Borderlands 4 is shaping up to be much more than just another fast-paced FPS. At its heart, the game leans heavily into action RPG mechanics, with layers of build-crafting that allow players to experiment in creative, and sometimes broken, ways. Already, early impressions are showcasing some builds that can completely shred enemies in seconds—one of the most talked-about examples being the now infamous “god-knife” setup.

This build relies on throwing knives that can roll with the Penetrator Augment, a perk that temporarily turns all damage into guaranteed critical hits. When combined with Vex’s Contamination skill, critical strikes trigger a 100% status effect chance. That means every hit can cause bleeds, and those bleeds themselves can critically strike, stacking into a vicious cycle of infinite damage. In short—it’s devastating.

No Immediate Nerfs for Overpowered Builds

Normally, when a game community uncovers something so powerful, players brace themselves for a quick nerf. However, Gearbox is taking a very different approach with Borderlands 4. According to creative director Graeme Timmins, the studio’s focus is on buffing weaker gear and skills first before bringing out the nerf bat. On X (formerly Twitter), Timmins made it clear: “We’re not going to act on those immediately. Our first priority is underperforming gear/skills.”

~ Also Read

Hades 2 Review: A Brilliant Sequel That Elevates the Roguelite Formula

This philosophy is refreshing. Instead of immediately punishing creative players who discover strong synergies, Gearbox wants to make sure the rest of the arsenal feels equally rewarding. The idea is to expand variety rather than restrict it—a welcome change for a loot-driven game where experimentation is half the fun.

Why This Balancing Strategy Makes Sense

Borderlands has always thrived on its wild build-crafting potential. Unlike competitive live-service shooters where balance must be tightly controlled, Borderlands is all about freedom and fun. Players enjoy grinding for that perfect weapon, testing new perk combinations, and watching enemies crumble under outrageous damage numbers. Allowing “busted” builds to exist, at least for a while, feeds into that excitement.

That said, even Gearbox admits that some mechanics—like the endlessly bleeding knife—will eventually need adjustments. The key difference is timing. By starting with buffs, the developers ensure that players aren’t stuck with a handful of viable strategies while dozens of other skills collect dust. A balanced variety keeps the game engaging, long after the initial hype fades.

The Real Challenge: Underperforming Gear

As Timmins pointed out, the true disappointment in any ARPG isn’t an overpowered weapon—it’s when a cool idea simply doesn’t work. Players spend hours farming or theory-crafting, only to find that their chosen skill tree or gear setup barely scratches enemies. That frustration can kill motivation faster than any “god-knife” build dominating the meta.

~ Also Read

Cyberpunk 2077 Is Still on PlayStation Plus – But For How Long?

Borderlands 4 aims to fix this by bringing weak options up to par, ensuring every Vault Hunter has multiple viable paths to explore. Whether you prefer Rafa’s rainbow-melt builds, Harlowe’s gravitic attacks, Amon’s brutal melee style, or Vex’s status-spreading chaos, Gearbox wants every playstyle to feel satisfying and effective.

What This Means for Players

For fans, this balancing direction is great news. It means fewer knee-jerk nerfs and more time to enjoy powerful builds. It also means more tools at your disposal, since weaker skills won’t stay irrelevant for long. Borderlands 4 is positioning itself as a game where creativity pays off, and where the grind feels more rewarding because almost every idea has the potential to succeed.

Of course, Gearbox isn’t ignoring the broken interactions forever. Once buffs have been rolled out, overpowered mechanics will likely get toned down. But by then, players will have a larger arsenal of strong alternatives to fall back on, making nerfs feel less punishing.

Final Thoughts

Borderlands 4’s decision to put buffs before nerfs is more than just a balancing note—it’s a statement about the kind of game Gearbox wants it to be. Rather than punishing creativity, the studio is rewarding experimentation. The result could be the most dynamic and replayable Borderlands entry yet, filled with insane builds, diverse strategies, and plenty of reasons to keep playing.