[Borderlands] First impressions

[dday_0612]

Hey guys,

I got the game and played for a couple hours tonight. I am really enjoying it so far, and I did not want to go to bed. I got my hunter up to level 8.

I have a few questions. I have not yet spent my skill points, as I am really unsure of what to spend them on. I want to be a sniper / gunslinger. I expect to not use the birds that often, and I want to concentrate on sniping.

My issue is, I am quite new to FPS games and maybe I am not experienced enough to concentrate on sniping. Is it difficult?

Could anyone post a skill tree that would be good for a starter FPS sniper? Maybe something with skills up to level 15 or 20.

Thanks for any help you may be able to give me!

[Reoh]

Let me just say that the bird can be a valuable ally, healing you for health and killing small swarms of weaker enemies in explosions like loot piniahta's of cash and health bars. BUT... if you really wanted to ignore it and go just with your guns then perhaps something like the one linked below, start by working your way down the sniper tree. Keep in mind that you may still have to use other weapons, some enemies like the Skag's can close on you fast!

Borderlands: Skill Tree

Play around with that, there's also ones for the other classes too.

Snipings really deadly against human type mods, just hit'em in the head! Skagg's can be harder, you need to hit them in their open mouth, and possibly back yourself up with an SMG for rak's if you don't pick them all off in time.

[Unknown]

Originally Posted by dday_0612

I have a few questions. I have not yet spent my skill points, as I am really unsure of what to spend them on. I want to be a sniper / gunslinger. I expect to not use the birds that often, and I want to concentrate on sniping.

I found I didn't always spend my skill points immediately because you have to match the various skills to your play style - rather than targetting a specific skill tree or end skill, I just scattered my points around each skill at each level as it matched my play style and let the skill tree "sort itself out".

Originally Posted by dday_0612

My issue is, I am quite new to FPS games and maybe I am not experienced enough to concentrate on sniping. Is it difficult?

In Borderlands, it depends. There are going to be times when sniping just isn't an option (eg., enclosed, tight spaces). There are going to be times when sniping is just too hard (poor spec weapon and your sniper weapon skills are not high enough so accuracy is low, weapon/scope sway is high, etc.).

You will probably become frustrated with the earlier/lower-level sniper rifles... but give it time and give your sniper rifle weapon proficiency a chance to improve. As you level up and find better weapons, along with improving your proficiency, sniping will become easier - but it still won't be the only option you should use.

After a while you'll start to have your own preferred stats for sniper rifles so you'll be able to tell "good" (for you) ones from "bad" (eg., a really high base damage but poor fire rate and accuracy would be useless for me).

Finally, as Reoh mentioned - don't discount Bloodwing too quickly. At first it will seem pointless, but as you level/skill-up... Bloodwing can become quite deadly.

[Reoh]

I parterned (as a Siren), with a kickass Mordecai hunter. Her Bloodwing would kill 6 guys every 15 seconds, and shower us with money and health, all while healing her back up to full. I know I said most of that before, but I felt it needed iterating. Bloodwing seriously kicks ass later. Even on tougher mobs it will daze them, set them on fire, leaving giant slow moving beacons of "Shoot This Guy!"

[Morlak]

Yes i'm really enjoying this game as well, haven't played the multiplayer yet but hope to soon. As for where to put your points, i have no idea just put them where you think they will help you, you can always respec them. I have been through the single player game once and found it a little short but it was very entertaining getting there.

[dday_0612]

Originally Posted by Reoh

Let me just say that the bird can be a valuable ally, healing you for health and killing small swarms of weaker enemies in explosions like loot piniahta's of cash and health bars. BUT... if you really wanted to ignore it and go just with your guns then perhaps something like the one linked below, start by working your way down the sniper tree. Keep in mind that you may still have to use other weapons, some enemies like the Skag's can close on you fast!

Borderlands: Skill Tree

Play around with that, there's also ones for the other classes too.

Snipings really deadly against human type mods, just hit'em in the head! Skagg's can be harder, you need to hit them in their open mouth, and possibly back yourself up with an SMG for rak's if you don't pick them all off in time.

Thanks for all the great feedback all!! Indeed, I realized early that I would need to be proficient with other guns other than my sniper rifle. In my first 8 levels I probably killed more with my pistol than the rifle. I learned early that I should not try to snipe at the dogs or animals.

I will definitely take all your feedback about the birds to heart. I will probably re-spec often during my leveling.

Thanks again.

[Reoh]

Fortunately once you have a few levels the respec's are fairly cheap.

[Firebrand]

Having trouble connecting that headshot? You can throw bloodwing while zoomed and it always flies at what you're looking at. Have a BW that dazes them.

Want to be better with your rifle? I've noticed some people use one almost exculsively and kill things with no-scoped body shots. That's why Unk and Thermal need high fire rates. I can live with a slower one because I do take my time with my shots. Lots of kills will improve you weapons proficiency which in turn improves your kills.

I like Revolvers. When you're a higher level, find a Masher, better yet, come see me. I'll give you one. A Masher is a revolver that fires 7 bullets per shot. With the first 2 gunslinger skills you can turn that into 14 bullets per shot with Cr4zy Crits!!1!

I have those 2 gunslingers sometimes and BW on max loot littering. Sometimes...which brings me to my next point.
Respec: You can buy your skill points back and try something else out later. And with that my point is, get the skills you can use today. the ones that help you servive and kill in ways that you understand. You can always undo later when you have a cool idea.

[dday_0612]

Originally Posted by Firebrand

Having trouble connecting that headshot? You can throw bloodwing while zoomed and it always flies at what you're looking at. Have a BW that dazes them.

Want to be better with your rifle? I've noticed some people use one almost exculsively and kill things with no-scoped body shots. That's why Unk and Thermal need high fire rates. I can live with a slower one because I do take my time with my shots. Lots of kills will improve you weapons proficiency which in turn improves your kills.

I like Revolvers. When you're a higher level, find a Masher, better yet, come see me. I'll give you one. A Masher is a revolver that fires 7 bullets per shot. With the first 2 gunslinger skills you can turn that into 14 bullets per shot with Cr4zy Crits!!1!

I have those 2 gunslingers sometimes and BW on max loot littering. Sometimes...which brings me to my next point.
Respec: You can buy your skill points back and try something else out later. And with that my point is, get the skills you can use today. the ones that help you servive and kill in ways that you understand. You can always undo later when you have a cool idea.

Thanks Firebrand!! I will probably take you up on the offer on that gun when I get higher level. I am now level 13 and really enjoying the sniping aspect. I probably use my rifle about the same amount of time as I use the pistol. I like them both, so I decided that my first spec will be:

Borderlands: Skill Tree

Of course, I will respec if I decide against it, but I am really falling in love with the sniping combined with small arms fighting.

I get so caught up in the game that I forget to call my bloodwings very often... This has also confirmed my path for me. I will definately try a bloodwing heavy spec later on in the game. I am enjoying the challenge, so I have decided that it is ok if not speccing into bloodwing makes things more difficult leveling up.

Thanks again for the help! I just upgraded my rifle and handgun today and it is exciting!

[Firebrand]

Borderlands: Skill Tree

This is what i like to do. but doesn't really keep smirk that often.