Across the DLCs and base game, Borderlands 2 offers players six different character classes, and within each of those are three skill trees. Each of these trees tends to cater to a specific playstyle, and the skills within them, when built up together, tend to build off of one another. However, only dedicating a character to one of the three skill trees can be detrimental as they won’t be a well-rounded character.
To fix this issue, players will need to spread out and mix a couple of different skill sets to give them the greatest chance at success. However, each of the classes works a little differently and will need different parameters to follow. So we’ll go over the four base classes of the game and then the two later added DLC classes.
Borderlands 2 Base Classes and How to Build Their Skill Trees
The four base character classes are Axton the Commando, Maya the Siren, Salvador the Gunzerker, and Zer0 the Assassin. Each of these classes only belongs to the specific character and cannot be changed.
Axton the Commando – The Commando class plays much like a standard warrior or soldier class. Except this commando’s special ability is to bring out his own Dahl Sabre Turret which can be upgraded throughout the player’s skill set choices and class mods. The three skill trees for this class are:
- Guerrilla – Focuses on making the turret deal high and continuous damage. While being very damage-heavy, this skill tree doesn’t offer much in the way of healing or defense.
- Gunpowder – Focuses on making Axton better with explosives and mid-ranged guns as well as making the turret more of a distraction from the player.
- Survival – Focuses on defensive abilities and healing, along with increasing the frequency at which the turret can be pulled out.
With this in mind players will likely want to mix and matched based on their favorite Skill Tree. If Guerilla is the favorite, putting a couple of points into Survival will help them stay on the battlefield for longer and vice versa. If Gunpowder is a player’s favorite, they should decide between dealing more damage and feeling more safe and sturdy.
Maya the Siren – The Siren class plays like a glass cannon character focused more on her magic ability. The three skill trees for this class are:
- Motion – Focuses on crowd control by brainwashing enemies mixed with defense skills.
- Harmony – Focuses on DPS and healing both herself and teammates for more of a healer class type.
- Cataclysm – Focuses on adding more Elemental effects to her attacks.
For this class and its setup, players should pick between Motion and Cataclysm for their main damage type/fighting style. After this, they should invest something into Harmony to help themselves stay in the fight as long as possible. For players wanting to focus on being more of a healer and pouring their points into Harmony, Motion meshes the best with the playstyle. Though Cataclysm is the easy tree to dedicate random excess points into for any playstyle.
Salvador the Gunzerker – The Gunzerker class allows Salvador to dual-wield guns, and deal an incredible amount of damage. The three skill trees for this class are:
- Gun Lust – Focuses on swapping, reloading, and special gun abilities.
- Rampage – Focuses on extra ammunition, magazine size, and Gunzerking.
- Brawn – Focuses on tanking with an enlarged health pool and increased toughness.
For this class, players should decide between the two main fighting styles, Gun Lust and Rampage. Afterward, they can add a couple of points into Brawn to strengthen their build. Even if the player is a full-focus tank, picking a fighting style will help bring them closer to the damage dealt by their teammates.
Zer0 the Assassin – The Assassin class is a sniper with the ability to go rogue with the use of a holographic clone. The three skill trees of this class are:
- Sniping – Focuses on gun damage, sniper rifle damage, and critical damage dealt.
- Cunning – Focuses on improving the clone, range, and melee damage.
- Bloodshed – Focuses entirely on melee damage with Zero’s katana.
For this class, players will need to decide between guns and melee. Then, based on their decision, they can use Cunning to even out the class and build on their clone’s Decepti0n. Even if the player wants to make Cunning their main focus, investing in one of the two will help build and define the character’s playstyle.
Borderland’s 2 DLC Classes and How to Build Their Skill Trees
Depending on what version of the game is owned, players may or may not have access to the two additional classes, added with DLCs. These two classes are Gaige the Mechromancer and Krieg the Psycho. Both work with similar ideas to the original four classes.
Gaige the Mechromancer – The Mechromancer works like a mix of the Commando and Siren classes. As Gaige works with her science experiment Deathtrap to fight off her enemies. She is one of the more complicated classes to get. These are her three skill trees:
- Best Friends Forever – Focuses on Gaige’s ability to survive and accurately aim as well as increasing Deathtrap’s damage and defense.
- Little Big Trouble – Focuses on Elemental damage and effects as well as making Deathtrap deal elemental damage, but it boosts Shock damage the most out of all the elements.
- Ordered Chaos – Focuses on a character element called Anarchy, which increases damage while trading off accuracy.
Players of this class should decide between Elemental Damage and Anarchy for their character. Depending on the weapon choice of the player, one may be more promising than the other. Then, simply add the other half of the character’s points into Best Friends Forever.
Krieg the Psycho – The Psycho works as a specialty melee damage-based build, most similar to Zer0 the Assassin. Though Krieg can use guns, they aren’t as worth it as his special buzz axe. These are his three skill trees:
- Bloodlust – Focuses on ranged combat and stacking Bloodlust to increase his skills.
- Mania – Focuses on melee damage and health mechanics. (High risk/reward skill tree.)
- Hellborn – Focuses on elemental effects, with a particular focus on fire.
While Krieg lends himself to be more of a melee character, players who want an easier time may want to focus on the Bloodlust tree. Then, for those interested in a challenge, players should invest in Mania. Based on whichever of the previous two players chose, they should still drop a few points into Hellborn to give them a little elemental boost.
Borderlands 2 is available on PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Linux, Mac OS, and PC.
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