Are Mayhem 10 weapons stronger?

Answered by Stephen Mosley

Mayhem 10 weapons in Borderlands 3 are not necessarily stronger than weapons found in lower Mayhem levels. The concept of Mayhem levels is to provide players with increased difficulty and higher-quality loot, but the scaling of weapons and enemy health is not a direct correlation.

In Mayhem 10, enemy health receives a significant boost of x125, meaning enemies become much tankier and require more firepower to take down. On the other hand, Mayhem 10 weapons typically only scale up to around x4 damage compared to their base counterparts.

This discrepancy in scaling creates a situation where players may find themselves facing bullet sponge enemies, as the increased health pool of enemies far exceeds the damage output of Mayhem 10 weapons. This can make combat encounters feel prolonged and sometimes frustrating.

To put it into context, let’s imagine a hypothetical scenario where a Mayhem 10 weapon deals 1000 damage. In that same scenario, an enemy in Mayhem 10 could have a health pool equivalent to 125,000 health points. Even if you have a powerful Mayhem 10 weapon, it would still take a significant amount of time and ammunition to defeat the enemy.

It’s important to note that the intention behind this scaling is to provide a challenge for players who seek it. Mayhem 10 is designed for end-game content and players who have optimized their builds and gear. The increased difficulty and bullet sponge enemies are meant to test the limits of players’ skill and gear.

However, it’s worth mentioning that there are certain builds and weapon combinations that can still be effective in Mayhem 10. By utilizing synergies between skills, gear, and an understanding of enemy weaknesses, players can optimize their damage output and overcome the increased health pools.

Ultimately, the decision to play on Mayhem 10 and face the challenges it presents is up to the individual player. Some may enjoy the increased difficulty and the satisfaction of overcoming tough encounters, while others may prefer a more balanced gameplay experience.

Mayhem 10 weapons are not inherently stronger than weapons found in lower Mayhem levels. The scaling of enemy health in Mayhem 10 far exceeds the scaling of weapon damage, resulting in bullet sponge enemies. Players should approach Mayhem 10 with a well-optimized build and gear to maximize their damage output and overcome the increased difficulty.