Originally Posted by
Embril
I think it's fun to go for a build, but I don't personally think it's even necessary.
For the first couple of weeks of the game I took 2nd, 3rd, or 4th on most of the arkfalls I did. For the last week or so I get 1st in damage now, often by a lot, as long as I don't show up late. I really don't use any particular build at all, or even focus on the perks much...some I've never even tweaked.
I use SMG's for general use, Votan sniper (the fast-firing 1kish damage one) for long-range fights, a pump shotgun for ammo conservation fights and sometimes a swarm launcher for Monarchs on the last phase of a major arkfall. The key to it seems to be as much switching loadouts to match the situation as much as just having something solid to use; if I need to fall back on something, for me it's the SMG because of the very fast reload times not limiting the amount you can fire... but only works when ammo is dropping enough to keep it going.
I use Gunslinger, the perk to increase ammo drops, and the rest I use for health boosts or incoming damage reduction. Can't shoot if you're dead. On my sniper and shotgun loadout I use the increased reload speed when standing still perk to minimize downtime (huge on a pump shotgun with a 17-shot capacity, although it doesn't always work right).
Anyway, just a suggestion for people looking at perk builds to look at loadouts just as much if not more than the actual perks. Having different weapon types readily available so you're never out of ammo is as big of a deal as making sure you get the most damage out of what you're using.
