How Does Resistance Work In Borderlands 2

How Does Resistance Work in Borderlands 2? A Comprehensive Guide

Borderlands 2's combat is renowned for its chaotic fun and rewarding loot. A key element underlying this enjoyable experience is the game's resistance system. Understanding how resistance works is crucial for building effective builds and tackling challenging enemies. This guide breaks down the intricacies of resistances in Borderlands 2, explaining how they affect damage and how you can leverage this knowledge to your advantage.

What are Resistances in Borderlands 2?

Resistances in Borderlands 2 represent your character's ability to mitigate damage from specific damage types. These damage types include Fire, Shock, Corrosive, Slag, and Cryo. Each enemy and many weapons deal damage of a specific type, significantly impacting the effectiveness of your character's health and shields. Higher resistance means less damage taken from that specific type, while lower resistance means taking more damage. This isn't just about surviving; understanding resistances influences your strategic choices in combat, impacting your overall effectiveness.

How Resistances Affect Damage:

Resistance doesn't simply reduce damage by a flat percentage. Instead, it uses a formula that interacts with the incoming damage value. A simplistic way to think about it is this: The higher your resistance, the smaller the percentage of damage you'll actually take. For example:

• High Resistance: A high resistance to fire will significantly lessen the impact of fire-based attacks. You'll barely notice the effects of even powerful fire weapons.

• Low Resistance: A low resistance to corrosive damage means even weaker corrosive weapons will chunk your health and shields.

• Negative Resistance: Having negative resistance to a damage type means you will take increased damage of that type. This is particularly important to avoid.

Building Resistance: Gear and Skills

Increasing your character's resistance involves strategically choosing your gear and utilizing relevant skill points.

Gear:

• Armor: Many armor pieces offer resistance bonuses to specific damage types. Pay close attention to the listed resistances when selecting armor.

• Shields: Shields often provide a resistance boost, sometimes even specializing in a specific damage type.

• Class Mods: Class mods are crucial for boosting resistances and complementing your build.

• Grenades: While not a direct resistance boost, grenades can help mitigate damage or control the battlefield, indirectly increasing your survivability.

Skills:

Each Vault Hunter has skills that can directly impact their resistances or enhance their survivability, indirectly making them more resistant to damage. Carefully consider your skill tree choices to boost your survivability. For example, some skills might reduce damage taken from specific sources, or improve your shield's effectiveness against certain damage types.

The Importance of Slag:

Slag is a unique damage type in Borderlands 2. While it doesn't directly damage enemies, it applies a debuff that makes them significantly more vulnerable to all other damage types. This means even low-damage weapons can deal substantial damage to a slagged enemy. Using slag effectively is key to overcoming tougher opponents.

Enemy Resistance:

It's important to consider that enemies also possess resistances. Understanding enemy weaknesses is crucial for effective combat. Some enemies are highly resistant to certain damage types, while weak to others. Experimenting with different weapon types and damage types will help you determine the most effective strategies for eliminating each enemy type.

In Conclusion:

Understanding how resistance works in Borderlands 2 is vital for success. By strategically choosing your gear, optimizing your skill tree, and understanding enemy resistances, you'll significantly improve your character's survivability and overall effectiveness in combat, enhancing the enjoyment of the game's challenging and rewarding gameplay loop. Remember, adapting your strategy based on the enemy you face is key to maximizing your combat performance.