Can You Max Out All Skills in Borderlands?
The short answer is no, you cannot max out all skill trees in any of the main Borderlands games. While the games offer a wide variety of skills and abilities to customize your character, the number of skill points you earn through leveling and other means is deliberately limited. This limitation is a core design element, forcing players to make strategic choices about their builds and encouraging multiple playthroughs with different focuses. Let’s delve into the details and explore how skill points work across the series.
Understanding Skill Point Limitations in Borderlands
The Borderlands series emphasizes character customization through diverse skill trees. However, each game implements a system that prevents players from acquiring every single skill. The design philosophy revolves around specialization, requiring players to focus on one or two skill trees that synergize with their preferred playstyle.
Borderlands 1 Skill Point Caps
In the original Borderlands, you earn skill points for leveling up. Reaching the maximum level of 69 will grant you 65 skill points. There are additional skill points available by completing specific challenges. For example, you can earn extra skill points by undertaking certain challenges at Moxxi’s Underdome and from a Claptrap DLC. Even with these additions, it remains impossible to max out every skill tree, which would require well over 100 skill points. You’re essentially limited to maxing one tree with some points to spare in another.
Borderlands 2 Skill Point Caps
Borderlands 2 follows a similar design. You cannot acquire every skill within every tree. The game allows players to build down to the final, most powerful skill in a single tree and still have a few remaining points. You can use these extra points to partially invest in a second, or even a little bit into both of the other two trees. You’re restricted to fully maxing one skill tree while reaching, at best, the fourth tier of a second tree. This promotes focused builds rather than making a character a jack-of-all-trades.
Borderlands 3 Skill Point Caps
Borderlands 3 gives players even less freedom in terms of maximizing multiple skill trees. You earn a total of 70 skill points throughout the game which is not enough to even reach the end of two skill trees, leaving you a few points short. This design choice further pushes players into specialization. You can, however, obtain two capstone skills in the game, typically by selecting a capstone from your chosen tree, and then making your way down another tree to get that capstone. A glitch at one time allowed the game to become broken in this regard, permitting players to max all three skill trees, but this was corrected through patches. Even with the introduction of a 4th skill tree for Zane, the “The Professional”, you still cannot fully max every tree.
The Intentional Restriction
The deliberate limitation of skill points is not a design flaw. It’s a strategic choice that adds depth and replayability to the Borderlands experience. By preventing players from having all skills, developers encourage the following:
- Strategic character building: Players must carefully select skills that align with their desired playstyle and equipment.
- Build diversity: The restriction leads to a wide variety of unique character builds across the community.
- Encourages multiple playthroughs: Players are motivated to try different characters and build combinations in subsequent playthroughs.
- Cooperative play: Specializing builds makes cooperation more rewarding, as players can complement each other’s abilities.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some common questions related to skill points and character building in Borderlands:
1. What is the max level in Borderlands 3?
The current max level in Borderlands 3 is level 72.
2. Can I respec my skill points in Borderlands?
Yes, you can respec your skill points in all of the Borderlands games. You typically do this by using a Quick Change Machine. In Borderlands 1, the cost is based on a percentage of your current money. The cost of a Respec is 10% of your total money. In later games, the cost is typically a flat fee.
3. Can I get a fourth weapon slot in Borderlands 3?
Yes, you unlock the fourth weapon slot automatically by completing all of the main missions on the planet Promethea.
4. How do skill points work in Borderlands 1?
You gain skill points by leveling up. Characters don’t get skill points between levels 1-4. You get them from level 5-69. You can get a couple of extra points from the Moxxi’s Underdome and Claptrap DLC. You get a total of 65 skill points from leveling alone.
5. Is it possible to reach all capstone skills in Borderlands 3?
Yes, while you can’t max out multiple skill trees, you can reach two capstone skills in Borderlands 3. This is typically accomplished by specializing one tree and then working to the bottom of another.
6. How many skill points can you earn in Borderlands 2?
You earn skill points by leveling up. You can fully max one skill tree with a bit of room to put points into other trees, but that’s as far as it goes.
7. How does level scaling work in Borderlands?
In the first Borderlands, enemies level with you in the second playthrough. The scaling is called Playthrough 2.5, where almost everything levels to be within a couple of levels of the player. Later games often have scaling, but the specifics vary between games.
8. How many hours does it take to 100% complete a Borderlands game?
The time it takes to 100% complete a Borderlands game varies based on the player and title. Generally, it can take 60+ hours to achieve complete completion, especially in games with substantial post game content.
9. What is the rarest gun in Borderlands 1?
The Hyperion Reaper is often considered one of the rarest guns in Borderlands 1, sometimes competing with pearlescent guns in terms of rarity.
10. Does DLC scale in Borderlands 1?
Yes, in Playthrough 2.5 of Borderlands 1, DLC scales to be around 2 levels above the player’s level, except for mission rewards.
11. How many times can a Goliath level up in Borderlands 2?
A Goliath can level up four times. After killing three enemies, it becomes a Badass Goliath, after another three a Super Badass Goliath, after another three an Ultimate Badass Goliath and lastly after killing another four more, it becomes a God level Goliath.
12. Why is the max level 72 in some Borderlands games?
The level cap in Borderlands 2 and Borderlands 3 is 72 in part to make the characters in Borderlands 3 on par with the character power level in Borderlands 2. The higher level cap also allows players to experience the full potential of each character.
13. How does weapon level affect combat in Borderlands?
Weapon level matters significantly. Weapons quickly lose effectiveness as you and the enemies level up. It’s important to swap weapons out when they become ineffective against basic enemies, which can happen within a few level differences.
14. Can you reset your skill tree in Borderlands?
Yes, you can reset your skill tree in Borderlands by visiting a Quick Change Machine, usually found in Sanctuary or a similar hub. Select the “Respec” option to reset your points.
15. Are there glitches or cheats to get unlimited skill points?
While there may have been glitches or exploits in the past that allowed for unlimited skill points in specific versions of the games, these are typically patched out through updates. It’s important to play the game legitimately to fully appreciate its intended experience and balance.
In conclusion, the inability to max out all skills in Borderlands is an intentional game design decision. It promotes specialization, build diversity, and replayability, making for a richer and more engaging gameplay experience. While it might be tempting to want every skill, the strategic limitations are a core part of what makes Borderlands games so enjoyable.