Hi. Noob Zane here. So about this whole Zane thing

Borderlands 3 Zane the Operative
#1

I have all the other VH leveled up and geared out. I finally decided to give Zane a try. What a weird class. The whole 2 AS at once is interesting and I assume in the current state of grenades in the game that is a huge bonus to sacrifice the puny damage of nades for another AS…especially if you get to also benefit from grenade anointments! What a deal!

All that being said…while leveling up…before getting access to anointments and before having all skill points is the AS still the best bet or are nades better for leveling? Any other tips or info to know?

#2

No, the AS are still the best. My early (All of my first play through actually) Zane was a shield and clone build. I assume that given the AS buffs this is even better. The drone and dome needs a lot of points into the blue tree to work out.

1 Like
#3

The Clone and Drone can throw grenades for you on occasion with a point in Fractal Frags and Drone Delivery. I’m not a fan of Duct Tape Mod myself, but I’ll take a sales pitch if anyone’s got one. Zane also gets to use Infiltrator COMs that, when paired with a Revengenader shield, can let you throw grenades as well (COM has a perk that when starting an action skill, your shield break event is triggered: Revengenader throws a grenade for this: abuse Dopplebanger for your free grenade now!)

I think homing grenades (Hex, Tracker, Seeker, etc.) are the best here because they just sort of spit the grenade up in a meek forward lob that makes it random/rare that they are as effective as if you aimed one.

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#4

When I started my second Zane, I used the “start at level 13” option and immediately did the 1st DLC to get his best Class Mod. If that is done you can spend all points into the blue tree and have not only the easiest but also the fastest playthrough you’ll ever have. If you get the first point in “good misfortune”, you can start with any of the other trees. While leveling up, cool calm and collected is nice to get rid of long cooldowns, but if you already have guardian points, there’s no need to do that and you can go down the orange tree. If you like grenades, you can then get the point into “fractal frags”.

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#5

Don’t know if Zane is really OP for leveling or I’m just so used to M10 or what but I don’t recall having such an easy time leveling on the other VHs. I just insta-gib most things and I’m only using blue and epic gear for the most part. The initial Zane skills don’t even look that powerful tbh but maybe I’m not understanding how they really work. I guess I have a lot of GR now that I didn’t have before so that’s probably why.

Yeah, I started at 13 as well. It’s only my first Zane but I have already gone through the story normal mode with the other VH and TVHM completely on one and like halfway on the other two so I was keen on any shortcut. I started with Orange tree and putting some points in blue to get augments for the drone. So far it’s just EZmode…probably due to my GR.

#6

do not listen to anyone and toss your points anywhere until you find what you enjoy GL

2 Likes
#7

I dont think you need all that much survivability early game. I would always go for drone and clone early on.

after you get to your first key stone, go to ascenion bluff, farm skeksil for the gun in all three elements, spec into doubled barrel and breeze through the rest of the game and add more and more points into the blue tree after that.

dont use grenade talents at all for leveling, do not spec into any grenade talents, greandes are so bad that you actively lose damage.

#8

Isn’t that a Mayhem 6 weapon?

1 Like
#9

Yes.

Sandhawk, Kaoson, Monarch, Multi-tap, Backburner, Plaguebearer, DNA smg, and Reflux are M6.

#10

Which means a person on their first play through with a character cannot access them LoL…just sayin…

1 Like
#11

It’s a pretty classic response. “Hey, I just started playing my first character in the game, and am at level 5 with two skill points to my name. What weapons should I look for, and what build should I use?”

“Use this gear-dependent level 80 build. You’ll need a Norfleet, Kaoson, Interfacer, and DNA with a 94% Sham, Recurring Hex, and a couple of other pieces that are rare drops from hidden behind high-end raid bosses. You’ll want them with these specific parts, elements and anointments.”

Player: “Cool, thanks!” :laughing:

4 Likes
#12

Not sure if it’s the GR I have now or there is something inherently OP with Zane but every gun I use just melts everything. It’s sort of interesting using mission rewards that act like top tier legendary weapons. Omniloader FTW?

#13

ah your right, I knew there was a reason I did not want to mention it ^^

as I said before then, OP could just get Skeksil :slight_smile: for an easy time

Omniloader is actually Really strong yes! you can use it to great effect, especially on the clone.

#14

How’s this?

#15

the clone has a very good AI with the gun actually, it fires it fast and without weird breaks, it is accurate, has long targeting range and the base damage is above average! if you know night flyer, its basically this but slightly weaker with no drawback. or a nemesis without an element. both guns are suer strong on the clone!

#16

I’m a Clone and Drone person, Clone for additional DPS and distraction, Drone for beams to disrupt shielding and grenades for additional mayhem.

Gun-wise for leveling, Q-Systems are what I lean on through the early part of the game before you find some legendaries that you like, they drop randomly pretty regularly .
I agree that the Blue tree is nice, lots of DPS and speed increases, particularly for reloading, which I always prioritize.

#17

Oh, I thought you were hinting that, like, giving it to the Clone would transfer the reload of other equipped weapons to me (so if I fired him with the Omniloader and then switched weapons, whenever he reloads, my weapon would get a ‘free’ reload). :laughing:

#18

ahh I see, sorry for beeing misleading… sadly most interactions with your clone and you got removed already, which is a bummer. I mean I dont know if that was ever a thing for omniloader, but I can confirm it does not relaod your guns. still the gun from its stats is potent.