Best SMGs In Borderlands 2 A Comprehensive Guide

If you're diving into the chaotic and loot-filled world of Borderlands 2, choosing the right weapons can make or break your experience. Among the diverse arsenal available, SMGs (Submachine Guns) stand out as versatile tools for close to mid-range combat. These rapid-firing weapons are perfect for shredding enemies, especially when paired with the right character build. This comprehensive guide explores the best SMGs in Borderlands 2, highlighting their strengths, weaknesses, and why they deserve a spot in your Vault Hunter's inventory. We'll delve into the specific qualities that make these weapons exceptional, and how to effectively utilize them to dominate Pandora.

Understanding SMGs in Borderlands 2

In Borderlands 2, SMGs are characterized by their high fire rates and relatively large magazine sizes. This combination allows players to sustain damage output over extended periods, making them ideal for taking down beefy enemies or groups of weaker foes. The key advantage of SMGs lies in their ability to deal consistent damage at close to mid-range, where their accuracy remains manageable even when firing full-auto. However, their effectiveness drops off significantly at longer distances due to increased bullet spread.

To truly appreciate the best SMGs, it's essential to understand the various weapon manufacturers in Borderlands 2, each of which imparts distinct characteristics to their firearms. For example, Hyperion SMGs are known for their reverse recoil, becoming more accurate the longer you fire. This makes them incredibly potent in sustained engagements. Tediore SMGs, on the other hand, are reloaded by throwing them like grenades, a unique mechanic that can deal massive damage if used strategically. Maliwan SMGs often come with elemental effects, allowing players to exploit enemy weaknesses. Dahl SMGs typically fire in bursts when zoomed, offering a balance of accuracy and fire rate. Torgue SMGs fire explosive projectiles, dealing high damage per shot but with a slower fire rate. Lastly, Vladof SMGs boast incredibly high rates of fire, perfect for overwhelming enemies with a hail of bullets.

Understanding these manufacturer traits is crucial for selecting the right SMG for your playstyle and character build. Whether you prefer the sustained accuracy of Hyperion, the explosive reloads of Tediore, or the elemental versatility of Maliwan, there's an SMG out there to suit your needs. Now, let's dive into some of the best SMGs Borderlands 2 has to offer.

Top-Tier SMGs in Borderlands 2

1. The Bitch

The Bitch is arguably one of the most coveted SMGs in Borderlands 2, renowned for its exceptional accuracy and high fire rate. This Hyperion SMG becomes increasingly accurate the longer you hold down the trigger, making it a laser-accurate bullet hose capable of melting enemies at close to mid-range. The Bitch's pinpoint accuracy also makes it surprisingly effective at longer ranges compared to other SMGs. This weapon is a world drop, meaning it can drop from any loot source in the game, but it has an increased chance of dropping from the BNK-3R boss in the Bunker and Construction Site.

To maximize The Bitch's potential, consider pairing it with a character build that enhances fire rate and critical hit damage. Maya, the Siren, with her Cataclysm skill tree, can significantly boost elemental damage and critical hit chance, making The Bitch even more deadly. Zer0, the Assassin, can also benefit from The Bitch's accuracy, using his Deception skill to line up critical hits. Axton, the Commando, can use his turret to draw enemy fire while he unloads a torrent of bullets with The Bitch. The key to mastering The Bitch is understanding its recoil pattern and learning to control it for sustained accuracy. The weapon's high fire rate can quickly deplete its magazine, so managing ammo is also crucial. Despite this, the raw damage output and pinpoint accuracy of The Bitch make it a top-tier choice for any Vault Hunter.

2. The Slagga

The Slagga is a unique SMG due to its ability to slag enemies with a high probability. Slag is a status effect in Borderlands 2 that increases the damage enemies take from all sources by 200% in Normal Mode, 75% in True Vault Hunter Mode, and 50% in Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode. This makes The Slagga an invaluable tool for increasing overall damage output, especially in the later game difficulties. This Tediore SMG not only slags enemies effectively but also boasts a high fire rate and decent damage on its own, making it a well-rounded weapon. The Slagga is obtained as a quest reward from the mission "Clan Wars: Zafords vs. Hodunks" in The Dust. Players must side with the Hodunk clan to receive the weapon.

The versatility of The Slagga makes it a must-have for any Vault Hunter tackling the tougher challenges in Borderlands 2. Its ability to slag multiple enemies quickly allows for efficient damage amplification, making it an ideal weapon for team play. Players can quickly apply slag to enemies, allowing their teammates to unleash devastating follow-up attacks. Solo players will also find The Slagga incredibly useful for softening up tough enemies before switching to a higher-damage weapon. To effectively use The Slagga, focus on applying the slag status effect to enemies before switching to your primary damage-dealing weapon. A quick burst of fire from The Slagga is often enough to slag multiple targets, allowing you to then switch to a more powerful weapon to capitalize on the increased damage. While The Slagga's damage output isn't the highest, its slagging capability more than makes up for it, solidifying its place as one of the best SMGs in Borderlands 2.

3. The Sandhawk

The Sandhawk is a legendary Maliwan SMG known for its unique firing pattern. It fires a burst of bullets that travel in a hawk-like pattern, converging at a distance before spreading out again. This makes The Sandhawk exceptionally accurate and effective at mid-range, allowing players to deal significant damage while maintaining a safe distance from enemies. The Sandhawk also boasts a high elemental damage output, making it particularly potent when matched with the right elemental weakness. This weapon is obtained as a quest reward from the mission "Whoops" in the Captain Scarlett and Her Pirate's Booty DLC. The element of The Sandhawk is determined by the element of the weapon you use to complete the quest, so players can farm the mission to obtain The Sandhawk in their preferred element.

To maximize the potential of The Sandhawk, it's crucial to understand its firing pattern and range. The converging bullets deal the most damage, so maintaining a mid-range distance is key. Pairing The Sandhawk with a Bee shield can result in insane damage output, as the shield's amp damage is applied to each bullet in the burst. The weapon's high elemental damage also makes it a great choice for characters like Maya, who can further amplify elemental effects. When using The Sandhawk, consider the elemental weaknesses of your enemies. Swapping between different elemental versions of The Sandhawk can significantly increase your damage output. The weapon's accuracy and damage make it a versatile choice for a variety of encounters, from taking down bosses to clearing out groups of enemies. However, its unique firing pattern requires some practice to master, but the payoff is well worth the effort. The Sandhawk's combination of accuracy, damage, and elemental versatility makes it a top-tier SMG in Borderlands 2.

4. The Plasma Casters

Plasma Casters are Maliwan SMGs known for their high elemental damage and fast projectile speed. Unlike traditional bullet-based SMGs, Plasma Casters fire energy projectiles that travel quickly and deal significant elemental damage. This makes them incredibly effective against enemies with elemental weaknesses, allowing players to melt through health bars with ease. Plasma Casters come in various elemental types, including fire, corrosive, shock, and slag, allowing players to tailor their weapon to the situation. Plasma Casters are world drops, but they have an increased chance of dropping from the Warrior boss in Eridium Blight.

To effectively utilize Plasma Casters, it's crucial to understand enemy elemental weaknesses and select the appropriate Plasma Caster accordingly. Fire Plasma Casters are excellent against flesh enemies, corrosive Plasma Casters are ideal for armored enemies, and shock Plasma Casters excel against shielded enemies. Slag Plasma Casters, while not dealing direct damage, can significantly amplify the damage taken by enemies, making them a valuable support weapon. The fast projectile speed of Plasma Casters also makes them easier to use at longer ranges compared to other SMGs, as the projectiles are less susceptible to bullet drop. Characters like Maya, with her elemental damage buffs, can further enhance the effectiveness of Plasma Casters. The Cataclysm skill tree allows Maya to amplify elemental damage and increase the chance of applying elemental effects, making her a perfect match for Plasma Casters. The high damage output and elemental versatility of Plasma Casters make them a top-tier choice for any Vault Hunter looking to exploit enemy weaknesses.

5. The Baby Maker

The Baby Maker is a unique Tediore SMG that, upon being thrown to reload, spawns child grenades that explode, dealing additional damage. This makes The Baby Maker a powerful weapon for close-quarters combat, allowing players to deal both direct damage with the weapon's bullets and explosive damage with the spawned grenades. The number of child grenades spawned depends on the amount of ammo remaining in the magazine when the weapon is reloaded, so reloading with a nearly full magazine maximizes the weapon's damage potential. The Baby Maker is obtained from Madame Von Bartlesby in the Tundra Express area as a reward for the quest "Get a Little Blood on the Tires".

The unique reload mechanic of The Baby Maker requires a slightly different playstyle compared to other SMGs. Instead of simply reloading when the magazine is empty, players should focus on reloading with a nearly full magazine to maximize the number of child grenades spawned. This can be achieved by firing a few shots and then quickly reloading. The explosive damage of the child grenades makes The Baby Maker particularly effective against groups of enemies, as the grenades can scatter and deal damage to multiple targets. Characters like Salvador, the Gunzerker, can take full advantage of The Baby Maker's explosive potential by dual-wielding it with another powerful weapon. The Gunzerker's skills that enhance reload speed and magazine size further amplify The Baby Maker's effectiveness. While The Baby Maker's accuracy isn't the highest, its high damage output and unique reload mechanic make it a formidable weapon in the right hands. Mastering the timing of the reloads and learning to aim the child grenades can significantly increase your damage output. The explosive nature of The Baby Maker also means it's less effective against enemies with explosive resistance, so it's important to consider enemy types when selecting this weapon.

Honorable Mentions

While the SMGs listed above are among the best in Borderlands 2, there are several other notable SMGs that deserve an honorable mention:

• The Hellfire: A Maliwan SMG that deals high fire damage and has a chance to set enemies on fire.
• The Emperor: A Hyperion SMG with excellent accuracy and a bayonet for melee attacks.
• The Avenger: A Tediore SMG that regenerates ammo when thrown, making it ideal for sustained combat.
• The Florentine: A Maliwan SMG that deals both shock and slag damage, providing excellent utility.

These SMGs may not be as universally powerful as the top-tier options, but they can still be incredibly effective in the right situations and with the right character builds.

Conclusion

SMGs are a versatile and powerful weapon class in Borderlands 2, offering a balance of damage, fire rate, and magazine size. The best SMGs, such as The Bitch, The Slagga, The Sandhawk, Plasma Casters, and The Baby Maker, can significantly enhance your gameplay experience and help you conquer even the toughest challenges Pandora has to offer. By understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each SMG and tailoring your weapon choice to your character build and playstyle, you can become a formidable force in Borderlands 2. Remember to consider manufacturer traits, elemental effects, and unique weapon mechanics when selecting your SMGs. With the right SMG in hand, you'll be well-equipped to tackle any enemy that stands in your way. So, Vault Hunter, gear up and get ready to unleash a hail of bullets on the unsuspecting foes of Pandora!