Introduction
Borderlands is a series celebrated for its chaotic gameplay, over-the-top characters, and, crucially, its absolutely insane arsenal of weaponry. From pistols that shoot swords to shotguns that literally explode with rainbows, the sheer variety of guns available keeps players grinding and looting for hours on end. Among the countless options, certain weapons stand out as true powerhouses, capable of obliterating even the toughest enemies with ease. One such weapon is the Dark Army assault rifle, a Jakobs creation shrouded in whispers of its devastating potential.
This guide is dedicated to helping you, Vault Hunter, acquire this coveted weapon. We’ll delve into what makes the Dark Army so special, pinpoint exactly where you need to go to find it, and provide you with the best strategies for maximizing your chances of claiming it as your own. Prepare yourself, because the quest for the Dark Army is about to begin!
What is the Dark Army? Weapon Overview
The Dark Army is more than just another assault rifle; it’s a symbol of controlled chaos. Manufactured by Jakobs, a company known for its high-damage, semi-automatic weapons, the Dark Army takes that philosophy and injects it with a healthy dose of the bizarre. Let’s break down what makes this weapon so unique.
The Dark Army boasts impressive base stats, typically ranging in the thousands for damage per shot, dependent on your level and Mayhem Mode setting. Its accuracy is surprisingly solid for a Jakobs weapon, allowing you to land shots consistently, even at medium range. Handling is generally acceptable, and reload time sits around the average for assault rifles. The magazine size is reasonable, providing enough rounds to take down most enemies before needing to reload. Finally, the firing rate is respectable, allowing for sustained damage output. This assault rifle is the kind of weapon that can shred through flesh and metal alike.
However, the real magic of the Dark Army lies in its special weapon effect. Upon impact, projectiles fired from the Dark Army split into multiple smaller projectiles, each dealing a portion of the original damage. However, this isn’t the end of its potential. These projectiles spawn micro-missiles that seek out targets and explode on impact, dealing bonus damage. This effect creates a cascading wave of destruction, turning single targets into a pin cushion of explosions and groups of enemies into piles of smoldering scrap.
While the splitting projectiles and micro-missiles are undeniably powerful, there is a drawback to consider. The Dark Army tends to be somewhat ammo-hungry. The rapid firing rate, combined with the constant spawning of additional projectiles, can quickly deplete your ammunition reserves. Therefore, it’s crucial to equip gear and skills that boost your magazine size, ammo capacity, or ammo regeneration to mitigate this weakness.
As with many Legendary weapons, the Dark Army may come in different variations. Some may feature elemental damage, such as fire, corrosive, or shock, adding another layer of devastation to its already impressive arsenal. Others may come with unique anointments, further enhancing its power and utility. Keep an eye out for these variations, as they can significantly impact the weapon’s performance and playstyle.
How to Get the Dark Army: The Farming Guide
The path to obtaining the Dark Army leads through a familiar foe: General Traunt. This formidable boss is your dedicated source for this legendary assault rifle, so you’ll need to be prepared to face him multiple times.
General Traunt calls Athenas home. This serene, monastery-filled planet is the setting for your hunt. Athenas is the destination and General Traunt is the one you need to beat to find the Dark Army.
The farming process itself is relatively straightforward, but it requires patience and persistence. Here’s a step-by-step guide to maximizing your efficiency:
First, fast travel to the Athenas fast travel point. From there, navigate through the map to General Traunt’s location, situated at the end of the map.
Engage General Traunt in combat. He’s a challenging boss, so be prepared for a tough fight. Utilize your skills, weapons, and tactics to bring him down.
Once General Traunt is defeated, carefully examine the loot drops scattered around his corpse. Keep an eye out for the distinctive design of the Dark Army.
If the Dark Army doesn’t appear, don’t despair. Simply quit to the main menu and reload the game. This will reset the area and respawn General Traunt, allowing you to repeat the process.
Repeat the cycle of fighting, looting, quitting, and reloading until the Dark Army finally graces you with its presence. Be patient; the drop rate can be somewhat low, but persistence will eventually pay off.
Several factors can influence your chances of successfully farming the Dark Army. First, Mayhem Mode offers increased legendary drop rates. Crank up the Mayhem Mode difficulty to significantly increase the likelihood of the Dark Army dropping. Higher Mayhem levels provide a loot multiplier that is boosted significantly.
Second, Certain Vault Hunter skills and gear can also improve your chances. Look for skills that increase loot drop rates or enhance your survivability during the farm. Artifacts and class mods with loot-boosting properties can also be valuable assets.
Finally, consider playing in True Vault Hunter Mode. This mode offers increased difficulty and improved loot, but it also requires a higher level of preparation and skill.
Tips and Tricks for Farming General Traunt
Farming General Traunt can be challenging, but with the right approach, you can significantly improve your efficiency and survivability.
When facing General Traunt, a high damage per second build is useful. Characters like Zane can melt him in a few seconds. Choose skills that maximize damage output, survivability, and ammo efficiency. Certain Vault Hunter builds excel at exploiting General Traunt’s weaknesses, allowing for quick and efficient takedowns.
Elemental weapons are particularly effective against General Traunt. He’s vulnerable to certain elemental damage types, such as shock and corrosive, so equip weapons that exploit these weaknesses. Shields that provide elemental resistance can also be valuable for mitigating his attacks.
General Traunt employs a variety of attacks, including elemental projectiles, area-of-effect blasts, and powerful melee strikes. Learn his attack patterns and develop strategies for avoiding them. Utilize cover, movement, and your Vault Hunter’s abilities to stay alive and minimize damage taken.
Throughout the fight, General Traunt will summon waves of additional enemies. Focus on eliminating these adds quickly to prevent them from overwhelming you. Use area-of-effect weapons and skills to clear them out efficiently.
Dark Army Anointments
Anointments are special modifiers that can appear on weapons and gear, providing unique bonuses and effects. These anointments can significantly enhance the Dark Army’s performance, making it even more deadly in combat. The right anointment can transform the Dark Army from a great weapon into an absolute monster.
There is a wide array of Anointments that you can find. Here are a few sought-after anointments for the Dark Army:
Action Skill End Anointments
“On Action Skill End, Weapon Damage is increased.”
“On Action Skill End, Critical Hit Damage is increased.”
“On Action Skill End, gain increased movement speed and damage.”
While Action Skill Active Anointments
“While Action Skill is Active, Weapon Damage is increased.”
“While Action Skill is Active, Fire Rate is increased.”
“While Action Skill is Active, gain increased accuracy and handling.”
Weapon-Specific Anointments
There can be Anointments that affect the weapon itself so you need to look out for that kind.
Is the Dark Army Worth Farming?
The Dark Army is a unique weapon that delivers damage with every bullet. It has strengths that can benefit characters. Its special traits make it fun and easy to deal damage.
However, it has a huge appetite for ammunition that can be a disadvantage. It relies on micro missiles to really deal damage and those bullets disappear quickly.
Ultimately, the Dark Army is well worth the investment to farm.
Conclusion
The Dark Army is a powerful weapon. Securing your own Dark Army requires defeating General Traunt and hoping to get lucky. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t get it right away. Vault Hunters can easily add this weapon to their arsenal.
So, get out there, Vault Hunter. Good luck, and happy hunting!
