Strategy:Pistol

This article is about strategy for the pistol itself as a weapon, not the category of weapons colloquially known as "pistols". For specific strategies for the individual weapons, please see the associated entries under their names. For "pistols" in general, please see Strategy:Pistol Types.

Overview

Brief Summary

The Pistol is (usually) your starting weapon and, thus, many people assume that it should be discarded for something "better" when it comes along. However, the Pistol (or two Pistols) is not only feasible as a weapon, but quite capable of being used as the ONLY weapon during a game.

It is a basic weapon, which can hold up to 5 mods if the player has access to Whizkid 2.

As a member of the Pistol Type family, the Pistol is a standard weapon that is also capable of being turned into several assemblies : the speedloader pistol, the high power pistol, the storm bolter pistol, the energy pistol, the nanomanufacture pistol, and the demolition pistol. This page will only address the base Pistol and the Pistol with mods applied that do not change it into a separate assembly.

Examination

At first the weapon may not seem like much: 2d4 damage, only six shots in a clip. However, the raw damage-per-second (DPS) drastically increases as you add points into pistol-based traits. Consider the following:

• No traits: 5DPS
• SoG(x1): 7.5DPS
• SoG(x2): 11.67DPS
• SoG(x2)+DG: 19.44DPS
• SoG(x3): 20DPS
• SoG(x3)+DG: 33.33DPS
• SoG(x3)+MSs: 27.5 DPS
• SoG(x4): 45 DPS
• SoG(x4)+DG: 75 DPS
• SoG(x4)+MSs: 60 DPS
• SoG(x5): 100 DPS
• SoG(x5)+DG: 166
• SoG(x5)+MSs: 130 DPS

Over the course of just four levels (achievable just after Hell's Arena on Ultra-violence) the damage output has increased over six-fold. If we compare to a chaingun with SoBx2 and Finx2 (similar trait boosts) the maximum theoretical DPS is only 31.43, which it's never going to reach because of its lower accuracy. While the plasma rifle is obviously superior at 51.43DPS, the Plasma Rifle is almost never available at such a low level, has the same accuracy problems, and it also requires nearly twice as much ammo for an ammo type that's much harder to carry (and often rarer to boot). In addition, the first level of Dualgunner allows aimed shots to reliably one-shot formers, and SoG3 allows Dualgunner aimed shots to one-shot imps. For a starter weapon, maining the pistol is certainly a powerful choice.

Pistols are also fairly unique as being a single-target, non-explosive weapon that has a high potential for knockback. Combined with very fast firing speed, it is possible to keep an enemy out of your field of vision by knocking them back every time they come into it. In order to build toward pistols that reliably knockback, consider investing in Son of a Bitch and adding power mods to your pistols. (Although knocking back is frequently done with shotgun-type weapons, it also requires you to be closer, and so the possibility of knocking them out of vision on each hit is significantly lower than with the pistol).

However, Son of a Gun and Dualgunner are traits that only improve pistols, but traits like Eagle Eye and Son of a Bitch affect all weapons, even shotguns, rocket launchers, BFGs, and melee weapons, although obviously they benefit rapid weapons the most. Further unfortunately, if you want to use a different pistol, you're going to need some luck to find any. Combat Pistols and Blasters are Exotic weapons, and it's common to finish games without seeing either. The three Unique pistols are even more rare.

However, if you are using a Pistol build and do manage to find even a Combat pistol, the huge increase in power is likely to be what lets you win the game, especially if you manage to finish Son of a Gun 5.

Son of a Gun 5 puts all pistols at the firing speed cap of 0.1 seconds, or just barely below the cap with Dualgunner at .12 seconds. At that speed, even a pair of basic pistols skyrocket to an unbelievable 166 DPS, more than double what it was at SoG4, which itself is more than double what it was at SoG3. This maximum DPS is higher than a chaingun that is fully chainfiring with Son of a Bitch 5, Finesse 3, and Triggerhappy 2 (139.1 DPS) and costs far less ammo and far fewer trait picks. Even a plasma rifle with the same trait investment would only reach 130.1 DPS, and would need to be fully chainfiring to surpass SoG5 Dualgunner and reach a DPS of 196, but for all those cells and all those traits, you better be the king of DPS!

Advantages to using the Pistol as a Main Weapon

• Free gun! (In all but very specific challenges, you will start with a Pistol)
• Easy to find and stockpile ammo
• Dualgunner enables reliable one-hit kills on weaker enemies at maximum vision range
• Accurate without modding (or Eagle Eye if you don't mind using Aimed Shot)
• Fast reload time
• Firing speed can reach the cap at level 13, which offers both high DPS and flexibility in combat.

Disadvantages to using the Pistol as a Main Weapon

• Requires Pistol traits to become good, which are useless with other weapons
• Unlikely to find a better pistol
• Reliant on mods to maintain mid-game viability
• Bullet type damage is commonly resisted
• Need to reload frequently
• Cannot use 10mm Ammo Chains and Dualgunner at the same time
• Juggler can't switch to dual pistols, since if you have a pistol prepared, pressing the pistol's quickkey will switch to your prepared pistol instead of the one in your bag.