At least one DLC from each of theBorderlandsgames stands out as top-tier content in the franchise. Many of the DLCs have had a lasting impression on futureBorderlandsgames and the latest game’s DLC even featured reminiscent throwbacks to the entire series’ highlights.Borderlandsfranchise DLCs have covered a wide variety of content, from new playable characters and tiers of rare gear to story-driven adventures.
While some of the expansions provided additional, original experiences, others added must-have adjustments and tune-ups to the flow of the base games in the franchise. Each of the DLCs in the franchise can be ranked by how they either improved or reshaped the franchise entirely or within their own games respectively. For example, one of the franchise’s expansions eventually became its own standalone experience and inspired aBorderlandsspinoff gamesoon after.
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S-Tier
The expansions from the originalBorderlandswere way ahead of their time in establishing the endgame content of the future games and the in-joke of hating on the Claptrap units. The Secret Armory of General Knoxx was effectively the first “raid” experience in the franchise, and it also introduced the firstBorderlandsRaid boss, Crawmerax.Borderlands 2’s best expansions were ultimately the content that set upBorderlands 3andTiny Tina’s Wonderlands, but that’s not to say thatBorderlands 2’s original content is at all bad.
Borderlands The Pre-Sequel’s one redeeming DLC is the Doppelganger Pack, which introduced a body double of the infamousHandsome JackBorderlandsantagonistas an immensely powerful playable character. The best ofBorderlands3’s DLCs are the Arms Race (from the Designer’s cut) that played out like a PVE battle royale and the journey through Kreig’s mind that was an ode to the past games in the series.
Psycho Kreig and the Fantastic Fustercluck(Borderlands 3)
Designer’s Cut(Borderlands 3)
A-Tier
Other DLCs in theBorderlandsseries are still some of the most fun and unique stories that the franchise has, as well as the additional player characters fromBorderlands 2. The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned is a great expansion with some crazy enemies, but it doesn’t quite conclude the originalBorderlandsexperience the way that the game’s final, Claptrap Revolution DLC does.The Mechromancer and Psycho packs forBorderlands 2notably introduced some ofthe best Vault Hunters inBorderlands.
Moxxi’s Heist of the Handsome Jackpot(Borderlands 3)
B-Tier
A majority of the mid-tier content consists ofBorderlands 3’s DLCs, mainly two of the story expansions, and both of the Takedown gauntlets. The earlierBorderlandsgames eventually streamlined the endgame experience into wave-based survival arenas and raid bosses, untilBorderlands 3mixed up the formula. One of the waysBorderlands 3renewed the endgame experience was bycombining wave-survival modes with raid bossesin the Takedown activities, which were a big hit. The rest of these DLCs are story-driven expansions that were somewhat above-average compared to others, and the oneBorderlands 2Headhunter DLC that paid respects to a landmark DLC from the original game.
Guns, Love, and Tentacles(Borderlands 3)
Bounty of Blood(Borderlands 3)
Takedown at the Maliwan Backsite(Borderlands 3)
Takedown at the Guardian Breach(Borderlands 3)
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C-Tier
The many Ultimate Vault Hunter Upgrade Packs inBorderlandsland in the C-tier of the franchise’s DLCs. These packs notably grant stacking increases to theVault Hunters max level inBorderlandsgames, on top of some extra incentives. A couple of the different UVH Upgrade packs added survival arenas toBorderlands 2andBorderlands The Pre-Sequel, which mainly came across as bonus treats for veteran players, or an overwhelming experience for casual players.
The Underdome survival activity was a revolutionary expansion for the originalBorderlandsat the time, but it doesn’t stack up to the wave-based survivals of the meanwhile games. The originalBorderlandshad a few survival gauntlets before the Underdome, but they were finite experiences. While the Underdome provided a longer experience than the preexisting survival activities, it didn’t have any exclusiveBorderlandsloot poolsfor legendary gear like the survival activities of later games in theBorderlandsfranchise. It mostly served as an arduous triumph to complete and consequently had little replay value.
Director’s Cut(Borderlands 3)
D-Tier
These DLCs from theBorderlandsfranchise are mostlythe Headhunter expansions fromBorderlands 2. TheBorderlands The Pre-Sequelexpansions also fell far shorter than any of the otherBorderlandsfranchise’s DLCs. Similarly, the pirate-themed DLC fromBorderlands 2lands here simply because of how it compares to the other phenomenal story-driven DLCs from the same game. Captain Scarlett and Her Pirate’s Booty is a somewhat independent experience that doesn’t share too much with the rest of the game besides the stylized humor.
The expansions fromBorderlands The Pre-Sequelare all outclassed by other content from the game. The Baroness pack introduced Aurelia, who is commonly known in the community as one ofthe worst characters inBorderlands, at least as far as playable characters. The Shock Drop Slaughter pit was originally a pre-order bonus for the game that was eventually released behind a general paywall. With so many survival arenas already in the game, a lack of additional content makes this one easy to pass on.
Lastly, the UVH upgrade pack had a drawn-out story that doesn’t stack up to the other story expansions in the franchise. The raised max level inBorderlandsthe Pre-Sequel has universal benefits, but the story content of this expansion is a fever dream.
Captain Scarlett and her Pirate’s Booty(Borderlands 3)
Headhunter 1: TK Baha’s Bloody Harvest(Borderlands 3)
Headhunter 2: The Horrible Hunger of the Ravenous Wattle Gobbler(Borderlands 3)
Headhunter 4: Mad Moxxi and the Wedding Day Massacre(Borderlands 3)
Baroness Pack(Borderlands the Pre-Sequel)
Ultimate Vault Hunter Upgrade Pack: Claptastic Voyage(Borderlands the Pre-Sequel)
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