Summary
- Borderlands 4 will likely introduce fresh gameplay ideas like its predecessors, such as unique skill trees.
- Skill trees are crucial in defining playable Vault Hunters’ identities, and concepts like co-op nodes shouldn’t be abandoned.
- Borderlands 4 could benefit from character-specific skill trees with co-op nodes or adding co-op-specific skill trees for all Vault Hunters.
It’s not uncommon for Borderlands game to present fresh gameplay ideas with each new release, such as the Slag damage in Borderlands 2 or the Oz kits and gravity slams in Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, and Borderlands 4 is likely to do the same. Speaking of Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, as much as it was arguably one of the weaker entries in the series, it does have its fair share of unique mechanics that never returned. Outside of huge plot threads that are still hanging over the franchise, like The Watcher’s war, Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel had a unique skill tree designed for Aurelia, The Baroness. This introduced a nice concept that should return in Borderlands 4, albeit in a different shape.
Skill trees can be a huge part of Borderlands games, as they more often than not define the identity of the playable Vault Hunters beyond their backstory and place in the plot – and Borderlands 4 will be no exception. For example, Moze’s Iron Bear builds in Borderlands 3 were all the rage when the game launched, and they evolved even further with the release of her new skill tree revolving around Iron Cub. A unique concept like Aurelia’s co-op tree in Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel may seem niche, but it shouldn’t be left behind.
Related
What to Expect From Borderlands 4 in 2025
With Borderlands 4 launching sometime in 2025, there is plenty fans can expect from it, as it aims to offer a substantial Borderlands experience.
Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel’s Co-Op Skill Tree Deserves Another Shot in Borderlands 4
Borderlands games typically have co-op for players to slay the big bads together and get some shiny new loot while at it, even offering ways to trade items with fellow players. As such, the concept of a skill tree with multiple nodes focusing on co-op is a good idea for the franchise to grow in new ways, but there are a few ways to do this better than Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel‘s Aurelia did. A few ways to bring the concept of co-op skill trees in Borderlands 4 include:
- Making character-specific skill trees like every Borderlands game, and then add the ability to purchase points from shared skill trees that focus on other parts of the game
- Adding a few co-op nodes to each skill tree without harming their identity or making them a dedicated co-op tree in order to preserve character diversity
Either option would work in this context, and Borderlands 4 would be wise to introduce one of them. In fact, while some players enjoyed Aurelia’s co-op nodes and possibly her whole skill tree in Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, there may be other fans who wished for a different tree that didn’t require friends or multiplayer and co-op modes to make the most of it.
Why Non-Character-Specific Multiplayer Skill Trees Would Work Wonders in Borderlands 4
Borderlands 4 could avoid this issue entirely by making skill trees, even smaller ones compared to those made specifically for Borderlands‘ Vault Hunters, that focus on otherwise niche parts of the gameplay loop. This could be healing, tethering to allied players in order to improve Shields or Health, using guns from a given manufacturer to increase damage and stats, and so on. There could even be a skill tree dedicated to giving players more and better loot when playing together, both incentivizing the use of these hypothetical skill trees and creating new gameplay avenues.
How Co-Op Perks Could Be Added to Borderlands 4’s Vault Hunters
The other option would be to add small, non-mandatory nodes to each Vault Hunter’s skill trees that work in co-op, as this would avoid the problem where anyone who wanted to focus on multiplayer abilities had to choose a specific character in Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel. Having wide access to this kind of talent would mean that those who play Borderlands solo don’t need to worry about picking these skills, but those who enjoy its multiplayer side have some options regardless of the character they choose. Either way, this would be a good thing for Borderlands 4‘s Vault Hunters to have access to, and both options would be a win-win scenario for players regardless of how they like to play the game.
See if you have what it takes to go down in history as a legendary Vault Hunter as you search for secret alien treasure, blasting everything in sight.
Looter Shooter
Action
Adventure
RPG
- Franchise
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Borderlands
- Released
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2025-00-00
