Borderlands 3: All Weapon Elements Damage Guide

There are six different weapon element types in Borderlands 3. Here’s how they work and what they are.

You want to pay attention to the damage type on the gun you’re using in Borderlands 3. You’re going need to understand what kind of weapon you’re using when you’re fighting off foes to take them down correctly. Some enemies are weaker to specific damage times, and some times they take little to no damage when hit by another. Here’s the break down of what each of the damage types does in Borderlands 3, giving you the best advantage possible during your battles.

All Weapon Elements Types in Borderlands 3

Before we discuss the weapon types, it’s essential to understand the three different health bars you’re going to encounter in Borderlands 3. The standard one is red. You’re going to see this the most often. Enemies with a red health bar have nothing special about them, and it’s their health. The second health bar you’re going to encounter is blue, which is a shield. Enemies with a blue one have a shield on them, and you’re going to need to take this out first before you can damage their health. The third health bar is yellow, which stands for armor. It acts similarly to a shield in that you have to take that one down first before damaging an enemy’s health.

With that out of the way, time to break down the six different weapon types you can use in the game.

Kinetic

Kinetic is the standard weapon type. Most of the weapons you’re going to encounter are going to have this damage type attached to it. The small explosive icon in white indicates it. You’re going to want to use this against enemies with the red or blue health bar, and it’s going to standard damage. However, you don’t want to fire it at enemies with a yellow health bar. You won’t be able to do as much damage.

• Standard Damage: Health and Shield
• Weak Damage: Armor

Shock

Shock damage is a specialized weapon type, indicated by a blue lightning bolt. You’re going to find this weapon type is going to surge electricity into your foes. It won’t deal as much damage to enemies with the red or yellow health bar, though. It does shred through enemies with a shield, making it your go-to weapon whenever you see a foe with the blue health bar.

• Advantage Damage: Shield
• Weak Damage: Health and Armor

Corrosive

Corrosive damage is a great way to eat away and the enemy’s armor. The acid-symbol identifies this weapon type, and it’s going to melt the enemies with a yellow health bar, eating away at whatever protection they have as a way to prevent your bullets from getting through. On the negative side, this weapon type does not do as much damage to the red health bars and does even less to those with a blue one. However, an enemy taking corrosive damage is going to have a damage over time effect for several seconds after getting hit.

• Advantage Damage: Armor
• Weak Damage: Health and Shield

Cryo

Cryo is coldest of all the damage types. You’re going know the weapon type by the snowflake symbol next to it. It’s going to do straight damage to enemies with the red health bar, but it won’t full damage against any shielded foes. However, like Corrosive, it’s going to do extra damage to armored foes, so you want to use this weapon against any opponent with a yellow health bar. The gun is going to cause your enemies to slow down in battle as you hit them. If you hit them enough times, you may get the opportunity to freeze them in place, making the job of taking them out that much easier.

• Advantage Damage: Armor
• Standard Damage: Health
• Weak Damage: Shield

Fire

On the opposite of Cryo, we have Fire damage, the hottest of all the weapon types and the flame icon distinguishes it. You’re going to find your foes are running away from you if you hit them with this damage type, particularly those with the red health bar. It’s going to do extra damage against them. Although those with the shield and armor are going to remain protected, so you’re going to want to use this if your foes have a red health bar, and your kinetic weapon is not taking them out quickly enough. Similar to Corrosive damage, Fire Damage is going to remain on a foe after you hit them with it and they’re going to take damage for a short amount of time.

• Advantage Damage: Health
• Weak Damage: Shield and Armor

Radiation

The last damage type is Radiation. For those familiar with the term, you’re not going to be surprised to find out that the symbol for it is the standard radiation sign you see outside of chemical factories or in chemical labs. You’re going to find this weapon type is not useful against armored foes, because they’re getting protected from the nasty damage of the weapon. The weapon type does standard damage to red and blue health bars, making this type a little subpar compared to the distinct advantages and disadvantages to the other weapons. However, what makes it stand out is that foes hit with radiation are going to damage other enemies around them, and if they die while this effect is going, they explode. It’s a great weapon to focus fire on a single target in a mob, and then damage everyone in a short distance.

• Standard Damage: Health and Shield
• Weak Damage: Armor

Those are the six different damage types you can have on your weapons and your grenades in Borderlands 3. Make sure you have a wide assortment in your inventory, so you switch between them to do the most damage to any foe you encounter.

Good luck, Vault Hunters.