BORDERLANDS 2 GAIGE BUILDS
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BUILDS FOR GAIGE THE MECHROMANCER
Leveling Up
Level 1 to 36
Deathtrap • Damage
PLAYSTYLE
Gaige is extremely powerful in early games thanks to specific abilities for her gun damage as well as Deathtrap. For the most part, you can basically let Deathtrap do most of the work for you while you finish off enemies. Additionally, Gaige’s ability to stack up bonus damage early on becomes a vital part of her build.
SOLO
Gaige is one of the best characters to play solo, and her core Deathtrap ability makes a lot of early combat encounters trivial. You’ll definitely have to get comfortable using Deathtrap as often as you can while also relying on faster weaponry in general. Gaige isn’t “technically” alone which is why solo play isn’t a problem.
COOP
In co-op mode, Gaige is a very helpful support character because she’s bringing another source of damage. Deathtrap has attacks that hit multiple enemies, and her high damage output means she can hold her ground without relying on extra support from her teammates.
SKILLS
Level 0-5: Level up to level 5.
Level 5: Unlock Deathtrap
Level 5-10: Points in Myelin
+30% Resistance to Shock Damage and increases Shield Capacity by +15%.
Level 10-15: Points in Shock Storm
Killing an enemy with a Critical Hit causes an Electric Storm, dealing Rank 5 Electrocute Damage to nearby enemies. Deathtrap also causes an Electric Storm on kill.
Level 15-16: 1 Point in The Stare
Deathtrap fires a laser beam dealing burn damage.
Level 16-20: 4 Points in Smaller, Lighter, Faster
Reload speed is increased by 24% but magazine size is reduced by 4%.
Level 20-21: 1 Point in Anarchy
Upon killing an enemy, you gain +1.75% bonus gun damage which can be stacked up to 150 times.
Level 21-22: 1 Point in Robot Rampage
Deathtrap performs a spinning attack.
Level 22-27: 5 Points in Blood Soaked Shield
Killing an enemy immediately restores 100% of the shields, but you lose 5% of your current health.
Level 27-28: 1 Point in Discord
Prematurely reloading grants you +65% accuracy, +25% fire rate, and 3% per second health regeneration
Level 28-31: 3 Points in Typecast Iconoclast
Whenever you get a stack of Anarchy there is an 18% chance you get an additional stack
Level 31-32: 1 Point in Rational Anarchist
If you have 0 stacks of Anarchy, then the next time you gain an Anarchy stack you instead gain 25.
Shockwaver
Level 50
Shock • Deathtrap • Anarchy
PLAYSTYLE
Gaige’s toolkit allows her to hang back, and summon her Deathtrap while stacking up gun damage bonuses to inflict a lot of overall damage. She is also one of the best characters to pair elemental synergies with, and this build maximizes shock damage to target multiple enemies simultaneously.
Your game plan is simple. Try to take down as many smaller enemies as possible to build up your damage boost stack thanks to the Anarchy skill while making liberal use of Deathtrap. Deathtrap serves as a distraction as well as a powerful support unit for you. The weapons, gear, and skills for this build are particularly centered around inflicting as much shock damage as possible, so the goal is to target multiple enemies. This combination of Shock, Anarchy, and Deathtrap makes Gaige incredibly powerful, especially at Level 50.
Maya is the best support class, check out this Support Siren Build (Sweet Harmony)
SOLO
This build is perfectly viable for solo play, and Gaige can easily hold her ground. Thanks to her focus on massive damage, and deathtrap, Gaige doesn’t really need any additional support to carry her forward. Yes, the Deathtrap AI isn’t always reliable, but at Level 50, you won’t have much trouble, at all. If you’re somehow downed, you can always use the Badaboom rocket launcher to get an easy second wind.
COOP
Gaige is a great character to have in a team thanks to Deathtrap which can essentially act as an additional character. Deathtrap can distract enemies, target multiple units, and provide support while you run around the battlefield and stack up your damage bonuses. Gaige doesn’t directly provide any healing support, but her damage potential makes her a valuable unit to keep alive.
GEARS
Slot 1: Shock Hail
Slot 2: Sledge’s Shotgun
Slot 3: Florentine
Slot 4: Badaboom
Grenade: Longbow Quasar
Shield: Black Hole
MOD: Wired Catalyst
Relic: Elemental Relic – Shock
SKILLS
The focus of this build is to inflict a great deal of Shock Damage, which is where Shock Storm, Evil Enchantress, Wires Don’t Talk, and Electrical Burn come in.
All these skills boost and inflict serious shock damage to multiple enemies.
Anarchy is a vital part of any Gaige build, and it’s an ability you get very early on that stacks bonus gun damage by 1.75% every time you kill or fully empty your gun’s magazine. Everything else directly boosts Gaige’s gun-wielding capabilities, deathtrap, and Anarchy.
Cyberpunk
Level 50
Anarchy Stacks • The Bee
PLAYSTYLE
Playing Gaige up to level 50 is a breeze for most players. It’s hard to go wrong with any route, but if you’re looking for a balanced playstyle that makes use of Anarchy skill which stacks boosted gun damage and Deathtrap, then this build is made for you. At level 50, you can get a lot out of Deathtrap and pair that well with your Anarchy stacks for tons of additional gun damage.
Your plan is simple here, and all you really need to do is take out a few enemies and fully extinguish your magazines to generate Anarchy stacks while spamming Deathtrap liberally. There is no downside to bringing him out often, and thanks to the extensive investment in the Best Friends Forever tree, Deathtrap is a levitating death machine that greatly supports Gaige herself.
Do you like explosions? Check out this Nuclear Blast Commando Build (Nuke)
SOLO
In solo play, especially at Level 50, Gaige is largely unbothered by most enemies and bosses. She can easily stand her ground, do tons of damage, and remain alive thanks to our shield selection. Deathtrap is also very strong by this point, and he gets the same shield as you thanks to the Sharing is Caring skill. Movement is a key part of Gaige though, so it’s best to constantly stay on the move, especially when you’re summoning Deathtrap.
COOP
In co-op, Gaige is a very valuable unit to the team because of her Anarchy stacks, and Deathtrap. Deathtrap essentially serves as another member of the team while he’s active and does devastating melee and explosive damage. Maya and Gaige pair well thanks to her healing capability, and phaselock can pull enemies for Deathtrap to finish up. This does require some good coordination, but it’s a very rewarding combination that makes great use of both characters’ action skills.
GEARS
Slot 1: Hail
Slot 2: Slagga
Slot 3: Maggie
Slot 4: Norfleet
Grenade: Magic Missle
Shield: The Bee
MOD: Prodigy
Relic: Elemental Relic
SKILLS
As usual with any Gaige build, Anarchy is one of the best skills to have, and thanks to a slight investment in Preshrunk Cyberpunk, the gun damage boost stacks up to 200 times, which equals to an increase of damage by 300%.
Unstoppable Force allows Gaige to move out of tricky situations with a 35% movement boost on each kill. Sharing is Caring gives Deathtrap the same shield Gaige currently has which improves survivability by a lot.
Explosive Clap and Robot Rampage give Deathtrap additional damage abilities to make it an even bigger threat.
Anarchist
Level 72 OP8
Rocket Launchers • AOE
PLAYSTYLE
Gaige is a powerhouse of a character who can inflict insane damage at higher ranks. Combined with her Deathtrap sidekick, Gaige stacks up tons of gun damage to take out multiple enemies in an area, and with this build, our main focus is going to be on rocket launchers that suit her aggressive playstyle. Even at higher levels, you’ll be clearing out rooms without almost any input.
With Gaige, you don’t have to do much. Her primary weapons are Rocket Launchers, and all you need to do is kill a few enemies to stack up Anarchy. After that, it’s only a matter of emptying your magazine, and obliterating everything in your path while you activate Deathtrap from time to time. Since the magazine size of your launchers is very small, you’ll not prematurely reload, and even if you do, there’s an ability to give you some advantage either way.
You like melee? Check out Zer0’s Melee Builds
SOLO
This build is fantastic for solo-play and is easily one of the strongest builds in the entire game. Things can get a bit frantic on-screen due to the self-inflicted shock damage, but the shield selection has a lot of capacity. Even if you do get your health down, you can always switch to the Grog Nozzle, and use grenades to get your health back.
COOP
Gaige does not need support from her teammates to stay alive, which means she’ll serve as a tank role with this build. It’s not only perfect for co-op, but also one of the best builds to pair for higher-level play. Gaige will take the front, and dish massive damage by doing the same things she does in solo-play. If you have Maya on the team, she can help heal Gaige from time to time with the right coordination.
GEARS
Slot 1: Prudential Norfleet – Corossive
Slot 2: Prudential Norfleet – Fire
Slot 3: Grog Nozzle
Slot 4: Dynamic Logan’s Gun
Grenade: Chain Lightning
Shield: The Sham
MOD: Legendary Anarchist
Relic: Bone of the Ancients
SKILLS
For this build, you’ll heavily focus on the Best Friends Forever tree, followed by Ordered Chaos.
Fancy Mathematics reduces your shield delay by up to 70% and increases your shield regeneration rate by 60%. Unstoppable Force gives you a good 35% movement speed boost after a kill, and at the same time, Anarchy gives you a bonus of 1.75% gun damage on each kill.
Typecast Iconoclast is another useful skill that pairs with Anarchy and has a chance to give you an additional stack.
Roboteer
Level 72 OP8
Deathtrap focused
PLAYSTYLE
This build is for players looking for a Deathtrap-focused playstyle. Deathtrap is usually used as a supplementary tool to her already extensive toolkit. However, Deathtrap can be incredibly powerful, and eliminate many enemies in a single sweep. This build will still make even use of her skill trees, but the focus is to get Deathtrap to its full potential.
The play style for this build is a bit more involved than regular Gaige builds that rely solely on Anarchy. Here, you’ll want to keep some distance and use Deathtrap to deal massive damage often one-shotting most enemies. While he’s inactive, you’ll want to make use of the stacks provided by Anarchy and faster weapons in general. This makes survivability a big concern for Gaige, but our shield and MOD choice will greatly increase her survival chances.
You think the Gunzerker class is just about Guns? Check out this Melee Salvador Build (Melee Brick)
SOLO
This build is largely viable in solo but it requires a lot of high skill to fully execute properly. Keeping Gaige alive is the main focus which is why skills that lower the cooldown for Deathtrap come in handy. Additionally, the shield selection does a lot of heavy lifting to boost survivability, but it’s important to be on your feet and constantly deal damage to build up bonus stacks. Deathtrap is your guardian and major damage-dealing component.
COOP
This build is especially useful in co-op because Gaige has a team to rely on for support. Make no mistake, Deathtrap’s damage potential is still massive, and you’re still taking out tons of enemies in your path, but during cooldown, Gaige is a bit vulnerable. Thankfully, the cooldowns are reduced significantly, but at higher levels, every second counts. Maya is her best friend here thanks to her healing capability.
GEARS
Slot 1: Apt HellFire
Slot 2: Binary Infection
Slot 3: Ferocious Kitten
Slot 4: Akurate Slagga
Grenade: Chain Lightning
Shield: Hide of Terramorphous
MOD: Legendary Roboteer
Relic: Bone of the Ancients
SKILLS
The points distribution is almost the same in Best Friends Forever and Little Big Trouble.
Since the focus is to boost Deathtrap’s utility and damage, Potent as a Pony is very useful because it boosts Gaige and Deathtrap’s health. Robot Rampage is extremely important because it allows Deathtrap to unleash a barrage of attacks.
Upshot Robot increases Deathtrap’s duration by 5 seconds for each kill, while 20% Cooler reduces the cooldown for your active skill. To improve Deathtrap’s survivability, Sharing is Caring gives him a copy of your shield.
Elementor
Level 80 OP10
Deathtrap • Elements
PLAYSTYLE
If you’re someone who likes most of Gaige’s utilities, then this balanced build is for you. Not only will you stack up gun damage bonuses thanks to Anarchy, but turn Deathtrap into a walking tank that decimates most enemies in a few hits. This build is a bit more involved and does require some practice, but it’s very satisfying to pull off.
Your game plan is a bit more complicated than usual, but still fairly manageable. Gaige will summon Deathtrap as frequently as she can, and shoot him to provide the proper elemental charge you currently have. This means that you’ll want to keep copies of the recommended gear with different elemental affinities depending on who you’re going up against. You’ll continue to stack up Anarchy, which gives you tons of additional gun damage, and you have a Moxxi weapon equipped to provide healing, and a rocket launcher to get a second wind.
You want a messy and explosive gameplay? Try out this Psycho Build (Psychotic)
SOLO
This build works great in solo play for the most part but does require a lot of practice as mentioned. It largely comes down to keeping Gaige alive and using the correct weapons against enemies with different elemental resistances. Thankfully, Rabid Hail is a Moxxi weapon so that means you can use it for heals. Using cover is recommended to avoid taking direct damage, and ensuring you summon Deathtrap properly is also important when it comes to positioning.
COOP
This build is one of the best ways to play Gaige in co-op because you can dish out massive damage, but still get support from your team. Gaige isn’t exactly a glass cannon, but her utility cements her value to the entire team. Deathtrap acts as an additional unit, and thanks to the investment in the Best Friends Forever and Little Big Trouble trees, it does tons of damage and doesn’t need a lot of support to remain functional.
GEARS
Slot 1: Rabid Hail
Slot 2: Practicable Butcher
Slot 3: Barking Pimpernel
Slot 4: Prudential Norfleet
Grenade: Magic Missile
Shield: Black Hole
MOD: Chaotic Good Necromancer
Relic: Bone of the Ancients
SKILLS
There are plenty of skills working in harmony here, but a few in particular are very important.
Anarchy is easily the best Gaige skill hands down, and provides a ridiculous amount of gun damage boost, especially with our investment in Preshrunk Cyberpunk.
Make it Sparkle allows Gaige to fire at Deathtrap to give him an elemental charge while Sharing is Caring provides Deathtrap with an identical shield to the one Gaige currently has equipped.
Unstoppable Force provides Gaige with a sizeable boost in movement speed, allowing her to get out of tricky situations.
Guerilla
Level 80 OP10
Anarchy Stack • Gun-focused
PLAYSTYLE
If you’re looking for a Gaige build that deals tons and tons of gun damage, then it’s hard to go wrong with a focus on Anarchy. Gaige is at her best here, and she’s easily one of the strongest, if not the strongest character in the entire game thanks to this particular skill and how it synergizes with the rest of the tree.
Thanks to her damage, the game plan is pretty simple. Kill smaller enemies to build up Anarchy stacks, and after that, it’s basically game over for anyone trying to get in your way. Use your Deathtrap ability often to give you some breathing room, but apart from that, the only recommended strategy is to avoid reloading prematurely, but even if you do that, it’s not the end of the world because Gaige has enough in her arsenal, and toolkit to recover those stacks.
Have you heard of Glitched Builds? Check out this insane Salvador Build (duuurpernel)
SOLO
This is easily one of the best solo builds in the entire game, and Gaige does not need any support to hold her ground. Thanks to Anarchy, all you need to do is remain mobile and continue to spam Deathtrap. If you are down on health for any reason, you can simply use the Grog Nozzle to heal yourself up. If you are downed, pull out the Norfleet to earn an easy second wind. It’s hard to go wrong with this build in solo because it’s largely flawless and doesn’t require a lot of direct strategic input from the player.
COOP
Similar to solo play, this build is a juggernaut in co-op as well. Your strategy is the same as before, and all you need to do is build up Anarchy stacks that multiply your damage by a ridiculous amount. You’re the tank of your team, and the Deathtrap is essentially the fifth member of the team while it’s active. Heals from Maya are always appreciated, especially when you’re all going against bosses, but outside of that, Gaige can largely work independently.
GEARS
Slot 1: Rustler’s Twister
Slot 2: Severe Hail
Slot 3: Grog Nozzle
Slot 4: Norfleet
Grenade: Chain Lightning
Shield: The Sham
MOD: Legendary Anarchist
Relic: Bone of the Ancients
SKILLS
The most important skill in this entire build is Anarchy. This one skill allows you to stack up weapon bonus damage by 1.75% by 150 times. However, thanks to our investment in Preshrunk Cyberpunk, the stacks of Anarchy go to 400. This means that you can boost your gun damage by a whopping 700%. This one statistic is why Gaige is so strong, and even though you lose a lot of accuracy, the tradeoff is worth it.
Every other skill in this build is supplementary to her survivability, deathtrap, and improved gun-handling, but the star of the show is Anarchy.
