The world of Borderlands 3 is brash, over-the-top, and full of guns. It’s probably that last point that will have you coming back for more, but you’ll need to know what to expect if you want to have a good head start.
While many of the Borderlands 3 weapons are simple enough, there are a few nuances to the way the game generates guns that are worth noting. It’s not just weapon types, but manufacturers and even sub-types to think about, and that's not even including the long list of Borderlands 3 legendary weapons too.
There's a lot to keep in mind, but it's okay, this guide has you covered.
Manufacturers
There are nine manufacturers in Borderlands 3. Each of these produces guns with individual quirks, and you’re sure to find your favourites amongst them. For example, if you love a bit of elemental damage, then you’re going to want to keep an eye out for Maliwan weapons. If you prefer firing and hoping for the best, then Vladof may well be your poison of choice. It’s worth knowing what to expect from them, as you’ll be using Borderlands 3 weapons all the way through the game. Shocking, right?
Atlas: Atlas weapons include a special tracker mode of some sort. Hit an enemy with this and all of your bullets will fly directly to them. This even includes rocket launchers. They’re an embodiment of the “fire and forget” mentality.
COV: Children of the Vault are the main enemies in Borderlands 3, they’re also apparently running factories somewhere to produce these weapons. Their guns are defined by infinite magazine size and an overheating mechanic. They tend to be a little inaccurate but can also be incredibly powerful.
Dahl: These weapons have multiple firing modes that can often be things like switching between full-auto and burst fire. It allows for a little more flexibility when facing down a horde of enemies.
Hyperion: Hyperion weapons are made to be using when aiming down the sights. This is because doing so brings up a front-facing shield that can absorb or deflect enemy shots. They’re great if you like to bring cover with you.
Jakobs: Jakobs weapons tend to have great damage and be semi-automatic. On top of this, landing a critical hit with one of these will cause the bullet to ricochet to a nearby enemy. This means they work very well in builds that are all about critical hits.
Maliwan: If you want elemental damage then Maliwan is here for you. Most of their weapons allow you to switch between two different elements which makes them perfect for most situations.
Tediore: Quick reloads all around here as you simply toss the gun away when you’re done. Sometimes this means it will turn into a turret, sometimes a grenade, but it always has a useful function. You’ll use up all the ammo in the magazine to boost the damage which allows for some interesting decisions.
Torgue: Explosive weapons with two firing modes - impact and sticky. The former simply explodes when it hits something; the latter allows you to plaster an enemy with shots before reloading and setting them all off at once.
Vladof: Vladof weapons fire quickly but with little accuracy. They also tend to have interesting under-barrel attachments like tasers or grenade launchers.
Weapon Types
There are six main weapon types, but each of these contains a few nuances sub-types too. It’s generally best to have a selection of different weapons equipped to stop you eating through your ammo.
Pistol: Aside from what you would typically expect from a pistol, you can also get charged explosive shots, shotgun-like blasts, and even high-rapid fire from some of them.
SMG: Fast firing with small magazine sizes, you’ll occasionally find elemental SMGs that fire lasers instead of bullets. Which is nice.
Assault Rifle: Heavier hitting that SMGs but still with a good rate of fire. Some of the coolest AR-type weapons shoot out elemental damage like a flamethrower.
Sniper Rifle: Excellent range and high critical hit damage. You’ll occasionally find ones with explosive shots too.
Shotgun: Not all shotguns fire the spread of shots you might expect. Some fire out shockwaves instead or charge up to rapid-fire the entire magazine.
Heavy: These aren’t just rocket launchers anymore. Instead, you can find grenade launchers, blade throwers, and even mortars in this category.
Anointed Weapons
Anointed Weapons are mostly an endgame pursuit, but one that can really benefit your character. They all tend to do something when you activate or end your action skill, but there are even weapons that have bonuses specific to the individual classes.
For example, you might find an assault rifle that gains double damage when you’re using Fade Away as FL4K. You can buy these from a vending machine in the bottom of Sanctuary III, but you can also find them as random drops.
Legendary Weapons
These are the orange weapons that you’ll occasionally find as you go about the game. They’ll appear as a star on your mini-map and will always be picked up by your Lost Loot as long as there is space. They have absurd abilities that make them flashier and more powerful than anything else in the game. Unfortunately, they’re also somewhat random for the most part. There are a few exceptions to this though, a couple of weapons can be obtained as quest rewards, and other weapons drop from specific bosses or the special hunts you do for Hammerlock or ZER0. The boss weapons are:
Mindkiller (shotgun) – Dropped by Mouthpiece
Smart Gun XXL (SMG) – Dropped by Gigamind
Tsunami (SMG) – Dropped by Katagawa Ball
Quadomizer (rocket launcher) – Dropped by The Rampager
Freeman (rocket launger) – Dropped by Warden
Messy Breakup (shield) – Dropped by GenIVIV
Lead Sprinkler (assault rifle) – Dropped by Billy, The Anointed
Frozen Heart (shield) – Dropped by Aurelia
Grave (artifact) Ward (shield) – Dropped by The Graveward
Occultist (pistol) – Troy Calypso
King’s Call/Queen’s Call (pistol) – Tyreen Calypso
You’ll have to hunt for all of the others and hope for the best. You can substantially boost your chances by finishing the game and activating Mayhem Mode on its highest setting. This will boost the drop rate massively and also make the game a bit more entertaining if you like a challenge.
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