User:Sketchy iv/Soma "Powerful Peashooter" Build

The Soma is a weapon that is mostly known for crits. Mods that change crit chance, the crit multiplier, and base damage are amongst the most recommended mods to plug in to this particular rifle. Although I see the power of critical damage, I personally don't use a crit focused build. Rather, I use a general purpose build that focuses on speed and precision with a little kick to damage on top...

First Step: SPEED!
There are many rifles that fire quick, yet the Soma is not one of them. One of the biggest complaints about this weapon is the slow fire rate (rated 12.5) and the wind-up time required to fire at full speed. One characteristic that is sometimes overlooked is that fire rate mods not only increase the maximum fire rate but also reduce the dreaded wind-up time. If you think I am crazy for saying that wind-up time can be reduced so much that you wouldn't even realize it, try the deadly combination of Shred and Speed Trigger. With both of these maxed out you have a very fast battle rifle with crowd-control capabilities as well. To reduce the downtime between firefights a maxed Fast Hands does nicely...

Second Step: Precision
One downside of increasing fire rate is recoil, that tiny displacement of the aiming reticle that might be the difference between a critical hit, regular hit, or possibly even an epic miss. There are two mods that can do the job for you,  Vile Precision  and Stabilizer. The problem with using Vile Precision in this build, however, is that the reduction in fire rate deflates the impact of Step One. Stabilizer has no negative effect other than the standard drain on mod energy, allowing you to enjoy steady sighting of your targets and using that accuracy rating to the fullest. Stabilizer at full strength should be enough to keep the barrel pointed at the target instead of bouncing around.

Third Step: Damage
Speed and accuracy are great, but in order to make the most out of your ammo shots need to actually damage the enemy. In order to do so, Serration is absolutely necessary! Max it out as much as you can, and that little rifle will chew up your enemies for you. Add a boost to impact damage for a slight increase in your ability to beat down shields, boost puncture to make even armored mobs quiver in fear, or really turn those fleshy beings into scraps by accentuating the Soma's bias towards slash damage. By increasing your base damage alongside rate of fire and reducing the kickback from the faster firing, you not only do decent damage per shot but you can keep hitting the enemy over and over again with a very few misses...

Step Four: Keep Firing!
With great power comes great responsibility. While working on other aspects of your Soma, keep in mind that the Soma isn't exactly the poster child of ammo economy. To make it more efficient, plug in  Ammo Drum ,  Rifle Ammo Mutation , or both if you would like. Trust me, shooting the Soma at it's top form is fun but running out of lead isn't. Bring more ammo or be able to convert ammo drops to keep the party going!