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Borderlands 3: 5 tips to become the ultimate Vault Hunter
There's plenty of loot to plunder but surviving in the wastelands isn't easy. Make sure you're prepared with these five Borderlands 3 tips.
While Borderlands 3 delivers the looting and shooting action the series is renowned for, it also throws in a few new mechanics that will keep series veterans on their toes. Blasting your way through alien planets with an inventory filled to the brim with outlandish weaponry has never been so much fun, especially when you’re busy tailoring your character towards a certain build or playstyle.
There’s certainly a lot of action-packed content here, and those digging into Borderlands 3 for the first time will find plenty of side missions, tons of randomised loot, and exciting new skills to unlock. The sheer scale and level of customisation offered in Gearbox’s galactic romp can be a little overwhelming at first, but you’ll need to keep a level head if you wish to take down the evil Calypso twins. To help you survive in the harsh wastelands, we’ve put together a list of Borderlands 3 tips that will give you the tools needed to become the most feared Vault Hunter in the galaxy.
1. Do a little research before picking your character
Picking your character can be a daunting task
© 2K Games
Once you’ve booted up Borderlands 3 and watched the introductory cutscene, you’ll be treated to a menu that allows you to pick between the four Vault Hunters. While you won’t be penalised for picking one character over the other, it’s a choice that will have a huge impact on your overall playstyle. For example, if you’re planning to play solo and wish to avoid the game’s co-op mode completely, then FL4K is a perfect to choice thanks to his unique ability to summon one of his beloved beasts into battle. Having an extra unit that can buff your stats, soak up damage, and unleash potent attacks towards your foes is huge, especially when you’re soloing late-game missions and bosses.
Meanwhile, Moze specialises in mechanised combat, allowing players to barrage units with a deadly stream of bullets, explosives, flamethrowers, and pneumatic fists. Not only does Moze’s mech increase her DPS, it also gives her added survivability in particularly tough fights. All four Vault Hunters come with their own strengths and weaknesses, so make sure you do a little research before committing to a certain character – after all, levelling up a new Vault Hunter can take a long time.
2. Utilise alternate firing modes for increased lethality
Some weapons in Borderlands 3 now have alternate fire options
© 2K Games
If taking down enemies with deadly space-age weaponry isn’t enough, then be sure to use the new alternate firing modes to mix things up. This mechanic is a welcomed feature and one that gives an added twist to the way players take down their foes, but it can also be incredibly easy to forget, especially when you’re caught up in a particularly heated firefight. When you find a shiny new gun, make sure you check to see if it has an alternate firing mode and unleash a few rounds to get a general feel for how it handles.
For example, Vladof weapons offer various underbarrel attachments that range from explosive projectiles to tasers and additional gun barrels, while Dahl weapons switch between multiple modes. Not every gun in Borderlands 3 has this, but those that do will invariably give you the edge you need to quickly wipe out hordes of enemies. While some alternate fire modes are more useful than others, it’s almost always best to get into the habit of switching between them if you wish to increase your damage output.
3. Don’t be afraid to experiment with various character builds
There are plenty of skill-tree options to customise your character
© 2K Games
Just like any game with a dedicated skill tree, Borderlands 3 offers plenty of customisation options that drastically impact the way your character performs in combat. However, not all skills are made equal and there are certain builds that outperform others. There are three skill trees to choose from per character and each one focuses on different abilities, giving players a lot of customisation when it comes to kitting out their chosen Vault Hunter.
The best builds often focus on one area and hone in on it by dumping points into skills that boost a specific trait. For example, the splash damage build for Moze not only allows the battle-hardened soldier to decimate her opponents with deadly grenade blasts, it also gives her tremendous amounts of healing when paired with the Vampyr skill. This life-draining attribute restores 20% of Moze’s missing health when she damages an enemy with a grenade. Pair this with additional ammo from Means of Destruction and added splash damage radius from Torgue Cross-Promotion, and you have a recipe for success. There are plenty of unique builds for all four Vault Hunters, so do a little experimenting and see what crazy configurations you can come up with.
4. Complete bonus objectives for bigger rewards
A little bit of extra time invested can pay off
© 2K Games
This tip should be a given for most action role-playing aficionados, but it's especially important in Borderlands 3. While most of the early-game missions and side-missions offer relatively lukewarm rewards, there are a number of quests that yield some decent rewards if you fulfil their bonus objectives. It’s often tempting to gloss over a mission’s bonus objective in favour of a quick finish – after all, speedy mission times often translate to faster character progression, right? Well, not always. There will be cases where finishing a bonus objective will reward the player with some rare guns, useful items and extra experience points that give your Vault Hunter the needed push to reach the next level up. Borderlands 3’s bonus objectives are never that hard to complete and the added effort is usually worth the extra time required, so don’t skip out on these if you’re looking to hoover up every bit of loot.
5. Switch out your loadouts to avoid frustrating deaths
Getting into fierce firefights is common practice in the dog-eat-dog world of Borderlands 3 and getting caught short on ammo is almost always a death sentence. Fortunately, you can avoid any frustrating deaths by simply switching out your current guns with those safely stashed in your inventory. It’s a good idea to equip a loadout that can deal with both close-quarters and mid to long-range firefights, so be sure to change up your arsenal every now and again to meet these requirements.
By doing this, you’ll not only save yourself the precious ammo needed for your favourite guns, it will also allow you to be more effective across a variety of different engagement ranges. While it can be difficult to unequip your favourite guns for those that aren’t as powerful or fun to use, it’s better than running around searching for ammo as bullets whizz over your head. Getting your health chipped away by distant enemies can be an absolute nightmare, so make sure you have the appropriate tools to give yourself a fighting chance.
