Borderlands 3 players know that there are many top tier weapons scattered throughout the game. At the same time, other unique guns are hidden throughout different areas with special properties that make them just as viable in a different way. One of these weapons is the Facepuncher, which is a dream come true for a player wanting to bring a fist to a gunfight.
The Facepuncher is a legendary shotgun created by the Hyperion company. This shotgun has a special effect, "Make your own jackhammer," which causes the weapon to deal melee damage and increases the power of melees. As a result, anything normally immune to melee attacks such as vehicles will take no damage from the Facepuncher, and since melee hits can't crit, neither can the shots. Additionally, the shotgun's damage, compared to the best and worst competition, is based on the character's melee power and divided equally between all shots scattered. The Facepuncher is a world drop that can normally be obtained anywhere. However, there is one spawn in-game that has an increased drop rate for the shotgun.
Handsome Jackie
Handsome Jackie is a mini-boss that has a better chance to drop the Facepuncher. Jackie is also the criteria of the "Target of Opportunity" challenge that can be done while farming for the Facepuncher. She is located on Promethea at Skywell-27. Players will need to travel to the planet and make their way to her location at the Observation Deck directly below. Be aware that Handsome Jackie may not drop the Facepuncher after her first defeat, so be prepared to wait around for several respawns and attempts. Once a golden glow appears after she goes down, players can move over and inspect their new Facepuncher shotgun. Jackie may need to be farmed even further, similar to other legendary weapons, for the perfect Facepuncher stats that fit a particular Vault Hunter's playstyle.
Synergy and Playstyle
Because of the Facepuncher's special properties, it benefits from Eridian artifacts and skills that enhance melee attacks. As Joltzdude139 points out on YouTube, White Elephant and Unleash the Dragon are great customization choices that turn Facepuncher rounds into sticky bomb-delivering shots or immolating strikes. Note that the sticky bomb explosions can critically strike, circumventing the shotgun's inability to normally crit. Because the Facepuncher is effectively a melee attack, players will have to commit to a close or medium-range playstyle that stays just outside of the enemy's reach. It may take a while to get used to the shotgun's strengths, but Borderlands 3 foes will never be prepared for the knockout punch.
Borderlands 3 is available for the PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Stadia.
