Questions for vets...

[PJM40]

I've put some good time into the game so far and are shotguns pretty bad? I've spec'd out my main character in a way that I should get decent damage output, but they seem very underwhelming. Assault rifles and sniper rifles are far better. I also feel like pistols are mediocre as their lack of range really hurts their efficiency. Is this accurate?

Secondly, I've not branched too far out on over world map (just cleared Denver/Gippers area). A couple times I get jumped by unwinnable battles and it's a complete party wipe. These are the random encounters. I'm not bad at the game and it's on normal and so far I've been cruising though it. But what gives with the difficulty spike on some of the random encounters??

[rhony2]

Publicado originalmente por Radiac:

I'm willing to settle for a minigun, Ripper SMG, or high tier sniper rifle. I don't think that structure gives out Jackhammer shotguns or Eliminator sniper rifles. I do believe you can get a Graviton Shredder and or a Ray Tracer at random as well, all of which are really good.

It seems to favor Incinerators and Power Gauntlets - got those 13 times each. Next was the Socom 8 times, Proton Axe and Argent 7 times each, Plasma Hammer and Guardian 5 times each, Tactical Shotgun, Minigun and Javelin 3 times each. Only got the Ripper twice. Of the "unique" weapons that are only supposed to appear once, in addition to the PDW-01 (after which I quit doing the reloads), I also got the Tesla Arc Projector, Retirer and Atom Smasher once each.

[Radiac]

Publicado originalmente por rhony2:

Publicado originalmente por Radiac:

I'm willing to settle for a minigun, Ripper SMG, or high tier sniper rifle. I don't think that structure gives out Jackhammer shotguns or Eliminator sniper rifles. I do believe you can get a Graviton Shredder and or a Ray Tracer at random as well, all of which are really good.

It seems to favor Incinerators and Power Gauntlets - got those 13 times each. Next was the Socom 8 times, Proton Axe and Argent 7 times each, Plasma Hammer and Guardian 5 times each, Tactical Shotgun, Minigun and Javelin 3 times each. Only got the Ripper twice. Of the "unique" weapons that are only supposed to appear once, in addition to the PDW-01 (after which I quit doing the reloads), I also got the Tesla Arc Projector, Retirer and Atom Smasher once each.

I didn't savescum that bunker as much as you did, but your numbers seem to make sense based on what I saw. It did feel like a lot of Incineratrors, Power Gauntlets, SOCOMs, etc.

[George Kerman]

Shotguns are very good openers for fights. For a guy with Sneaky ♥♥♥♥♥ 10 and the level 10 perk to increase the sneaky damage +100% (plus Devastation perk from Small Arms), the opening shot can destroy as many enemies as you can get in the cone. You will get a Tac Shotgun (guaranteed) after you bring Hallie to LaPerla (after the Full House quest). I usually add +3 range and Crit Dmg +0.15 and that weapon is quite good even in the Yuma County area. You used to be able to have 19.5 range Shotgun, now 13.5 is the range, oh well. Rule of thumb is, if you can kill all the enemies before your turn ends, you don't need to keep your distance or get to cover.

Oh and about the encounters. You have to pass the skill check to get the first move. If you don't get the first turn, then yes, you can get a wipe easily. The encounters with Sneaky check should be pretty chill, as you have all the time in the world to prepare and get the best positions on the map. For the others where you only get first move but you're surrounded by enemies, there is one corner of the map where there aren't any. With the exception of the waste worms encounters, you can withdraw all your guys behind the car towards that safe corner. A level 2 Kodiak should survive whatever, but usually only 1-2 enemies will be in range to fire (even if they crit it's still all good), most will double move and clump up so that your car can ram them the next turn. It's also a good idea, if possible, to save a few precision strikes for very bad encounters.
As for the waste worms, you mark 'em and shoot em with all you got, as they can unborrow in your face if you let them.

[rhony2]

Publicado originalmente por Radiac:

I didn't savescum that bunker as much as you did, but your numbers seem to make sense based on what I saw. It did feel like a lot of Incineratrors, Power Gauntlets, SOCOMs, etc.

Not sure if you can get the PDW-01 here anymore after the 1.5 update. I started a new game after the update and went to this location as soon as I got the Lvl 2 Rad chassis for the Kodiak. Save scumming here takes a LOT less time now since it no longer pops up grenades and ammo info (you still get them - I checked). It used to take roughly 2 minutes to do a save scum here but with the changes with the 1.5 update it now only takes about 30 seconds. However, while I didn't count the actual number of times, or how many of each weapon I got, I did count the number of each "unique" weapon I got: Fusion Launcher 4x, Retirer, Tesla Arc Proj, Atom Smasher, & Graviton Shredder 2x each, and Plasma Fist, Ray Tracer once each. Based on a roughly 5% chance of getting a "unique" weapon here, I figure I save scummed over 200 times. The one thing all these weapons have in common is that they are EC weapons. While they have 99 penetration and 30% add dam to robots and vehicles, they have 30% less damage to organics. I like the fact that the PDW-01 and Lancer have 99 penetration but use regular ammo - so no pluses or minuses depending on organic/non-organic.
It would not be the first time inXile made this kind of change in an update. In my first two games before the 1.46 update, an Incinerator would drop after the last Godfisher assault on Denver. I thought that was rather early for a Tier 6 weapon. Sure enough, after the 1.46 update, it no longer drops.
Well, since it takes so much less time to save scum at that location, I think I will do another 100 just to make sure. Not sure which of these "unique" weapons to keep though (I saved each one). At this point in the game, my most useless Ranger is my Sniper and you don't get the recipe for the Freeze Ray until Little Hell which is pretty late in the game. So the Ray Tracer might be the best. However, for this game, in anticipation of getting two PDW-01, I have 2 custom SMG users and I remember you said you like the Ripper. But the Ripper only has 14 penetration and you can't upgrade it to the Crossfire until Aspen (and the Crossfire only has 16 penetration anyway).

[Radiac]

The PDW-01 is the boss, but a Ripper with some good mods is also pretty decent, as is a minigun, especially if you're going there early in the game.

There's also Libby's Safe in the palace to consider. Not that I'm asking you or anyone else to savescum that 100 times for me. :)

[rhony2]

Publicado originalmente por Radiac:

The PDW-01 is the boss, but a Ripper with some good mods is also pretty decent, as is a minigun, especially if you're going there early in the game.

There's also Libby's Safe in the palace to consider. Not that I'm asking you or anyone else to savescum that 100 times for me. :)

Yeah, I always go to Libby's safe as soon as I get the call from Reyes. Usually it's after the Machine Shop but on this run it was right after reporting to Daisy after Garden of the Gods. Since the Blastermaster recipe is also in the safe and you can get a HE Fuse Linkage at Hoon (hidden bunker) which pops up the first time you leave CS, I always save-scum until I get a Socom. I also pick up the Guardian in the Vase for Lucia. But for a top-end top tier weapon, the Blastermaster only has 24 penetration so it becomes less effective by game end.
Personally I prefer the Minigun over the Ripper as it has 36 Penetration so still useful by game end. The recipe to upgrade to the Hoser also comes pretty early (Monster Army bunker) but I usually wait until later in the game due to the cost of scrap to make its ammo and its increased penetration to 40 isn't that great a jump.
As you can see, my preference is to try to get final game-end weapons as early as possible. It's still early in the game and I haven't picked any SMG specific Perks yet so I guess I'll make mt 2nd SMG guy into an AR user.

Update:

Well I guess I won't have to change my 2nd SMG into an AR. On roughly my 50th save scum (close to 300 over all), I got a PDW-01. So I guess you can still get it, although it took a LOT longer this time.

[rhony2]

Publicado originalmente por Radiac:

The PDW-01 is the boss, but a Ripper with some good mods is also pretty decent, as is a minigun, especially if you're going there early in the game.

I actually got a third PDW-01 at Yuma - Mechanics Garage - locked room - safe. Of course its not that useful that late in the game and I don't have a third SMG troop.