Ultimate Vex Trouble Build Guide

Version: Post-Patch (Includes Buffed Red Tree & Trouble Adjustments) Author: ChatGPT (based on AbbyHour’s detailed build breakdown) Playstyle: Hybrid DPS | Minion Focused | Kinetic Build | High Survivability Difficulty: Intermediate Recommended For: Mobbers, Solo Players, Tanky Hybrid DPS Enthusiasts

1. Build Overview

This Vex Trouble Build is designed to leverage the recent buffs to Vex’s Red Tree ("Here Comes Trouble"), with a heavy focus on kinetic gun damage, lifesteal-based survivability, and utility from Trouble (your minion).

There are two main variants:

• Support Trouble (Recommended): Trouble marks enemies, boosts gun damage, and acts as a tank. This is the most stable, boss-viable version.
• Damage Trouble Variant: Trouble deals more direct damage via illusions, but suffers in bossing and survivability.

This guide focuses on the Support Trouble variant with options for hybridization.

2. Skill Trees & Augments

Red Tree – Here Comes Trouble (Core Tree)

• 5/5 Enchantment: Bonus kinetic damage (multiplicative)
• 3/3 Grave Sustenance: Kill skill that restores action skill duration
• 3/3 Overprotective: Kill skill granting Overshield on crit
• 5/5 Vorpal Fiends: Critical hit damage (doubles in formula)
• Capstone – Unsealed: Trouble marks target → you deal +100% gun damage when active

Action Skill: Face Familiar

• Effect: Teleports Trouble, dealing AoE, becomes "Big Trouble"
• Synergy: Respawns Trouble if dead. Benefits from sustain duration with Mortal Terror.

Augments

• Beast Mode: Makes Trouble immune to damage during command skill
• Optional: Vorpal Fang or Hexus Nexus for crit chance (if leaning more into damage)

Green Tree – Kinetic Affinity & Lifesteal

• 5/5 Leeching Attunement: Lifesteal + reload speed (kinetic attuned)
• 5/5 Grave Implements: Kill skill, +60% gun damage (up to 120% with stacks)
• 3/3 Grave Power: Increases max stacks of kill skills
• 2/2 Channeling: +10% action skill duration
• 5/5 Drink Full: +Fire rate
• 4/5 Mortal Terror: 4% chance to proc kill skills on crit

Blue Tree (Optional – Not Core)

• Optional if pursuing illusions & more active Trouble damage, but not optimal for bossing.

🎯 Specializations

• Best Defense: Damage based on shield fullness
• Riddle You: Increases gun damage
• CQC: Melee damage → Fire rate bonus (applies via Trouble)
• One Shot, One Kill: Stores excess damage into next shot

3. Weapons & Gear

Primary Mobbing Weapon:

• BOD (COV mag + SMG alt-fire) – Best-in-slot

  • Try to farm with COV roll for synergy with firmware
  • Hard to farm, but worth it

Other Strong Mobbing Options:

• Madlad (Kinetic) – Fun, but overheats too quickly with COV perk
• Hot Slugger – Reliable kinetic option
• Wombo Combo / Plasma Coil (Shock) – For shock-attunement procs

Bossing Weapons:

• Beam Tossers – MVP vs. big hitboxes (Vault monsters, Victor, etc.)
• Taser – Shock gun for shocking attunement
• Complex Root (Shock Sniper) – Viable for sniper users
• Backup Options: BOD (still works), Madlad (fire-locked, be careful)

4. Elemental Affinities

Understanding elemental damage is crucial to maximizing DPS:

❗ Using the wrong element results in only 50% effectiveness.

Kinetic Damage – Why It's Core:

• Neutral against all health bars (100%)
• No penalties or bonuses = Consistent DPS
• Synergizes with Enchantment, Leeching Attunement, and Lifesteal loops

Secondary Elements:

• Radiation (up to +50% on shields)
• Cryo – Neutral-ish, decent utility

5. Rep Kits

Recommended Mods:

💡 Support Drone (Tediore): Heals you and Trouble – ideal if he keeps dying.

6. Enhancement & Firmware

Enhancement Mod:

• COV + Duct Tape: 100% crit chance while overheating

• Stats to Look For:

  • Gun Damage
  • Magazine Size (Shotgun/Sniper Mag = works on BOD)
  • Shotgun/SMG Damage

Bonus: Overheat = guaranteed crits → Procs kill skills (e.g. Grave Implements)

Firmware:

• 3/3 Heating Up: Reload speed + overheat shot cap + 25% gun damage
• 2/2 High Caliber: +10% gun damage + projectile speed (boosts beam tossers)

7. Shield & Class Mod

Shield: Amp Shields

• Top Choice: Watts for Dinner with Amp + Siphon

  • +25% bonus Shock (own bucket!)

• Backup Options:

  • Sparky Shield: AoE shock effect
  • Super Soldier: Fire rate & utility
  • Look for: Low shield drain %, high amp %, fast recharge

Class Mod: Teen Witch

• Drops from: Radics

• Stats to Look For:

  • Kinetic Damage

  • Damage Dealt

  • Highest possible points in:

    • Corporal: Damage while Overshielded
    • Conjunction: Gun damage based on shield fullness

Passive Effect:

• At max health → lifesteal applies to shields
• At max shield → lifesteal applies to overshield
• Synergizes perfectly with lifesteal and amp damage for infinite uptime

8. Playstyle Guide

1. Activate Face Familiar: Trouble becomes "Big Trouble" and marks enemies

2. Follow Trouble: He marks targets → You get +100% damage

3. Pop Rep Kits (Order or Killspring):

   • Amp for burst (but makes you squishier)
   • Killspring for sustain

4. Maintain Shock Attunement:

   • Swap to shock gun to activate Shocking Attunement
   • Then return to kinetic weapon for full damage

5. Crits = Kill Skills:

   • Overheat COV weapons or use crit knife to guarantee crits

Procs: Lifesteal, Overshield, Grave Implements

9. Bossing vs. Mobbing Tips

Bossing:

• Use Beam Tossers or BOD
• Maintain uptime on kill skills
• Use Order Rep Kit for amp burst
• If Trouble dies: use action skill to respawn

Mobbing:

• Use Madlad or Hot Slugger
• Keep critting → Infinite uptime
• Switch between kinetic & shock weapons to refresh attunements

10. Build Variants

1. Support Trouble (Recommended)

• Trouble marks enemies
• You deal amplified damage
• Better for bosses & general play

2. Damage Trouble Variant

• Trouble becomes main DPS via illusion damage

• Needs points in Blue Tree

• Suffers from:

  • No healing from Killspring
  • Trouble dies faster
  • Doesn’t work well on bosses

11. Summary

🔥 With high uptime on lifesteal, powerful kill skill chaining, and one of the most satisfying Trouble-based synergies, this is Vex's best hybrid build post-patch.