How Different is Mayhem Mode to True Vault Hunter Mode? And is True Vault Hunter Mode still there?

Borderlands 3 Borderlands 3 General Discussion
#1

Full Disclosure: I havent beaten the game yet, so no spoilers please.

  1. So, its been YEARS since Ive played a Borderlands game and the way its structured now has me a little confused. That or maybe cause its been so long, Im remembering things incorrectly. In my mind, I remember that it was like, you played the game with a cap level cap of 30 for the 1st playthrough. Then you played True Vault Hunter mode which basically reset your game and let you hit up to level 50. But some of my friends who have already beat the game are telling me that they were around level 42 when they did it which confused me. Am I remembering that level cap thing incorrectly or did they change it this time around?

  2. Also, like the title says, does True Vault Hunter Mode still exist? I dont hear anyone talk about it, only Mayhem Mode.

  3. While we are on the subject. Is Mayhem Mode like True Vault Hunter mode or something entirely different. I know that you can only unlock it by first beating the game, that there are 3 tiers to it, and that each increases the drop rate of higher quality items while also increasing difficulty, but Im not exactly sure WHAT Mayhem Mode is. Is it something like a setting you just enable over your original game. Is it the new True Vault Hunter mode? Do I have to beat the story at least 3 times to get to Mayhem Mode 3???

  4. This one is more of advice…is it better to just finish the campaign and so I can unlock Mayhem Mode? I heard that its better to just forget the side missions in this game and beat the story so you can unlock Mayhem Mode that way you can get the most out of the game ASAP, as well as the missions loot would scale to you at that point rather than giving you level 12s or something. Is that something you would recommend?

#2
  1. There is a level cap of 50 in all modes
  2. The two story modes are Normal and True Vault Hunter Mode
  3. In Mayhem mode one the enemies get 1 random perk, two they get up to three random perks and three they get up to five random perks, for example they could have 50% corrosive resistance or 50% incendiary resistance.
  4. Do as many side missions as you want in normal mode but when you get to TVHM some side missions give good gear so I recommend you get to level 50 before doing those side missions so the items scale to the level cap
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#3

Normal Vault Hunter Mode does not have a cap, but you’ll be around level 40 by the time you finish. True Vault Hunter Mode adds more difficulty and caps out at 50. You’ll get better gear but harder enemies. Mayhem mode adds levels of difficulty to both normal and true vault hunter modes. Normal mode does not scale with your character, but TVHM does. Mayhem mode gives the best loot, but can be a grind.

#4

It does after you beat the story.

Mayhem mode basically is essential if you want good loot without farming forever for it. However it pretty much either forces you to play with certain weapons or forces you to quit and restart to get the debuffs/buffs you want. In my opinion it’s more annoying than anything. Every time you travel to a new area or load up your game, you have to do a mini puzzle to see what weapons you can actually kill with.

i just had one that had these:

+45% normal bullet damage
-70% damage with normal bullets
enemies take 50% less damage from normal bullets

I just don’t get it… what is the point?? Just buff the enemies a bunch! What is so difficult about that? Why all these dumb riddles we are forced to pull up our laggy menus for everytime we travel to a new area? I pray that Mayhem mode is not the true endgame. It worries me greatly tbh

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#5

Actually normal mode doesn’t scale with your character, even after beating story. So might as well do the side quests as you go.

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normal doesn't scale.jpg1920Ă—1080 1.04 MB

#6

@Pr0we

It does if you enable Mayhem.

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#7

So if I’m level 17 currently I can’t switch to Mayhem? Also how much better are weapons between the different Mayhem modes? Thanks

#8

The dude said he hasn’t completed story mode yet. So he can’t enable mayhem.

#9

I haven’t seen amy noticeable difference in mayhem mode between normal and tvhm.

Farmed graveward on regular mayhem and tvhm mayhem. He died just as fast both times.

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#10

You have to beat the game and unlock the mayhem console.

#11

forcing you to think once in a while is not that bad.

A more streamlined inventory system and a wardrop system here would help though.

Having 3-4 presets with different load outs would be awesome.

#12

Presets would be great, great way to keep track of specific builds

#13

@Pr0we

Yes, but you said that it doesn’t scale with your level AFTER you complete the story, which it does because you get access to mayhem.

#14

Best thing is to be TVHM and get mayhem mode also and run both of them
I have 2 buddies that have done the same a d were farming on mayhem 3, legendaries for dayyyys. We are melting everything on mayhem 3.

#15

You can melt stuff on Mayhem 3 if you get good buffs and nerfs. Sometimes the stacks against you and you will not melt anything in Mayhem 3. If that’s the case, quit and restart until you get something favorable. The worst stat you can get is when the enemies reflect up to 30% of your shots. Terrible… All these videos you see of people melting enemies in mayhem 3 are hand picked with favorable settings. You don’t always melt everything in mayhem 3.

#16

This.

I’ve melted bosses and then gotten it handed to me as well.

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