What is a Skill Build? (A Simple Guide)

In Borderlands 3, your character is more than just the guns they carry; they're a walking engine of destruction that you get to build yourself. The **skill trees** are the blueprint for that engine. Each of the four Vault Hunters—Amara, FL4K, Moze, and Zane—has three unique skill trees, each offering a different way to play and cause mayhem. As you level up, you earn skill points, and the choices you make with these points are what define your "build." It's the core of what makes your character special and powerful. Do you want to be a FL4K who commands powerful pets, or one who vanishes into thin air to land critical hits? Do you want to be a Moze who never stops shooting, or one who makes her giant mech, Iron Bear, the star of the show? There's no single "best" way to play; the fun is in the experimentation.

This is where "theory-crafting"—the art of planning out a build—comes in, and it's where this tool becomes your best friend. Planning a build in-game can be slow and expensive. This calculator is your personal workshop, a space where you can experiment with endless combinations of skills without any cost or consequences. You can instantly see how many points you've spent, whether you've unlocked the next tier of powerful abilities, and how your build looks at different character levels. We've even included a "Share" button that creates a unique link for your build, so you can save your creations or share them with your friends to show off your masterpiece. It's about taking the guesswork out of building and giving you the freedom to craft the most powerful, most fun, or most ridiculously chaotic Vault Hunter imaginable.

How to Create Your Perfect Build

Planning your ultimate Vault Hunter is fast and intuitive with this tool:

1. Choose Your Vault Hunter: Start by selecting your character—Amara, FL4K, Moze, or Zane—from the tabs at the top.
2. Set Your Level: Use the "Level" slider in the summary panel on the right to set your character's level. This will determine how many total skill points you have to spend.
3. Spend Your Points: The skill trees are laid out just like they are in the game. **Left-click** on a skill icon to add a point, and **right-click** to remove a point. The tool will automatically handle the maximum points per skill and unlock the next tiers as you meet the requirements.
4. Track Your Progress: The summary panel is your command center. It shows your total points spent, the points you've put into each tree, and will turn red if you've spent more points than you have available at your current level.
5. Share Your Masterpiece: Once you've created a build you love, click the "Copy Share Link" button. This copies a unique URL to your clipboard that you can save or send to friends. When they open the link, they'll see your exact build loaded into the calculator!

Tips for a Legendary Build

• Synergy is the Secret Sauce: The best builds are more than just a collection of good skills; they have synergy. Look for skills that work together, even if they're in different trees. For example, a skill that increases your gun damage might be even more powerful when combined with another skill that gives you ammo regeneration.
• **Don't Be Afraid to Go Deep:** While hybrid builds are fun, rushing down a single tree to unlock its final "capstone" skill can be a game-changer. These are often the most powerful abilities a character has and can define your entire playstyle.
• Read the Fine Print: Pay close attention to the descriptions of each skill. Sometimes a seemingly boring passive skill can provide a massive boost to your damage or survivability. A little bit of extra gun damage or health regeneration can make all the difference in the toughest boss fights.
• Build for Your Gear: The best build in the world won't feel right if you're not using gear that complements it. If your build is focused on elemental damage, make sure you're farming for guns that deal fire, shock, or corrosive damage!