The Thrusting Unkempt Harold is one of the most iconic weapons inBorderlands 2, known for its devastating power and unique firing mechanics. As a variant of the Unkempt Harold, this pistol stands out for its incredible burst damage potential, making it a favorite among players who want to melt through enemies in both casual and high-difficulty gameplay. With its explosive projectiles and unique spread pattern, the Thrusting Unkempt Harold is particularly useful for dealing with mobs, bosses, and even raid enemies. Whether you’re a new player or a seasoned Vault Hunter, understanding how to get the Thrusting Unkempt Harold, how it works, and how to maximize its power can give you a significant edge in your journey across Pandora.
What is the Thrusting Unkempt Harold?
The Thrusting Unkempt Harold is a legendary pistol manufactured by Torgue. Like all Torgue weapons, it deals explosive damage, but what sets the Unkempt Harold apart is its ability to fire multiple projectiles per shot. Specifically, this pistol fires a horizontal spread of bullets that split mid-air, resulting in a total of seven projectiles per shot. The Thrusting prefix typically indicates a barrel type or accessory modification that alters its firing behavior or projectile speed, often with an increased projectile velocity at the cost of slightly reduced accuracy or fire rate.
Weapon Stats and Mechanics
The base stats of the Thrusting Unkempt Harold can vary slightly depending on its parts and level, but it generally features:
- High base damage
- Explosive elemental effect
- Three ammo consumed per shot
- Seven projectiles fired in a horizontal spread
- Effective at close to medium range
Because it consumes three ammo per trigger pull, ammo efficiency can be a concern. However, its power more than makes up for it, especially with skills or class mods that improve ammo regen or explosive damage.
How to Get the Thrusting Unkempt Harold
The Thrusting Unkempt Harold can be obtained in several ways, but the most consistent method is farming from a specific enemy or location. Understanding the sources can save you time and frustration when trying to add this weapon to your arsenal.
Farming Savage Lee
The most well-known farm spot for the Unkempt Harold, including the Thrusting prefix, isSavage Lee, an enemy found in the Three Horns – Divide area. He spawns near the Marrowfield, usually in the bandit camp north of the fast travel station.
- Respawns quickly for easy farming
- Chance to drop any variant of the Unkempt Harold
- No need to complete any side quest to access him
Simply fast travel to Three Horns – Divide, defeat Savage Lee, check the loot, and reload the game if necessary to repeat the farm. The Thrusting prefix may take several tries to obtain, depending on RNG.
Torgue Vendor Machines
If you own the Torgue’s Campaign of Carnage DLC, another way to get a Thrusting Unkempt Harold is through Torgue vending machines using Torgue Tokens. These machines randomly rotate their legendary stock, and if you’re lucky, you can purchase an Unkempt Harold variant directly.
To increase your chances:
- Check each vending machine at key locations in the DLC
- Use a save-and-quit method to refresh the shop stock
- Farm Torgue Tokens from arena battles and missions
Best Characters and Builds for Unkempt Harold
While any character in Borderlands 2 can use the Thrusting Unkempt Harold effectively, certain classes and builds can maximize its potential to devastating levels. The following Vault Hunters synergize particularly well with this weapon.
Gunzerker (Salvador)
Salvador is arguably the best user of the Unkempt Harold due to his ability to dual-wield and extend his gunzerking uptime.
- Use a Grog Nozzle or a slag weapon in the off-hand
- Activate skills like Money Shot and Lay Waste
- Regenerate ammo with Inconceivable and 5 Shots or 6
With Salvador, you can unleash a barrage of explosive rounds, critting consistently and surviving longer through life steal and damage reduction.
Krieg the Psycho
Krieg’s explosive build benefits greatly from the Unkempt Harold. His Bloodsplosion skill causes chain explosions when enemies die, synergizing well with splash damage weapons.
- Invest in the Mania and Bloodlust trees
- Focus on maximizing splash radius and explosive bonuses
- Use Buzz Axe Rampage to clean up weakened enemies
Gaige the Mechromancer
Gaige’s Anarchy stacks allow her to deal extreme amounts of damage with single-shot weapons. Although the Unkempt Harold’s spread can become wider with more stacks, the raw output is still deadly.
- Build up Anarchy stacks and keep them high
- Use Close Enough to reflect missed shots toward enemies
- Pair with a weapon to generate stacks quickly
Tips for Using the Thrusting Unkempt Harold
Using the Thrusting Unkempt Harold efficiently requires good positioning and awareness of its unique firing pattern. Here are some tips to help you get the most out of this powerful pistol.
Aim for Close Range
Because of its wide horizontal spread, this weapon performs best at close to medium range. Standing too far from your target means some projectiles may miss, reducing damage potential.
Combine with Slag
In Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode (UVHM), slag becomes essential. Pair the Unkempt Harold with a slag weapon or use grenades that apply slag to maximize your damage against tougher enemies and bosses.
Watch Your Ammo
Since each shot consumes three rounds, it’s easy to run out of pistol ammo quickly. Carry backup weapons or class mods that help regenerate ammo or increase your pistol ammo pool.
Use Splash Damage Bonuses
The Unkempt Harold deals splash damage, which means skills, relics, and class mods that boost explosive or AoE damage will significantly improve its performance. Consider equipping:
- Explosive Damage relics
- Class mods that improve grenade damage (also affects splash damage)
- Grenade bonuses from the Demolition Man skill tree (Axton)
Thrusting Unkempt Harold vs Other Pistols
Compared to other legendary pistols in Borderlands 2, the Thrusting Unkempt Harold holds its place at the top tier. While pistols like the Infinity offer endless ammo or the Grog Nozzle provides healing, the Harold wins in raw burst power. Its ability to quickly eliminate threats makes it ideal for mobbing, boss farming, and emergency situations.
Pros
- Massive damage output per shot
- Excellent synergy with many character builds
- Versatile in both PvE and boss fights
Cons
- Consumes ammo quickly
- Wide spread reduces long-range accuracy
- Requires slag in higher difficulty modes for best results
The Thrusting Unkempt Harold is a legendary weapon that lives up to its reputation in Borderlands 2. Its explosive potential and unique projectile mechanics make it one of the most powerful pistols in the game. Whether you’re farming bosses, clearing out mobs, or building the ultimate Gunzerker loadout, this weapon delivers unmatched performance. With proper farming, smart usage, and build synergy, the Thrusting Unkempt Harold can remain a core part of your arsenal from mid-game to the toughest challenges the game has to offer.