Borderlands 3 is the newest looter-shooter from Gearbox software and 2K games, and it has plenty of great gameplay for returning fans as well as newcomers. Borderlands 3’s campaign is satisfying, and its huge amount of side content is nothing to sneeze at.
Borderlands 3, like other Borderlands titles, is all about the guns. Finding unique, powerful, and fun guns throughout the game is one of the main draws for people to keep coming back for more. However, early in the game, strong weapons can be a little scarce for those who don’t know where to look. Luckily, there are several strong, fun, Legendary guns that can be found very early on in the game.
Stabby Nassty SkekSil
The “Stabby Nassty SkekSil” is a very powerful gun that does fire damage over time and has exploding bullets. It is also equipped with a bayonet to enhance melee attacks. It can be obtained from a Hammerlock Legendary Hunt quest on Pandora. In the Ascension Bluff region, near a rocky area with a small patch of yellow paint on one of the boulders, a flying monster will appear and Hammerlock will ask the player to kill it. This legendary gun is a random drop, so it may not always appear. In this case, the player can simply quit to the game’s menu and re-load to spawn the monster again and get another chance.
As a bonus, the Bankrolled Predatory Landing gun is available from another Hammerlock Hunt in the Droughts region of Pandora. However, this weapon literally shoots money ($1 per bullet), so it is not recommended for the beginning of the game. These Hammerlock quests do reward Eridium, Borderlands 3’s most valuable currency, however.
Shocking 9-Volt
This powerful SMG hits enemies with lightning, destroying shields very quickly. It shoots in burst fire, and switching firing modes provides a high-magnification scope. Players receive this gun after killing the optional boss Killavolt.
Killavolt can be hard to find in Borderlands 3, but doing his quest is highly recommended. Along with the rewards, it gives players access to Lectra City. This weapon is also a random drop, but the same quit and re-load trick is still effective.
One Pump Chump
This shotgun is a One-Punch-Man reference in Borderlands 3. As such, it is a powerful single-shot weapon, but its special quirk means that sometimes it doesn’t need to be reloaded. It can be accessed in Lectra city, near where players get the "Proof of Wife" side quest. Down a staircase and in a dead-end alley, there is a puzzle that, when solved, reveals the “One Punch” miniboss who drops this weapon.
Borderlands 3 is now available on PC, PS4, and Xbox One, with a Stadia version also in development.