put those advice into practice. Weapon is not bad, but definitely isn't for me. Try out the Sludge Pump, but if it doesn't suit you, it doesn't suit you. Doesn't make it bad or anything, especially because DRG isn't a game that requires the perfect maxed optimal builds, even in Haz 5 or EDDs.

[Creepy Necro]

1. It has a great range
2. It can cover a really large area with the charged shot puddles, esp with the Dispenser Compound OC
3. It does not have an overpressure phase like Cryo Cannon, and you are not obliged to shoot the ground specifically for the slowdown effect to apply (which is the case with Sticky Flames of Flamethrower) – the charged shot puddle just falls and splits, and there you go

All of these make it an awesome support weapon, esp for holding a position, e.g. in Salvage missions. Yes, it does lack damage, but again, I myself consider it a support weapon. Also, keep in mind that it can direct damage Oppressor (as well as any other bug, actually), ignoring its armor.

[Fryskar]

Publicado originalmente por Creepy Necro:

1. It has a great range
2. It can cover a really large area with the charged shot puddles, esp with the Dispenser Compound OC
3. It does not have an overpressure phase like Cryo Cannon, and you are not obliged to shoot the ground specifically for the slowdown effect to apply (which is the case with Sticky Flames of Flamethrower) – the charged shot puddle just falls and splits, and there you go

All of these make it an awesome support weapon, esp for holding a position, e.g. in Salvage missions. Yes, it does lack damage, but again, I myself consider it a support weapon. Also, keep in mind that it can direct damage Oppressor (as well as any other bug, actually), ignoring its armor.

1 Range alone doesn't make a weapon good. Thats one point why some don't like the drak. Its projectils may be accurate, but need to be aimed more careful and are prone to miss, if a bug moves unpredictable or quick.

2 I wouldn't call it really large, but a decent size. Charged is also unable to cover walls well, unlike sticky.

3 It has other downtimes, like the need to charge, reload or simply downtime between shots. Sticky can burn though enemies and hit the ground.


Bypassing armor is not unique to it, all driller primaries do the same.
Both the flamer (sticky) and cyro can support as well as do dmg.

[Savior8801 (P-L)]

For a pretty crazy combo, get a CSP driller and a Burning Hell gunner on the same team with VB sidearms. Set the world on fire, baby!

[Creepy Necro]

Publicado originalmente por Fryskar:

1 Range alone doesn't make a weapon good. Thats one point why some don't like the drak. Its projectils may be accurate, but need to be aimed more careful and are prone to miss, if a bug moves unpredictable or quick.

2 I wouldn't call it really large, but a decent size. Charged is also unable to cover walls well, unlike sticky.

3 It has other downtimes, like the need to charge, reload or simply downtime between shots. Sticky can burn though enemies and hit the ground.


Bypassing armor is not unique to it, all driller primaries do the same.
Both the flamer (sticky) and cyro can support as well as do dmg.

It's all up to one's playstyle. I find it better in most situations because I'm not forced to come close to the target, be it even 15 meters, and that's already enough for me. Btw, the pump puddles can dissolve Exploders, hence preventing an explosion; IIRC, Sticky Flames will let them blast.

It's really ineffective only against flying targets because you have to predict their routes, which demands some experience, yet you don't deal much damage. Nevertheless, even if you miss, you don't really lose your projectiles – they still cover an area that can sometimes be used.

I've mentioned direct damage just because the pump projectiles are not akin to CSP or Cryo ones; they're physical, they do not go through.

All in all, I just wanted to say that it's a good weapon, but in another sense and in other situations, compared to the other two.

P. S. It is good, but it makes the game lag as hell; it seems like most of my recent crashes, even after the fixes, were caused specifically by this thing.

[Big McLargeHuge]

It's my favorite gun in the game

[Nosteru]

I realy love this gun. Also the agonizing bugs in the pudles is the best. I almost feel sorry for them...ALMOST.

[Zeddy]

I'll preface by saying I haven't bought the thing. Instead, most of my playtime is duo with a friend who mains it when he's driller, so I'm relaying what I've observed and what he's told me. I personally stuck with flamethrower because it throws flames.

The first thing I notice is that the slowdown is quite heavy, at least with the way he's built it. It slows down enemies more than sticky fuel. If I feel like it, I can pickaxe enemies caught in it provided they don't die on their own wading through it. If I run gunner with Minelayer as we did our last EDD, I can put mines almost directly at enemies in the puddles and the mines will arm before they get anywhere. The puddles also dissolve exploders, which sticky fuel doesn't do at all.

Cryo Cannon freezes thing completely in place, but lots of things are resistant or immune to it and for big enemies that matter (elite warning comes to mind) it takes a lot of time and ammo to freeze them only for them to unfreeze nearly right away. A coordinated effort can make a lot of use of that short time, but the slowdown of sludge is just easier. Nothing is immune to it (it was even incredibly effective against haunted cave's Unknown Horror), and it will last for as long as your sludge puddles do.

As most of DRGs weapons, it will do fine if you like the weapon and it's playstyle.

[Ferrix]

Other fun thing with Sludge Gun is, it slows base, then you can add more with T5 slow mod, then drop Neurotoxin for more slow, the scout's IFG's for *more slow*, then another driller can sticky flame or cryo on TOP of your puddles for MORE SLOW. All the while, the bugs are taking damage and are wide-open for killshots from your pals. With under one mag and Disperser Compound you can leave an entire swathe of terrain 3 Oppressors square looking like Fungus Bogs.

You can basically just render a whole swarm indefinitely paralyzed, then go pickaxe them to death because you feel like it. The sludge gun is amazing at passively kite-killing Bulks, Oppressors, Praetorians, it can oneshot kill fester fleas without damage upgrades due to the tick damage, it memes on stationary enemies like Korlok turrets/Spitballers/Menaces, it krumps on BET-C...

It's honestly kinda hilarious. The massive onslaught of enemies just... halts in its tracks.

[Polaris]

It's my new driller weapon of choice, I build for Max puddle size and duration, with the slowing mixture.


Then I bring a fire damage EPC with heavy hitter, ignite the puddles, and watch the world burn xD

[Ferrix]

Publicado originalmente por Polaris:

It's my new driller weapon of choice, I build for Max puddle size and duration, with the slowing mixture.


Then I bring a fire damage EPC with heavy hitter, ignite the puddles, and watch the world burn xD

That's what I do too. Neurotoxin grenades will still poison everything in the area, but will explode and ignite all puddles in the AOE if you light one puddle with your EPC then toss the 'nade in.

[Deadweight]

Sludge is fun, cryo is not, so I use sludge over cryo.
Like others said, combos great with fire epc and gas grenade.

[TheGraveDigger]

best weapon against dreads as they're not resistant to whatever damage type the sludge pump uses

[Fryskar]

Publicado originalmente por TheGraveDigger:

best weapon against dreads as they're not resistant to whatever damage type the sludge pump uses

Its not exactly a prime dps tool either.