Any tips for leveling pistol more quickly?

[Plunderin Mom]

I cant seem to find a good place to level the pistol (somewhere where there are several targets of about the same level close to each other- in my case level 25 to 27 targets are good for good pts. Anything higher and I have to use a tonic halfway through each time if Im alone). I'm sure there are some here who have some good ideas. Anybody care to share?

[Thalore]

I used a place inside the volcano on Padres. The entrance just past Romaney Bev. Go in past the first cave area into the next room. There is a lot of Grenadiers and Gypsies which arn't the greats XP but there is a ton of them, and almost no risk of getting killed.

Also don't use "Take Aim" only use the basic shot it will net more XP because of the ODD rep system.

[Plunderin Mom]

Ok, Ill try that. Those arent quite as high as I'm looking for, but the targets in the other cave on Padre (El Suduron? ... the cave with the stumps that you get to from Becketts Quarry) are often either too high or too low, and spread out.

Thanks for the take aim tip. I wondered about that.

[WizardHawk]

The way to get the most points out of lower targets is to stick to the least damage shot you have. The more hits you get on a target the more exp you get. This works for every weapon. For example, using only poke and the non damage stuff like curse on doll, using only hack and the non damage stuff like taunt on cutlass, etc. So stick to your least harmfull bullet without any bonus from target. This should let you get more value from the ones that are just not high enough to harm you.

Besides this, it sounds like you are fairly high level if the fodder around el suduron is only a bit above you. I also take it then that your pistol is at or above level 10 no? If so they by now you had to have figured out that the hex eater bullets render all doll using enemy without the ability to attack. You just shoot them with the hex eaters until you stop seeing negative blue numbers (the amount of voodoo being taken each shot) and then you can take them out with whatever weapon you want to work because they simply stand there and do nothing. You can use your basic bullet to work gun, hack to work cutlass, poke, etc...

This means you only need to find areas where several high level doll users spawn to move up fairly fast. Not only gypsys in el suduron and the back padre coast (just past suduron) but the molusk and brinescum in tormenta cave are just as easy with hex eaters and are much higher level, just watch out for the seabeards and other high levels around there that can waste you fast.

Disney once again made the game too easy by giving the hex eater bullets and making it so fast and easy to disable all spell casting foe, but this is how the game is and it is easy to take advantage of it.

Good luck

[Davy]

Try Cutthroat Isle. There are some Undeads there including Gypsies and Raiders. Or try the Tormenta Cave, where you can find some really high level nasties.

[Plunderin Mom]

Thanks to everyone for each of the suggestions and tips.

I think I will try the voodoo doll users on Tormenta. Until today I was only at level 12 on the pistol, but had never unlocked the hex shot yet, and was using only the lead shot in order to get the most points (occasionally using bane on higher level enimies). So, no, I wasnt aware that you could fully drain the voodoo from doll weilding enemies with it. I will definately have to try that. Thanks again.

Happy Plundering

[Plunderin Mom]

Well, I was able to successfully dispose of a few brinescum and mollusk on Tormenta, yesterday, before being sent to jail. But it seemed that almost each time I targeted one, another creepy character joined in the battle. So, after landing on my tush, I decided to give El Sudoron another try.

I went across the river and found a location (the graveyard area, to the left) where there are several gypsies, raiders and grenadiers that respawn. These range from level 18 to 33, usually somewhere in the 20's. I had finally put a skill point on the hex eater skill and could drain the voodoo from a gypsy in 5 or 6 shots (thanks for the tip WH), and then plug away using the lead shot until it fell, getting anywhere from 30 to 65 exp. points, usually, and depending on the level of the target. If I was careful, and backed up while shooting, I could get the same from most of the grenadiers and raiders, using a couple of bane shots to start with. Anything over level 30, I quickly took out with the cutlass or staff and hoped for a smaller respawn to shoot. Gypsies were never higher than level 28 there.

I also purchased the tri-barrel after reaching level 15 (which helped speed things along), and, in just a few hours of play yesterday, I was able to go from level 14 to 18 with the pistol. I maxed out Bane and Silver shot with some of the points I had been saving (although I dont use them to level), and can take down a high level target, with either one, in just a few shots, utilizing the take aim skill. This had been my least favorite weapon since Beta, but now I'm kinda likin' it.

[Thalore]

Sounds like you got it down now

I'm not a big fan of the gun either, but mainly because we can't attack 50% of the things in the game with it. But gratz on leveling up your gun.

[PirateSavvy]

I just do the usual:

- Fight the Dead and Navy on Land
- Fight the Dead and Navy on Sea

[Speedway Master]

To get more exp, try to use better ammo on tougher enemies without taking aim.

[Fred]

If you go to Padres Del Fuego, run through a few areas inside (can't remember the names) the cave until you come out onto a beach. There are Undead Gypsies there from level 20 or so up. If you have the Hex bullet, shoot the gypsies 2 or 3 times and it eats up all their voodoo, they then just stand there without attacking you and you can finish them off with normal bullets. Very good rep for little risk.

[void singer]

also, fly traps and and alligators are bugged

shoot a fly trap, back out of range, when you come back in range they won't attack 9 or 10 times... just unload with basic shot.

alligators will swim under you if you're on a walkway in some spots, if you tilt your camera up they'll still be shootable, also once they are right under you, you can shoot once, switch to cutlass and attack that way (they have to be shot once first, a bug in the ranging)

[Davy]

If you're under Notoriety 25, try going to Isla Perdida and fighting the Terror Wasps on the beach. Let them attack - don't back up or else you'll probably run into the other one, or maybe a Giant Crab. Use tonics if you have to, or bring a friend.

[DarthChaosSky]

Shooting fly traps is not such a good idea. Try this:

Go to Cuba, and behind Tia Dalma, there are a few Big Alligators. If you stay on the bridge behind Dalma, and follow it to almost the end, there should be an Alligator waiting as soon as there is a slope to step off the bridge at. Shoot it then move backwards. If you do it right, the allgator will try to follow you up the bridge, but will fall off, and if you continue on the bridge it will be under you, unable to hit you and hurt you. Finish it off, and you should get some serious rep., just like the other guy said. You might also try some crabs, since they move pretty slow. Also, there is a Brigand in the Rat Hole that comes down a hill and goes into the burning town, then turns around. If you're on the hill when it spawns, you can follow it while shooting at it and it wont turn around until it reaches the first house. Then it will turn around, but by then, its health will be considerably down.

[Plunderin Mom]

I started this thread for my first character who mastered the pistol not long after the thread was started, and I'm now getting close the end of the quests on my second character.

When I get to the point where I start leveling my pistol on her I will probably do the same thing I did after I got it to around level 20 on the first one (but not going to wait until then this time), and use the back beach on padre. Not only are there a variety of levels, and plenty of gypsies in order to take advantage of the hex eater shot and then plug away with lead for max points, but you also have a gunsmith right next to you for restocking them.

To get to the back beach on Padre, go in the cave entrance past fort and to the left that takes you to Becketts Quarry. When you get to a set of steps, look across to the next set of stairs. Run through without stopping (you might be attacked, but just keep running), go up those steps, and then run under the "bridge" and to your right where you'll see another set of steps. Go up those stairs, past the Navy guard until you get to the exit, which will then put you in El Sudoron. Run through El Sudoron, across the river and to the exit, which will then put you on Padres back beach.

There are many enemies in Becketts Quarry and El Sudoron which will probably attack as you run through. My strategy is always just to keep running. If I stop and fight I might end up in jail and have to start back from the beginning. I'd rather get there and get started, and wait to risk dieing til then. LOL.