If you’re a Borderlands veteran, some of these might seem obvious, but there’ll be some surprises you may not be expecting, too.
There has always been some elemental damage, including affinities, in the Borderlands series.
When selecting the Vault Hunter you want to play as at the start of the game, you’ll notice that they each have different elemental affinities.
It’s not the end of the word if your Vault Hunter does struggle against a particular enemy, since weapons deal elemental damage too–so just grab a more suitable one to maximize your damage output.
Borderlands 4 developers clearly wanted to add more sadism into the game though, as this time around there are more hazards.
Along with the same entertaining looter shooter gameplay that we have come to expect from the entire series, Borderlands 4 also brings a number of intriguing characters and a humorous new story. However, in addition to the familiarity, there are some changes to how you should approach the next game in the series, so we’ve compiled a list of useful Borderlands 4 tips that you should bear in mind during your initial hours of play. Some of these may seem apparent to Borderlands veterans, but there will also be some surprises you might not have anticipated.
The Borderlands series has always included some elemental damage, including affinities. Each Vault Hunter has distinct elemental affinities, which you will notice when you choose which one to play as at the beginning of the game. If you are unfamiliar with the series, you should choose Vex, the Siren. She has equal control over all elements, but Harlowe, for instance, will use Cryo or Radiation to inflict more damage. A Vault Hunter possessing that elemental affinity could make the difference between a pleasant experience and a terrible one when dealing with bosses who have specific weaknesses. Simply pick a more appropriate weapon to increase your damage output if your Vault Hunter struggles against a certain enemy. Weapons also deal elemental damage, so it’s not the end of the world.
In Borderlands, healing has changed. In addition to using your Repkit, enemies will still drop health packs as loot. As shown in the lower left corner, the Repkit has a cooldown, but you can use it to get a quick boost of health while it’s available. You should weigh their benefits and drawbacks when deciding which one to use in your build because they also drop as loot with different bonuses.
This won’t apply if you started with a different Vault Hunter, as I’ve only been playing as Vex during Borderlands 4, but in my first hour of play, I was surprised by how powerful the combination of two specific skills was. When Sanguine Fiends, which increases Vex’s health by 4% on kills, is combined with Idle Hands, which increases reload speed by +12% when Vex is at full health, an overpowered loop is produced. Increase reload speed, kill enemies, and restore health to kill enemies more quickly. I’ve hardly been downed as Vex because of this very fulfilling combination.
However, keep in mind that if you try a build and it doesn’t work out for you, it doesn’t matter. Refunding skill points or respecing entirely the first time is free, and there are several skill trees to choose from. Have fun experimenting or figuring out what suits your own playstyle, even though you can only choose one at a time.
If you’re not entirely satisfied with your build, you should always be able to afford respawning because its cost will rise as you play and appears to scale with your cash balance.
The necessity to open each and every container with a seductive green glow to reveal an increasing number of weapons, ammunition, and other equipment is obvious to anyone who has ever even looked at a Borderlands game. But since there are more dangers in Borderlands 4, it’s obvious that the developers wanted to add more sadism to the game. There is most likely a psycho inside that locked storage crate. If you force that alluring ammunition box to open with a shot, it will explode and defeat you. Watch your back, but the loot is still worthwhile.
Making a note of the last respawn location you visited is a smart idea. Scouting the area might be worthwhile if you’re about to enter a potentially dangerous situation but can’t remember ever seeing one. It’s simple to locate a respawn point near boss fights because they’re typically just outside the area, but there are a lot of other potential dangers, and the last thing you want is to run back to your previous location in the style of Silksong.
You will unlock your Digirunner after completing a brief introductory quest in the Fadefields area. Although you can collect and customize a few of these, if you’re not side-quest distracted like I was, you’ll be able to get your hands on one as early as 90 minutes in. The Digirunner is easily able to travel great distances throughout Kairos and can be called upon practically anywhere.
