Pimpernel GUIDE

BORDERLANDS 2

The PIMPERNEL

The Pimpernel is a Unique Maliwan sniper that is widely considered to be one of the most powerful weapons in its category due to its special multi-projectile effect.

It’s used in plenty of endgame builds, as well as some strategies and exploits that can take down raid bosses in seconds. So, let’s talk about why it can achieve such ridiculous feats.

What Makes the PIMPERNEL Strong

While it’s a sniper rifle, you can think of the Pimpernel as a long-range shotgun that only starts spreading after it hits your target.

Your first shot will create a new projectile on impact, and this travels upwards. This second bullet will then split into 5 more projectiles after traveling a certain distance (this varies based on your bullet speed).

What makes this extra powerful is that all of these additional hits are unlisted in the item card, which means that they can take full advantage of amplification effects. Paired with The Bee, the Pimpernel’s damage becomes absurdly high.

TIPS

  • Aim below your target’s critical spots (around crotch level for humans) so that the additional projectiles all crit
  • Avoid bullet speed buffs as they make the splitting mechanic feel clunky

Advantages

  • Extremely high burst damage potential
  • Synergizes well with a lot of builds
  • Comes in different elements, including slag

Disadvantages

  • Tedious to farm for specific variants
  • Slight learning curve with aiming it, especially against non-humanoids 

How to Get the PIMPERNEL

To get the Pimpernel, you must complete the side quest “Don’t Copy That Floppy”, which requires the Captain Scarlett and Her Pirate’s Booty DLC. It can be started at the Washburne Refinery, immediately after finishing the side quest “I Know It When I See It” in the same area.

Best Farming Method

  1. Preparing the Save
    • Progress through the “Don’t Copy That Floppy” quest
    • Go to where you have to turn in the quest, but DON’T finish it yet
  2. Check your Pimpernel
    • Before accepting the gun, check if its stats are to your liking
    • Don’t accept the reward yet
  3. If you’re not satisfied with it (e.g. you want a different prefix/element)
    • Force close the game (Alt+F4 or Home on consoles)
    • Reload the game and turn it in again
    • Inspect and repeat until you get the version you want
  4. If you’re satisfied with it
    • Accept the Pimpernel
    • That’s all!

Best Prefix for the PIMPERNEL

For pure damage dealing, the following prefixes will all be good on a Pimpernel:

  • Barking: Increases damage. Possibly the safest and generally the best option overall.
  • Gentleman’s: Increases critical damage. It’s really good once you get used to hitting crit spots with the extra projectiles.
  • Banbury: Increases fire rate. Preferable on characters that can already buff its damage by a lot (e.g. Zer0)

Best Builds for the PIMPERNEL

ZER0

Zer0 is possibly one of the strongest users of this weapon, as he has an entire skill tree dedicated to sniping. One special thing about him is his B0re ability, which allows his bullets to pierce enemies and deal bonus damage per enemy pierced.

Enemies with multiple hitboxes like BNK3R get melted by Zer0 with the B0re + Pimpernel combo, as there’s a bug that counts each hitbox as a new enemy. Read this Zer0 build.

SALVADOR

What makes the Pimpernel absolutely broken on Salvador is how it interacts with the other gun it’s paired with while Gunzerking. Basically, you can hold an empty rocket launcher (e.g. Ahab or a Duuurp) in the main hand and a Pimpernel in your left hand. This will cause the Pimpernel’s extra bullets to use the launcher’s massive damage while also benefiting from Money Shot. Read this Salvador build.

When the PIMPERNEL is NOT Ideal

As one of the strongest weapons in the game, there really isn’t a build where the Pimpernel is considered a “bad” weapon to have. However, there is one situation where it can be a hindrance:

  • High bullet speed builds: If you plan on using this gun, be mindful of your bullet speed buffs. If this stat is too high, your additional projectiles will travel further before they split. It can make the Pimpernel a bit clunky, as it’ll force you to aim even lower than usual.

Compared to other Weapons

PIMPERNEL vs SAND HAWK

Both the Pimpernel and Sand Hawk are top tier weapons that fire multiple projectiles. They both spit out a lot of damage, especially with The Bee equipped, but the Sand Hawk is generally better if your build goes for a lot of fire rate or if you want to forgo the awkward crotch aiming.

Even if you prefer a Sand Hawk, pairing it with a slag Pimpernel on the side is exceptionally strong for any character.

PIMPERNEL vs LYUDA

The Lyuda and Pimpernel are some of the top snipers in the game. Lyuda excels at dealing a ton of critical damage quickly, but the Pimpernel can typically outperform it if you can consistently hit the additional projectiles.

There isn’t a clear winner between the two, so this mostly boils down to personal preference.