The game is absolutely built around multiple playthroughs. Exploration, crew challenges (including Eridian writing), and car parts carry over. Most recommendations are to do that stuff on your second run, and specifically to not do the all of them until you are max level, as there are some really valuable rewards you get for completing each set, some of which are hard to find 'in the wild', and they scale to your level. I always save one zone where I don't do crew challenges until I hit the cap, then I go back to that zone and knock out the last one of each. It's obviously not mandatory to do things over two playthroughs, but it is pretty clear that it was designed with that approach in mind.stessier wrote: ↑Mon Apr 20, 2020 6:46 am I got to TVHM. I'm a little bummed that all the maps are already explored. Also, was the idea with the Eridian writings that you would read them as you found them on your second playthrough? Because I ran back through every zone as soon as I got the ability to read them.
How does Mayhem work? I set it to Level 2, but it doesn't look like it applies yet in TVHM.
I started a new game with Fl4k. Up to Level 6 and he seems fun. I have to remember to use his special ability more often.
Mayhem does two things: First, it gives a static boost to all enemies' health, armor, and shields, plus significant boosts to cash, loot, and Eridium (Eridium is at 500% on M2!) Second, it sets a number of random modifiers on each map. Open up the map screen and they'll appear on the right side of the map. They're things like 'SMGs, pistols, and shotguns do 35% less damage', 'Enemies are more accurate', and 'Incendiary does +50% damage.' The factors are determined when you load a new map, they're different on every map, and they persist until you exit the game and restart, after which they're determined over again.
It doesn't apply to TVHM until you've reached Sanctuary and manually switched it on in TVHM, so if you're just starting out that could be the issue. If it is enabled, there will be a small skull at the bottom center of your screen with the Mayhem number next to it, click to embiggen:
And FL4K is fun. He was my first, and he's still my main. I use a build built around enhancing crits and the Fade Away skill and the skill that halves Fade Away's duration, but makes shots not end it. Essentially I have super crits, and while faded every shot is a guaranteed crit. With the right gun it absolutely disolves tough enemies. Most of the time I use a Lyuda, the fully automatic sniper rifle that shoots three shots in a spread, which then split into more projectiles. it's useless for sniping, but against a big target at medium range, each shot hits with nine sniper rounds. With fade away, that's nine sniper-damage critical hits per shot on full auto, plus I add ammo the mag on each critical hit, so I probably get 15 shots before I run out. That's 135 enhanced sniper crits per Fade Away. As an aside on what I mentioned earlier (spoiler for a crew challenge):