BOOM-Tastic Builds: Unleashing Mr. Torgue

By: John Goodenough

Welcome back to the arena, Vault Hunters!

In this article we’ll explore potential Skill Tree builds for Mr. Torgue. This character can be found in the Box of Badasses along with a horde of other unique Vault Hunters and enemies.

Master of explosions and founder of the weapon manufacturer Torgue, the build in this article will focus on maximizing his access to weapons, especially the ones that go BOOM! The reference image shows the path for four levels, with a Skill token placed next to each of the chosen abilities.

His first level allows you to search the Guns deck for any Torgue rocket launcher and the Ammo Dump for any Torgue grenade. If you own expansions there are other options to choose from, but for this article we’ll just choose from the core game.

Shrinking Hedgehog is the best choice since it features Explosive attacks like the other rocket launchers but also includes Cryo and Surge. Cryo freezes the enemy in place and prevents it from moving for a turn. This is particularly useful against enemies and bosses that have powerful melee attacks so Vault Hunters can make ranged attacks from a safe distance. Surge increases the chances inflicting Cryo on a 3 and 4 (Crit) result when you roll the purple d4. Remember that you still roll to inflict Cryo even if the attack does not succeed.

Force Grenade is a great choice since it attacks with a yellow die instead of a red die like the other available grenades. Explosive attacks will be even more useful when the fourth level skill is active.

Mr. Torgue’s second level allows you to roll a purple d4 whenever your grenade or rocket launcher would be Out of Ammo, so you only run out if a Fumble is rolled. This gives you a 75% chance of never running out of ammo. Considering grenades always run out of ammo after you use them and rocket launchers are Ammo Guzzlers, this skill allows you to keep making powerful Explosive attacks. This also comes in handy when the pesky Out of Ammo order pops up on Announcement cards. Note that Vault Hunters in the same zone can take a Handoff Action to give each other Loot tokens. If other players have Ammo tokens to spare, they make a great backup plan in case Mr. Torgue’s reload skill Fumbles.

Mr. Torgue’s third level gains Ranged +2. His starting Ranged is already an impressive 2 but this skill brings his total to a massive 4 bonus to ranged attacks. While this isn’t terribly exciting, it’s incredibly useful for rocket launchers. It may also be worth keeping an eye out for a good Pistol by the time you reach this level. While rocket launchers will be your primary ranged weapon, a Pistol allows you to use your Ranged Skill to defend against melee attacks. Mr. Torgue’s Melee Skill is only 1 so a Pistol allows you to defend with a skill of 4.

Mr. Torgue’s fourth level allows your Explosive attacks to gain Deadly. This works for grenades and rocket launchers but even some Pistols feature Explosive Crits. Explosive attacks affect every model in the target’s zone so this ability has potential to unleash six wounds in a full zone. Attacks of this magnitude require the mandatory explodey sound effect followed by a classic Wilhelm Scream.

One tactic to note is that you can respec between games and choose a different Skill Tree. This will remove all tokens from the Explosions! Skill Tree to place on the other card. If you choose Explosions! for your next Skill Tree during the following respec, the first level skill will activate again, allowing you to search the decks for another rocket launcher and grenade. You can even sell off your gear for their resale value, then use the skill to search decks and gain back the same gear again.

With these skills in hand, Mr. Torgue becomes the ultimate force of explosive mayhem, raining down destruction with every trigger pull. Whether you’re freezing enemies in place, turning the tide with a well-timed grenade, or unleashing a barrage of rockets, this build ensures you’ll be the loudest, most chaotic presence on the battlefield. Remember, Vault Hunters, in the world of Mister Torgue's Arena of Badassery, there’s no such thing as too much BOOM. So gear up, dive into the arena, and make sure every explosion counts!