Can you get the Saw in Payday 2? Yes, the Saw is a powerful and iconic weapon in Payday 2, available for all players. This guide will detail exactly how to obtain this unique melee weapon and maximize its effectiveness.
The Saw in Payday 2 is a legendary tool for close-quarters combat and has a special place in the hearts of many heisters. Its ability to chew through enemies and even certain environmental objects makes it a standout choice for players looking for something beyond traditional firearms. This guide will provide an in-depth look at how to acquire the Saw, its various applications, and how to build around its unique strengths.
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Acquiring The Saw
The Saw is not unlocked through a specific heist or quest. Instead, it’s a weapon that becomes available to all players as part of the base game’s arsenal. Once you reach a certain player level, or even just by progressing through the game, you’ll find it appearing in your inventory or available for purchase with offshore accounts and weapon parts.
The “Mechanic” Perk Deck Connection
While not strictly required to get the Saw, the Mechanic perk deck in Payday 2 has a thematic and practical connection. This deck provides bonuses that can enhance the use of certain deployable items, and while it doesn’t directly grant the Saw, it synergizes well with builds that might utilize its strengths. The core acquisition method, however, remains consistent for all players.
Weapon Parts and Offshore Accounts
To officially “own” and equip the Saw, you’ll need to acquire it through the game’s weapon acquisition system. This typically involves:
- Weapon Parts: These are earned by completing heists and can be used to purchase weapons directly from the inventory screen.
- Offshore Accounts: A certain amount of offshore money is also required. This represents the “investment” needed to acquire such a specialized tool.
When you access your inventory and go to the melee weapon section, you’ll see the Saw available for purchase if you meet the prerequisites. The cost in weapon parts and offshore money can vary slightly with game updates, but the general principle remains the same.
The Saw’s Combat Prowess
The Saw is far more than just a standard melee weapon; it’s a high-risk, high-reward tool that excels in specific situations. Its unique characteristics demand a different approach to combat.
High Damage, Slow Attack Speed
The Saw’s primary appeal lies in its incredibly high damage per hit. However, this power comes at the cost of a very slow attack speed. Each swing requires a deliberate wind-up, leaving you vulnerable. This means timing your attacks and managing enemy positioning is crucial.
Ammo Consumption and Durability
Unlike other melee weapons, the Saw consumes “ammo” in the form of blade durability. Each swing reduces its durability. When the durability reaches zero, the Saw will jam, rendering it unusable until repaired. This mechanic adds a layer of resource management to its use.
Armor Piercing Capabilities
One of the Saw’s most significant advantages is its innate armor-piercing capability. This makes it exceptionally effective against heavily armored enemies like the Cloaker, Shield, and Dozer units. The Saw can quickly shred through their defenses, making them much less of a threat.
Environmental Interaction
The Saw isn’t just for thinning out the herd. It can also be used to cut through certain environmental objects, most notably:
- Reinforced Doors: Certain reinforced doors, which would normally require explosives or drills, can be cut open by the Saw. This can be incredibly useful for creating alternate escape routes or flanking positions, especially in stealth missions where loud alternatives are undesirable.
- Security Gates: Similar to doors, some security gates can also be bypassed with the Saw.
This environmental interaction adds a tactical dimension, allowing for creative problem-solving on the fly.
Weapon Customization for The Saw
While the Saw itself is a melee weapon, there are ways to enhance its effectiveness through weapon customization and skill builds.
Blade Durability and Repair
The most critical aspect of Saw customization is managing its durability. There are skills and mods that can influence how quickly it degrades and how it can be repaired.
- Skills: Certain skills in the “Enforcer” or “Tech” skill trees might offer bonuses to weapon durability or provide ways to repair it more efficiently. We’ll explore these in the “Melee Builds” section.
- Mods: While the Saw has fewer mod slots than firearms, any available slots are best used to maximize its durability or damage output.
Secondary Weapon Synergy
Given the Saw’s slow attack speed and durability limitation, pairing it with a reliable secondary weapon is essential.
- High Rate of Fire SMGs: These can provide suppressing fire and deal with weaker enemies quickly while you manage the Saw’s durability.
- Armor Piercing Pistols: For enemies the Saw can’t immediately reach or when its durability is low, a pistol with armor-piercing rounds can be a lifesaver.
Melee Builds Centered Around The Saw
To truly master the Saw, you’ll want to build your character around its strengths. This involves investing in specific skill trees and perk decks.
Key Skill Trees
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Enforcer Tree: This tree is crucial for any melee-focused build.
- Melee Skills: Skills like “Bloodthirsty,” “Fighting Spirit,” and “Overkill” can significantly boost your damage and survivability when using melee weapons. “Martial Arts” can also improve melee attack speed and knockback.
- Tanking Skills: Skills that increase your armor, health, and damage resistance are vital, as you’ll often be in the thick of enemy fire. “Iron Man” for heavy armor, and skills that grant bonus health or damage reduction are excellent choices.
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Ghost Tree: While not as direct, the Ghost tree offers valuable utility.
- Drilling Skills: Skills that improve drill speed and repair can indirectly benefit Saw users, especially if you plan to cut through doors or gates that might otherwise require a drill.
- Movement Skills: Increased movement speed can help you close the gap with enemies or retreat to safety when the Saw’s durability is low.
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Technician Tree: Certain skills here can be beneficial.
- Weapon Handling: Some skills might offer minor bonuses to melee weapon handling, although this is less common.
Perk Decks for Saw Mastery
Several perk decks can dramatically enhance your experience with the Saw:
- Anarchist: This perk deck provides a powerful combination of armor gating and damage reduction, allowing you to tank a significant amount of damage while using the Saw. The ability to regenerate armor quickly is a huge plus.
- Armorer: Similar to Anarchist, Armorer offers strong survivability with a focus on regenerating armor, making it easier to withstand enemy fire while you’re swinging the Saw.
- Grinder: For a more aggressive, life-steal-focused approach, Grinder can be effective. Its health regeneration based on damage dealt can keep you alive as you cut through enemies.
- Sociopath: This perk deck provides bonuses for critical hits and intimidation. While not directly Saw-focused, the increased intimidation chance can control crowds, and critical hits can boost your damage output.
Sample Melee Build Outline (Example)
This is a conceptual outline. Specific skill point allocations will depend on your preferred playstyle and the exact version of Payday 2.
Primary Weapon: The Saw
Secondary Weapon: A high-damage SMG or pistol with armor-piercing rounds.
Key Skills (Enforcer Focus):
* Tier 1: Melee skills (e.g., Martial Arts Aced), Resilience Aced, Shotgunner Aced (if using shotguns as secondary).
* Tier 2: Bloodthirsty Aced, Shotgun Proficiency Aced.
* Tier 3: Overkill Aced, Counterstrike Aced.
* Tier 4: Iron Man Aced (for Heavy Armor), Bullseye Aced.
* Tier 5: Fighting Spirit Aced.
Key Skills (Ghost/Tech Utility):
* Drilling: Drill Sawgeant Aced (if you plan on using the Saw to bypass drills/doors).
* Movement: Shinobi Aced, Parkour Aced.
Perk Deck: Anarchist or Armorer.
Equipment:
* Throwable: Molotov Cocktails or Dynamite for crowd control.
* Deployable: First Aid Kits or Combat Doctor Bags for survivability.
Stealth Missions and The Saw
Can you use the Saw in stealth missions? Absolutely! The Saw’s ability to cut through doors without making a loud, explosive noise like a C4 charge or a loud drill makes it a stealth player’s dream in certain scenarios.
Silent Entry and Exit
- Bypassing Locked Doors: Many secure areas are protected by reinforced doors that would normally require a drill, a saw (as a deployable), or C4. The melee Saw can quietly cut through these, allowing for discreet access or escape. This is particularly useful for bypassing guard patrols or creating unexpected flanking routes.
- Avoiding Alarm Triggers: Unlike loud drills or explosives, the melee Saw’s cutting action is often localized and doesn’t immediately trigger alarms if done carefully and away from guards.
Tactical Advantages
- Creating New Paths: In some levels, the Saw can open up entirely new pathways that are not part of the intended heist route. This can allow for unique approaches to objectives or bypass heavily guarded areas.
- Destroying Surveillance: While not its primary function, the Saw can destroy cameras or other security measures that are in its path, though this is a secondary benefit compared to its door-cutting ability.
Limitations in Stealth
- Noise: While quieter than explosives, the Saw still makes a distinctive mechanical noise. If guards are very close or you aren’t careful, they can still detect you. Practice and timing are key.
- Time: Cutting through doors takes time. You need to ensure you have a safe window to perform the action.
- Durability: You need to manage the Saw’s durability even in stealth. Jamming the Saw when you desperately need to open a door is a critical failure.
Combat Efficiency with The Saw
The Saw’s unique mechanics mean its combat efficiency is highly dependent on the situation and player skill.
Dealing with Special Units
The Saw shines against heavily armored special units:
- Shields: The Saw can slice through their shields, leaving them vulnerable. A few well-timed swings can neutralize a Shield threat quickly.
- Cloakers: While they are fast and can incapacitate you, the Saw’s damage can down a Cloaker before they can execute their attack, or quickly dispatch them if they are stunned or you get the first strike.
- Dozers: These are the Saw’s ultimate test. The Saw can chip away at their armor and health, especially with Overkill aced. However, their high health and rapid gunfire mean you need excellent positioning and cover.
Crowd Control and General Enemies
Against unarmored or lightly armored enemies, the Saw is less efficient due to its slow attack speed. You’ll be swinging at groups of enemies, and each swing might only take out one or two before you’re overwhelmed. In these scenarios, your secondary weapon or other crowd-control tools will be more valuable.
When to Use The Saw
- Against Armored Elites: This is where the Saw truly excels.
- When Stealth Door Access is Needed: Its quiet environmental interaction is invaluable.
- With a Tanky Build: You need to be able to survive long enough to make your swings count.
When to Switch Off The Saw
- Against Large Hordes: Unarmored enemies are better dealt with by rapid-fire weapons.
- When Durability is Critically Low: Don’t get caught with a jammed Saw.
- When Facing Highly Mobile or Ranged Threats You Can’t Reach: Switch to a weapon that can effectively engage from a distance.
FAQ
Q1: How do I actually get the Saw?
A1: The Saw is unlocked through the game’s weapon acquisition system. You’ll need to spend weapon parts and offshore money. It becomes available as you progress and level up.
Q2: Is the Saw good for all heist types?
A2: The Saw is situational. It’s excellent for stealth entry via doors and highly effective against armored enemies. For heists with constant waves of unarmored foes, other weapons might be more efficient for crowd control.
Q3: Does the Saw use ammo or durability?
A3: The Saw uses durability. Each swing consumes a portion of its durability, and it becomes unusable when it reaches zero until repaired.
Q4: Can I repair the Saw mid-heist?
A4: No, you cannot repair the Saw’s durability mid-heist. You must wait until the heist is over or use specific skills or deployables that might offer limited repair capabilities or ways to mitigate durability loss.
Q5: What melee build is best for the Saw?
A5: Builds focused on the Enforcer skill tree for melee damage and survivability, paired with tanky perk decks like Anarchist or Armorer, are generally considered the most effective for maximizing the Saw’s potential.
Q6: Can the Saw be used to bypass objectives that require drills?
A6: In some specific instances, the Saw can cut through certain objects that might otherwise require a drill, such as specific doors or gates, particularly in stealth scenarios. However, it’s not a universal replacement for drills on all objectives.
Q7: Does the Saw have armor piercing?
A7: Yes, the Saw has innate armor-piercing capabilities, making it highly effective against heavily armored enemies like Shields and Dozers.
This comprehensive guide should equip you with all the knowledge needed to acquire, wield, and master the mighty Saw in Payday 2, transforming you into a formidable force on any heist. Happy sawing!