Time: 2025-10-13
The October 9th update has dramatically reshaped Borderlands 4's weapon meta, particularly for previously overlooked pistols. Gearbox's targeted buffs have transformed sidearms from backup options into viable primary weapons, with significant damage increases and fire rate improvements making them competitive in endgame content. This updated tier list reflects how these changes impact weapon viability for both casual farming and serious raid content.
October Patch Highlights: The Pistol Renaissance
The latest hotfix delivered substantial improvements to underperforming legendary weapons, with pistols receiving the most attention:
Ruby's Grasp: 50% damage increase and 25% fire rate boost
Bully: 50% base damage increase with 50% drone damage enhancement
Queen's Rest: Spawn chance increased to 50% with 50% fire rate boost
Seventh Sense: 250% orb damage improvement
Non-pistol weapons also saw meaningful adjustments, including Hellwalker's 30% damage increase and Convergence's 25% blast damage boost.
Updated Legendary Weapon Tier List
Based on extensive testing in Mayhem 10+ content and boss encounters, here's how weapons currently rank:
S-Tier (Game-Changing)
Bod (Shotgun): Versatile mode-switching dominance
Complex Root (Sniper): Exceptional crowd control with AoE projectiles
Kaoson (SMG): Reload-triggered sticky explosions
Convergence (Shotgun): Pinpoint close-range devastation
A-Tier (Highly Viable)
Oscar Mike (AR): Grenade alt-fire utility
Rainbow Vomit (Shotgun): Multi-element status spreading
G.M.R. (AR): Long-range assault perfection
B-Tier (Situationally Strong)
Bully (Pistol): Enhanced drone swarms for boss support
Queen's Rest (Pistol): Elemental chaos for splash builds
Hellwalker (Shotgun): Classic shotgun fury returns
Weapon Build Synergies and Strategies
The pistol buffs have opened new build possibilities, particularly for characters like Amara and Zane. Ruby's Grasp now functions as a pseudo-SMG for trick-shot builds, while Bully provides reliable boss damage support. For optimal performance, pair buffed weapons with class mods that enhance elemental effects or splash damage.
Accelerate Your Progression
Building the perfect weapon collection takes considerable time and effort. For vault hunters looking to immediately experience the new meta, players can buy Borderlands 4 items and weapons through MMOMAX's secure platform to quickly acquire these newly buffed legendaries and optimized gear sets.
The October update has successfully brought pistol variety to Borderlands 4's endgame, creating new build opportunities and refreshing the weapon meta. As the community continues to explore these changes, expect to see even more innovative loadouts emerging in the coming weeks.