MMOexp Borderlands 4: New Systems That Change Gameplay
Posted: 2025 Oct 10 Fri 8:41 pmRadiation: Causes explosions on death, spreading to Borderlands 4 Boosting nearby enemies-great for crowd control.
Kinetic (Non-elemental): High raw damage, no special effects, excellent for crit-based builds.
Knowing which element to use in each situation will make tough fights much easier.
New Systems That Change Gameplay
Ordinance System
Grenades and heavy Borderlands 4 Weapons now run on cooldowns instead of ammo. This means you can use them freely without worrying about rare ammo drops. Ordinances range from bouncing explosives to mini-cannons, rocket launchers, and more.
Rep Kits
A new dedicated gear slot for mid-combat healing and buffs. Some provide shields, life steal, or damage boosts. Early on, focus on healing-based kits for survival. Later in the game, damage-oriented kits can massively increase your output.
Firmware Gear
Certain gear pieces drop with "firmware," essentially set bonuses that grow stronger when you equip multiple matching pieces. Firmware can even be transferred to other items of the same type, so hoard anything with that distinctive glowing line effect.
Smarter Loot and Farming
Loot has always been the heart of Borderlands, and Borderlands 4 takes it to the next level. The new weapon licensing system lets parts from different manufacturers appear on the same gun, creating billions of unique combinations. Keep an eye out for interesting part synergies that complement your build.
Farming has also been improved with the Encore system. You can instantly respawn bosses to refight them for legendary loot; no need to reload areas. Later, the Big Encore Machine allows farming at higher rates in exchange for Eridium.
When managing inventory, use the "pick up as junk" option to automatically mark unwanted items, making it faster to sell in bulk. Always keep an eye out for firmware Borderlands 4 Items-they're game changers.
Specializations After the Campaign
Finishing the campaign unlocks Specializations, Borderlands 4's version of Guardian Ranks. This account-wide system lets you steadily increase power across all characters, with nodes that buff health, shields, damage, and more. As you progress, you'll unlock sockets for passive skills that dramatically alter builds, and eventually prestige nodes that open up powerful scaling options.
Movement, Vehicles, and Exploration
Borderlands 4's world is more dynamic, with random events, open-world bosses, and safe houses scattered throughout. Safe houses also unlock SDU upgrades for ammo and storage, so grab them early.
Movement has improved with smoother double jumps, glides, and wall climbing, letting you chain moves for momentum. Vehicles are also better thanks to the Digi Runner system, which allows summoning your ride anywhere. Customization isn't just cosmetic-you can swap out parts to tweak handling, speed, and boost power.
Best Performance Settings
Performance can vary, but a few tweaks help smooth things out:
Lower texture streaming and reflections (above medium can trigger ray tracing).
Enable DLSS (Performance) for stability.
Use frame generation if needed-it works well here.
Adjust the FOV to 100 for more visibility.
Enable the radar mini-map for better enemy awareness.
And yes-if Claptrap's chatter isn't your thing, you can mute him entirely in the settings.
Final Thoughts
Borderlands 4 takes everything players loved about the series and turns the chaos up a notch. With new Vault Hunters, revamped loot systems, smarter farming mechanics, and deeper progression, there's never been a better time to dive in. The beauty of Borderlands has always been in discovery, so while these tips will give you a head start, don't be afraid to find your own strategies-and share them with the community of Vault Hunters out there.
Whether you're a returning Vault Hunter or brand new to the chaos, this guide will give you a strong foundation for surviving the wild world of Chyros, farming legendary loot, and mastering the new mechanics that make this entry the biggest in the series yet.
From Vault Hunter abilities to weapons, skill trees, exploration, and farming strategies-let's dive into everything you need to know as a beginner in Borderlands 4.
Meet the New Vault Hunters
Borderlands 4 introduces four fresh Vault Hunters, each bringing unique action skills and playstyles.
Rafa (Exo-Soldier): Outfitted with an advanced exo-suit, Rafa can deploy shoulder cannons, transform into a melee powerhouse with arc knives, or unleash the Apous Lance to fire piercing shock orbs. He's versatile, great for players who like raw firepower with mobility.
Vex (The Siren): A grittier take on the franchise's sirens, Vex can summon spectral allies, call in her companion Trouble, or enter Incarnate mode to become a high-speed, Eldritch blaster. She's all about supernatural control and flexibility.
Aemon (Forge Knight): Raised in a vault-beast cult, Aemon focuses on resilience and vengeance. His shield absorbs damage to unleash devastating waves, while his Crucible axes and Onslaught gauntlets turn him into a brawling tank.
Harlo (The Gravitar): A Malawan scientist obsessed with tech, Harlo uses gadgets to manipulate the battlefield. With energy detonations, stasis suspensions, and shield-granting flux fields, she's ideal for tactical players who enjoy gadgets and AoE control.
Each Vault Hunter has three unique skill trees with action skills, augments, and capstones that can drastically change how you play. Experiment early, but don't worry-you can always respec at any time for Borderlands 4 Power Leveling a small fee.
Kinetic (Non-elemental): High raw damage, no special effects, excellent for crit-based builds.
Knowing which element to use in each situation will make tough fights much easier.
New Systems That Change Gameplay
Ordinance System
Grenades and heavy Borderlands 4 Weapons now run on cooldowns instead of ammo. This means you can use them freely without worrying about rare ammo drops. Ordinances range from bouncing explosives to mini-cannons, rocket launchers, and more.
Rep Kits
A new dedicated gear slot for mid-combat healing and buffs. Some provide shields, life steal, or damage boosts. Early on, focus on healing-based kits for survival. Later in the game, damage-oriented kits can massively increase your output.
Firmware Gear
Certain gear pieces drop with "firmware," essentially set bonuses that grow stronger when you equip multiple matching pieces. Firmware can even be transferred to other items of the same type, so hoard anything with that distinctive glowing line effect.
Smarter Loot and Farming
Loot has always been the heart of Borderlands, and Borderlands 4 takes it to the next level. The new weapon licensing system lets parts from different manufacturers appear on the same gun, creating billions of unique combinations. Keep an eye out for interesting part synergies that complement your build.
Farming has also been improved with the Encore system. You can instantly respawn bosses to refight them for legendary loot; no need to reload areas. Later, the Big Encore Machine allows farming at higher rates in exchange for Eridium.
When managing inventory, use the "pick up as junk" option to automatically mark unwanted items, making it faster to sell in bulk. Always keep an eye out for firmware Borderlands 4 Items-they're game changers.
Specializations After the Campaign
Finishing the campaign unlocks Specializations, Borderlands 4's version of Guardian Ranks. This account-wide system lets you steadily increase power across all characters, with nodes that buff health, shields, damage, and more. As you progress, you'll unlock sockets for passive skills that dramatically alter builds, and eventually prestige nodes that open up powerful scaling options.
Movement, Vehicles, and Exploration
Borderlands 4's world is more dynamic, with random events, open-world bosses, and safe houses scattered throughout. Safe houses also unlock SDU upgrades for ammo and storage, so grab them early.
Movement has improved with smoother double jumps, glides, and wall climbing, letting you chain moves for momentum. Vehicles are also better thanks to the Digi Runner system, which allows summoning your ride anywhere. Customization isn't just cosmetic-you can swap out parts to tweak handling, speed, and boost power.
Best Performance Settings
Performance can vary, but a few tweaks help smooth things out:
Lower texture streaming and reflections (above medium can trigger ray tracing).
Enable DLSS (Performance) for stability.
Use frame generation if needed-it works well here.
Adjust the FOV to 100 for more visibility.
Enable the radar mini-map for better enemy awareness.
And yes-if Claptrap's chatter isn't your thing, you can mute him entirely in the settings.
Final Thoughts
Borderlands 4 takes everything players loved about the series and turns the chaos up a notch. With new Vault Hunters, revamped loot systems, smarter farming mechanics, and deeper progression, there's never been a better time to dive in. The beauty of Borderlands has always been in discovery, so while these tips will give you a head start, don't be afraid to find your own strategies-and share them with the community of Vault Hunters out there.
Whether you're a returning Vault Hunter or brand new to the chaos, this guide will give you a strong foundation for surviving the wild world of Chyros, farming legendary loot, and mastering the new mechanics that make this entry the biggest in the series yet.
From Vault Hunter abilities to weapons, skill trees, exploration, and farming strategies-let's dive into everything you need to know as a beginner in Borderlands 4.
Meet the New Vault Hunters
Borderlands 4 introduces four fresh Vault Hunters, each bringing unique action skills and playstyles.
Rafa (Exo-Soldier): Outfitted with an advanced exo-suit, Rafa can deploy shoulder cannons, transform into a melee powerhouse with arc knives, or unleash the Apous Lance to fire piercing shock orbs. He's versatile, great for players who like raw firepower with mobility.
Vex (The Siren): A grittier take on the franchise's sirens, Vex can summon spectral allies, call in her companion Trouble, or enter Incarnate mode to become a high-speed, Eldritch blaster. She's all about supernatural control and flexibility.
Aemon (Forge Knight): Raised in a vault-beast cult, Aemon focuses on resilience and vengeance. His shield absorbs damage to unleash devastating waves, while his Crucible axes and Onslaught gauntlets turn him into a brawling tank.
Harlo (The Gravitar): A Malawan scientist obsessed with tech, Harlo uses gadgets to manipulate the battlefield. With energy detonations, stasis suspensions, and shield-granting flux fields, she's ideal for tactical players who enjoy gadgets and AoE control.
Each Vault Hunter has three unique skill trees with action skills, augments, and capstones that can drastically change how you play. Experiment early, but don't worry-you can always respec at any time for Borderlands 4 Power Leveling a small fee.