Borderlands 3 – Zane Skill Trees

In this guide we run through Zane’s skill trees in Borderlands 3. If you are trying to decide if you want to play Zane on your first run through the game, this will help.

The skill trees for all four of Borderlands 3’s playable characters have been revealed. In this guide, we will run through all three of Zane’s skill trees, and what benefits they can provide.

Zane Skill Trees

Character Info

Born into Pandora’s notorious Flynt family, Zane is a semi-retired corporate hitman who always has a gadget up his sleeve. His action skills include an SNTNL drone that flys around and attacks enemies with a machine gun, a deployable Barrier shield, and a Digi-Clone that simultaneously distracts enemies and dishes out damage and which Zane can teleport to switch places with.

Hitman

Root Action Skill

• SNTNL: Send into battle an automated SNTL drone that continually flies through the environment and attacks enemies with its Machine Guns. The drone can be sent to damage specific targets.

Tier 1

• Violent Speed: After killing an enemy, Zane gains increased Movement Speed for a few seconds.
• Cold Bore: Zane gains increased Weapon Swap Speed. The next shot fired after swapping weapons deals Bonus Cryo Damage.
• Violent Momentum: Zane’s Gun Damage is increased while moving. The quicker he moves, the greater the Gun Damage bonus.

Tier 2

• Winter’s Drone (Action Skill Augment): Converts SNTNL’s primary weapons to Cryo Damage.
• Cool Hand: Zane gains increased Reload Speed. After killing an enemy, Zane’s Reload Speed is increased for a few seconds.
• Drone Delivery: SNTNL will occasionally drop a free grenade based on your current grenade mod while attacking enemies.
• Salvation: After killing an enemy, Zane’s weapons gain Life Steal for a few seconds.

Tier 3

• Bad Dose(Action Skill Augment): SNTNL occasionally shoots out a beam of Radiation that weakens enemies and buffs Zane.
• Death Follow’s Close: All of Zane’s Kill Skills gain increased effect and duration.
• Static Field(Action Skill Augment): SNTNL emits a static field that sends a Shock beam to nearby enemies, draining their shields and replenishing Zane’s.

Tier 4

• Boomsday (Action Skill Augment): SNTNL adds a rocket pod to its primary weapons, allowing it to shoot rockets as well as machine guns.
• Violent Violence: After killing an enemy, Zane gains increased Fire Rate for a few seconds.
• Playing Dirty: After killing an enemy, Zane’s next five shots all have a chance to fire an additional projectile.
• Almighty Ordnance (Action Skill Augment): Hold down LB or RB (controller) while SNTNL is deployed to paint a target area. SNTNL fires a missile barrage at that area, and if an enemy is killed, Almighty Ordnance’s duration is reset. This can only be used once per Action Skill use.

Tier 5

• Good Misfortune: Killing an enemy increases Zane’s Action Skill Duration. This skill has diminishing returns.

Tier 6

• Death Follows Close: All of Zane’s kill skills gain increased effect and duration.

UnderCover

Root Action Skill

• Barrier: Drop a deployable Barrier that blocks incoming projectiles. Zane and his allies can shoot through the Barrier, dealing increased Gun Damage.

Tier 1

• Adrenaline: Zane gains increased Action Skill Cooldown Rate. This bonus is based on the amount of shield he has. The more percent full, the greater the bonus.
• Hearty Stock: Zane gains increased Maximum Shield Capacity.
• Ready for Action: Zane gains improved Shield Recharge Rate and Shield Recharge Delay.

Tier 2

• Charged Relay (Action Skill Augment): Whenever Zane or an ally touches the Barrier, they gain increased Movement Speed and Fire Rate for a few seconds.
• Brainfreeze: Whenever Zane scores a Critical Hit on an enemy, there’s a chance they will be Slowed.
• Stiff Upper Lip: Whenever Zane is damaged, he gains Damage Resistance against that damage type.
• Rise to the Occasion: Zane gains Health Regeneration. The lower his shield is, the higher the bonus. While Zane’s shields are full, he does not receive any health regeneration.

Tier 3

• Nanites or Some Shite (Action Skill Augment): Zane and his allies gain Health Regeneration, increased Reload Speed, and greatly improved Shield Recharge Delay while near his Barrier. The lower their health, the more health is regenerated.
• Confident Competence: While Zane’s shields are active, he gains increased Gun Damage and Accuracy. This bonus is based on the amount of shields he has. The more percent full, the greater the bonus.
• All-rounder (Action Skill Augment): Zane’s Barrier becomes a dome, covering all sides.

Tier 4

• Retaliation (Action Skill Augment): Zane and allies near the Barrier gain increased Gun Damage for a few seconds after the Barrier takes damage.
• Really Expensive Jacket: Elemental damage over time effects applied to Zane have reduced duration.
• Best Served Cold: Whenever Zane kills an enemy, they create a Cryo Nova, dealing damage to all nearby enemies. This skill has a short cooldown.
• Futility Belt: Zane gains resistance to non-elemental damage. Kill Skill: All elemental damage Zane takes is converted to non-elemental damage.
• Deterrence Field (Action Skill Augment): Enemies that touch the Barrier take Shock Damage and are staggered.

Tier 5

• Refreshment: Whenever Zane damages a frozen enemy with his weapon, he gains some of that damage back as health.
• Calm, Cool, Collected: Whenever Zane Freezes an enemy, his shield instantly begins recharging. If Zane’s shields are already full, he regenerates health for a few seconds. If Zane’s health is already full, his Action Skill Cooldowns and Durations are immediately reset.
• Nerves of Steel: Zane gains increasing Accuracy and Handling. The longer his shield is full, the greater the bonus.

Tier 6

• Distributed Denial: Zane’s barrier gains the effects of his currently equipped Shield Mod. Additionally, shield effects are applied to all allies near the barrier. Bonuses to Zane are reduced.

Doubled Agent

Root Action Skill

• Digi-Clone: Spawn a Digi-Clone of Zane. The clone stays in place but distracts and fires at enemies. You can swap places with your clone.

Tier 1

• Synchronicity: Whenever one or more of Zane’s action skills are active, he gains increased Gun Damage for each active action skill.
• Praemunitus: Zane and his Dig-Clone gain increased Magazine Size.
• Borrowed Time: Zane gains increased Action Skill Duration for every active action skill.

Tier 2

• Binary System (Action Skill Augment): Whenever Zane swaps places with his Clone, a Cryo Nova is triggered around Zane and his Clone.
• Donnybrook: Whenever Zane kills an enemy, he and his Digi-Clone receive increased Gun Damage and gain Health Regeneration for a few seconds.
• Fractal Frags: The Digi-Clone throws a copy of Zane’s current grenade mod when it is first activated. If the Digi-Clone is killed, it drops a free grenade. Killing an enemy while the Digi-Clone is active gives the Clone a chance to throw a grenade.
• Duct Tape Mod: The first shot fired from Zane’s gun has a chance to also fire a grenade. The more grenades in his capacity, the higher the chance.

Tier 3

• Schadenfreude (Action Skill Augment): Whenever the Clone takes damage, Zane’s shield is restored by a portion of that damage.
• Quick Breather: Whenever Zane swaps places with his Clone, his shield immediately begins recharging.
• Which One’s Real? (Action Skill Augment): Enemies are more likely to target the Clone for a few seconds after it’s summoned and after swapping places.

Tier 4

• Dopplebanger (Action Skill Augment): Action Skill can be interupted and ended early. When Zane’s Action Skill is ended, the Clone explodes, dealing Fire Damage to all nearby enemies. The more Action Skill time remaining, the greater the damage.
• Pocket Full of Grenades: After killing an enemy, Zane gains Grenade Regeneration for a few seconds.
• Old-U: During Fight for Your Life if Digi-Clone is active, you can destroy the clone and immediately gain a Second Wind with full health.
• Supersonic Man: Whenever one or more of Zane’s Action Skills are active, he gains increased Movement Speed for each active Action Skill.
• Digital Distribution (Action Skill Augment): If Zane takes health damage while the Clone is active, a portion of that damage is shared to his Clone instead.

Tier 5

• Like a Ghost: Zane and his Digi-Clone gain a chance to ignore bullets. This chance is increased for a few seconds after activating an action skill. This effect stacks.
• Boom. Enhance.: Whenever Zane summons his Digi-Clone, it consumes up to 3 grenades. For every grenade consumed, the Digi-Clone gains increased Gun Damage, Max Health, Fire Rate, and Reload Speed.
• Trick of the Light: Zane deals Bonus Shock Damage to enemies that aren’t targeting him.

Tier 6

• Double Barrel: The Clone is equipped with a copy of Zane’s Current Weapon when activated. Swapping places with the Clone causes Zane and his clone to gain increased Gun Damage.