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Borderlands 3: 7 Underrated Skills You Should Be Using
September 29th, 2024 - By Steve Chang

When diving into the chaotic and vibrant world of Borderlands 3, many players often gravitate towards the most popular and flashy skills. However, beneath the surface, this game is brimming with hidden gems that can significantly impact your gameplay experience. In this article, we will shine a spotlight on seven underrated skills that not only enhance your character's capabilities but also add a layer of strategic depth to your journey across Pandora and beyond.

It's easy to overlook these powerful abilities when you're bombarded with explosive action and the game's tongue-in-cheek humor. I've spent countless hours exploring every nook and cranny of Borderlands 3, and I've found that some of the less obvious skills can actually make a substantial difference. Whether you're tackling a challenging boss fight, surviving an onslaught of psychos, or seeking out elusive loot, these skills have the potential to transform your gameplay.

For example, FL4K's "Eager to Impress" may not have the immediate payoff of more dramatic abilities, but the way it reduces Action Skill cooldowns with every kill can keep you perpetually in the fight. Similarly, Moze's "Vampyr" allows you to gain health from explosive damage, which can turn the tide in prolonged battles when health packs are scarce.

Understanding these underrated skills requires a bit of patience and a willingness to experiment. Remember, the beauty of Borderlands 3 lies not just in the loot and mayhem, but in the strategic depth that each character's skill tree offers. By incorporating these overlooked abilities into your playstyle, you can find new ways to dominate the battlefield and keep the excitement fresh.

So, gear up, vault hunters! It's time to delve into those skill trees and uncover the hidden potential that could very well make you the ultimate badass in the Borderlands 3 universe.


Mastering the Overlooked: Why You Should Use These Skills

When it comes to mastering the galaxy in Borderlands 3, sometimes it's the overlooked skills that can truly elevate your gameplay. Utilizing these underrated abilities can turn the tide in your favor during the most intense battles. Let's dive into why you should use these skills and how they can make a significant difference in your adventure.

Onslaught is one of those skills that often flies under the radar but packs a punch. As Moze the Gunner, you might think her primary strength lies in her mech, Iron Bear. However, Onslaught grants a substantial boost to movement speed and gun damage after scoring a kill. Imagine you're in the heat of battle, taking down enemy after enemy. Each kill propels you into a frenzy of rapid movement and increased firepower, allowing you to chain kills and dominate the battlefield.

Another hidden gem is FL4K's The Fast and the Furryous skill. This ability grants increased gun damage and movement speed when FL4K is over half health. The beauty of this skill lies in its simplicity and efficiency. By maintaining a healthy status, you automatically receive a considerable boost, enhancing your combat effectiveness without any additional effort. When combined with other abilities that improve FL4K's health regeneration, you can transform from a hunter to an unstoppable force.

Then, we have Amara the Siren's Vigor skill. Often overshadowed by her more flashy melee and phasegrasp abilities, Vigor offers a unique tactical advantage. After killing an enemy with your action skill, you and your allies gain a substantial movement speed increase. This speed boost can be a game-changer, especially in scenarios where repositioning quickly can mean the difference between victory and a frustrating reload. Teaming up with friends? They'll appreciate the added mobility to escape tricky situations or chase down fleeing enemies.

Don't overlook Zane the Operative's Brainfreeze skill. While Zane excels in hit-and-run tactics, Brainfreeze offers a surprising twist by providing a chance to freeze enemies with critical hits from any gun. This crowd control ability can neutralize threats swiftly, giving you and your team breathing room to focus down danger zones or reposition for a strategic advantage. The frozen enemies also become easy targets, allowing for devastating follow-up attacks that can turn the tide of battle.

The utility of Moze's Experimental Munitions is another underrated marvel. This skill sets enemies on fire with critical hits, adding a layer of elemental damage that can be particularly effective against armored foes. The extra burn damage can quickly whittle down the health of tougher enemies, and when stacked with other fire-related skills or gear, you can become a literal incendiary powerhouse.

FL4K's Eager to Impress shouldn't be neglected either. This skill reduces the cooldown of your action skills with every kill, making it a perpetual cycle of empowerment. The more you kill, the faster you can reuse your powerful abilities. It's an excellent choice for aggressive playstyles, allowing you to deploy your pets or critical hit skills with greater frequency and maintain relentless pressure on your foes.

Finally, Amara's Samsara skill gifts you stacks of gun damage and health regeneration after using her action skill and landing hits. Each stack significantly boosts your survivability and damage output, making it easier to sustain yourself in prolonged encounters. Think of it as a cascading wave of empowerment that rewards aggressive, skillful play by continuously improving your combat prowess.

Embracing these overlooked skills can present newfound layers of strategy and thrill to your Borderlands 3 experience. Don't underestimate these abilities; they might just be the key to outlasting your enemies and securing those sweet, sweet loot drops.

Summary:

  • Moze's skills like Onslaught and Experimental Munitions boost movement speed, gun damage, and add elemental fire damage, turning her into a powerful offensive force.
  • FL4K's abilities such as The Fast and the Furryous and Eager to Impress increase gun damage and reduce action skill cooldown, complementing aggressive playstyles.
  • Amara's Vigor and Samsara skills enhance movement speed, gun damage, and health regeneration, providing significant advantages in both solo and cooperative gameplay.

Digging Deep: The Hidden Power of Flakks Eager to Impress

When it comes to Borderlands 3, many players overlook some of the most powerful skills in their rush to max out damage or survivability. One such underrated gem is Fl4k's Eager to Impress. This skill offers hidden benefits that can completely change the dynamics of your gameplay, especially during intense firefights.

So, what makes Eager to Impress such a game-changer? Simply put, it significantly reduces the cooldown of your Action Skill every time you score a kill. For every enemy you take down, Fl4k's Action Skill cooldown is shaved off by several seconds. This might not sound like much at first glance, but in the heat of battle, these seconds add up quickly, allowing you to unleash powerful abilities more frequently. Imagine being able to summon your pets or activate your cloaking ability almost non-stop; it turns fights in your favor faster than you might think!

But that's not all. The skill also benefits your pets, reducing their cooldowns when they score kills. In scenarios with waves of enemies or tough bosses, both you and your pets can become unstoppable forces. Picture a battlefield where your loyal Skag is tearing through lesser foes, each kill cutting down the cooldown timer, enabling it to be summoned again faster if it goes down.

For example, during a frenzied boss fight, I often find my Action Skill ready to use again right when I need it most. The added benefit of having my pet's cooldown reduced simultaneously means both of us can keep laying on the pressure without downtime. This kind of synergy can turn otherwise grueling battles into more manageable (and enjoyable) encounters.

Incorporating Eager to Impress into your build also adds invaluable versatility. Whether you're focusing on a critical hit build, a pet-centric playstyle, or even a blend of both, this skill finds its place easily. You don't need to set up intricate combos; just keep doing what Fl4k does best— racking up kills— and let Eager to Impress do the work in the background.

To get the most out of this skill, pair it with other cooldown-reducing abilities and items. The artifact 'Electric Banjo' and the class mod 'St4ckbot' are great options that sync well. The electric shock from the Banjo can chain damage to multiple enemies, often leading to multiple kills almost simultaneously, thus maximizing your cooldown reduction in real-time. The St4ckbot, on the other hand, amplifies your damage the longer you keep hitting your targets, making each kill more rewarding in terms of both damage and cooldown benefits.

Ultimately, Fl4k's Eager to Impress unlocks a flow in combat that few skills can match. Whether you're mowing down hordes of enemies or facing off against a particularly tenacious boss, this talent transforms any skirmish into a seamless cycle of action, waiting to be mastered by those who seek to truly dominate Borderlands 3. Give it a try, and watch as your combat prowess reaches untold new heights.

Summary:

  • Eager to Impress reduces Fl4k's Action Skill cooldown with every kill, allowing more frequent use of powerful abilities during battles.
  • The skill also decreases pet cooldowns as they score kills, creating a dynamic synergy that enhances both survivability and offensive capabilities.
  • Pairing Eager to Impress with cooldown-reducing items like Electric Banjo and class mods like St4ckbot maximizes its effectiveness, creating a seamless combat flow.

Amaras Hidden Gem: Maximizing the Potential of Revelation

One often overlooked talent in Amara's extensive skill tree is Revelation, a skill that belongs to the Phasecast action skill path. If you haven't dabbled with it yet, you're missing out on a seriously dynamic combat capability. This skill doesn't just offer a flashy visual effect; it has real potential to turn the tide in chaotic battles, making Amara not only a powerhouse but also a versatile asset to any team.

Revelation adds an explosive Nova effect to your Phasecast, which deals elemental damage to all nearby enemies. It's a skill that marries both offensive and defensive strategies, as it allows you to clear hordes effectively while also keeping aggressive foes at bay. Imagine you're cornered with enemies closing in. A well-timed Phasecast with Revelation can give you the breathing room needed to strategize your next move.

From my experience, pairing Revelation with appropriate gear can make it even more potent. Equip an artifact that boosts elemental damage or increases Nova radius. When I combined Revelation with the Shock Stone artifact, it felt like every Phasecast turned into a small, destructive storm, electrifying and decimating everything in its path. The synergy was nothing short of spectacular.

Let's not forget the added benefit Revelation can bring to your team. In co-op modes, activating your Phasecast in a cluster of enemies can soften them up for your teammates to finish off. If you coordinate with a tank character or a sharpshooter, the battlefield management becomes incredibly efficient. By acting as the initiator or crowd control, Amara shines in synergy with others.

To truly maximize Revelation, it's also wise to invest in skills that enhance elemental damage and cooldown rates. Skills like Tempest and Anima can significantly amplify the effect, turning each Phasecast into a devastating move. Rapid cooldowns mean more frequent uses, keeping the pressure on enemies as they scramble to react.

Ultimately, Revelation isn't just a skill for the flashy effects; it's a strategic asset that, when used correctly, can reshape your approach to combat in Borderlands 3. Give it a try, and you might just discover a new favorite move that turns Amara into an indispensable part of your loadout.

Summary:

  • Revelation in Amara's Phasecast skill tree adds an explosive Nova effect, dealing elemental damage and providing both offensive and defensive benefits.
  • Pairing Revelation with gear that boosts elemental damage or increases Nova radius, such as the Shock Stone artifact, significantly enhances its potency.
  • Revelation can improve team dynamics in co-op modes by softening up enemies for teammates and benefits from skills that enhance elemental damage and cooldown rates.

The Silent Strength of Moze: Exploiting Experimental Munitions

One skill that often flies under the radar in Borderlands 3 is Moze's Experimental Munitions. At first glance, it may not seem like much, but when you dive into its mechanics, it becomes evident just how valuable this skill can be.

In essence, Experimental Munitions grants Moze's critical hits a bonus incendiary damage effect. This extra fire damage isn't just a minor buff; it can deal significant additional damage, especially against enemies vulnerable to flames. Here's how to harness this skill to its full potential.

First, it's important to understand that this skill shines brightest when paired with weapons that have a high critical hit rate. Sniper rifles and certain assault rifles are excellent choices. For example, I frequently use the Lyuda sniper rifle, known for its high crit potential. Each critical hit you land ignites the target, dealing extra tick damage over time.

To capitalize on Experimental Munitions, I recommend adopting a build that enhances critical damage and incendiary effects. Skills like Fire in the Skag Den and Matched Set can provide synergistic boosts, making Moze's attacks even more devastating. Pair these with a high crit rate weapon, and you'll see enemies melting in seconds.

Another key aspect to leveraging this skill is positioning. Because it relies on critical hits, aim for headshots or other weak points on enemies. In encounters where I know critical hits are essential, I prioritize cover and high ground to get a clear line of sight on enemy vulnerabilities.

Don't overlook gear that complements this skill either. Shields and grenades with incendiary effects can create a deadly combination. For instance, using the Transformer shield with incendiary grenades can turn Moze into a walking inferno, enhancing the incendiary damage from Experimental Munitions even further.

Finally, it's worth noting that skill maintenance is crucial. I constantly tweak my skill points to reflect my current weapons and gear. If I notice a drop in performance, I adjust my loadout and skill tree. This keeps the incendiary effect from Experimental Munitions at its most effective, ensuring maximum damage output.

In summary, Experimental Munitions is a deceptively powerful skill for Moze. By focusing on critical hit weapons, synergistic skills, and complementary gear, you can unleash a torrent of fire damage that incinerates your foes with ease. It's this kind of silent strength that can turn the tide in your favor, making this an underrated skill worth mastering.

Summary:

  • Experimental Munitions grants Moze's critical hits bonus incendiary damage, best utilized with high crit rate weapons like the Lyuda sniper rifle for extra damage over time.
  • Enhance this skill by using a build focusing on critical damage and incendiary effects, and positioning Moze for optimal critical hits.
  • Complement this skill with gear like incendiary shields and grenades, and regularly adjust skill points and loadout for maximum damage output.

Utilizing Zanes Dumpster Fire for Maximum Carnage

When it comes to Zane's skill set in Borderlands 3, one of the hidden gems is certainly the Dumpster Fire skill. If you're aiming to cause maximum destruction, this ability is your go-to for turning the tide of any battle.

At its core, Dumpster Fire adds a fiery twist to Zane's Digital Clone by allowing it to have a chance to shoot incendiary rounds. Yes, you heard that right—this isn't just any clone, but one packing heat that can incinerate your enemies. Imagine deploying your clone in the middle of a mob, then watching as it sets foes ablaze. That's the kind of chaos you're signing up for.

One essential strategy to leverage Dumpster Fire is to position your clone strategically. Drop it near clusters of enemies or in choke points where foes are bottlenecked. By doing this, you maximize the number of enemies the clone can affect, essentially turning it into a fiery turret of death. It's incredibly satisfying to see enemies scatter, trying and failing to dodge those searing rounds.

Don't forget about your own positioning either. While your clone is busy causing a ruckus, you can take advantage of the distraction to flank enemies or set up for heavy weaponry attacks. For instance, if you have a corrosive weapon, combining its effect with the incendiary rounds from your clone can wreak havoc on armored foes.

Another great aspect of Dumpster Fire is its synergy with other skills. Pair it with Zane's Pocket Full of Grenades—which increases grenade regeneration—to create a never-ending barrage of explosive and incendiary damage. This combo is particularly effective in prolonged battles where sustaining damage output is critical.

This skill also shines in cooperative play. Your teammates will appreciate the added crowd control your clone provides, which frees them up to focus on heavier targets or objectives. This makes Dumpster Fire valuable not just for solo players but also for team dynamics.

In practice, the incendiary rounds are excellent for dealing with flesh-based enemies, particularly those in close-packed mobs. Fire damage over time means enemies who think they've escaped your wrath soon realize how wrong they were. This persistent damage can sometimes finish off foes who have just a sliver of health left, keeping you moving forward without the need for constant mop-up duty.

To summarize, if you're skipping out on Dumpster Fire, you're missing a fantastic opportunity to add some explosive flair to your gameplay. Whether you're holding down a position or pushing through enemy lines, this skill makes Zane much more formidable and fun to play. So next time you're fixing up your skill tree, give Dumpster Fire a shot—you won't be disappointed.

Summary:

  • Dumpster Fire adds incendiary rounds to Zane's Digital Clone, turning it into a fiery turret that can incinerate enemies, making it perfect for crowd control.
  • Strategically position the clone near enemy clusters and choke points to maximize its fiery impact while using the chaos to flank or set up heavy weaponry attacks.
  • Combining Dumpster Fire with other skills, like Pocket Full of Grenades, creates a devastating combo, making it highly effective in both solo and cooperative play.

The Underrated Brilliance of Amaras Wildfire

One of the most overlooked gems in Borderlands 3 is Amara's Wildfire skill. As a siren with a host of powers at her disposal, players often focus on her more flashy skills, but Wildfire can turn the tide of any battle, particularly in higher-level play or endgame content.

Wildfire's main function is to spread status effects from an afflicted enemy to nearby foes. Initially, it might not sound impressive, but in practice, it's a game-changer. Imagine you're in the thick of battle, and you've just inflicted a powerful Corrosive status effect on a Heavy Gunner. With Wildfire, that corrosive damage will leapfrog to other enemies, weakening multiple targets at once and making crowd control a breeze.

Another crucial benefit is its synergy with Amara's other abilities and elements. Pair Wildfire with her Deliverance skill, which sends out elemental projectiles that follow enemies, and you can wreak havoc on clustered groups. The projectiles will each carry their own individual status effects, which Wildfire can then spread, ensuring no enemy walks away unscathed.

To maximize Wildfire's potential, you should invest in other skills that enhance status effects. Skills like Tempest, which increases elemental damage, and Anima, which boosts the duration and damage of status effects, make Wildfire even more devastating. Imagine hitting a mob with Shock damage, watching it chain through an entire group, and witnessing every crippled enemy succumb to continuous elemental torment.

Aside from gameplay mechanics, the sheer versatility of Wildfire deserves mention. Whether you're playing solo or in a group, Wildfire provides excellent support. In solo play, it helps manage large crowds, reducing the risk of being overwhelmed. In multiplayer, it complements other Vault Hunters' abilities by adding an extra layer of damage and debilitation to the mix. For instance, Moze's splash damage benefits immensely when mobs are already weakened by status effects.

I've had numerous instances where Wildfire turned what could have been a losing battle into a manageable fight. During one of my runs in the Slaughter Shaft, I found myself cornered by a wave of Brood Mothers and Heavies. One well-placed elemental attack, bolstered by Wildfire, turned the entire mob into a chain reaction of scorching, corroding, and electrifying chaos. It was a victory I wouldn't have secured without Wildfire's brilliance.

If you haven't dipped into this skill yet, do yourself a favor. Experiment with different elemental combinations and skill synergies, and you'll soon see why Wildfire is an underrated but crucial part of any Amara build. For those looking to dominate the battlefield in Borderlands 3, Wildfire is a skill you should not ignore.

Summary:

  • Amara's Wildfire skill in Borderlands 3 spreads status effects to nearby enemies, making it especially effective for crowd control in higher-level play.
  • Combining Wildfire with other skills like Deliverance, Tempest, and Anima enhances its impact, allowing elemental damage to chain through enemy groups efficiently.
  • Wildfire's versatility supports both solo and multiplayer gameplay, providing crucial damage and debilitation that can turn the tide of difficult battles.

Moze's Overlooked Defensive Arsenal: Embracing Selfless Vengeance

In Borderlands 3, Moze often dazzles with her hefty arsenal and explosive capabilities. However, there's one skill that seems to fly under the radar yet can turn the tide in tough battles: Selfless Vengeance. This skill is a defensive juggernaut hiding in plain sight, and I'm here to tell you precisely why you should give it a closer look.

Firstly, Selfless Vengeance is found within the Shield of Retribution skill tree, commonly lauded for its offensive capabilities. But, here's the hidden gem - this skill activates when you reload your weapon, causing your and your allies' next few shots to deal fire damage. It extends its benefits in ways you might not expect, adding a layer of defense through offense.

Why is this skill crucial for your build? Let's break it down. Selfless Vengeance enhances team play by providing your co-op partners with bonus fire damage. Imagine you're deep in a skirmish, and you're taking fire from all sides. You reload your weapon, and suddenly, your team's firepower spikes. The extra damage can wear down enemy shields and spread chaos among your foes, giving your team a much-needed breather.

While the damage boost is impressive, the skill truly shines in how it synergizes with Moze's other abilities. Let me give you an example. Pair Selfless Vengeance with Phalanx Doctrine—another skill in the same tree—and you can create a loop of continuous buffs. Reload, unleash damage, gain a shield boost from Phalanx Doctrine, and repeat. This cyclical combination turns Moze into a resilient powerhouse, equally capable of dishing out damage and absorbing it.

Moreover, this skill fits seamlessly into ammo-hungry builds. If you use weapons that require frequent reloading, like shotguns or high fire-rate SMGs, Selfless Vengeance becomes a staple in your toolkit. You're not just reloading to fire more bullets; you're reloading to keep a consistent stream of fire damage that disrupts your enemies' formation and strategy.

Another aspect that goes unnoticed is how Selfless Vengeance interacts with elemental bonuses. Fire damage, in particular, is highly effective against flesh enemies. In scenarios where you're facing off against loaders or human foes, the additional fire damage can swiftly turn the odds in your favor. With the higher tiers of mayhem levels introducing a mix of resistant and vulnerable enemy types, having an extra source of elemental damage makes Moze exceedingly versatile.

So the next time you're contemplating your skill points and build strategy for Moze, don't overlook Selfless Vengeance. It's not just an add-on but a pivotal skill that elevates both your solo and team play. By embracing this underrated ability, you open up a world of strategic possibilities, turning Moze into an indomitable force on the battlefield.

Summary:

  • Selfless Vengeance is a crucial yet often overlooked skill in Moze's Shield of Retribution tree, offering defensive and offensive benefits by adding fire damage to your and your allies' shots upon reloading.
  • The skill enhances team play and synergizes well with other abilities like Phalanx Doctrine, creating a loop of continuous buffs and turning Moze into a resilient powerhouse.
  • Selfless Vengeance fits perfectly in ammo-hungry builds and provides a strategic advantage with its effective fire damage against flesh enemies, making Moze versatile in various combat scenarios.

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