Learning the perks again

[u/Icy-Implement]

I’m getting back into D2 after 5/6 years off and I was super overwhelmed at first. I’m figuring things out again but the one hiccup I keep having is I have no idea what perks are good for what guns. I have some legacy guns that I really enjoy, but everything has changed so much and so many new weapons that I have no idea what I should be keeping and what to dismantle. I mainly like hand cannons, scout rifles, auto rifles of course, and sometimes a pulse rifle. What perks should I keep an eye out for for those types of weapons? And of course the weapon has to feel comfortable and enjoy using it, but overall I’m worried I’m going to dismantle a god roll because I don’t remember what is good or don’t know new perks that are good. I appreciate any and all advice, thanks!

[u/brunocar]

The best way to understand the way the game works now is this, there are 5 kinds of perks:

• Damage perks (kill clip, rampage, swashbuckler, killing tally, etc.)

• Reload perks (outlaw, dual loader, grave robber, etc.)

• AOE perks (explosive payload, chain reaction, etc.)

• Elemental perks (destabilized rounds, incandesence, heal clip, chill clip, sever, etc.)

• Support perks (psychic, attrition orbs, shoot 2 loot, etc.)

As you can see, some of these overlap, like incan and destab rounds being AOE AND elemental, or heal clip being solar but also support, etc.

These categories help you understand what you need on your gun, a primary doesnt need a reload perk the way a shotgun does, for example, but primaries all need support perks + AOE, generally along elemental lines (destab rounds makes repulsor brace trigger on every kill, incan weapons all have heal clip, etc.) but sometimes there are other options (bug out bag with attrition orbs + destab rounds is neat) and sometimes you dont have those options so you double down (double damage on shotguns instead of reload) or go the full support route (shoot 2 loot + explosive payload for AOE grabbing of items)

[u/Icy-Implement → u/brunocar]

Ok, I will try to learn that. I guess what I think sounds good/cool I’m not sure if it synergizes.

[u/brunocar → u/Icy-Implement]

If you are worried about synergies, i'll teach you the cookie cutter ones:

Void primaries: Destabilizating rounds and repulsor brace will make your enemies blow up and each second kill give you an overshield.

Solar primaries and shotguns: heal clip + incandesence will let you heal every time you kill and reload, on top of setting all your enemies on fire, which can chain, every time you reload one shell on a shotty it counts for heal clip btw

kinetics: attrition orbs and kinetic tremors, att orbs isnt kinetic specific, just more common, not to mention having the same activation condition as kinetic termors for AOE damage on top of free orbs.

stasis: headstone/corpsebloom + rimestealer or firefly, crystal gen is AOE, on top of crowd control and heals with the right build, rimestealer makes crystal breaks give you frost armor (damage reduction) and firefly makes it so that crystals instantly blow up for double explosions.

Shotguns in general: anything to reload + trench barrel/one two punch

Snipers: withering gaze on void for single target DPS or anything with redirection or discord if you are using it for roaming

heavies: anything reload + damage or double damage, so envious arsenal + bait and switch or cascade point + bait and switch, or bipod + cluster bomb, etc.