This is a pet/ FL4K hybrid build aimed at providing a more active playstyle than most other pet builds while maintaining ease of use and competitive damage. Pet information and damage formula is here.
Augments: Endurance and Empathic Rage. Atomic Aroma is an option if you’d like to move more damage from FL4K to the pet, but isn’t generally recommended.
Skill Flexibility: Can shift points between Two F4ng and Leave No Trace + Ambush Predator to taste.
Playstyle: The core of this build revolves around supplementing the pet’s Messy Breakup damage with infinite Plaguebearer shots. Using a cryo Plaguebearer specifically offsets as much of the damage loss from the elemental conversion of Monkey Do as possible, while taking advantage of the way its amp functions (legendary type amp, so single projectile is ideal). Throwing Hunter-Seekers provides damage, stacks Furious Attack for even more pet damage and gun damage, triggers Leave no Trace on crits, applies radiation status effects for explosions and Harmageddon, and triggers the OGT anoint for even more damage.
Periodically switching to the terror Face-puncher and gaining at least a stack before using an Attack Command will trigger the shield anoint enabling a significant damage increase for the pet. The Res can be used to revive the pet in emergency situations. The 4th weapon slot (the urad one) is used primarily for second winds.
Attack Commands can be used to redirect pet Messy Breakup drones to priority targets.
Messy Breakup, among other shields, will sometimes….well, break. If you notice drones are no longer spawning, unequip the shield, exit your menu, and then reequip it.
More Than Okay Boomer modifier assists in sustaining Hunter-Seekers.
When doing the bosses in the Guardian Takedown, it’s recommended to switch to any pet that isn’t a Loader or the Spiderant Countess, as they suffer from a bug that causes them to be killed without going into Fight For Your Life if they are hit by certain attacks from Schismatic Diadems, Anathema the Relentless, and Scourge the Invincible Martyr.
It’s worth noting that as with any pet centric build, AI is a problem. Pet builds are less efficient than non pet builds due to this.
Messy Breakup ideally with the anoint “On Attack Command, pet consumes terror to deal 200% bonus damage as Fire”. Reflect parts are ideal, but minimally impactful.
Hunter-Seeker (Mitosis is best, as usual. Radiation or Corrosive elements are ideal) with “On Grenade Thrown, increase weapon, grenade, and action skill damage by 25%”. This will provide damage while also stacking Furious Attack to increase damage for both FL4K and the pet. This is also one of the strongest grenades when thrown by the WAR Loader, and when thrown by either the pet or the player will assist in getting good radiation explosion coverage and in triggering Leave No Trace to sustain ammo.
Red Fang with as many points in Ferocity as possible. This will increase all damage done by the pet. Ideal passives are Splash Damage (affects not just player damage but also Hollow Point and pet Attack Command), Heavy Damage, and Charge Speed. Honorable mentions include Weapon Damage and Splash Radius.