Top 30 Best Guns in Borderlands 3 For Every Vault Hunter

Welcome, fellow Vault Hunters! This blog post delves into the formidable arsenal of Borderlands 3, meticulously analyzing the top-tier weaponry that dominates the endgame.

Who doesn’t like guns in Borderlands 3? – Borderlands is such a game where every weapon you get feels unique, in fact there is about 2.7 million combinations of guns in Borderlands 3. But today we are here to only get the best of the best guns in Borderlands 3.

The insights about weapons and guns that I have presented here are derived from extensive gameplay experience and a thorough examination of community consensus, ensuring a comprehensive and reliable guide for maximizing combat effectiveness across all four Vault Hunters.

Whether, you are a beginner or a True Vault Hunter, you got to have eyes on these guns in Borderlands 3.

The Mayhem: The Crucible of Gear Performance

The true test of any weapon in Borderlands 3 arrives with Mayhem Mode, particularly at Mayhem 11. This difficulty setting is where things get real. The mode dramatically amplifies enemy health, shields, and armor, transforming ordinary encounters into intense battles of attrition.

Even killing a simple psycho can be a great deal of challenge, sometimes, feels like you are facing a boss. This is where you’ll need some True Borderlands 3 experience, wisdom and knowledge.

One thing I found in Mayhem 11 is that it is identical to Mayhem 10 in terms of enemy scaling and loot quality, yet it notably lacks the disruptive modifiers present in Mayhem 10.

This distinction positions Mayhem 11 as the optimal environment for endgame farming, as it allows players to focus purely on the raw power and synergy of their gear without contending with unpredictable environmental effects or enemy buffs. This consistency in challenge, coupled with top-tier loot availability, streamlines the process of perfecting a loadout.  

Beyond raw statistics, the efficacy of a weapon in Borderlands 3’s endgame is profoundly influenced by its anointment.

This is where Anointments come in and I farmed several bosses multiple times, just to get the right kind of anointment for my weapon in Borderlands 3.

Anointments are special bonuses that activate under specific conditions, such as after an Action Skill is used (ASE), while an Action Skill is active (ASA), or after hitting consecutive shots.

One thing to note is that at Mayhem Level 8 and above, legendary weapons are guaranteed to drop with anointments, a certainty that extends to Mayhem 10 and 11. A strategic advantage exists in the ability to re-roll anointments at Crazy Earl’s for a cost of Eridium, allowing for precise optimization of weapon performance.  

As a Vault Hunter, your understanding of anointment mechanics is extremely important for maximizing damage output: the multiplicative nature of different damage types. While stacking multiple sources of “gun damage” (e.g., from various skills) often results in diminishing returns, combining gun damage with other categories such as splash damage, elemental damage, or critical hit damage yields significantly greater overall impact.

This means that anointments providing unique damage categories (e.g., elemental damage on Action Skill End, or bonus splash damage) are often superior to those that simply add more generic weapon damage, as they create a compounding effect on total damage dealt. Therefore, to effectively optimize your gear, careful selection of anointments that introduce diverse damage multipliers, rather than merely accumulating additive bonuses is important.  

The concept of synergy underpins all high-level Borderlands 3 gameplay.

Ultimately, a weapon, no matter how powerful in isolation can only achieve its full potential when it harmoniously integrates into a comprehensive build that includes the Vault Hunter’s skills, class mod, artifact, and shield. Each component of a loadout should amplify the others, creating a cohesive and devastating combat system.

The Vault Hunters: Specialized Combat Profiles

Each of Borderlands 3’s four Vault Hunters possesses a distinct combat philosophy, dictating which weapons and synergies they leverage most effectively. Understanding these core principles is fundamental to assembling an optimal arsenal.

Amara, the Siren: Elemental Fury and Melee Prowess

Amara excels in elemental damage, often converting her weapon and action skill damage to various elements, and is also a formidable melee combatant. Her skill trees provide numerous bonuses to elemental damage, such as  

• Tempest, and utilities like Indiscriminate, which causes projectiles to ricochet to nearby enemies, spreading elemental effects across the battlefield. For survivability,  
• Sustainment offers lifesteal from all elemental damage dealt. Furthermore, Amara can spec into powerful melee builds, utilizing skills like  
• Personal Space and Illuminated Fist to amplify close-range damage.  

A key observation regarding Amara’s elemental capabilities is her capacity for extensive damage stacking. Her innate elemental buffs and ability to infuse different elements into her attacks mean she can apply multiple damage-over-time (DoT) effects simultaneously.

This allows her to capitalize on anointments that grant bonus elemental damage of different types on Action Skill End (ASE). For example, equipping a shock weapon, a shield with an incendiary ASE anointment, and a grenade with a corrosive ASE anointment enables her to apply three distinct elemental DoTs.

This multi-elemental application, particularly when combined with ricocheting projectiles or splash damage weapons, transforms her into an unparalleled room-clearing force, as each element can trigger its own damage calculation and synergize with her skills.  

Zane, the Operative: Speed, Duplication, and Cryo Control

Zane’s signature playstyle revolves around unparalleled mobility and the strategic deployment of his two action skills simultaneously. His core skill,  

Violent Momentum, directly scales his gun damage with his movement speed, creating a dynamic where constant motion directly translates into devastating offensive power. He is also a master of cryo damage, frequently freezing enemies to set up easy critical hits and control crowds.

His Digi-Clone, a holographic decoy, can be deployed to draw aggro or even mirror Zane’s currently equipped weapon, effectively doubling his damage output.  

The emphasis on movement speed in Zane’s kit creates a unique damage amplification loop. Skills such as Violent Speed and Death Follows Close further enhance his mobility and extend the duration of his powerful kill skills. This design means that maintaining high movement speed is not merely for evasion or positioning; it is an integral component of his damage formula.

Optimal Zane gameplay involves continuous motion, utilizing advanced movement techniques like slide-reloading to maintain offensive pressure while constantly increasing his weapon damage. This highly active playstyle rewards precise movement and tactical positioning, making him a challenging yet incredibly rewarding Vault Hunter to master.  

Moze, the Gunner: Explosions, Infinite Ammo, and Iron Bear Dominance

Moze is the undisputed queen of explosions and sustained firepower. Her  

Bottomless Mags skill tree provides unparalleled ammo regeneration, allowing her to fire even the most ammo-hungry weapons almost indefinitely. Key skills like  

Fire In The Skag Den and Short Fuse are central to her damage, applying massive, Mayhem-scaled splash damage that can clear entire rooms in seconds. Her Iron Bear mech serves as a powerful, deployable turret, capable of immense damage when properly specced, offering both offensive power and a crucial distraction for enemies.  

Moze’s design philosophy can be summarized as “more is more,” particularly concerning splash damage. Her ability to sustain fire with Bottomless Mags means that weapons with high pellet counts or inherent splash damage (such as Torgue sticky weapons or Maliwan charge weapons) gain exponential benefits from her skill tree.

The sheer volume of projectiles and continuous splash effects she can generate creates a chain reaction of explosions across the battlefield. This synergy not only makes her a premier crowd-clearing character but also renders previously “ammo-inefficient” weapons highly viable, as her regeneration negates their primary drawback.  

FL4K, the Beastmaster: Critical Hits and Pet Companionship

FL4K is the master of critical hits and precision damage. His signature skill,  

Megavore, grants a chance for all shots to score critical hits, regardless of where they strike an enemy, while his Fade Away action skill guarantees critical hits for a short duration, leading to immense burst damage. FL4K’s loyal pets provide invaluable utility, offering passive buffs, covering fire, and even the ability to revive him in a pinch. He naturally synergizes with Jakobs weapons, which reward critical hits with ricocheting projectiles and ammo regeneration.  

FL4K’s combat style is built around a multiplicative stacking of critical hit bonuses. The combination of Megavore and Fade Away ensures a consistently high rate of critical hits, which in turn activates numerous other damage-amplifying skills and anointments. Weapons with high pellet counts or inherent ricochet effects (like many Jakobs firearms) become exceptionally potent in his hands, as each projectile has a high probability of scoring a critical hit, leading to rapid ammo regeneration via  

Leave No Trace and cascading damage. This focus on critical damage makes FL4K an unparalleled boss killer, capable of melting even the toughest enemies in seconds.  

Top 30 Best Guns in Borderlands 3 For Every Vault Hunter

Now lets get to the real stuff which is the curated list of the top 30 Best legendary guns that consistently perform at the highest levels of Borderlands 3’s endgame, particularly on Mayhem 11. What you really want to aim for is a so called “God Roll” where A “god roll” for any of these weapons is not merely about the highest damage number on the item card; it encompasses the optimal combination of weapon parts and, crucially, the perfect anointment to synergize with a specific Vault Hunter’s build.

This is the main reason why, I do multiples runs against bosses to get the perfect roll.

Top 30 Best Guns in Borderlands 3 At a Glance (Overall Ranking)

Rank	Gun Name	Weapon Type	Manufacturer	Primary Elements	DLC Required	Overall Rating (1-5 stars)
1	Plasma Coil	SMG	Maliwan	Shock/Radiation	Yes	★★★★★
2	Free Radical	Pistol	Maliwan	Shock	Yes	★★★★★
3	Light Show	Pistol	Vladof	Any	Yes	★★★★★
4	Sand Hawk	Sniper Rifle	DAHL	Any	No	★★★★★
5	Hellwalker	Shotgun	Jakobs	Fire	No	★★★★★
6	Flipper	SMG	Maliwan	Any	Yes	★★★★★
7	The Monarch	Assault Rifle	Vladof	Any	No	★★★★★
8	Backburner	Launcher	Vladof	Any	No	★★★★★
9	Yellowcake	Launcher	COV	Radiation	Event	★★★★★
10	Anarchy	Shotgun	Tediore	Any	Yes	★★★★☆
11	Kaoson	SMG	DAHL	Any	No	★★★★☆
12	Maggie	Pistol	Jakobs	Non-elemental	No	★★★★☆
13	Face-Puncher	Shotgun	Hyperion	Non-elemental	No	★★★★☆
14	Redistributor	SMG	Hyperion	Any	No	★★★★☆
15	Projectile Recursion	Shotgun	Maliwan	Any	No	★★★★☆
16	The Lob	Shotgun	Torgue	Any	No	★★★★☆
17	Unkempt Harold	Pistol	Torgue	Any	Yes	★★★★☆
18	Multi-Tap	Pistol	Atlas	Any	No	★★★★☆
19	Tizzy	Assault Rifle	COV	Any	Yes	★★★★☆
20	Convergence	Shotgun	Hyperion	Any	Yes	★★★★☆
21	Torrent	SMG	DAHL	Any	Yes	★★★★☆
22	Atlas Replay	Pistol	Atlas	Any	Yes	★★★★☆
23	Beacon	Pistol	Maliwan	Any	Yes	★★★★☆
24	Kyb’s Worth	SMG	Maliwan	Any	No	★★★★☆
25	Boogeyman	Sniper Rifle	Vladof	Any	Yes	★★★★☆
26	Needle Gun	SMG	Tediore	Any	Event	★★★★☆
27	OPQ System	Assault Rifle	Atlas	Non-elemental	Event	★★★★☆
28	Soulrender	Assault Rifle	DAHL	Any	Yes	★★★★☆
29	Rowan’s Call	Assault Rifle	Jakobs	Fire/Shock/Rad	No	★★★★☆
30	Reflux	Shotgun	Hyperion	Corrosive	No	★★★★☆

1. Plasma Coil – Maliwan SMG

The Plasma Coil stands as a titan among Borderlands 3 weaponry, frequently cited as one of the most potent firearms in the game. Its still one of my favourite guns in Borderlands 3 when I am out of good weapons to choose from.

Its so potent that, even a normal Plasma Coil, not dropped in Mayhem 11 is good against Mayhem mode enemies. If you get the Mayhem 10 version, its just melts everyone!

Its core strength lies in its ability to unleash a rapid 16-bullet burst of shock and radiation orbs that inflict substantial splash damage. This combination of high fire rate and dual elemental splash damage makes it an unparalleled tool for clearing large groups of enemies, often described as “melting” everything in its path. While some discussions suggest it may be less optimal for single-target bossing compared to its mobbing prowess , its sheer raw power often transcends such distinctions, allowing it to decimate even raid bosses.  

To get the Plasma Coil SMG, you must go to the Arms Race game mode, part of the Designer’s Cut DLC. Dedicated farming efforts should target Heavyweight Harker or Madwidth Power within the Stormblind Complex, where it has a chance to drop.  

For optimal performance, the Plasma Coil benefits immensely from the “Consecutive Hits” anointment, which continuously increases weapon damage with sustained fire. Another highly effective anointment is “150% bonus radiation damage while under 50% health,” often referred to as “Urad,” particularly when paired with a Deathless artifact or a Front Loader shield to maintain low health.

For Zane, the “SNTNL active 100% cryo damage” anointment transforms this weapon into an even more devastating tool.  

Vault Hunter Synergy:

• Amara: The Plasma Coil’s inherent shock and radiation elements align perfectly with Amara’s elemental damage amplification skills. Anointments such as “250% weapon damage after Phasecast” or “300% weapon damage after Phaseslam” further enhance its destructive potential, allowing her to capitalize on its high splash damage.  
• Zane: This weapon is considered by many to be Zane’s signature and most powerful gun. When fired through his Barrier, every shot becomes “amped,” triggering continuous chain lightning effects that obliterate crowds. Its rapid fire rate also synergizes exceptionally well with his “Violent Momentum” skill, converting his high movement speed into substantial damage bonuses.  
• Moze: The Plasma Coil is a phenomenal choice for Moze. Her splash damage skills, such as “Fire in the Skag Den” and “Short Fuse,” combined with her “Bottomless Mags” for infinite ammunition, transform this SMG into a relentless, screen-clearing laser.  
• FL4K: While other Vault Hunters might leverage its elemental synergies more overtly, FL4K’s critical hit bonuses, particularly from “Megavore,” still make the Plasma Coil a very strong and reliable damage dealer.  

2. Free Radical – Maliwan Pistol

The Free Radical is a formidable Maliwan pistol, frequently entering discussions as a potential rival to even the Plasma Coil in terms of raw power. This shock-element weapon distinguishes itself by firing energy orbs that, upon hitting a target, spawn additional homing bullets that relentlessly pursue the initially struck enemy.

This unique effect contributes to its exceptionally high damage output, making it highly effective for stripping enemy shields and decimating groups of foes. Its overwhelming power has led some to describe it as a “power creep” weapon, indicating its superior performance compared to many other firearms.

The first time I used it, I got hooked and also quickly ran out of ammo. Its an extremely powerful gun being just a pistol.

This pistol is an exclusive drop from the Director’s Cut DLC. Players seeking to farm the Free Radical should target Beef Plissken in Karass Canyon, who offers a respectable 30% drop rate for the weapon.  

For optimal performance, the “Consecutive Hits” anointment is a universally strong choice, as it continuously increases damage with sustained fire.

Strongest Free Radical I've seen so far
byu/jvnmp inborderlands3

For Zane, “ASE splash” (if applicable to the weapon’s splash damage) or “Next Two Mags” with an elemental bonus are highly recommended, as these provide multiplicative damage increases that scale exceptionally well with his kit.

For Amara, anointments that boost weapon damage after using her action skills, such as “250% weapon damage after Phasecast” or “300% weapon damage after Phaseslam,” are ideal for maximizing its impact.  

Vault Hunter Synergy:

• Amara: The Free Radical pairs exceptionally well with Amara due to her elemental damage amplification and action skill anointments. Her ability to spread elemental effects further enhances the weapon’s inherent shock damage.  
• Zane: This pistol is a top-tier choice for Zane, particularly in clone-focused builds. Its high fire rate and consistent damage synergize perfectly with his “Violent Momentum” skill and “SNTNL Cryo” anointments. The homing projectiles also reduce the need for precise aiming, allowing Zane to maintain his high-speed movement.  
• Moze: While not her absolute best due to its primary focus on shock rather than explosive splash, the Free Radical remains a very strong option for Moze due to its raw power. The “Urad” anointment, when combined with a low-health build, can significantly amplify its radiation damage output.  
• FL4K: The Free Radical serves as a great universal damage option for FL4K. It benefits significantly from “Consecutive Hits” anointments, and can also be effectively paired with “Fade Away 150% weapon damage” for burst damage against bosses.  

3. Light Show – Vladof Pistol

The Light Show is a highly regarded Vladof pistol, celebrated for its unique firing pattern and exceptional versatility. It discharges four bullets in a distinctive square formation, which then rotates clockwise during sustained fire. This weapon boasts a high fire rate and remarkably low ammo consumption, making it an incredibly efficient tool for shredding through enemies. Its balanced attributes allow it to excel in both mobbing scenarios and single-target boss encounters, positioning it as a true all-rounder in any Vault Hunter’s arsenal.  

This potent pistol is found within the Bounty of Blood DLC, with the Lasodactyl in Obsidian Forest being its dedicated drop source. The Lasodactyl offers a generous 33% drop rate, making the Light Show a relatively accessible top-tier weapon.  

For anointments, “Consecutive Hits” is a prime choice, as its rapid fire rate quickly builds and maintains maximum damage stacks.

Probably the best Light Show I’ve gotten at this point
byu/PosteriorPound inborderlands3

For Zane, “clone active ammo regen” or “SNTNL active cryo” are particularly effective, ensuring sustained fire and amplified elemental damage. Moze players will find “Consecutive Hits” or “Kill Stack” anointments highly beneficial, capitalizing on her ability to maintain continuous fire.  

Vault Hunter Synergy:

• Amara: The Light Show integrates seamlessly into Amara’s elemental builds. Its multi-projectile nature and elemental variants allow her to spread elemental effects rapidly, and it benefits greatly from “Action Skill Start” or “Action Skill End” anointments that boost elemental damage.  
• Zane: This weapon is an exceptional fit for Zane. Its high fire rate synergizes powerfully with his “Violent Momentum” skill, converting his speed into immense gun damage. When combined with his Digi-Clone, the Light Show’s damage output is effectively doubled, making it a cornerstone of many top-tier Zane builds.  
• Moze: The Light Show is highly effective on Moze, primarily due to her “Bottomless Mags” skill tree. This allows her to maintain continuous fire, maximizing the weapon’s multi-projectile damage without worrying about ammunition consumption.  
• FL4K: The Light Show is a strong choice for FL4K, particularly for critical hit-focused builds. Its numerous projectiles increase the chances of triggering “Megavore” and “Leave No Trace,” leading to consistent critical damage and ammo regeneration. It excels when paired with “Fade Away” for guaranteed critical hits.  

4. Sand Hawk – DAHL Sniper Rifle

The Sand Hawk, a beloved classic from Borderlands 2, makes a triumphant return in Borderlands 3, maintaining its status as a top-tier weapon. This DAHL sniper rifle distinguishes itself by firing seven slow-moving projectiles in a distinctive bird-like pattern, with each projectile inflicting splash damage corresponding to the weapon’s element. Despite being classified as a sniper rifle, its high fire rate and multi-projectile nature often make it feel more akin to an assault rifle, providing a versatile option for various combat ranges. It is particularly renowned as a “boss-melting machine” when paired with the correct anointments and build synergies.  

The Sand Hawk is a base game weapon, but its dedicated drops are typically found on Mayhem 6 or higher difficulty levels. The most efficient farming location is Katagawa Jr. in Atlas HQ, who offers a 16.5% drop rate for the weapon.  

For anointments, options like “Kickcharger” or “Tizzy” are mentioned as powerful choices for bossing scenarios. For Zane’s Digi-Clone, the “clone active ammo regen” anointment is exceptionally beneficial, allowing the clone to fire the Sand Hawk indefinitely without consuming Zane’s ammunition.

For FL4K, the “150% weapon damage while Fade Away is active” anointment significantly amplifies its burst damage capabilities.  

Vault Hunter Synergy:

• Amara: The Sand Hawk can be effectively utilized by Amara, especially when paired with her elemental damage boosts and action skill anointments like “250% weapon damage after Phasecast” or “300% weapon damage after Phaseslam”. Its splash damage further benefits from her elemental synergies.  
• Zane: The Sand Hawk truly excels in Zane’s hands, particularly when equipped by his Digi-Clone. The clone’s ability to fire the weapon without consuming Zane’s ammo negates the Sand Hawk’s relatively high ammunition consumption, making it an incredibly potent and sustainable damage source for the Operative.  
• Moze: This weapon is an excellent choice for Moze due to its inherent splash damage and her unparalleled ammo regeneration capabilities. Her “Bottomless Mags” skills ensure that the Sand Hawk can be fired continuously, maximizing its damage output against both mobs and bosses.  
• FL4K: The Sand Hawk is a very strong option for FL4K, especially within critical hit-focused builds. Each of its seven projectiles has the potential to score a critical hit, synergizing powerfully with “Megavore” and “Fade Away” to deliver immense burst damage and enable rapid ammo regeneration through “Leave No Trace”.  

5. Hellwalker – Jakobs Shotgun

The Hellwalker is an iconic Jakobs shotgun, instantly recognizable for its clear homage to the Doom franchise, and it delivers a satisfyingly powerful punch. This weapon is unique in its fixed properties: it always fires 10 pellets in a distinctive pentagram pattern, always comes with the “Speedloadin'” prefix for exceptionally fast reloads, and is locked to the fire element.

Despite being fire-locked, its raw damage output is so substantial that it often remains highly effective against various enemy types, even those not weak to fire. A significant 317% damage buff after its initial launch cemented its status as a fan favorite and a consistently strong weapon in the game. While some community discussions debate its absolute top-tier standing on Mayhem 11 compared to other specialized weapons , its reliability and sheer impact make it a valuable addition to many loadouts.  

The Hellwalker is a base game weapon, with its dedicated drop source being Road Dog in The Splinterlands, who has a 10% chance to drop it. It is also available as a world drop.  

For anointments, “Kill Stack” (which grants +13% weapon damage and reload speed per kill, stacking up to 10 times) is an excellent choice for mobbing, providing consistent damage and faster reloads. “Consecutive Hits” also serves as a strong all-around anointment due to the weapon’s multi-pellet nature.

For Amara, leveraging “Infusion” to add a secondary element to the Hellwalker’s fire damage, combined with “reload stack” anointments, can significantly boost its effectiveness.  

Vault Hunter Synergy:

• Amara: The Hellwalker can be highly effective with Amara, especially when utilizing “Infusion” to convert a portion of its damage to another element, thus exploiting elemental weaknesses. Her “Personal Space” skill further amplifies its close-range damage, making it a potent shotgun for her.  
• Zane: Despite some differing opinions on its absolute top-tier status for Zane, the Hellwalker remains a very strong option. It benefits from his general gun damage and reload speed buffs, and its high base damage ensures consistent performance.  
• Moze: While the Hellwalker does not inherently deal splash damage, which is Moze’s primary focus, its raw power makes it viable. Her ammo regeneration capabilities can help mitigate its small magazine size, allowing for more consistent damage output.  
• FL4K: The Hellwalker truly shines on FL4K. Its 10 pellets per shot, combined with FL4K’s critical hit skills like “Megavore” (allowing all pellets to crit) and “Fade Away” (guaranteeing critical hits), result in an incredibly high damage output. This makes it one of the most effective shotguns for the Beastmaster.  

6. Flipper – Maliwan SMG

The Flipper is a formidable Maliwan SMG, widely recognized for its exceptional mobbing capabilities. Its unique ability allows sustained fire to progressively increase the number of projectiles fired, starting from one and culminating in a devastating nine bullets per shot. Crucially, all these projectiles inflict elemental splash damage, transforming the Flipper into an efficient room-clearing device capable of tearing through large groups of enemies with ease.  

This powerful SMG is a dedicated drop from the Bounty of Blood DLC. Players can acquire it by defeating Minosaur in Bloodsun Canyon, who has a 33% chance to drop the weapon, or by challenging Arbalest of Discipline, who offers a higher 50% drop rate in the Trial of Discipline.  

For anointments, “Consecutive Hits” is the paramount choice, as the Flipper’s increasing projectile count rapidly builds and maintains maximum damage stacks, leading to continuous high damage output.

For FL4K, the “On Action Skill End: Next Two Mags” anointment is also a highly effective option, providing a significant damage boost after his action skill concludes. Moze players will find “Urad” (150% bonus radiation damage while under 50% health) particularly potent, especially when integrated into low-health builds, as it synergizes with the weapon’s inherent splash damage.  

Vault Hunter Synergy:

• Amara: The Flipper is an excellent weapon for Amara, leveraging her elemental and splash damage amplification skills. Its multi-projectile nature allows her to spread elemental effects rapidly across groups of enemies, and it benefits greatly from her action skill anointments.  
• Zane: This SMG is a very strong choice for Zane, particularly in builds that emphasize his high fire rate and movement speed. Its increasing projectile count benefits from his “Violent Momentum” skill, and it can be effectively paired with “SNTNL Cryo” anointments for amplified elemental damage.  
• Moze: The Flipper is considered one of Moze’s absolute best weapons. Its elemental splash damage combined with her “Bottomless Mags” skill tree allows her to maintain maximum projectile count indefinitely, turning her into an unstoppable force for mobbing and even bossing.  
• FL4K: The Flipper is a solid option for FL4K. Its increasing projectile count synergizes well with “Consecutive Hits” and can help to rapidly proc “Leave No Trace” for ammo regeneration, especially within critical hit-focused builds.  

7. The Monarch – Vladof Assault Rifle

The Monarch is a highly sought-after Vladof assault rifle, renowned for its exceptional damage output and unique firing modes. It fires either 4 or 8 bullets in a distinctive crown pattern. When aiming down sights, the weapon activates “Bipod Mode,” which doubles the projectile count (to 8 or 16) and significantly reduces recoil, though it does impose a movement speed penalty.

This weapon is a standout for its raw damage potential and extremely satisfyingly melting mobs and bosses, making it a premier choice for both melting bosses and efficiently clearing large groups of enemies, provided its high ammunition consumption can be managed.  

The Monarch is a base game weapon, with its primary dedicated drop source being Killavolt in Lectra City, but only on Mayhem Level 6 or higher, where he has a 16.5% chance to drop it. It can also be acquired from Sera of Supremacy with a high 50% drop rate in the True Trial of Supremacy, and from Anathema and Scourge in Minos Prime.  

For anointments, “Consecutive Hits” is widely considered the best choice, as its high fire rate and multiple projectiles rapidly build and maintain maximum damage stacks.

For FL4K, the “150% weapon damage while Fade Away is active” anointment is also exceptionally potent, amplifying his burst damage during his action skill. Moze players will benefit greatly from “Consecutive Hits” or the “160% splash damage after exiting Iron Bear” anointment, which synergizes with her splash damage buffs.  

Vault Hunter Synergy:

• Amara: The Monarch is a very strong option for Amara due to its high pellet count and availability in various elemental types. It benefits significantly from “Consecutive Hits” and her action skill anointments like “250% weapon damage after Phasecast” or “300% weapon damage after Phaseslam”.  
• Zane: This weapon truly excels when wielded by Zane’s Digi-Clone. The clone does not suffer the movement speed penalty in Bipod Mode, allowing it to continuously fire the doubled projectiles at full power while Zane maintains his high mobility. This makes the Monarch an incredibly effective tool for Zane’s clone builds.  
• Moze: The Monarch is a top-tier weapon for Moze. While it does not inherently deal splash damage, her “Bottomless Mags” skill tree completely negates its high ammunition consumption, transforming it into a sustained damage powerhouse. This allows her to continuously unleash a torrent of bullets, making it highly effective for both mobbing and bossing.  
• FL4K: The Monarch is one of FL4K’s absolute best weapons. Its high pellet count synergizes perfectly with “Megavore” and “Fade Away,” leading to immense critical hit damage and rapid ammo regeneration through “Leave No Trace”.  

8. Backburner – Vladof Launcher

The Backburner is a highly effective Vladof rocket launcher, widely regarded as a “world eater” for its mobbing capabilities. Its unique ability involves firing an energy orb that, upon impact, explodes to create a singularity and releases five smaller orbs, all dealing elemental splash damage. This cascading explosion effect makes it exceptionally efficient at clearing large groups of enemies, and it is a popular choice for rapidly farming bosses due to its high burst damage.  

This powerful launcher is a base game weapon. Its dedicated drop sources include Agonizer 9000 (with a 6.9% drop rate on Mayhem 6+), Tyrant of Instinct (offering a high 50% drop rate in the True Trial of Instinct), and Anathema and Scourge in Minos Prime (each with a 2.44% drop rate on Mayhem 6+).  

For anointments, the “160% splash damage after action skill end” (for 18 seconds) is particularly potent for Moze, synergizing with her explosive damage bonuses. The “300% increased weapon damage against enemies over 90% health” (300/90) is also a reliable choice for launchers, providing significant initial burst damage.  

Vault Hunter Synergy:

• Amara: The Backburner excels with Amara due to her elemental and splash damage amplification skills. Anointments like “Consecutive Hits” or “200% splash damage after action skill end” further enhance its destructive potential, allowing her to clear rooms and damage bosses effectively.  
• Zane: The Backburner is a strong option for Zane, especially when wielded by his Digi-Clone. The clone can effectively utilize its splash damage to clear mobs, and Zane’s ability to maintain buffs ensures consistent performance.  
• Moze: This weapon is a quintessential choice for Moze. Her extensive splash damage buffs (“Fire in the Skag Den,” “Short Fuse”) and her unparalleled ammo regeneration from “Bottomless Mags” transform the Backburner into an utterly devastating tool for both mobbing and bossing, creating continuous explosions across the battlefield.  
• FL4K: The Backburner can be used effectively by FL4K, particularly within “Gamma Burst” builds. When paired with the “Red Fang” class mod, FL4K’s pet draws all aggro, allowing FL4K to safely unleash the Backburner’s explosive power. The “Gamma Burst active 115% radiation damage” anointment further amplifies its elemental damage.  

9. Yellowcake – COV Launcher

The Yellowcake is a COV launcher that delivers pure, unadulterated explosive chaos, earning its reputation as one of the strongest weapons in the game. Its unique firing mechanism launches an arcing orb that, at specific distances, duplicates and explodes multiple times, dealing massive radiation splash damage. This cascading series of explosions provides unparalleled room-clearing potential, making it a top-tier choice for overwhelming large groups of enemies.  

This potent launcher is exclusive to the “Revenge of the Cartels” event, which was added to the base game on June 24, 2021, and can be activated from the main menu. To efficiently farm the Yellowcake, players should focus on Joey Ultraviolet and his mini-bosses (FISH SLAPP and Tyrone Smallums) in Villa Ultraviolet, as they are the dedicated drop sources.  

For anointments, the “300% increased weapon damage against enemies over 90% health” (300/90) is highly effective for delivering massive initial burst damage, especially against tougher enemies or bosses. For Moze, the “160% splash damage after exiting Iron Bear” anointment is also a top-tier choice, synergizing perfectly with her explosive damage bonuses.  

Vault Hunter Synergy:

• Amara: The Yellowcake integrates well with Amara’s elemental and splash damage synergies. Her skills can further amplify its already massive radiation splash, making her an even more potent force for crowd control.  
• Zane: While not his primary weapon type, the Yellowcake can be used effectively by Zane, particularly when wielded by his Digi-Clone. The clone can leverage its massive splash damage to clear mobs, and Zane’s mobility can help him position for optimal shots.  
• Moze: The Yellowcake is an exceptional weapon for Moze, creating a truly devastating combination. Her extensive splash damage buffs (“Fire in the Skag Den,” “Short Fuse”) and her unparalleled ammo regeneration from “Bottomless Mags” transform this launcher into a literal nuclear bomb, capable of obliterating entire areas with continuous explosions.  
• FL4K: The Yellowcake can be effectively used by FL4K, especially within “Gamma Burst” builds, which further amplify its inherent radiation damage. This allows FL4K to contribute significant area-of-effect damage, particularly when his pet draws aggro.  

10. Anarchy – Tediore Shotgun

The Anarchy is a unique Tediore shotgun that rewards aggressive play and strategic reloads. Its signature mechanic involves gaining a substantial damage bonus with each kill or reload, stacking up to ten times, which can lead to immense damage output. Furthermore, its projectiles inherently ricochet, making it a surprisingly effective tool for crowd control.

The defining characteristic of Tediore weapons is their reload function, which transforms the weapon into a thrown explosive, and the Anarchy’s reload explosion can be particularly devastating. While its unique reload style can be initially jarring, mastering it unlocks significant power.  

This shotgun is exclusive to the Guns, Love, and Tentacles DLC. Its dedicated drop source is Kukuwajack in Negul Neshai, offering a 12.5% chance to acquire it.  

For anointments, “Consecutive Hits” is highly effective for maintaining its damage stacks through continuous fire.

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For Amara, anointments like “250% weapon damage after Phasecast” or “300% weapon damage after Phaseslam” are strong choices, amplifying both the weapon’s direct damage and its reload explosion. For Zane, the “While Terrified, gain ammo regeneration” anointment can be a game-changer, allowing him to bypass reloads and continuously build Anarchy stacks, making it truly top-tier.  

Vault Hunter Synergy:

• Amara: The Anarchy is an excellent fit for Amara, benefiting from her elemental damage and splash buffs. Its reload explosion gains significant power from her skills, and “Personal Space” further enhances its close-range effectiveness. The ability to combine its damage with other elemental anointments on her shield and grenade can lead to cascading elemental damage.  
• Zane: The Anarchy can be incredibly powerful for Zane, particularly when paired with “Terror ammo regen” anointments. This combination allows him to avoid traditional reloads, maintaining high Anarchy stacks and continuously firing. His Barrier can also make every shot “amped,” further increasing its chaining potential.  
• Moze: Moze’s “Bottomless Mags” skill tree allows her to sustain continuous fire, rapidly building Anarchy stacks. Her splash damage buffs make the weapon’s reload explosions exceptionally devastating, turning her into a close-range demolition expert.  
• FL4K: While other shotguns might be more universally recommended for FL4K, the Anarchy can still be effective, especially when building around its unique stacking mechanics and ricochet properties.  

11. Kaoson – Dahl SMG

The Kaoson is a highly effective Dahl SMG, known for its unique sticky projectile mechanic and impressive versatility. It fires sticky bullets that adhere to targets and then explode after a short delay, dealing elemental splash damage. This weapon boasts high accuracy and offers multiple firing modes, allowing players to adapt to various combat situations. A significant 40% weapon damage buff solidified its position as one of the premier SMGs in Borderlands 3, making it a strong contender for both mobbing and bossing.

The Kaoson is a base game weapon, but its dedicated drops are exclusive to Mayhem 6 or higher difficulty levels. Players should target Captain Traunt on Athenas, who has a 16.5% chance to drop the weapon. It can also be acquired from Arbalest of Discipline with a 50% drop rate in the True Trial of Discipline.  

For anointments, “Consecutive Hits” is an excellent choice, as the weapon’s rapid fire and sticky explosions quickly build and maintain damage stacks.

For Amara, “250% weapon damage after Phasecast” or “300% weapon damage after Phaseslam” are highly effective, amplifying both the initial hit and the sticky explosions. Moze players will find great synergy with the “Mindsweeper” class mod and “Short Fuse” skill, which further enhance its sticky splash damage.  

Vault Hunter Synergy:

• Amara: The Kaoson is very strong with Amara’s elemental and splash damage builds. Its sticky projectiles and subsequent explosions benefit significantly from her various buffs, allowing her to clear rooms and deal substantial boss damage.  
• Zane: The Kaoson is a top-tier SMG for Zane. Its high fire rate and sticky splash damage synergize effectively with his “Violent Momentum” skill and “SNTNL Cryo” anointments, making him a highly mobile and destructive force.  
• Moze: The Kaoson is exceptionally powerful on Moze, particularly when combined with the “Mindsweeper” class mod and “Short Fuse” skill. Her splash damage buffs amplify its sticky explosions, and her “Bottomless Mags” ensures continuous fire, making it a devastating weapon.  
• FL4K: The Kaoson serves as a good universal option for FL4K, benefiting from his critical hit skills and providing reliable damage output.

12. Maggie – Jakobs Pistol

The Maggie is a quintessential Jakobs pistol that defies its pistol classification by performing more like a rapid-fire shotgun at close to medium range. It unleashes a spread of six projectiles per shot, delivering massive damage output and boasting increased critical hit damage, making it a staple for players who appreciate raw power and satisfying critical hits. Its distinctive feel and consistent performance have solidified its place as a fan favorite.  

This powerful pistol is a base game weapon. Its dedicated drop sources include Turnkey Tim in Floodmoor Basin, who has a 15% chance to drop it, and Hag of Fervor, offering a high 50% drop rate in the True Trial of Fervor. The Maggie is also available as a world drop.  

For anointments, “Consecutive Hits” is an excellent choice, as the weapon’s multi-projectile nature quickly builds and maintains damage stacks. For FL4K, “100% weapon damage after action skill end” or “200% weapon damage while action skill is active” are strong options, amplifying his damage during or after his action skills. For Moze, “Consecutive Hits” or “Kill Stack” anointments are ideal, capitalizing on her ability to sustain fire and benefit from kill-based bonuses.  

Vault Hunter Synergy:

• Amara: The Maggie is a strong weapon for Amara, particularly for close-range engagements. It benefits from her elemental and gun damage buffs, and her “Personal Space” skill further enhances its effectiveness at close quarters.  
• Zane: The Maggie is a great universal weapon for Zane. It benefits significantly from his gun damage buffs and critical hit synergy, making it a reliable choice for his fast-paced playstyle.  
• Moze: While the Maggie does not inherently deal splash damage, which is Moze’s primary focus, its high damage per shot makes it highly effective. Her “Bottomless Mags” skill tree ensures that she can continuously fire the weapon, negating its relatively small magazine size and allowing her to maintain consistent pressure on enemies.  
• FL4K: The Maggie is a top-tier weapon for FL4K. Its high pellet count and Jakobs ricochet effect synergize perfectly with “Megavore” and “Fade Away,” leading to massive critical hit damage and rapid ammo regeneration. This makes it an incredibly potent and satisfying weapon for the Beastmaster.  

13. Face-Puncher – Hyperion Shotgun

The Face-Puncher is an exceptionally unique Hyperion shotgun that stands apart from other firearms due to a critical mechanic: its damage is considered melee damage, not shotgun damage, and it inherently cannot score critical hits. This distinctive property unlocks a wide array of powerful melee-focused builds for characters like Amara and FL4K, allowing them to leverage melee-specific skills and anointments through ranged attacks. It is particularly effective for consistently activating melee-based effects and bonuses.  

This shotgun is a base game weapon, with its dedicated drop source being Muldock the Anointed in Floodmoor Basin, who has a 15% chance to drop it. It is also available as a world drop.  

For anointments, “100% melee damage after action skill end” is generally considered the optimal choice, directly amplifying its unique damage type. For Amara, the “300% increased weapon damage against enemies over 90% health” (300/90) can also be highly effective, especially for initial bursts against tougher targets. For FL4K, both “ASE melee damage” and “Consecutive Hits” can be strong depending on the build focus.  

Vault Hunter Synergy:

• Amara: The Face-Puncher is often regarded as Amara’s signature weapon for melee builds. It synergizes incredibly well with her melee-focused skills (e.g., “Illuminated Fist,” “Personal Space,” and the entire “Brawl” skill tree) and elemental infusions, allowing her to deal massive melee damage from a distance.  
• Zane: While not a primary damage tool for Zane, the Face-Puncher can be strategically used to proc melee-based shield effects, such as the “Stinger” nova shield, providing utility and additional area-of-effect damage.  
• Moze: The Face-Puncher is generally not an ideal weapon for Moze, as its damage is classified as melee rather than gun or splash damage, preventing it from benefiting from the majority of her damage-amplifying skills.
• FL4K: The Face-Puncher is exceptionally powerful on FL4K. It synergizes with “Dominance” to convert enemies into allies, and when combined with the “White Elephant” artifact, its hits can spawn sticky grenades that can crit, leading to massive damage chains. This unique interaction makes it a highly entertaining and effective weapon for FL4K.  

14. Redistributor – Hyperion SMG

The Redistributor is a highly versatile Hyperion SMG, celebrated for its exceptional crowd-control capabilities and consistent damage output. Its unique effect causes every seventh shot to be “amped,” dealing bonus damage and chaining elemental damage to nearby enemies. The true power of this weapon is unlocked when paired with Zane’s Barrier, which causes every shot fired through it to be amped, transforming him into an unparalleled mob-clearing machine that unleashes a continuous torrent of chain lightning.  

This powerful SMG is a base game weapon, with its dedicated drop source being Wotan the Invincible in the Maliwan Takedown.  

For anointments, the “SNTNL active 100% cryo damage” is a top-tier choice for Zane, significantly amplifying his elemental damage. For Amara, “Consecutive Hits” or “Next Two Mags” with an elemental bonus are highly effective, providing consistent damage and elemental coverage.  

Vault Hunter Synergy:

• Amara: The Redistributor is an excellent weapon for Amara’s elemental builds. When combined with “Ties That Bind,” its chaining effect can spread damage across linked enemies, and “Indiscriminate” further enhances its ricocheting projectiles, making her highly effective at crowd control.  
• Zane: The Redistributor is arguably Zane’s most iconic and effective weapon. His “Barrier” action skill transforms every shot into an amped, chaining projectile, creating a devastating chain lightning effect that obliterates entire groups of enemies in seconds. This synergy makes Zane an unstoppable force for mobbing.  
• Moze: While not her primary weapon type, the Redistributor can still be effective for Moze, especially with “Bottomless Mags” to sustain fire and benefit from its chaining effect. However, other splash damage weapons might offer stronger synergies for her.  
• FL4K: The Redistributor is a good universal option for FL4K. It can be particularly effective when paired with “Guerrillas in the Mist,” as the guaranteed critical hits can further amplify its chaining damage.  

15. Projectile Recursion – Maliwan Shotgun

The Projectile Recursion is a Maliwan shotgun renowned for its exceptional crowd-control capabilities and ability to generate cascading damage. Its unique effect causes its fired particle beam to ricochet to secondary targets after hitting the initial mark, creating distinct and powerful chaining perks. This makes it an outstanding choice for clearing large groups of enemies, especially in the high-density environments of Mayhem 10 and 11, and it serves as a potent “finisher” in intense skirmishes. The more enemies present, the more chaotic and devastating its damage output becomes.  

This powerful shotgun is a base game weapon. Its dedicated drop source is General Traunt in Desolation’s Edge, Nekrotafeyo. General Traunt offers a 30% chance to drop the Projectile Recursion.  

For anointments, elemental “Action Skill End” (ASE) anointments are absolutely crucial for this weapon. These anointments create additional projectiles that also bounce, leading to an exponential increase in damage and screen-wide chaos. An anointment granting “15% health steal on action skill end” is also highly beneficial for survivability.  

Vault Hunter Synergy:

• Amara: The Projectile Recursion is widely considered Amara’s signature weapon. Her elemental skills (such as “Tempest” and “Infusion”), combined with the “Spiritual Driver” class mod, transform this shotgun into a room-clearing and boss-melting spectacle. The multiplicative stacking of elemental damage and ricochets creates unparalleled damage potential.  
• Zane: The Projectile Recursion can be used effectively by Zane, especially with “SNTNL Cryo” anointments and builds that emphasize elemental damage. Its chaining capabilities can contribute to his mobbing prowess.  
• Moze: While the Projectile Recursion’s splash damage does not directly trigger Moze’s “Means of Destruction” skill , its raw power and chaining capabilities can still be effective, especially when combined with her ammo regeneration to offset its high consumption.  
• FL4K: While the Projectile Recursion is a strong weapon, its primary strength lies in elemental chaining, which Amara often leverages more effectively. However, FL4K can still use it as a powerful crowd-control tool.

16. The Lob – Torgue Shotgun

The Lob has undergone a remarkable transformation in Borderlands 3. Initially considered a niche or even underwhelming weapon, a significant post-launch buff propelled it into the ranks of top-tier shotguns. Its unique ability involves firing a slow-moving energy orb that passes through enemies, continuously dealing weapon element damage, and then explodes on impact for substantial splash damage. This makes it an incredibly effective tool for mobbing, as the orb can pierce through multiple targets, and it can be surprisingly potent against bosses if players can maintain the orb’s contact with the target.  

This powerful shotgun is a base game weapon. Its primary dedicated drop sources include Graveward in The Floating Tomb, who has a 10% chance to drop it, and Skag of Survival, offering a high 50% drop rate in the Trial of Survival. The Lob is also available as a world drop.  

For anointments, “Consecutive Hits” is an excellent choice, as the orb’s continuous damage ticks rapidly build and maintain maximum damage stacks. For FL4K, the “150% weapon damage while Fade Away is active” anointment can significantly amplify its burst damage during his action skill.  

Vault Hunter Synergy:

• Amara: The Lob is very strong on Amara, benefiting greatly from her elemental and splash damage buffs. Its piercing projectiles and explosive impact synergize well with her crowd-control capabilities.  
• Zane: The Lob can be used effectively by Zane, particularly when wielded by his Digi-Clone. The clone can leverage its continuous damage and splash effect to clear mobs, and Zane’s mobility allows for optimal positioning.  
• Moze: The Lob is a top-tier weapon for Moze due to its inherent splash damage and her unparalleled ammo regeneration. Her “Bottomless Mags” ensures continuous firing of the slow-moving orb, maximizing its damage potential.  
• FL4K: The Lob is surprisingly effective on FL4K. The orb’s continuous damage ticks can rapidly build “Consecutive Hits” stacks, and it synergizes well with “Fade Away” for burst damage. Its unique playstyle offers a refreshing alternative for the Beastmaster.  

17. Unkempt Harold – Torgue Pistol

The Unkempt Harold is another iconic weapon making a powerful return from Borderlands 2, and it remains a highly effective and explosive choice in Borderlands 3. This Torgue pistol fires three Gyrojets that then split into a row of seven, with all projectiles dealing elemental splash damage upon impact. This multi-projectile, explosive nature makes it a pure damage powerhouse, particularly devastating for close-range mobbing.  

This powerful pistol is found within the Bounty of Blood DLC. Its dedicated drop source is Caber Dowd in Bloodsun Canyon, who offers a 33% chance to drop the weapon.  

For anointments, “Consecutive Hits” is an excellent choice due to the weapon’s multi-projectile nature, which rapidly builds and maintains damage stacks. The “300% increased weapon damage against enemies over 90% health” (300/90) can also be a strong option for delivering significant initial burst damage against tougher targets. For Moze, “Kill Stack” or “Consecutive Hits” anointments are ideal, capitalizing on her ability to sustain fire and benefit from kill-based bonuses.  

Vault Hunter Synergy:

• Amara: The Unkempt Harold is very strong with Amara’s elemental and splash damage buffs. Its explosive projectiles synergize well with her crowd-control abilities and elemental infusions, making her highly effective at clearing groups.  
• Zane: The Unkempt Harold serves as a great universal weapon for Zane. It benefits from his general gun damage and movement speed buffs, and its raw power ensures consistent performance across various engagements.  
• Moze: The Unkempt Harold is an absolute monster in Moze’s hands. Its inherent splash damage, combined with her unparalleled ammo regeneration from “Bottomless Mags,” allows her to continuously unleash its explosive power, making it a top-tier choice for both mobbing and bossing.  
• FL4K: The Unkempt Harold can be effective for FL4K, particularly when paired with “Consecutive Hits” or “Fade Away” for burst damage. Its multi-projectile nature also increases the chances of triggering his critical hit-based skills.  

18. Multi-Tap – Atlas Pistol

The Multi-Tap is a reliable Atlas pistol that offers a unique blend of automatic fire and target-tracking capabilities. It operates as a fully automatic weapon, firing two bullets for the cost of one, which contributes to its efficient damage output. Its alternate fire mode is particularly noteworthy: it launches a grenade that tracks targets within range, allowing subsequent bullets to home in on those tagged enemies at no additional ammo cost. This feature makes it highly effective for mobbing, as it simplifies target acquisition and maintains consistent damage on multiple foes.  

This pistol is a base game weapon, with its dedicated drop source being Katagawa Ball, who drops it on Mayhem 6 or above.  

For anointments, “Consecutive Hits” is a strong general choice, as its rapid fire can quickly build and maintain damage stacks. For Zane, “SNTNL active cryo damage” or “clone active ammo regen” are excellent choices, amplifying his elemental damage and ensuring sustained fire.  

Vault Hunter Synergy:

• Amara: The Multi-Tap can be effectively utilized by Amara, especially within elemental builds that leverage her “Indiscriminate” skill for ricocheting projectiles. Its consistent fire and tracking capabilities can help spread elemental effects across groups of enemies.  
• Zane: The Multi-Tap is an excellent weapon for Zane. Its tracking darts synergize perfectly with his “Violent Momentum” skill, allowing him to maintain high movement speed while still accurately hitting targets. The increased fire rate from tracking multiple enemies further boosts his damage output, making it a strong choice for his mobile playstyle.  
• Moze: While the Multi-Tap does not inherently deal splash damage, which is Moze’s primary focus, her “Bottomless Mags” can ensure sustained fire, making its consistent damage output viable.
• FL4K: The Multi-Tap serves as a good universal option for FL4K. The tracking feature can assist with critical hit targeting, and its consistent damage can benefit from his various crit bonuses.  

19. Tizzy – COV Pistol

The Tizzy is a high-performance COV pistol that transforms into an absolute bullet hose with sustained fire. Its unique ability causes its fire rate to increase dramatically the longer the trigger is held, allowing it to unleash an incredible volume of projectiles. Available in all elemental variants, the Tizzy is a favorite for boss farming due to its immense damage potential, capable of melting almost any enemy in the game. Players must, however, manage its heat buildup to avoid overheating.  

This powerful weapon is exclusively found within the Arms Race game mode, part of the Designer’s Cut DLC. It can drop from the final boss of Arms Race or from various chests within the mode.  

For anointments, “Consecutive Hits” is ideal, as its rapidly increasing fire rate quickly builds and maintains maximum damage stacks. For Zane, the “While Digi-Clone is active, gain ammo regeneration” anointment is a game-changer, effectively allowing him to fire the Tizzy indefinitely without ever overheating or reloading, turning it into a continuous stream of destruction.  

Vault Hunter Synergy:

• Amara: The Tizzy is a strong weapon for Amara, benefiting from her elemental buffs and “Consecutive Hits” anointments. Its high fire rate allows her to rapidly apply elemental status effects.  
• Zane: The Tizzy is phenomenal on Zane. When combined with the “clone active ammo regen” anointment, he can bypass its overheating mechanic and fire it continuously, making it an incredibly potent weapon for both mobbing and bossing. This synergy allows Zane to maximize his “Violent Momentum” damage with sustained fire.  
• Moze: The Tizzy is a top-tier choice for Moze. Her “Bottomless Mags” skill tree, particularly with skills like “Fire in the Skag Den,” allows her to sustain its incredibly high fire rate indefinitely, turning it into a relentless damage dealer that benefits from her splash damage bonuses.  
• FL4K: The Tizzy is an excellent weapon for FL4K, especially within critical hit-focused builds. Its high fire rate rapidly procs “Megavore” and “Leave No Trace,” leading to consistent critical damage and ample ammo regeneration.  

20. Convergence – Hyperion Shotgun

The Convergence is a Hyperion shotgun that excels in crowd control and area denial. Its unique ability triggers when damaging enemies, causing multiple extra bullets to spawn around the target, which then converge on that target’s position, dealing 100% of the weapon’s card pellet damage. This cascading effect creates a highly satisfying visual and auditory experience as enemies are shredded by the converging projectiles, making it an effective tool for clearing dense groups of foes.

Its dedicated drop sources include Dr. Benedict, who has a 10% chance to drop it in Benediction of Pain, and Hag of Fervor, offering a high 50% drop rate in the True Trial of Fervor.  

For anointments, “Consecutive Hits” is an ideal choice, as the weapon’s multi-projectile nature and converging shots rapidly build and maintain maximum damage stacks. For Moze, both “Consecutive Hits” and the “160% splash damage after exiting Iron Bear” anointment are highly effective, synergizing with her explosive damage bonuses.  

Vault Hunter Synergy:

• Amara: The Convergence is a strong weapon for Amara, benefiting from her elemental and splash damage synergies. Its crowd-control capabilities and converging projectiles align well with her area-of-effect skills.  
• Zane: The Convergence can be used effectively by Zane, particularly when paired with his Barrier, which can make every shot amped, further enhancing its chaining potential and mob-clearing capabilities.  
• Moze: The Convergence is an excellent weapon for Moze due to its inherent splash damage and her ability to sustain continuous fire with “Bottomless Mags.” This allows her to maximize the weapon’s converging projectiles and explosive output, making her a formidable force for crowd control.  
• FL4K: The Convergence serves as a good universal option for FL4K. Its high pellet count contributes to frequent critical hits, which in turn can rapidly proc “Leave No Trace” for ammo regeneration and activate other critical hit-based skills.  

21. Torrent – Dahl SMG

The Torrent is a high-performance Dahl SMG, distinguished by its incredibly rapid fire rate and unique projectile behavior. It fires bullets in a corkscrew pattern, and every tenth bullet is replaced with a Shock Bullet that deals 3.8 times the base damage. Renowned as one of the fastest-firing SMGs in the game, the Torrent is particularly effective for unleashing a continuous stream of damage, and it can synergize exceptionally well with certain builds, such as a “Mindsweeper” Moze, to generate a barrage of micro-grenade explosions.  

This powerful SMG is found within the Designer’s Cut DLC. Its dedicated drop sources include Creepage (with a 16.7-22.2% drop rate) and Heavyweight Harker (with a 5.6-6.1% drop rate) within the Stormblind Complex. It can also drop from chests in the Stormblind Complex.  

For anointments, “Consecutive Hits” is an ideal choice, as its extreme fire rate rapidly builds and maintains maximum damage stacks. For Zane, the “While Digi-Clone is active, gain ammo regeneration” anointment is highly beneficial, allowing him to sustain continuous fire without worrying about ammunition.  

Vault Hunter Synergy:

• Amara: The Torrent is a strong weapon for Amara, benefiting from her elemental buffs and “Consecutive Hits” anointments. Its high fire rate allows for rapid application of elemental status effects, contributing to her overall damage.  
• Zane: The Torrent is an excellent weapon for Zane. Its high fire rate synergizes powerfully with his “Violent Momentum” skill, converting his speed into immense gun damage. When combined with “SNTNL Cryo” anointments, it becomes a highly mobile and destructive force, especially for mobbing.  
• Moze: The Torrent is fantastic for Moze, particularly when paired with the “Mindsweeper” class mod. Its rapid fire rate and critical hits generate a continuous stream of micro-grenade explosions, making her incredibly effective at clearing groups. Her “Bottomless Mags” ensures sustained fire, maximizing this synergy.  
• FL4K: The Torrent is a great option for FL4K. Its high fire rate and multi-projectile nature contribute to frequent critical hits, which in turn rapidly proc “Leave No Trace” for ammo regeneration and “Head Count” for action skill cooldowns.  

22. Atlas Replay – Atlas Pistol

The Atlas Replay is a highly effective Atlas pistol, particularly potent for mobbing due to its intelligent tracking capabilities. It fires explosive bullets that home in on tracked enemies, dealing Physical Splash Damage upon impact. Its alternate fire mode launches 15 tracking darts that can even pass through walls, and the weapon gains a significant increase in fire rate for each enemy successfully tracked. This combination allows players to clear screens of enemies with minimal aiming, creating a highly efficient and satisfying combat experience.  

This powerful pistol is found within the Director’s Cut DLC. Its dedicated drop sources include Hemovorous the Invincible (with a 2.5-25% drop rate) and Sera of Supremacy (offering a high 50% drop rate in the True Trial of Supremacy).  

For anointments, “Consecutive Hits” is a strong general choice, as its increasing fire rate with tracked enemies rapidly builds and maintains damage stacks. For Moze, “Kill Stack” is an excellent option, capitalizing on her ability to generate numerous kills. For Zane, “SNTNL active cryo damage” or “clone active ammo regen” are highly effective, synergizing with his core mechanics.  

Vault Hunter Synergy:

• Amara: The Atlas Replay can benefit from Amara’s splash damage and elemental buffs. Its ability to track multiple enemies can help spread elemental effects across groups, making her more efficient in crowd control.  
• Zane: The Atlas Replay is a fantastic weapon for Zane. The tracking darts allow him to maintain high “Violent Momentum” stacks while shooting, as he doesn’t need to slow down for precise aiming. The increased fire rate from tracking multiple enemies further amplifies his damage output, making it a cornerstone of many mobile Zane builds.  
• Moze: The Atlas Replay is highly effective with Moze due to its inherent splash damage and her “Bottomless Mags” skill tree, which ensures sustained fire. Her splash damage buffs further amplify its explosive projectiles, contributing to efficient mob clearing.  
• FL4K: The Atlas Replay serves as a good universal option for FL4K. The tracking feature can assist with critical hit targeting, and its consistent damage can benefit from his various crit bonuses.  

23. Beacon – Maliwan Pistol

The Beacon is a potent Maliwan pistol that combines elemental damage with a powerful area-of-effect (AoE) attack. It fires elemental energy orbs that deal splash damage, and upon reloading, it releases a Nova, dealing additional elemental splash damage to nearby enemies. A significant pre-launch buff that tripled its damage transformed the Beacon into an absolute beast, making it a highly effective weapon across all Vault Hunters. Its inherent splash damage and elemental versatility make it excellent for crowd control.  

This powerful pistol is found within the Bounty of Blood DLC. Its dedicated drop source is Jerrick Logan in Bloodsun Canyon.  

For anointments, splash damage bonuses are ideal, further amplifying its inherent area damage. For Amara, “200% splash damage after action skill end” or “150% radiation damage while under 50% health” (Urad) are strong choices. For Zane, “SNTNL active cryo damage” or “action skill active” anointments are highly effective, synergizing with his action skill uptime and elemental damage boosts.  

Vault Hunter Synergy:

• Amara: The Beacon truly shines on Amara due to her extensive elemental and splash damage buffs. Her ability to amplify elemental damage and spread status effects makes the Beacon’s projectiles and reload novas incredibly potent for clearing groups.  
• Zane: The Beacon can deliver amazing damage with Zane, especially when paired with his Digi-Clone and the “Double Barrel” capstone skill. His action skill uptime and ability to maintain buffs ensure consistent high damage output from the Beacon’s elemental projectiles and novas.  
• Moze: The Beacon is an excellent choice for Moze due to its inherent splash damage and her “Bottomless Mags” skill tree, which allows for sustained fire and frequent reload novas. Her splash damage buffs further amplify its destructive potential.  
• FL4K: While other Vault Hunters might gain more overt synergies, FL4K can still use the Beacon to tremendous success, particularly if built to capitalize on elemental damage and its area-of-effect capabilities.  

24. Kyb’s Worth – Maliwan SMG

The Kyb’s Worth is a versatile Maliwan SMG that offers a unique combination of elemental damage, splash capabilities, and crucial self-sustain. It can toggle between two primary elements and fires multiple projectiles that inflict splash damage. Its standout feature is its unique ability to spawn a healing circle at the location of a defeated enemy, providing significant survivability during prolonged engagements. This makes it a well-rounded SMG that balances offensive power with defensive utility.  

This powerful SMG is a base game weapon. Its dedicated drop source is Wotan the Invincible in the Maliwan Takedown. Wotan offers a high drop rate for the Kyb’s Worth: 60% on Mayhem 0-3 and 55.1% on Mayhem 4+.  

For anointments, “Consecutive Hits” is a strong choice, as its continuous fire and multi-projectile nature quickly build and maintain damage stacks. For Moze, the “150% weapon damage while Iron Cub is active” (often referred to as “150 Iron Cub”) or “Specialist Bear” anointments are highly beneficial, synergizing with her Iron Cub builds.  

Vault Hunter Synergy:

• Amara: The Kyb’s Worth is an excellent weapon for Amara, benefiting from her elemental and splash damage amplification. Its versatile elemental options and healing circle synergize well with her sustain and crowd-control capabilities.  
• Zane: The Kyb’s Worth can be very strong for Zane, especially when paired with “SNTNL Cryo” anointments and builds that emphasize “Violent Momentum.” Its consistent damage and elemental options make it a reliable choice for his mobile playstyle.  
• Moze: The Kyb’s Worth is often considered an almost “necessary” gun for Moze. Its inherent splash damage, combined with her extensive splash buffs and unparalleled ammo regeneration, makes it incredibly potent. The healing circle further enhances her survivability, creating a powerful and sustainable combat loop.  
• FL4K: The Kyb’s Worth is a good option for FL4K, especially with “Consecutive Hits” anointments. The healing circle provides much-needed survivability, addressing one of FL4K’s common weaknesses, and its multi-projectile nature contributes to frequent critical hits.  

25. Boogeyman – Vladof Sniper Rifle

The Boogeyman is a distinctive Vladof sniper rifle that blends precision with area-of-effect damage and unique utility. It fires slightly homing laser projectiles that inflict splash damage corresponding to the weapon’s element. A notable feature is its approximately 60% chance to not consume ammo per shot, enhancing its efficiency. Upon killing an enemy, there is a chance to spawn a “Boogeyman” (a pink skull) that seeks out other enemies and explodes, dealing Physical Grenade Damage. This skull can continuously respawn after hitting an enemy if other targets are nearby, creating a chain reaction of explosions. This makes it a surprisingly effective mobbing tool despite being a sniper rifle.  

This powerful sniper rifle is found within the Designer’s Cut DLC. Its dedicated drop sources within the Stormblind Complex include Dam, WTF (a chest with a 15.9-19% drop rate) and Heavyweight Harker (a boss with a 5.6-6.1% drop rate).  

For anointments, the “300% increased weapon damage against enemies over 90% health” (300/90) is highly effective for delivering massive initial burst damage, especially against bosses. For FL4K, “100% radiation damage while Gamma Burst is active” (URad) or “115% bonus radiation damage while Gamma Burst is active” can be very strong, amplifying its elemental damage and the skull explosions.  

Vault Hunter Synergy:

• Amara: The Boogeyman can be used effectively by Amara due to its inherent splash damage and availability in various elemental variants. Her elemental buffs can further amplify its damage output.  
• Zane: The Boogeyman can be a strong option for Zane, particularly if players leverage its splash damage and slightly homing projectiles. Its efficiency and chaining skulls can contribute to his mobbing prowess.  
• Moze: The Boogeyman is excellent on Moze due to its splash damage and ammo efficiency. Its perfect accuracy and rapid fire, combined with her splash damage buffs, make it a highly effective weapon for both mobbing and bossing, especially with the continuous skull explosions.  
• FL4K: The Boogeyman is a good option for FL4K, particularly within “Gamma Burst” builds. The “Gamma Burst active 115% radiation damage” anointment synergizes powerfully with the weapon’s inherent radiation damage and the explosive skulls, making FL4K a formidable force for area damage.  

26. Needle Gun – Tediore SMG

The Needle Gun is a distinctive Tediore SMG that offers a unique stacking debuff mechanic and a powerful reload explosion. It fires slow, homing needles that apply a stacking debuff to enemies, with a maximum of 10 stacks. Critically, applying the tenth stack to an enemy instantly refills the Needle Gun’s magazine. This creates a satisfying loop of continuous fire. Furthermore, its reload explosion is remarkably potent, considered the highest damage Tediore reload explosion in the game, dealing damage based on the weapon’s card damage and remaining bullets. The weapon’s homing projectiles explode upon contact with an enemy or surface when thrown, adding to its versatility.  

This unique SMG is found within the “Revenge of the Cartels” event, which was added to the base game on June 24, 2021, and can be activated from the main menu. Its dedicated drop sources include Joey Ultraviolet (11% drop rate), Josie Byte (6.6% drop rate), and Franco Firewall (6.6% drop rate) within Villa Ultraviolet.  

For anointments, “Kill Stack” or “Consecutive Hits” are strong general choices for Moze, capitalizing on her ability to maintain continuous fire and generate numerous kills. For Amara, a “200% weapon damage after Phaseflare” anointment can lead to exceptionally high damage, as the homing needles help to consistently proc her Phaseflare orb.  

Vault Hunter Synergy:

• Amara: The Needle Gun can achieve immense damage with Amara, particularly within “Phaseflare” builds. The weapon’s homing projectiles are highly effective at consistently proccing her Phaseflare orb, leading to cascading damage numbers that can reach billions.  
• Zane: The Needle Gun is very strong for Zane, especially when combined with the “Hustler” class mod and “Pearl of Ineffable Knowledge” artifact. The “While Digi-Clone is active, gain ammo regeneration” anointment is also highly beneficial, allowing him to sustain continuous fire and maximize the stacking debuff.  
• Moze: The Needle Gun is an excellent weapon for Moze due to its incredibly powerful reload explosion and her unparalleled ammo regeneration capabilities. Her “Bottomless Mags” ensures she can continuously fire and trigger the devastating reload effect, making her highly effective in close quarters.  
• FL4K: The Needle Gun can be effective for FL4K, especially with its homing nature and potential for critical hits, which can rapidly build its stacking debuff.

27. OPQ System – Atlas Assault Rifle

The OPQ System is a highly regarded Atlas assault rifle, originating from the “Revenge of the Cartels” event, and is known for its high damage and unique drone utility. Its primary firing mode delivers substantial damage, and its projectiles have a chance to explode upon hitting an enemy, dealing bonus shock splash damage. A standout feature is its alternate fire mode, which deploys a drone that mirrors the player’s shots and also causes shock explosions, effectively doubling the player’s firepower. This combination makes it a formidable weapon for both mobbing and bossing.  

This powerful assault rifle is exclusive to the “Revenge of the Cartels” event. Its dedicated drop sources within Villa Ultraviolet include Joey Ultraviolet (11% drop rate), Josie Byte (6.6% drop rate), and Franco Firewall (6.6% drop rate).

For anointments, “Consecutive Hits” is a strong general choice, as its high fire rate and consistent damage quickly build and maintain damage stacks. The “300% increased weapon damage against enemies over 90% health” (300/90) is also a top-tier anointment for initial burst damage. For Zane, “SNTNL active cryo damage” or “100% weapon damage while action skill is active” are highly effective, especially when paired with his drone.  

Vault Hunter Synergy:

• Amara: The OPQ System is a strong weapon for Amara, benefiting from her elemental and gun damage buffs. Its shock splash damage aligns well with her elemental synergies, and it can be used effectively with “Consecutive Hits” or “Kill Stack” anointments.  
• Zane: The OPQ System is an excellent weapon for Zane. Its high damage and drone utility synergize well with his Digi-Clone, effectively doubling his firepower. It benefits from his “Violent Momentum” and “SNTNL Cryo” anointments, making him a highly mobile and destructive force.  
• Moze: The OPQ System is highly effective for Moze. Its shock splash damage aligns with her elemental and splash buffs, and her “Bottomless Mags” ensures sustained fire of its high damage projectiles and drone, making it a formidable mobbing tool.  
• FL4K: The OPQ System is a very strong option for FL4K, especially within critical hit-focused builds. Its high damage and the mirroring drone contribute to frequent critical hits, which rapidly proc “Megavore” and “Leave No Trace” for ammo regeneration.  

28. Soulrender – DAHL Assault Rifle

The Soulrender is a powerful DAHL assault rifle, recognized for its unique homing skull projectiles and high damage potential. Its signature ability grants each shot a 12.5% chance to send out two homing purple skulls at the nearest enemy. Each of these skulls explodes on impact, dealing splash damage that is 8 times the weapon’s base damage. The Soulrender also offers versatile firing modes, allowing players to swap between Full-Auto & 3-Round Burst, Full-Auto & Semi-Auto, or 3-Round Burst & Semi-Auto. This combination of direct damage and homing splash makes it an excellent choice for both mobbing and bossing.  

This powerful assault rifle is found within the Guns, Love, and Tentacles DLC. Its dedicated drop sources are the bosses Tom and Xam in Heart’s Desire, who each have a 15% drop rate for the Soulrender.  

For anointments, “Consecutive Hits” is an excellent choice, as its consistent damage and homing skulls rapidly build and maintain damage stacks. For Moze, “Consecutive Hits” or “Iron Bear Exit Splash Damage” (160%) are ideal, capitalizing on her splash damage buffs. For Amara, “250% weapon damage after Phasecast” is a strong option.  

Vault Hunter Synergy:

• Amara: The Soulrender is a strong weapon for Amara. Its homing skulls and splash damage synergize well with her elemental buffs and “Phasecast” or “Ties That Bind” builds, allowing her to spread damage and elemental effects effectively.  
• Zane: The Soulrender can be very effective on Zane. When paired with the “SNTNL active cryo damage” anointment, its high damage and homing skulls can melt all health bars. His clone can also wield it effectively, contributing significant damage.  
• Moze: The Soulrender is an excellent weapon for Moze. Its homing skulls deal splash damage, which synergizes perfectly with her extensive splash damage buffs (“Fire in the Skag Den,” “Short Fuse”). Her “Bottomless Mags” ensures sustained fire, maximizing the number of skulls generated.  
• FL4K: The Soulrender is a very strong option for FL4K. Its homing skulls are particularly effective when combined with “Megavore,” as they can consistently score critical hits, leading to massive damage output.  

29. Rowan’s Call – Jakobs Assault Rifle

Rowan’s Call is a powerful Jakobs assault rifle known for its unique ricochet effect and strong elemental capabilities. Its signature ability causes critical hits to return two bullets to the magazine and ricochet two elemental orbs at the nearest enemy, with these orbs dealing splash damage. This makes it an incredibly efficient weapon for maintaining sustained fire, especially on critical hit-focused builds, and for clearing groups of enemies through its chaining splash damage. It received a significant 300% weapon damage buff that greatly enhanced its viability.  

This powerful assault rifle is a base game weapon. Its dedicated drop source is Red Rain in Slaughterstar 3000, who has a 50% drop rate for the weapon. It is also available as a world drop.  

For anointments, “Consecutive Hits” is an excellent choice, as its high critical hit rate and ricocheting projectiles rapidly build and maintain damage stacks. For FL4K, the “150% weapon damage while Fade Away is active” anointment is highly effective, amplifying his burst damage during his action skill.  

Vault Hunter Synergy:

• Amara: Rowan’s Call is a very strong weapon for Amara, particularly within elemental builds. Its ricocheting orbs and elemental splash damage synergize well with her “Indiscriminate” skill and various elemental buffs, allowing her to spread damage and clear groups effectively.  
• Zane: Rowan’s Call is a good universal weapon for Zane. Its critical hit-based ammo return can reduce his reliance on other ammo regeneration sources, and it benefits from his gun damage and movement speed buffs.  
• Moze: While Rowan’s Call’s splash damage is tied to its ricocheting orbs rather than direct projectile impact, it can still be effective for Moze. Her “Bottomless Mags” ensures she can continuously fire, maximizing its critical hit potential and subsequent orb generation

30. Reflux – Hyperion Shotgun

The Reflux is a Hyperion shotgun that specializes in corrosive chain damage, making it a formidable weapon for mobbing and stripping armor from enemies. Its unique ability causes it to shoot pellets in a corrosive symbol pattern. Upon hitting an enemy, it creates exactly two corrosive chains that transfer damage to other nearby enemies or even back to the original target. These chains deal 10 times 100% of the weapon’s card pellet damage over 2 seconds, and each pellet has a chance to create a link. It’s crucial to note that, unlike many other shotguns, the Reflux does  not deal splash damage directly from its pellets, only through its chaining effect.  

This powerful shotgun is a base game weapon. Its dedicated drop source is GenIVIV on Eden-6 in Voracious Canopy, who has an 11.4% chance to drop it on Mayhem 6 or higher. It can also drop from Anathema and Scourge in Minos Prime, both with a 2.44% drop rate on Mayhem 6+.  

For anointments, “Consecutive Hits” is a strong general choice, as its rapid-fire nature and chaining effect quickly build and maintain damage stacks. For FL4K, “150% weapon damage while Fade Away is active” is highly effective for burst damage, and “150% radiation damage while under 50% health” (Urad) can also be potent, especially for Gamma Burst builds if you can manage the health threshold. For Zane, “SNTNL active 100% cryo damage” or “Next Two Mags” with an elemental bonus are excellent choices, amplifying his elemental damage and ensuring sustained fire. For Moze, “Consecutive Hits” or “Kill Stack” anointments are ideal, capitalizing on her ability to maintain continuous fire and benefit from kill-based bonuses.  

Vault Hunter Synergy:

• Amara: The Reflux is a strong option for Amara, particularly for elemental builds. Its corrosive element is excellent for armored enemies, and its chaining effect can spread damage across groups. Anointments like “250% weapon damage after Phasecast” or “300% weapon damage after Phaseslam” can significantly boost its damage output, making it effective for mobbing and even bossing, especially when combined with her elemental synergies.  
• Zane: The Reflux is considered a top-tier shotgun for Zane, especially in builds that leverage his speed and action skills. Its chaining corrosive beams can synergize with his kill skills, helping to keep them active. When paired with “SNTNL active 100% cryo damage” or “Next Two Mags” anointments, it becomes a highly efficient tool for clearing mobs and dealing consistent damage.  
• Moze: While the Reflux does not deal direct splash damage from its pellets, which is a primary focus for many Moze builds, its corrosive chaining effect can still be powerful. Her “Bottomless Mags” skill tree allows for sustained fire, maximizing the number of chains generated. It can be a viable option for Moze, especially when focusing on its chaining capabilities rather than direct splash damage synergies.  
• FL4K: The Reflux is an excellent all-around weapon for FL4K, particularly for mobbing and bossing. Its high pellet count (it comes in 7 or 14 pellet variants ) provides numerous opportunities for critical hits, which in turn can proc “Leave No Trace” for ammo regeneration and “Head Count” for action skill cooldowns. The corrosive chains can also bounce off FL4K’s pet, further increasing its damage potential in crowded situations.