Does Short Fuse Work with Iron Bear? A Deep Dive into Moze’s Mayhem in Borderlands 3
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The answer is a bit complex, but here’s the breakdown: No, Short Fuse does not directly proc from Iron Bear itself. However, skills and gear that increase Iron Bear’s overall damage do indirectly boost the damage output of Short Fuse when triggered by Moze outside of Iron Bear.
This is a crucial distinction for Borderlands 3 players diving into Moze, the Gunner, and her iconic mech, Iron Bear. Understanding how Short Fuse interacts with Iron Bear (and more importantly, doesn’t interact) is key to optimizing your builds for maximum carnage across the galaxy. Let’s unpack this further.
Understanding Short Fuse and Its Mechanics
Short Fuse is a capstone skill in Moze’s Demolition Woman skill tree. It grants a chance to trigger an additional explosive payload when Moze deals weapon damage. The important thing to note is that this payload deals significant splash damage to nearby enemies around the target.
Here’s the kicker: the splash damage does not originate from Moze directly, but rather your target becomes a source of splash damage. This is a subtle but important difference. Also, despite dealing splash damage, Short Fuse does not apply splash damage to your target itself!
While Short Fuse might not directly trigger from Iron Bear’s weapons, skills that boost Iron Bear’s damage output also, oddly, increase the damage Short Fuse deals when triggered by Moze while outside of Iron Bear. This is where skills like Scorching RPM’s and Stainless Steel Bear come into play. These skills boost Iron Bear’s damage, and while Iron Bear doesn’t directly trigger short fuse, they do buff Short Fuse when Moze triggers it on foot. Specialist Bear, however, does not seem to have this effect.
The Iron Bear Connection: Indirect Synergy
The indirect synergy between Iron Bear and Short Fuse means that investing in Iron Bear skills isn’t necessarily a waste if you’re aiming for a Short Fuse build. The increased damage that you have invested in for Iron Bear transfers over to Short Fuse when you, Moze, are outside of the Iron Bear.
This creates a unique gameplay loop: Use Iron Bear for initial bursts of massive damage, then hop out and leverage the Short Fuse-enhanced weapons to mop up the survivors. It’s a potent combination for both bossing and mobbing.
Gear Synergies to Enhance the Effect
Specific class mods and artifacts can further amplify this synergy. Look for gear that:
- Increases splash damage: Many class mods, like the Green Monster, provide bonuses to splash damage, which directly benefits Short Fuse.
- Boosts weapon damage: General weapon damage buffs also increase the damage output of Short Fuse.
- Enhances Iron Bear’s fuel efficiency: The Raging Bear class mod is particularly useful, decreasing fuel usage and increasing damage as Iron Bear takes damage, allowing you to stay in the mech longer.
Weapons of Choice for Short Fuse Builds
Given that Short Fuse triggers on weapon damage, certain weapon types excel in this build:
- Rocket Launchers: With their inherently high damage output and splash damage potential, rocket launchers are a natural fit for Short Fuse. The Backburner is a top contender.
- Grenade Launchers: Grenade launchers, like the Cloning Maddening Tracker, can rain down explosive ordinance and proc Short Fuse frequently.
- Splash Damage Weapons: Weapons that natively deal splash damage benefit greatly from the splash damage bonuses that are given to Short Fuse, creating a very strong combination.
Iron Bear Fuel Economy and Cooldown
One common question revolves around Iron Bear’s cooldown. Moze’s base cooldown time is 100 seconds. The actual time can be decreased by kill skills and proper fuel usage. The skill “Fuel For The Fire” can restore Iron Cub’s armor when a Status effect is applied.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Does Fired Up work on Iron Bear and, by extension, Short Fuse?
Yes, Fired Up significantly benefits Iron Bear. The increased fire rate, critical damage, and skill damage all boost Iron Bear’s overall DPS. Since skills that increase Iron Bear’s damage also boost short fuse, it indirectly increases the damage of Short Fuse. Iron Bear/Cub receive double these bonuses.
2. Does Short Fuse itself cause splash damage to the primary target?
No. As explained above, Short Fuse does not apply splash damage to your target itself.
3. Does the Green Monster class mod work on Iron Bear and boost Short Fuse?
Yes, the Green Monster class mod buffs both Iron Bear and Moze. The bonus corrosive and splash damage increase Iron Bear’s damage output, which indirectly buffs Short Fuse as well.
4. How do I activate Moze’s Iron Bear?
Simply hold the left button (or the assigned action skill button on your platform).
5. Is Moze’s Iron Bear still good in late-game Borderlands 3?
Yes, Moze’s Iron Bear is incredibly powerful, especially with optimized builds and gear. Railguns with incendiary augmentations are a popular choice for wrecking both mobs and bosses.
6. Do Iron Bear skills work with Iron Cub?
Yes, most bonuses that apply to Iron Bear also work on Iron Cub, including weapon attachments.
7. Does the Scrappy skill affect Iron Bear?
Yes, Scrappy increases Iron Bear/Cub’s damage and damage resistance.
8. What’s the best Moze Iron Bear class mod?
The Raging Bear is a strong contender, providing decreased fuel usage upon killing an enemy and increased damage as Iron Bear takes damage.
9. What are the best weapons for Iron Bear?
Railguns, miniguns, and rockets are all excellent choices. Railguns with incendiary augmentations are particularly effective.
10. Does exiting Iron Bear count as an action skill end?
Yes, exiting Iron Bear counts as an action skill end, triggering any related bonuses or effects. After you exit Iron Bear he remains in place and attacks nearby enemies for a duration.
11. Does Moze have a 4th skill tree?
Yes, Moze’s 4th skill tree is called Bear Mother.
12. Does Pull the Holy Pin apply to Iron Bear?
Yes, Pull the Holy Pin increases Iron Bear/Cub’s damage and damage resistance.
13. What is Auto Bear?
Auto Bear is a tier 3 passive skill that allows Iron Bear to automatically attack enemies for a short time after Moze exits it.
14. Is Iron Bear better than Iron Cub?
Iron Cub is a bit squishier and less powerful than Iron Bear in Auto Bear, but it allows Moze to gain ASA bonuses.
15. Does Really Big Guns affect Iron Cub?
Yes, Really Big Guns increases Iron Bear/Cub’s damage and damage resistance.
By understanding these nuances, you can craft a truly devastating Moze build that leverages the power of both Iron Bear and Short Fuse for maximum mayhem. For further exploration of game-based learning and the educational aspects of gaming, be sure to visit the GamesLearningSociety.org website.