During the Gearbox Main Theatre Show at PAX West 2019, Gearbox provided new insights into Borderlands 3‘s endgame, including the return of True Vault Hunter Mode, an evolution of Borderlands 2’s Badass Rank mechanic called Guardian Rank, and the introduction of the all-new gameplay-changing Mayhem Mode.
GUARDIAN RANK
If you’re familiar with previous Borderlands‘ Badass Rank system, the basic idea is the same: players can unlock incremental stat improvements that apply to all their Vault Hunters. As players gain experience, they fill a special Guardian Rank XP bar. Every bar players fill unlocks a Guardian Token, which they can spend to unlock bonus stats across three distinct trees. The further players progress, the better the rewards available to them.
TRUE VAULT HUNTER MODE
This is Borderlands 3‘s take on New Game+. The enemies will be tougher and the loot will be better compared to Normal mode conquests. Whether players select Normal or True Vault Hunter when starting up a new campaign, their character’s mission progress is unique to each playthrough. However, the Vault Hunters’ stats and equipment are shared across both modes.
MAYHEM MODE
After completing the campaign, players will activate a mysterious terminal aboard Sanctuary III that offers three Mayhem Mode difficulty levels. Enabling one of these Mayhem Modes ups the ante on risks and rewards across all worlds: enemies get increased health, shields, and armour, while players get bonus cash, Eridium, experience gains, and chances for better loot (including “Anointed” gear).
Mayhem Mode also applies a random selection of modifiers called Mayhem Mods to every planet players visit. For instance, players might get a Mayhem Mod like “You’re a Wizard,” which reduces the damage players do with normal bullets but increases their elemental damage.
When you combine Mayhem Mode, True Vault Hunter Mode, and Guardian Rank progression with the highly replayable Proving Grounds and Circle of Slaughter arenas announced during Gamescom, Borderlands 3‘s endgame coalesces into an engaging loop that grows increasingly rewarding (and challenging) the more you play.
With all these avenues for endgame progression, there’s a wealth of challenging content to best and coveted rewards to chase as soon as you finish Borderlands 3’s story campaign. For more details on what was announced, please refer to this blog.
Even if players somehow manage to conquer every challenge Borderlands 3 throws at them and max out every Vault Hunter class, there’s still plenty more Borderlands 3 content to come. From Seasonal Events to Takedowns to new missions and cosmetics – and of course, full-fledged Campaign DLC.
As if that wasn’t enough, Gearbox also announced that Borderlands 2 VR on PlayStation 4 is getting the Bad Ass Mega Fun (BAMF) DLC pack for free on September 6, delivering a whopping 16 pieces of DLC content from Borderlands 2. And those of you hoping to experience Borderlands 2 VR on PC won’t have to wait long. Borderlands 2 VR is coming to PC in Fall 2019 and will include the base game and all its DLC in one glorious bundle.
Borderlands 3 launches on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on September 13.
