Introduction
Want to obliterate enemies with self-propelled, homing projectiles? The Dark Army in Borderlands 3 is your weapon of choice. This Maliwan assault rifle isn’t just another gun; it’s a spectacle of controlled chaos, unleashing a swarm of intelligent projectiles that seek out and destroy your foes. Its unique ability makes it a highly sought-after weapon for players looking to add some flair and serious firepower to their arsenal. If you’re ready to wield a weapon that feels both powerful and uniquely Borderlands, you’ve come to the right place. This article will provide a clear and concise guide on how to obtain the Dark Army in Borderlands 3, ensuring you’re well-equipped to dominate the battlefield.
Understanding the Dark Army
Before diving into the farming process, it’s important to understand what makes the Dark Army so special. This isn’t just about raw damage; it’s about the weapon’s unique behavior and how it can fundamentally change your approach to combat.
The Dark Army is an assault rifle, belonging to the Maliwan manufacturer family. As such, it benefits from Maliwan’s signature elemental capabilities and unique charge mechanic. While the specific stats like damage output, accuracy, handling, reload speed, and magazine size can vary depending on the specific parts that spawn on the weapon, its core functionality remains the same: unleashing homing projectiles. It is important to keep in mind that different anointments and parts can vary these stats, so keep an eye out for the variant that best fits your needs.
What truly sets the Dark Army apart is its special weapon effect. When you fire the weapon, it launches projectiles that self-propel towards nearby enemies. These projectiles actively seek out targets, making it easier to hit fast-moving or evasive foes. Unlike regular bullets that travel in a straight line, the Dark Army’s projectiles curve and weave through the air, adding a layer of strategic depth to your combat. The range of the homing projectiles is quite generous, allowing you to engage enemies from a safe distance while still maintaining accuracy. The damage type these projectiles deal will depend on the elemental variant of the gun; it can come in Incendiary, Shock, Corrosive, or Cryo.
While the Dark Army is incredibly effective, it’s not without its potential drawbacks. The projectiles aren’t instantaneous, meaning there’s a slight travel time between firing and impact. This can take some getting used to, especially if you’re accustomed to hitscan weapons. Additionally, while the projectiles do home in on enemies, they aren’t perfect. Obstacles can sometimes block their path, and extremely distant targets might be beyond their effective range. Despite these minor limitations, the Dark Army remains a formidable weapon in the hands of a skilled Vault Hunter.
To further enhance the Dark Army’s capabilities, consider its synergy with various anointments. Anointments are special modifiers that provide bonus effects when certain conditions are met. A particularly effective anointment for the Dark Army is the one that grants bonus elemental damage after using an Action Skill. Given the Dark Army’s elemental flexibility, this can significantly boost its damage output. Other anointments that increase critical hit damage or provide additional projectiles can also be beneficial. Experimenting with different anointments is key to finding the perfect combination for your playstyle.
Location and Farming the Dark Army
Now that you understand the weapon’s capabilities, let’s discuss how to obtain it. The Dark Army is a dedicated drop from a specific enemy in Borderlands , making the farming process relatively straightforward.
The enemy you need to focus on is General Traunt, a formidable boss located at Atlass HQ on the planet Promethea. You will find him in the zone called Skywell. General Traunt is a challenging encounter, known for his powerful elemental attacks and ability to teleport. However, defeating him is the key to unlocking the Dark Army.
The difficulty level you choose will significantly impact your chances of obtaining the Dark Army. While it’s possible to get the weapon on lower difficulties, farming on higher Mayhem levels greatly increases the drop rate of legendary items. Mayhem ten or eleven is highly recommended for maximizing your farming efficiency. It’s also crucial to ensure that you’re at or near the maximum level before attempting to farm General Traunt. This will ensure that the Dark Army drops at the highest possible level, maximizing its damage output.
To farm General Traunt efficiently, it’s important to develop a solid strategy. Start by fast-traveling to the Atlass HQ location. From there, navigate through the level until you reach the boss arena. General Traunt has two main attack forms: ice and fire. He’s most vulnerable when he’s using the opposite element that he’s currently resistant to. A strong weapon with a high fire rate and good elemental damage is ideal for this fight. Focus on targeting his critical hit spots to quickly deplete his health bar.
Once you’ve defeated General Traunt, check the loot that he drops. If the Dark Army isn’t among the items, don’t despair. Simply save and quit the game, then reload. This will reset the boss encounter, allowing you to farm him repeatedly until the Dark Army finally drops. This save-quit method is the most efficient way to farm dedicated drops in Borderlands .
While farming General Traunt is the most reliable method for obtaining the Dark Army, it’s worth noting that it can also drop as a world drop. World drops are random legendary items that can drop from any enemy or loot source in the game. However, the drop rate for world drops is significantly lower than dedicated drops, so relying on world drops is not an efficient farming strategy. Focus your efforts on General Traunt to maximize your chances of getting the Dark Army.
Tips and Tricks for Efficient Farming
Farming for any specific item in Borderlands can be a time-consuming process. To make the experience more efficient and less frustrating, here are some tips and tricks to maximize your drop rates and streamline your farming efforts.
One of the most effective ways to increase your chances of getting the Dark Army is to boost your loot luck. Loot luck is a hidden stat that affects the likelihood of finding rare items. You can increase your loot luck by equipping certain Vault Hunter skills, activating Guardian Rank perks, and using specific artifacts. A particularly powerful artifact for increasing loot luck is the Shlooter artifact, which temporarily boosts your loot luck to astronomical levels. Using the Shlooter artifact can significantly increase your chances of getting the Dark Army, so be sure to equip it before heading into the boss arena.
Inventory management is another crucial aspect of efficient farming. After each run, your inventory will likely be filled with various items, many of which will be useless. To save time, develop a system for quickly clearing out your inventory. Use the “mark as junk” feature to quickly identify unwanted items, then sell them to a vending machine. You can also use the “sort by rarity” option to easily identify legendary items among the clutter. When filtering your inventory, look for Assault Rifles.
Playing with friends can also make the farming process more enjoyable and efficient. When playing in a group, the number of enemies increases, leading to more loot opportunities. Additionally, having multiple players focusing on the boss can significantly reduce the time it takes to defeat him. To ensure fair loot distribution, agree on a system beforehand. You can either split the loot evenly among party members or take turns picking up legendary items.
Conclusion
The Dark Army is a unique and powerful assault rifle in Borderlands , offering a distinct gameplay experience with its homing projectiles. Obtaining this weapon requires a focused farming strategy, but the rewards are well worth the effort.
To recap, the key steps to obtaining the Dark Army are: targeting General Traunt in the Atlass HQ on Promethea, farming on Mayhem ten or eleven, equipping loot luck bonuses, efficiently managing your inventory, and potentially playing with friends. By following these steps, you’ll significantly increase your chances of adding the Dark Army to your arsenal.
The Dark Army is a worthwhile weapon to farm for due to its unique abilities and high damage output. Its homing projectiles make it effective against a wide range of enemies, and its elemental flexibility allows you to adapt to different combat situations. Whether you’re looking to clear hordes of enemies or take down tough bosses, the Dark Army is a reliable and fun weapon to have by your side.
Now get out there, Vault Hunter, and add the Dark Army to your arsenal! Let us know in the comments how your farming goes, and share any tips or strategies you discover along the way. Good luck, and happy hunting! If you want to learn how to improve your Zane build or increase your critical hit damage with Amara, check out some of our other Borderlands guides!
