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:
Target Type
Best Element
Bonus (Multiplicative)
Shields
Shock
+75%
Armor
Corrosive
+75%
Flesh (Health)
Fire
+75%
❗ 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:
Use Case
Rep Kit
Effect
Bossing
Order (Amp + Overshield)
Two charges, instant overshield + amp burst
Mobbing
Killspring
Heals you with orbs (doesn’t heal Trouble)
Utility
Warp Paint
Fire rate + Movement speed
Burst DPS
Amp + Enrage
Great burst at cost of increased damage taken
💡 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
Activate Face Familiar: Trouble becomes "Big Trouble" and marks enemies
Follow Trouble: He marks targets → You get +100% damage
Pop Rep Kits (Order or Killspring):
Amp for burst (but makes you squishier)
Killspring for sustain
Maintain Shock Attunement:
Swap to shock gun to activate Shocking Attunement
Then return to kinetic weapon for full damage
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
Aspect
Rating
Bossing
★★★★☆
Mobbing
★★★★★
Survivability
★★★★★
Ease of Use
★★★☆☆
Scaling
★★★★☆
Fun Factor
★★★★★
🔥 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.