Help with High Caliber Gunslinger Build on Normal

[Hawkknot]

Hey!

I've been tinkering with a Revolver build. The plan is to use the .44 that the dude in Depot A drops for more critical chance. Two shots per turn. Tac Vest (Regen if I can get enough points in bio), and High Level Damage grenades for AOEs.

I've not played the expansion yet.

I've been doing some number crunching, so I think I've got a good handle on things, but please have a look and let me know if I've missed something essential.

http://underrail.info.tm/build/?HgUHBgMQAwbCoDIAAMKgwqAAaV8AAMKMwoxkAMKMAAAAAAAAABcBORY6WyYRTjEzS0YowrXCpHfipZQF4qe-Ct-_

Thanks in advance for your help.

[TheAverageGortsby]

Well, you can take 40 points out of Tailoring (because you're not using leather armor)  and Mechanics (because you're not crafting your own guns), and 15 out of Electronics.  You can also take up to 25 out of Hacking, since with all those points you just freed up from your overinvestments in crafting, you can easily get enough Biology to cook Hypercerebrix and thus gain the +2 Int.

Then, if you're feeling extra min/max-ish, you can take another 5 out of each of your crafting skills since you'll have the +2 Int in addition to the housing crafting bonus.

Now you can get Stealth, Pickpicketing, Traps...whatever.  Room to grow.

[Hawkknot]

Thanks for the feedback!
Some trap skill would be nice...
I think I'll keep mechanics where it is to begin with, since I want to keep the option to make my own gun open. I don't know how that .44 will hold up late game.

[goodboyblue]

Check out my build, it was this plus psi. Really fucking strong. Revolver gets weaker over the game, but if you use .44 Hammerer it works wonders.

https://underrail.com/forums/index.php?topic=5030.msg27414#msg27414

[TheAverageGortsby]

I think I'll keep mechanics where it is to begin with, since I want to keep the option to make my own gun open. I don't know how that .44 will hold up late game.

If points start to get tight, know that even if you take 30 out of Mechanics, you'll still be able to make any quality gun in the game as long as you take it home for the crafting bench bonus.  You really only need to clear the (0.8*q) threshold for the frame, becuase unlike leather armor or metal armor or energy shields or such, guns don't have "increase total skill requirements" slots, and the only optional enhancement that adds any significant secondary requirement for a pistol is the smart module, but you've already got tons of electronics for a shield emitter.

You only need to hit those thresholds long enough to craft the item.  So when you're optimizing in epeli's character builder, make sure to tick the "housing bonus" box, and also add the +2 Int buff if you plan to be able to use Hypercerebrix.  If you want to get razor-thin margins, also select the Under Pie food for that buff, too.  No sense having 180 effective skill in Mechanics if the highest threshold you'll ever see is (0.8*160) = 128.

If you pulled your skills down here, you'd still be able to craft any pistol you want, any tac vest with any cloth, any grenade you want including plasmas and EMPs, any shield generator you want, and you'd still have all these extra points for Traps or whatever.
http://underrail.info/build/?HgUHBgMQAwbCoDIAAMKgwqAAUFAAAFVpVS1fAAAAAAAAABcBORY6WyYRTjEzS0YowrXCpHfipZQF4qe-Ct-_

edit: build link modified for new character builder URL

[Vokial]

If you plan to shoot the Magnum twice per turn, you have to have 9 DEX.
However if you happen to have 11 DEX and specialized on Psycho-temporal Acceleration, then you can shoot a Rapid .44 Hammerer 4 times each round.
Or have just 8 DEX, no specialisation and make 2 regular + 1 Rapid Fire with Contraction (or Adrenaline if you're psyless).

[Hawkknot]

I think I'll keep mechanics where it is to begin with, since I want to keep the option to make my own gun open. I don't know how that .44 will hold up late game.

If points start to get tight, know that even if you take 30 out of Mechanics, you'll still be able to make any quality gun in the game as long as you take it home for the crafting bench bonus.  You really only need to clear the (0.8*q) threshold for the frame, becuase unlike leather armor or metal armor or energy shields or such, guns don't have "increase total skill requirements" slots, and the only optional enhancement that adds any significant secondary requirement for a pistol is the smart module, but you've already got tons of electronics for a shield emitter.

You only need to hit those thresholds long enough to craft the item.  So when you're optimizing in epeli's character builder, make sure to tick the "housing bonus" box, and also add the +2 Int buff if you plan to be able to use Hypercerebrix.  If you want to get razor-thin margins, also select the Under Pie food for that buff, too.  No sense having 180 effective skill in Mechanics if the highest threshold you'll ever see is (0.8*160) = 128.

If you pulled your skills down here, you'd still be able to craft any pistol you want, any tac vest with any cloth, any grenade you want including plasmas and EMPs, any shield generator you want, and you'd still have all these extra points for Traps or whatever.
http://underrail.info.tm/build/?HgUHBgMQAwbCoDIAAMKgwqAAUFAAAFVpVS1fAAAAAAAAABcBORY6WyYRTjEzS0YowrXCpHfipZQF4qe-Ct-_

Awesome! Thanks!

If you plan to shoot the Magnum twice per turn, you have to have 9 DEX.
However if you happen to have 11 DEX and specialized on Psycho-temporal Acceleration, then you can shoot a Rapid .44 Hammerer 4 times each round.
Or have just 8 DEX, no specialisation and make 2 regular + 1 Rapid Fire with Contraction (or Adrenaline if you're psyless).

Is that WITH the -3 from the Gunslinger perk? I did the math and I think I should have enough cost reduction to fire two shots with 7 DEX.

[Vokial]

Is that WITH the -3 from the Gunslinger perk? I did the math and I think I should have enough cost reduction to fire two shots with 7 DEX.

Well, a shot with that gun costs 32 AP by default, - 3 from Gunslinger = 29. To reduce that 29 to 25, you'll need 9 DEX according to the chart on the wiki-page about Dexterity. If you plan on having that, than decreasing 2 stat points from PER won't be such a big deal compared to what you gain. Also more DEX mean less point needed for lockpick, traps and the like.

[Hawkknot]

Is that WITH the -3 from the Gunslinger perk? I did the math and I think I should have enough cost reduction to fire two shots with 7 DEX.

Well, a shot with that gun costs 32 AP by default, - 3 from Gunslinger = 29. To reduce that 29 to 25, you'll need 9 DEX according to the chart on the wiki-page about Dexterity. If you plan on having that, than decreasing 2 stat points from PER won't be such a big deal compared to what you gain. Also more DEX mean less point needed for lockpick, traps and the like.

God dammit... I made it to the gun, before I saw your post, and you're right. I do need more Dex. Now to restart from the beginning. That's what I get for doing my own math...

[Vokial]

Is that WITH the -3 from the Gunslinger perk? I did the math and I think I should have enough cost reduction to fire two shots with 7 DEX.

Well, a shot with that gun costs 32 AP by default, - 3 from Gunslinger = 29. To reduce that 29 to 25, you'll need 9 DEX according to the chart on the wiki-page about Dexterity. If you plan on having that, than decreasing 2 stat points from PER won't be such a big deal compared to what you gain. Also more DEX mean less point needed for lockpick, traps and the like.

God dammit... I made it to the gun, before I saw your post, and you're right. I do need more Dex. Now to restart from the beginning. That's what I get for doing my own math...

Wait, are you sure you need to restart? I mean if you still did not hit level 20 you can still allocate 2 stat points, even choose improved DEX feat instead of PER at level 26 as a last resort.