Borderlands 4 Revives a Forgotten BL3 Feature

The Return of Radiation in Borderlands 4

When the gameplay of Borderlands 4 was first revealed, one of the more intriguing elements was the return of Radiation, rather than its replacement. This element made its debut in Borderlands 3 but never achieved the same iconic status as Slag from Borderlands 2. The reason for this was that no Vault Hunter was built to fully utilize it. However, with the introduction of Harlowe’s new skill trees, it seems that Borderlands 4 is giving Radiation a second chance to shine.

Radiation was previously used to spread damage between enemies and punish clustered groups. However, it lacked visual impact, making it feel less special compared to other elements. With Harlowe’s skill set, Radiation is getting the focus it needed, becoming a central part of her damage identity through the Creative Bursts skill tree. This includes both passive boosts and active effects that could elevate the element into the spotlight.

Radiation's Role in Borderlands 3

In Borderlands 3, Radiation was best used to chain damage from one enemy to another. When a target died while irradiated, it would explode into a damaging nova, potentially spreading the effect further. This subtle feature added character to the element and could also contaminate pools of water, creating temporary areas of AoE damage.

While Radiation had a clear thematic identity, it didn’t scale as effectively as other elements without a dedicated playstyle. Harlowe’s skills in Borderlands 4 bridge this gap by offering active abilities and passive upgrades that multiply opportunities for chain reactions.

Harlowe’s CHROMA Accelerator: A New Era for Radiation

The key to Harlowe’s Radiation synergy lies in her CHROMA Accelerator Action Skill. This allows her to fire an Unstable Energy Pocket that inflicts Cryo damage as it passes near enemies. Activating the skill again triggers a massive detonation that deals heavy Radiation damage across a wide area. This creates immediate synergy with her passive trait, Entanglement, which links enemies affected by her Action Skills for extra gun damage. This makes Harlowe potentially one of the best Vault Hunters in Borderlands 4.

Through the middle branch of Harlowe’s Creative Bursts skill tree, players can unlock devastating endgame Radiation builds. The Fissile Launcher passive causes Radiation darts to be shot at another enemy when Harlowe damages an irradiated or entangled enemy. Meanwhile, the Dirty Bomb skill causes enemies to explode whenever hit with the status effect. The capstone skill, Demon Core, continues to stack on damage by allowing her Unstable Energy Pocket to pepper foes with even more irradiated darts, leading to even more elemental explosions.

Additionally, the Special Purpose Magnets Augment allows Harlowe's Unstable Energy Pocket to pull enemies along, while also dealing increased damage to every enemy it has already hit when detonated.

Versatility and Potential Impact

What makes Harlowe an exciting Vault Hunter is that her Radiation synergy is just one part of one of her three Action Skills. Zero-Point, another of Harlowe's abilities, uses Stasis to entangle and lock down enemies or smash them into the ground. Flux Generator is a deployable Cryo-damage field that buffs allies while also entangling nearby foes.

These alternate Action Skills suggest that, despite her high damage potential, Harlowe can adapt to provide both area control and team utility depending on which skill tree players invest in. This versatility could make Harlowe the most flexible Vault Hunter in the franchise. If this design philosophy extends to each of Borderlands 4's Vault Hunters, the game could set a new standard for endgame build diversity.

The Future of Radiation in Borderlands 4

The synergy of crowd control and constant passive explosions makes Harlowe's CHROMA Accelerator the most appealing choice for exploring the possible endgame of Borderlands 4 so far. Whether or not it will rival the most dominant elemental builds of past games remains to be seen. However, for the first time since its introduction, Radiation has a dedicated champion to showcase its destructive flair. If the tree is actually as powerful as it looks, Borderlands 4 could revitalize one of the franchise’s most underutilized elements.