Borderlands 2 Community Playthrough (Intro Post and Guide—also, surprise, I’m a widdle early)

[Teioh]

Just popping in to say that Borderlands 2 is actually on a deal right now through Steam. It's one of the games they've chosen for the Spring Cleaning event which means it's free to play up until Monday. But most importantly it's only £4.99 to buy. The game of the year pack is £7.69 which includes:

Borderlands 2
Borderlands 2 - Captain Scarlett and her Pirate's Booty
Borderlands 2 - Psycho Pack
Borderlands 2: Collector's Edition Pack
Borderlands 2: Creature Slaughterdome
Borderlands 2: Mechromancer Pack
Borderlands 2: Mr. Torgue’s Campaign of Carnage
Borderlands 2: Sir Hammerlock’s Big Game Hunt
Borderlands 2: Tiny Tina's Assault on Dragon Keep
Borderlands 2: Ultimate Vault Hunters Upgrade Pack

So good to pick up if you want it or if you want to test it out for free for a bit.

[f a n c y]

^You're my heroine!!!

[Cthulhu]

I still have it somewhere, I think there was at least a partial playthrough a while (probably years, lolol) ago, .

Should get a headset or whatnot though.

And a new computer

[Omega]

I'll be around as well.

Mania Krieg, naturally. I'll MAKE THE SKY BLEED

[Chloe Frazer]

I'm probably going to play as Maya with a focus on harmony, I've also done Zer0 before. I have the game on steam and possibly will get it on PS4 too.

[Doom Bunneh]

Omega wrote:

I'll be around as well.

Mania Krieg, naturally. I'll MAKE THE SKY BLEED

You are a man after my own heart. Being Krieg, I guess you'll go straight through the sternum, of course.

However this time around I'll be playing Axton, for a bit of a mix-up.

[Mao Shizhong]

Was about to buy said game but found that I already bought it viaHumble Bundle 3 years ago \o/

[Literally Who?]

If your playing on PC don't forget you can get free shit in game

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfil...xt=shift+codes

I played it a year ago and the keys still worked then, some comments in the discussion portion still list them as working too.

IIRC the generated stuff scales to your current level so don't go using them all as soon as you enter the first town

[f a n c y]

This playthrough divides the game into ten parts.

In each part, there will be two chapters from the main story campaign listed as well as the required side quests (if any). You must complete these chapters and side quests. Side quests with a caret symbol (^) next to them require the mission listed directly above it to be completed before it can be activated. Upon completion, you’ll click the Summary and Questions spoiler where you can read a summary of all the story points that you’ve just played through and questions for you to answer.

Along with the questions for the main campaign and side quests, I’ve listed bonus questions for the optional side quests if you so choose to do them. I initially discouraged folks from doing any side quests I didn’t list as required, but I'm taking that back. I, in fact, encourage everyone to do as many side quests as they can squeeze in to heighten their Borderlands 2 experience (granted it doesn’t lead to you falling too far behind)!

You’re under no obligation to answer any of these questions (required or bonus) at all, but that would kinda be defeating the purpose of a community playthrough, wouldn’t it??? Whatever questions you do end up answering, I ask that you put them under spoiler tags as to avoid, well, spoiling anything for folks who are new to the game.

Note that some parts will take longer to complete than others. And that’s totally fine. Regardless, I’ll be posting a set of questions every Friday first thing in (my) morning (between 0500 - 0600 EST or 0900 - 1000 GMT). You are more than free to play ahead of the rate that I’m posting questions (ex. playing through Chapter 12 by the time I post questions for Chapter 7), but I do ask that you try not to play too far ahead. The questions that I post are best answered when the chapters are still fresh in your mind!

Schedule
01/06/2018 - Part One + Two
08/06/2018 - Part Three
15/06/2018 - Part Four
22/06/2018 - Part Five
29/06/2018 - Part Six
06/07/2018 - Part Seven
13/07/2018 - Part Eight
20/07/2018 - Part Nine
27/07/2018 - Part Ten

This is the rate that I’m posting these questions, but we, as a community, may finish the game later than this! I have my eyes set on finishing the game by mid-August (in time for the ‘TLS Ranks FF Songs’ event WHOOPS SPOILER), but if any of us take a little longer than that, it’s chill.

Merci, et bonne chance!

OH!! And I hereby give 0bsidian Fire full authority to ask any additional questions alongside my own LOL.

[f a n c y]

>Part One

Prelude: My First Gun

Location(s) : Windshear Waste

Required Sidequest(s)
• None

_________________________________

Chapter 1: Blindsided

Location(s) : Windshear Waste

Required Sidequest(s)
• None

_________________________________

Summary and Questions

Summary: You’re a Vault Hunter lured in by Handsome Jack to Pandora with promises of treasure and glory. That is, until Handsome Jack betrays you and blows up the train you and your fellow Vault Hunters were travelling in.

You survive the crash and are found by a CL4P-TP unit named Claptrap, who leads you back to his home where he is promptly attacked by a Bullymong and rendered blind. He tells you to go to his cabinet and retrieve the first gun you’re going to be using in this game. With this gun (or not, depends on what mode you’re playing in…) you hunt the Bullymong down and escape Windshear Waste with the help of a mysterious AI.

Questions

1. Which character did you pick to play as and why?
2. What do you think of the opening sequence? For those who’ve played Borderlands, how does it compare to the first?
3. Immediate impression of the gameplay mechanics?
4. Thoughts on the first bossfight?
5. Are you loving or hating Claptrap at this point?

[f a n c y]

>Part Two

Chapter 2: Cleaning up the Berg

Location(s) : Southern Shelf

Required Sidequest(s)

• Handsome Jack Here!
• This Town Ain’t Big Enough
• ^Shielded Favors - Note that the reward is skin customisation.

Bonus Sidequest(s)

• Bad Hair Day
• ^Symbiosis - Would recommend completing with a partner or team. Note that the reward is a Custom Head
  
  

_________________________________

Chapter 3: Best Minion Ever

Location(s) :Southern Shelf

Required Sidequest(s)
• None

_________________________________

Summary and Questions

Summary: After defeating Knuckle Dragger, you follow Claptrap into Liar's Berg in search of someone to help repair his eye. As you're lead into Liar's Berg, you learn about Captain Flynt, a loathsome bandit who has a history of torturing his captives (including poor ol' Claptrap). He now wants your head in order to collect a reward set on it by Handsome Jack.

After making short work of Captain Flynt's men in Liar's Berg, you meet Sir Hammerlock, who spouts exposition about the horrors that Handsome Jack has caused thus far. As you collect the ECHO Logs recounting the last moments of Helena Pierce, you’re given a small glimpse of said horrors.

After clearing Liar’s Berg of bullymongs and collecting your first, decent shield, you set out to take Claptrap's ship back from Captain Flynt, facing his First Mate Boom Bewn and eventually the Captain himself. After defeating these fearsome foes, you and Claptrap set sail for Sanctuary.


Questions

1. How was your fight with Boom Bewn?
2. How about your fight with Captain Flynt?
3. Have you purchased anything from any of the item shops?
4. What has been your favourite weapon(s) to use so far and why?
5. What shield and grenade mod do you currently have equipped?
6. What are your thoughts on the story at this point? (For Newbies) What do you predict will happen?
7. What skills have you unlocked so far in your skill tree (if any)? What do you hope to achieve with your build?
8. What are your thoughts on Handsome Jack so far?
9. How about the AI communicating with you?
10. Got anything in particular that you want to share with the community?

Bonus Quests & Questions

• Bad Hair Day

1. How did you handle getting the hair from the Bullymongs?
2. Who did you end up giving the hair to? Why?

• Symbiosis

1. How many times did you die before killing that boss (if at all)?
2. What do you think of the mission overall? Was the loot worth the trouble?

[Obsidian Fire]

FancySycamoreTree wrote:

OH!! And I hereby give 0bsidian Fire full authority to ask any additional questions alongside my own LOL.

That is very dangerous...

What gun uses the following red flavor text: I want that rifle, Daddy!? What is it a reference to?

Which weapons manufacturer uses the following prefixes: Sublime, Barking, Binary, Potent, Lucid, Parataxis?

What was the first weapons manufacturer to find Pandora?

[Omega]

Doom Bunneh wrote:

You are a man after my own heart. Being Krieg, I guess you'll go straight through the sternum, of course.

However this time around I'll be playing Axton, for a bit of a mix-up.

I'LL RUN AROUND YOUR MIND AND SET THE WORLD RECORD WITH MY MEAT SLEEVES!

Axton was the first character I played, and is my second favorite of the group. I've never really gotten to play Maya, but I reckon she'd be my third choice.

@Fancy: does the schedule take the DLC into consideration?

[Joe]

Which character did you pick to play as and why?
What do you think of the opening sequence? For those who’ve played Borderlands, how does it compare to the first?
Immediate impression of the gameplay mechanics?
Thoughts on the first bossfight?
Are you loving or hating Claptrap at this point?

Gaige the Mechromancer. Her Ordered Chaos tree is my favourite in this game and her many, many voicelines specific to building anarchy are hilarious. She goes from excitable, to insane, to breaking the fourth wall regularly.
Great opening sequence. Great music. Sets the tone nicely!
The gameplay is early on just a shooter. It's later that the crazy weapons and talents really come into play.
First bossfight is fine but doesn't compare to fights later on!
Love Claptrap. Always will.

How was your fight with Boom Bewn?
How about your fight with Captain Flynt?
Have you purchased anything from any of the item shops?
What has been your favourite weapon(s) to use so far and why?
What shield and grenade mod do you currently have equipped?
What are your thoughts on the story at this point? (For Newbies) What do you predict will happen?
What skills have you unlocked so far in your skill tree (if any)? What do you hope to achieve with your build?
What are your thoughts on Handsome Jack so far?
How about the AI communicating with you?
Got anything in particular that you want to share with the community?

I was massively underleveled when I joined Kimble so I squatted in a corner headshotting Bewm while he did the rest.
I lagged out during the Flynt fight and came back to him dead. Success!
Some boring lobbed grenade and a turtle shield.
Story is fine. It really picks up once you get to Sanctuary.
So far only the Deathtrap active and the bullet bouncing ability! After getting all the bullet bouncing talent (bullets that hit walls bounce back and hit enemies) we're going full anarchy! Absolute loss of accuracy in exchange for ALL THE DAMAGE. Who needs to aim? The bullets will get to them somehow. ANARCHYYYYY.
Jack is ossum.
The way he communicates with you regularly really gets you invested in wanting to punch the beautiful arrogant bastard.
Hi community. Are you excited?

[Doom Bunneh]

1. Which character did you pick to play as and why?
2. What do you think of the opening sequence? For those who’ve played Borderlands, how does it compare to the first?
3. Immediate impression of the gameplay mechanics?
4. Thoughts on the first bossfight?
5. Are you loving or hating Claptrap at this point?

(SPOILER)
-I picked Axton as I had played Krieg before and wanted to try something new - but I still want to tank/cc somewhat.
-The opening sequence is awesome, and holds up really well wrt to BL1. I like that it has a similar style, with things like the "cast" listing, while still being fresh. Love the skag reference
-Gameplay is awesome! Smooth and responsive, challenging without being clunky, overall easy to get to grips with while offering quite a bit of choice as to how you want to approach fights.
-First boss was what, Knuckledragger? Pretty tough when you have no skills, crap weapons, and no shield, but completely do-able. Also he's funny because of later developments...*gigglesnort*
-I love to hate him - always have, always will. Goddamn he is just so unbelievably annoying! But he is a fun character!

1. How was your fight with Boom Bewn?
2. How about your fight with Captain Flynt?
3. Have you purchased anything from any of the item shops?
4. What has been your favourite weapon(s) to use so far and why?
5. What shield and grenade mod do you currently have equipped?
6. What are your thoughts on the story at this point? (For Newbies) What do you predict will happen?
7. What skills have you unlocked so far in your skill tree (if any)? What do you hope to achieve with your build?
8. What are your thoughts on Handsome Jack so far?
9. How about the AI communicating with you?
10. Got anything in particular that you want to share with the community?

(SPOILER)
-Mostly good, though I died once, still getting back into the swing of things.
-Flynt was kind of easy. Did go into FFYL once, but I think the teamwork between A, M, and I is starting to really gel.
-I think I bought a shield? and of course found a better one like 10 minutes later
-Oooooh, I found a Torgue pistol and have just been creaming things with it! I replaced it with a better Torgue pistol, and I also have a Torgue AR....I swear, I don't have probleEEEEEEXPLOSIONS!!!!
-Hmm, I have a basic shield, I don't remember whose, but it has no effects. Just good solid shielding. And I have a multi-bomb grenade, dropped by Boom.
-I love this story, and with the gift of hindsight (or does it count as foresight at this point?) I think the pacing and build-up is perfect!
-I have put all three of my points into preparation, which increases my shields and gives me health regen while my shields are full. I'm planning on going full tank, with the Survival tree being my number one priority, plus maybe a little Guerrila.
-Oh god, he's like the opposite of Claptrap - I hate to love him! He is such an awesome character, such an arrogant douche, but dammit if I don't love him.
- Oooohhhhh....I will say nothing.
-Hi Joe! Hi community!

1. How did you handle getting the hair from the Bullymongs?
2. Who did you end up giving the hair to? Why?

(SPOILER)
-We just got in a fight with the ones near the Southern Shelf - Bay entrance, shot them to shit and punched 'em up!
-Hammerlock, because fuck claptrap, Sir Hammerlock is Bae! Did y'all know that Hammerlock is voiced by the same guy who does Sebastian from Black Butler? And that he is also an awesome character? Yeah Claptrap stood no chance.

1. How many times did you die before killing that boss (if at all)?
2. What do you think of the mission overall? Was the loot worth the trouble?

(SPOILER)
-If by die you mean FFYL, about 3 times, I think? If you mean respawn, then 0 times - we're a good team!
-Yo, BL's end game is the skins and heads anyway, so yeah, it was totally worth it!