DamBit - the Outlaw Class

Method Behind the Madness

Day in day out us hunters of the sweet V slay the pent up locals of Pandora without mercy.

I mean to be fair they are, more often than not, complete nutters hell bent on slaying us, the Vault Hunters, so it’s hardly uncalled for but I can’t help but feel that there might be one amongst this rabble of rage with more in his soul than complete blood lust and lunacy... even if it’s only a teenie bit...

Bandits; the Psychos, the Marauders, the Goliaths, the Nomads, the Rats... the Midgets!! They’re wild, relentless, insane, rude, crude and above all; living outside of the law. But imagine if one of those outlaws went... even more outlawier...

A Bandit gone Rogue...

A Bandit gone... Vault Hunter...


Enter The Outlaw Class


Hi My Name Is...

Meet the dark and mysterious DamBit. His real name is unknown and his current title is obviously a very, very, VERY clever rework of his original routes as a (do I even have to say it?) Bandit... BanDit... DamBit... you get it right? Yeah I thought you did. Probably liked it too. Came up with it all by himself as well, how’s that for a celver bandit? ‘Cos that’s the whole jist of this guy, he’s smarter than your average bandit Boo-Boo!! A lot smarter.

“Wow well that’s pretty cool man a Bandit Vault Hunter, but what’s he look like?”

Well Boo-Boo, I’m glad you asked...


Killer Digs Man!

Imagine a Bandit/Cowboy/Outlaw/Zorro type figure. I’m thinking the red head wrap of your average Marauder but maybe instead of goggles and a mouth piece, this guy has a dark slit in the wrap for the white (yellow?) pupil-less bandit eyes and nothing to represent a mouth. Just head wrap all around.

This dude’s got the drapes of a Bandit but with the Zorro/Outlaw-like big rimmed dark & tattered hat, which he obviously wears slightly tilted forward at a slanted angle (‘Cos that’s what cool dark edgy guys do), and a cape of a similar fashion. Cowboy style leather pistol holsters on his cowboy-like belt and a similarly fashioned holster for his hunting knife... yes I said hunting knife... badass I know!

Big ol’ heavy bandit boots and more than likely gloves... I don’t know the full extent of this guys outfit but you get the idea...


Friend or Foe?

DamBit is an Outlaw of Outlaws.

Means he’s pretty much your typical loner. Works alone, doesn’t like anyone too much.

Despite being a Bandit himself, he doesn’t like his own kin at all, pretty much hates them. Why? Because they’re f*cking morons that's why!

Maybe DamBit would like people of a more similar intellect to himself, like people or other Vault Hunters? Nope. Doesn’t really like them either, can tolerate your standard human a little more than Bandits but they’re still just morons.

And as for Vault Hunters? Well they’re the beings he likes the most because they do kick ass and he essentially is one but he just really isn’t a people person. He’s a DamBit person. DamBit and his Rifle and his Pistol and his Knife and his killing of things he doesn’t like. That’s what makes DamBit happy... sort of. He’s never really happy and that’s what makes DamBit Dambit.

He doesn’t do friends and he doesn’t do compassion. He just does killing and being dark, mysterious and reserved. And he does those things exceedingly well.

If you actually got to sit down with DamBit and chat, you’d find out that he’s very very very knowledgeable of the universe. Not through learning, just because he’s actually very smart and just kind of knows. He’s deep. The sort of guy you’d love to meet... but the sort of guy you’d also sh*t your pants if you found out you were going to meet.

Despite his dislike for most things other than himself, he doesn’t openly express his distaste for others. He isn’t rude. Just quiet. If you push him though, which wouldn’t be wise (He’s suppressing a hell of a lot of Bandit madness inside of him), he’ll let you know his thoughts.

He’s rough around the edges and rough inside too. He’s tactile, he’s got the instincts of a high grade hunter. You don’t mess with him basically. You sneak up on him, no motive, no reason for him to know you’re approach, as sneakily as you can, jump on him and stab him; it’s a decoy and he’s got his hunting knife sunk deep and twisting between your shoulder blades faster than you could scream “GOD F*CKING DAMBIT!!”.

His voice? Something similar to your average dark mysterious loner hero. Think Christian Bales Batman voice but maybe not as stupidly gruff. But definitely along those lines. He sounds like one mean mother.


Class In Session

The Class will be known as the Outlaw Class.

Hunter/Sniper/Rogue.

Single Fire Rifles, Sniper Rifles and Pistols, more in favour of your Jacobs & obviously Bandit weaponry with a set Class Perk in place so that DamBit gains a massive increase in Fire Rate, Accuracy & Damage when using Bandit weaponry.

His Melee is is gnarly homemade Hunting Knife that’s all serrated and maybe has a bone handle or just a roughly leather wrapped handle. Either way it looks nasty.
I’m thinking that, like Zero, there’ll be a Skill Tree with perks to beef up DamBit’s abilities with this blade that he loves so very much.

His Action Skill is open to design but here are some ideas:


Guns, Perks, Action!

Bandit Call/Summon/Rally Call/DamBit Call/Call of the Bandit/Call of DamBit

DamBit (Somehow, special horn or just shouts or somethin’) summons a group of allied Bandits to the field to battle for him that will remain with him until death. The Action Skill cannot be activated again until all summoned Bandits are dead. Once the bandits have been slain the standard cool-down will come into place.

Maybe a certain skill tree can unlock a perk that eliminates the need to wait until they die before the cool-down comes into effect and you just get an extended cool down instead.

I’m not sure how many Bandits should be summoned, perhaps a group of Four/Five? Perhaps it starts with just Two/Three but a certain skill tree can unlock perks to increase the bulk.

What kind of bandits? Maybe it’s different every time. Maybe they are Psychos and Midgets to start off with and as you level up you get better Bandits e.g. Marauders, Nomads, Badasses etc. Maybe it depends on what skill tree you go down? Maybe you unlock perks that give them shields, make them stronger etc.



Skarr

I was contemplating the idea that like Mordecai and his Bloodwing, DamBit has Skarr (or something) the Skag.

Skarr is much more badass than your average Skag and can take a ton and deal a ton more damage. Plus he doesn’t try to kill you... maybe just gnaw on your boot from time to time.

But in general he’s just an adorable best friend... I say adorable... you’ve seen Skags right?

So, like Bloodwing and Gaige’s Deathtrap, Skarr will run out and battle for you. I don’t know what Bloodwing used to do as I never played Borderlands and I know that Deathtrap just sort of disappears so I’m thinking maybe Skarr just ends up running back to you when time’s up. But the idea is yeah he just helps you out.

The only issue is that bloodwing used to sit on Mordecai’s shoulder, am I right? And Deathtrap just whoops up out of nowhere. So I’m wondering where Skarr can go when he’s not in use?

Does he have the unique and un-skaglike characteristic that he can burrow underground (apparently everywhere) and just pops up when you call him?... her?... him I reckon. Maybe that’s why DamBit loves him so much, like him, he was smarter than the rest of his kin. Maybe DamBit taught him. Maybe they met via this unique trait... I don’t know... Maybe he just jumps into DamBit’s coat cos' he can't dig and just hangs out there instead.

Perhaps Skarr is just a pup when you start out and as you level up (obviously Skarr is going to have to level up to keep up with the increasingly challenging opponents) Skarr slowly grows until he’s a full on adult Skag... maybe by level 50 he resembles the size and power of a Badass Skag?

Can Skag replicate the abilities of the various Skag types dependent on what skill tree and perks you choose e.g. can he obtain the Barfing skill? Can he get the Shock/Fire abilities of the Badass once you’re hitting the peak of a skill tree? Maybe even Slag and Corrosive or the Frost/Ice that everyone’s after?

To be fair, I’m liking the idea of Skarr so much that the previous Action Skill can go f*ck itself. Make it a perk. You summon some ally bandits and then they die. Simple. It’s open for debate but I’m coming up with this guy so really I should get the final vote.

Also, unlike many of you, this isn’t weeks of planning and statistical analysis. This is just me coming up with stuff as I go along. And I personally think that works best. Look how Skarr is now the official Action Skill just because of how awesome I think he is after having wrote about him.

But let’s continue with some other Action Skill Ideas just in case...


Psycho/True Psycho

Psycho’s run at you and slash you and yeah they’re real annoying but pretty easy to down once they’re up close.

There’s also the annoying ability in many an enemy to side-dive/role/step and sh*t out of the way of your gun fire. We Vault Hunters can’t do this. So, why not give DamBit (a Bandit) this inherent ability?

You enter Psycho mode. DamBit gains a big increase in Movement Speed, Melee Damage and now has the Ability to launch to and fro from side to side in graceful bullet dodging style. This would be great for anyone looking to implement the full extent of DamBit’s Hunting Knife and really slash the sh*t out of some bad guys.

...

As much as I like this idea... I miss Skarr... :(

Perhaps Psycho should be one of the possible Skill Trees? And the perks to follow allow DamBit to become the master of all Psychos. Perfect for the Melee obsessive and maybe max up the Pistol use as well in that there Skill Tree.

Implement the Suicide element at some point quite deep into the tree? When the action skill is finished you set off a super awesome explosion all around you that wipes out nearby enemies and causes you no damage... or make it a challenge and you DO take damage!!


Where there’s a Skag there’s a Way

Aww, Skarr!!

I want Skarr!! I want DamBit to be honest.

So I’ve decided that DamBit’s Action Skill should be Skarr.

The name of the skill? F*ck knows I just want Skarr.

And in the process of deciding we seem (I seem) to have come up with some cool ideas for possible Skill Trees and possible perks etc.

I think playing on the Psycho breed of Bandit would be awesome as a Skill Tree and then give one Tree the love for Skarr and then the other something to do with ranged attacks with Rifles and Sniper Rifles. I don’t know what you’d call it... Hunter?

Hunter (Left Hand Green)
Beast Handler (Centre Blue)
and Psycho (Right Hand Red)

Yeah I’m pleased with that!


Once Upon a Pandora...

So now I have a real feel for DamBit I suppose we should come up with some sort of back story idea...

I can’t be ars*d to go into real depth because it’s not like it’ll ever get run on the game but the idea is that DamBit is much more similar to your average human than the other bandits.

He’s got a brain, he can think, he’s in control of his inner madman (though I’m sure it’ll slip out from time to time through his in-game dialogue) and he wants more from life than mindless killing and... OK well he does love killing but he longs for loot, a higher purpose than just killing and dying... maybe doing something good out of all his bad traits?

Inspired by the Vault Hunters and their vanquish of the Hyperion hold on Pandora, DamBit was inspired to finally leave his clan of Bandits and follow a path that would hopefully one day lead him to the same status.

Vault Hunters may have slain many of his people, many of his own clan, but DamBit isn’t the biggest fan of Bandits anyway; they’re f*cking stupid.

He leaves his clan and starts out on his own. I’m thinking that very soon into his journey he comes across Skarr. Perhaps he’s out in the Dust, set up camp on a rocky peak, scoffing down on some char grilled SpiderAnt in the moonlight when he finds a little inquisitive Skag rummaging in his knapsack. (Heroes have knapsacks). The little rascal scampers off and suddenly dives underground. “Hmm...” would be the extent of DamBit’s response.

I dunno what happens next; DamBit leaves and the little Pup follows him around until he finally cracks the tough exterior of the rough rogues heart and a fine friendship is borne or something but yeah. Skarr becomes DamBit’s one and only true friend, ever... forever. Aww...

They go around beating on Bandits and Creatures that get in the way of their quest to find new glory as they sweep up the remaining remnants of Hyperion on Pandora. Possibly tailing the last four Vault Hunters or just doing their own thing.

We don’t know what’s going to happen in the 3rd installment and where it’ll be based but from the mass demand of players wanting it to be elsewhere in the BLANDS universe I’m thinking that Pandora is finally free from turmoil. It’s still Bandit and Monster covered but that’s just fine. It’s the Borderlands after all.

Either way, DamBit sets out with Skarr to explore new planets and look for work and loot elsewhere.

That is until Borderlands 3 comes along and the call of a new Vault tempts them in...


If we’re going to play on Skarr just being a pup when you start out then maybe the events between DamBit finding Skarr and them becoming involved in BLANDS 3 should be pretty short. Almost instant, otherwise it would make no sense that after having battled on many planets together that Skarr hasn’t grown, but as soon as you start levelling up and kicking booty in the new game he finally starts to progress into a big boy.



Anyway... thoughts on this guy?

TBH I love him after having written all this. I hope you do too!


Safe.