Borderlands 4 – Everything You NEED To Know (New Mechanics & Features)

With Borderlands 4 just around the corner, it’s high time you familiarize yourself with all the fresh mechanics and features it introduces. Given that there are numerous new and revamped mechanics even for long-time series enthusiasts, this game promises an exciting and distinct experience! If you’re eager to uncover more details, keep reading!

Everything You NEED To Know About Borderlands 4 | New Mechanics & Features

Meet the New Vault Hunters! The Newest Vault Hunters, At Least

In keeping with the established series pattern, excluding Wonderlands, the initial step is deciding on which Vault Hunter to select! You have four distinct characters to choose from, each with unique gameplay styles:

1. The Action Skills of the Gunner are all about heavy weaponry and area control.
2. As a Siren, you can harness elemental powers and summon Phaseshift abilities for tactical advantage.
3. The Hunter is a versatile character with high mobility and excellent sniping capabilities.
4. The Beastmaster utilizes pets in combat to provide additional firepower and support.

Vex, the Siren: Known as the token Siren Vault Hunter, Vex follows the pattern of other Sirens by predominantly dishing out elemental damage. Moreover, some of her abilities enable her to conjure spirits and companions for assistance in battles, making her combat-wise somewhat akin to both Lilith and FL4K for seasoned players.

Rafa, the Exo-Soldier, is a cutting-edge warrior equipped with an array of highly adaptable weaponry. He’s exceptionally agile too, making him ideal for adopting a bold combat strategy. His Action Skills enable him to deploy devices like turrets, or transform into a formidable slasher by switching the camera perspective to third person and wielding dual blades! Essentially, he combines the melee capabilities of Zer0 with Axton’s gameplay style.

Harlowe, the Gravitar – At present, Harlowe hasn’t shown up much on our radar. Previously employed by Maliwan, we anticipate her to have a penchant for elemental weaponry. Furthermore, she’s been known to wield an array of gadgets that aid in crowd control during combat. She possesses a distinctive ability, one where she can entangle enemies, causing them to share the harm inflicted upon any of them. Her gameplay bears the most resemblance to Maya from Borderlands 2.

Amon, the Forgeknight, is an imposing figure who embodies the raw power and spirit of ancient Vikings in Borderlands. His unique ability allows him to quickly summon weapons like axes and hammers for immediate use against his enemies. While he has the capability to throw these weapons for distance attacks, Amon prefers to engage in close-quarters combat, displaying a brute strength similar to Brick, strategic agility like Athena, and unpredictable aggression akin to Krieg. Furthermore, he can even summon a shield for added defense!

The World Opens Up

If you’re a fan of the Borderlands series, you’re likely aware of how the structure of each game’s world is set up. For those who might not be familiar, the earlier games in the series were partitioned into smaller sections. This meant that different areas were entirely separate from one another, causing travel to be interrupted by loading screens as you transitioned between regions.

In Borderlands 4, the game design has undergone a change! Now, instead of discrete areas as seen before, the game world resembles a typical open-world setup more closely. This means that most of the playable zones are smoothly interconnected, resulting in fewer instances where travel is disrupted.

Now, you have the option to materialize a vehicle at any location, eliminating the necessity of going to a Catch-a-Ride station to acquire one. This means that you won’t have to traverse long distances on foot or utilize fast travel anymore if your vehicle is damaged during exploration.

loading screens will barely exist! And don’t fret about getting lost – your helpful robot companion ECHO-4 is always ready to guide you.

Goodbye Minimap, Hello Compass

In discussing the world of Borderlands 4, one significant yet contentious update worth mentioning is the departure from the traditional minimap in earlier games. Instead, players will be navigating using a compass on the HUD’s top and can choose to activate an optional combat radar located on the upper right corner.

As reported by the developers, the game’s emphasis on verticality resulted in an inefficient minimap for navigation. Their aim is to encourage players to delve into and discover the game world themselves rather than rely excessively on the minimap during exploration.

Beyond doubt, this development is significant and worth noting. However, we’ll only be able to determine its long-term success once the game is accessible to all players. Additionally, rest assured that you can indeed explore a regular map in full detail as well.

Even Bigger Skill Trees

Instead of entirely novel mechanics, the Skill Trees for Borderlands 4 are certainly worth familiarizing yourself with. These trees are similar to those seen in previous games, where each character will have access to three unique ones. This setup provides an opportunity for characters to specialize in various aspects, increasing the variety of build options and playstyles available.

In contrast to previous games in the series, the skill trees in Borderlands 4 are notably larger, with Vex’s Dead Ringer Skill Tree boasting an impressive 29 skills for players to choose from and upgrade. Compared to this, Borderlands 3’s skill trees offered approximately 12 to 15 skills, which themselves were more extensive than those found in Borderlands 2.

It’s important to mention that the method for acquiring Skill Points remains fairly consistent. From Level 2 onwards, you will earn one Skill Point per level. This means that by the time you reach Level 50, the current maximum level, you will have accumulated a total of 49 Skill Points. Keep in mind that we anticipate the level cap to be increased through DLC at some point, following the series’ typical pattern.

In this iteration of the game, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to completely fill up a single Skill Tree due to limited points available. However, with multiple skills within a single tree, it could be the first time in the series where concentrating on just one tree might yield better results than spreading your points out.

In addition to that, it’s important to note that while some things remain consistent, you’ll still need to invest in the highest-tier skills within the Skill Tree to gain access to more potent abilities. Furthermore, there are options known as Augments and Capstones, which don’t require Skill Points but can’t be activated simultaneously, much like in Borderlands 3. Essentially, the Skill Trees are larger and more expansive versions of what you might have encountered in Borderlands 3.

New Weapon Generation: License System

One significant aspect to familiarize yourself with in Borderlands 4 revolves around the firearms you collect, as this is arguably the crux of the gaming experience – gathering as much loot as possible!

In Borderlands 4, some weapons can incorporate parts from other gun companies during creation. These integrated components bring over the original company’s unique features, even though the primary manufacturer is different. This might sound complex for those new to the series, but rest assured, it’s a fun and straightforward concept once you get the hang of it.

In this scenario, imagine you acquire a gun manufactured by Jakob, which incorporates a certified component from Tediore. This firearm will exhibit Jakob’s special feature (bullets bounce off on Critical Hits), along with Tediore’s unique characteristic (the weapon can be thrown instead of being reloaded to inflict damage).

In simpler terms, this system enables various special features to be combined on a single firearm, originating from different manufacturers. The specifics of how the system operates aren’t completely clear at the moment, but it appears that rarer weapons have access to more authorized components. Some guns even showcase up to two such parts, indicating a combination of three unique manufacturer features on a single weapon!

As a gamer, I’m thrilled to announce that we’ve introduced a new feature for our VHs! Now, alongside the License System, you can add Enhancement Modifications. These modifications will amplify and boost the effects of certain manufacturers’ parts, allowing me to customize my gameplay style with my favorite brands. For instance, if I’m a fan of explosions, I can double down on Torgue Enchantments and parts!

I can’t wait to experience this new game mechanics and witness its practical application. On the surface, it seems promising for crafting some truly distinct firearms.

New Healing System: Repkits

Previously, the Borderlands series didn’t offer many ways to heal during battles. You either gathered healing items left by enemies or employed Transfusion grenades to absorb health from surrounding foes. Beyond those methods and a few abilities of playable characters, there wasn’t much diversity or complexity in the healing aspect.

In Borderlands 4, the dynamic is about to shift considerably due to an innovative addition called Repkits. Essentially, these are items you can equip during combat to restore your health! Moreover, they offer a range of boosts and special effects beyond mere healing. They share a similarity with other gear components in that each manufacturer has distinct “characteristics” or “quirks” for their respective Repkits.

While using Repkits is beneficial, it’s important to note that they do require a recharge period before being used again. So, spamming them isn’t an option in most cases. Also, it’s crucial to remember that Repkits cannot be utilized during the Fight For Your Life mode.

Essentially, Repkits can be beneficial since they offer an additional factor to consider during character building. Moreover, they help to make healing a more intentional aspect for certain characters, potentially boosting the overall survival rate of all Vault Hunters.

Armor Shields Are Here!

As a dedicated Borderlands gamer, I’ve always had the knack of equipping and utilizing shields in every game we play. Each of these shields comes with its own distinct characteristics, much like the weapons, but they all share one common trait – they’re energy shields. These energy shields have been susceptible to shock damage, making them vulnerable and prone to being quickly depleted, leaving me exposed. Interestingly, some enemies sported Armor Shields instead, a rare type that wasn’t affected by the usual shock damage.

This time, we’ve got some exciting news – we can now employ Armor Shields in our defense! These new shields offer enhanced protection, typically reducing the damage you receive. What sets them apart is that they segmented, allowing for quick recharges even in the thick of battle. Unlike Energy Shields, these don’t need you to dodge attacks to replenish.

Armor Shields have a disadvantage in that they take more time to completely recharge compared to the standard Energy Shields. Furthermore, they are vulnerable to Corrosive damage rather than Shock damage. To optimize your performance, it could be beneficial to switch your shield type based on the elements your enemies are employing.

Movement, Schmoovement

Besides the fundamental ways to move around in Borderlands 3, Borderlands 4 introduces additional maneuvering techniques that you should be aware of. Specifically, a grappling hook and a jetpack are being included!

The grappling hook serves as a handy device at specific locations, enabling you to launch into the air for more than just exploring the game’s world; it’s also been demonstrated in official footage to be utilized during certain boss battles. Additionally, it can be employed to reel in various environmental objects, such as fish for a surprise fishing experience if you fancy! I bet you didn’t anticipate that feature.

The jetpack offers Vault Hunters increased agility in movement, allowing them to double jump, glide through the air, and swiftly dodge to the sides. It’s been a while since we’ve experienced such freedom in the air since Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel with its zero-gravity features!

Moxxi’s Big Encore

A significant addition to the game is the Big Encore Machine operated by Moxxi, which offers a convenience feature enabling you to quickly respawn bosses and enemies for farming purposes. However, there’s a charge (in-game currency) for this service. Despite not being demonstrated yet, it’s rumored that it will be quicker compared to repeatedly saving and exiting like in previous games when gathering specific items!

…the disadvantage? Now, saving and exiting doesn’t reset bosses anymore. In other words, it seems like Moxxi’s Big Encore is our only option here. But let’s hope that Moxxi won’t overdo her demands, as reappearing bosses without needing to restart the game could be quite intriguing…

Dynamic Events Are In!

In summary, an essential aspect to note about Borderlands 4’s gameplay is that its world incorporates a greater number of spontaneous and unpredictable occurrences compared to its predecessors.

As a seasoned gamer, I’m excited to share that our game is packed with diverse, unpredictable events popping up across the world map. These events come in three flavors: World Events, Rifts, and Rift Champions. Though the specifics of each type are yet to be fully revealed, here’s what we know so far. Each event occurs randomly and immersing yourself in them guarantees better loot than your average find. So buckle up, because these surprises are not to be missed!

To sum up, it appears this version presents a more natural and comprehensive approach to the Seasonal Events from Borderlands 3. We’re excited about the prospect of seeing even more events rolled out through updates!

*Voila!* You now know all about Borderlands 4, including its fresh mechanics and updates. Though the game preserves the core looter-shooter essence of the series, there are some exciting improvements coming your way. It seems like another round of the same fun, but with a twist to make it even better! Fingers crossed that it delivers on all fronts.

2025-08-14 04:12