5. Zane The Operative: The Best Zane Build in Borderlands 3 * flexco.com

Zane the Operative, a master of technology and gadgets, stands as a versatile character in Borderlands 3. With a plethora of skill trees and action skills, Zane can be customized to suit various playstyles. One such playstyle, the “Seeing Dead” build, focuses on increasing Zane’s damage output through critical hits and kill skills. By combining specific skills and gear, players can maximize Zane’s potential and dominate the battlefields of Pandora.

The “Seeing Dead” build revolves around Zane’s SNTNL-57 Jakobs variant. This action skill summons a powerful drone that deals massive critical damage. By investing in the “Synchronicity” skill, players can increase the critical hit chance of both Zane and SNTNL, stacking the odds in their favor. Additionally, the “Violent Speed” and “Violent Momentum” skills enhance Zane’s movement and weapon handling, allowing him to quickly reposition and deliver precise shots. This combination of skills transforms Zane into a lethal marksman, capable of eliminating targets with ease.

To further enhance the “Seeing Dead” build, players should prioritize gear that complements Zane’s skillset. Weapons with increased critical hit damage, such as the “Infinity” pistol or the “Lyuda” sniper rifle, are highly effective. Shields with the “Transformer” prefix, which converts shock damage into shields, provide added survivability. Moreover, artifacts like the “Seeing Dead” class mod, which grants bonus critical hit damage, are crucial for maximizing Zane’s output. By carefully selecting and synergizing gear, players can unleash the full potential of the “Seeing Dead” build and become an unstoppable force on the battlefields of Borderlands 3.

Zane’s Ultimate Build for Max Damage Output

Head and Body

The SNTNL cryo anointment is a must-have for Zane builds that focus on maximizing damage output. This anointment causes Zane’s SNTNL drone to deal cryo damage to enemies, which can freeze them in place and make them more vulnerable to damage. In addition, the SNTNL cryo anointment also increases Zane’s gun damage by 25%, making it one of the most powerful anointments in the game.

Other head and body armor pieces that are useful for Zane builds include the Seein’ Dead class mod, which increases Zane’s damage output against enemies that are affected by status effects, and the Rough Rider shield, which grants Zane a large boost to his maximum health and shield capacity.

The following table summarizes the recommended head and body armor pieces for Zane builds that focus on maximizing damage output:

Head	Body
Seein’ Dead class mod	Rough Rider shield
SNTNL cryo anointment	SNTNL cryo anointment

Synergizing Zane’s Skills for Optimal Efficiency

Prioritizing Matching Skills

To maximize Zane’s combat effectiveness, it’s crucial to align his skills with his weapons and playstyle. For instance, if you favor assault rifles, consider investing heavily in the “Violent Speed” skill tree, which enhances assault rifle damage and handling. By matching skills to your preferred weapons, you can significantly boost your damage output.

Considering Synergistic Skill Interactions

Beyond matching skills to weapons, it’s equally important to explore synergistic interactions between skills. A notable example lies within the “Undercover” skill tree. The “Confident Competence” skill grants a substantial bonus to “Kill Skill” effect duration. When paired with the “Professional” skill that activates “Kill Skill” effects on target elimination, you can create a potent synergy that extends the duration of your powerful abilities, resulting in sustained combat dominance.

Skill	Synergistic Interaction
Confident Competence	Extends the duration of Kill Skill effects
Professional	Activates Kill Skill effects on target elimination

Additionally, the “Double Barrel” skill, which grants a second instance of “Kill Skill” activation, can further enhance this synergy, allowing you to trigger your powerful abilities more frequently. By understanding such synergies, you can customize Zane to suit your specific playstyle and maximize his potential.

The Best Weapons and Gear for Zane’s Build

Weapons

Zane is a versatile character who can use a variety of weapons effectively. However, some weapons are particularly well-suited to his skills and abilities. These include weapons with high critical hit damage, weapons that can apply elemental effects, and weapons that have high magazine capacities.

Some of the best weapons for Zane include the:

Kaoson: A Dahl assault rifle that deals high critical hit damage.
Hellwalker: A Torgue shotgun that fires explosive rounds.
Night Hawkin: A Jakobs sniper rifle that can apply various elemental effects.
Monarch: A Vladof assault rifle that has a high magazine capacity and can deal high damage at close range.

Gear

In addition to weapons, Zane can also equip a variety of gear that can enhance his abilities. This gear includes class mods, artifacts, and grenades.

Some of the best gear for Zane includes the:

Seein’ Dead class mod: Increases Zane’s critical hit damage and accuracy.
Pearl of Ineffable Knowledge artifact: Reduces the cooldown of Zane’s action skills.
Cloning Maddening Tracker grenade: Spawns a clone of Zane that can attack enemies.

Skill Tree

Zane has three skill trees, each of which offers a variety of skills that can enhance his abilities. The best skill tree for Zane depends on his playstyle and the weapons and gear he is using. However, some of the most popular skills for Zane include:

Doubled Agent

Increases Zane’s damage output and grants him the ability to equip two action skills at once.

Drone Delivery

Deploys a drone that can attack enemies and provide support to Zane.

Calm, Cool, Collected

Reduces Zane’s action skill cooldown and grants him a shield that absorbs damage.

Utilizing Zane’s Digi-Clone for Strategic Advantages

Zane’s Digi-Clone ability is a versatile tool that can significantly enhance his combat effectiveness. Here’s how to maximize its potential:

Positioning and Distraction

Deploy the Digi-Clone in strategic locations to distract enemies and draw fire away from you. Use it to flank enemies from unexpected angles, creating opportunities for critical hits or takedowns.

Synchronicity and Sharing Perks

When activated, the Digi-Clone shares Zane’s current weapons and skills. Equip the “Synchronicity” perk (in the “Hitman” skill tree) to boost the clone’s damage by 25%. Additionally, the “Shared Stimulus” perk (in the “Doubled Agent” skill tree) grants both Zane and the clone a 30% boost to shield capacity.

Clone Chain Reaction

The “Keep Firing” perk (in the “Hitman” skill tree) enables the Digi-Clone to proc consecutive kill skills. For example, killing an enemy with the clone triggers “Violent Momentum”, boosting weapon damage on subsequent kills. This creates a powerful chain reaction that can significantly increase Zane’s damage output.

Perk	Effect
Synchronicity	Digi-Clone’s damage increased by 25%
Shared Stimulus	Zane and Digi-Clone receive a 30% boost to shield capacity
Keep Firing	Digi-Clone can trigger consecutive kill skills

Maximizing Zane’s Sentry Turret for Support

As a master manipulator within the Borderlands universe, Zane is known for his exceptional tactical abilities in combat. His Sentry Turret stands as a cornerstone of his arsenal, providing crucial support during encounters. By optimizing its attributes and leveraging its capabilities, players can unlock exceptional proficiency with Zane’s Sentry Turret.

Upgrading the Sentry Turret’s Performance

Investing skill points into the Blue Tree’s “Drone Delivery” tree enhances the Sentry Turret’s overall functionality. Upgrades such as “Backup Drone” double the turret’s rockets, while “Hot Pocket Rockets” significantly increase their damage output. Additionally, “All-Seeing Eye” grants the turret a continuous supply of rockets, eliminating the need for manual reload.

Optimizing Shield Capacity and Duration

The Sentry Turret’s survivability is paramount to its effectiveness. The “Technomancer” skill tree offers several options to boost its shield capacity and duration. “Commitment” increases the turret’s shield capacity, while “Headcase” extends its duration. Furthermore, “Confident Competence” grants bonus shield recharge and damage reduction, enhancing the turret’s longevity on the battlefield.

Augmenting Damage Output

To maximize the Sentry Turret’s damage potential, consider investing skill points into both the “Hitman” and “Doubled Agent” skill trees. “Playing Dirty” from the “Hitman” tree boosts the turret’s cryo damage, while “Kill Skill” augments its overall damage output. “Double Barrel” and “Good Misfortune” from the “Doubled Agent” tree further enhance the turret’s damage and rate of fire, turning it into a formidable offensive weapon.

Enhancing Support Capabilities

Beyond its damage-dealing capabilities, the Sentry Turret can provide invaluable support to the team. The “Digi-Clone” skill tree features several upgrades that enhance its support role. “Synchronicity” grants the player’s Digi-Clone access to the Sentry Turret’s rockets, while “Shared Spirit” extends its shield regeneration and duration to nearby allies. Additionally, “MNTIS Shoulder Cannon” allows the player to manually control the turret, offering greater precision and flexibility in combat.

Additional Tips for Effective Turret Deployment

Tip	Description
Place strategically	Position the turret in locations that maximize its field of view and minimize enemy exposure.
Use cover	Shield the turret behind obstacles or deploy it near friendly NPCs for added protection.
Target priority enemies	Prioritize high-value targets such as Badass or Anointed enemies to maximize damage output.
Repair regularly	Keep an eye on the turret’s health and repair it promptly to maintain its effectiveness.

Managing Zane’s Cooldowns Effectively

Zane’s abilities are powerful, but their cooldowns can be lengthy. To maximize Zane’s effectiveness, it’s crucial to manage these cooldowns efficiently.

1. Use the Clone and Drone to Tank Damage

Zane’s Clone and Drone can draw enemy fire, reducing the likelihood of Zane taking damage. This extends his survivability and allows him to engage in more combat without worrying about cooldowns.

2. Utilize the Salvation Skill

The Salvation skill restores Zane’s health and shields when his action skills are active. This regenerates Zane’s resources, allowing him to sustain longer engagements and reduce the need for external healing.

3. Invest in the Seein’ Dead Skill

The Seein’ Dead skill increases Zane’s critical hit damage and grants him an additional bonus when he hits critical spots. Optimizing critical hits not only increases Zane’s damage output but also reduces cooldowns due to the Violent Momentum skill.

4. Utilize Zane’s Barrier Boost Skill

The Barrier Boost skill reduces the cooldown of Zane’s Barrier when it is damaged. Standing behind the Barrier and allowing enemies to damage it strategically shortens its cooldown.

5. Prioritize Kill Skills with Cooldown Reduction

Certain kill skills, such as Calm, Cool, Collected and Stainless Steel Bear, provide cooldown reduction upon killing enemies. Prioritizing these skills expedites Zane’s ability refreshes.

6. Utilize the Scourge Legendary Class Mod

The Scourge Class Mod enhances Zane’s Kill Skills by granting him additional damage and cooldown reduction. Equipping this mod optimizes Zane’s cooldown management further.

7. Consider the Cryo Zane Build

The Cryo Zane build capitalizes on the Freeze effect to slow and incapacitate enemies. Using cryo weapons and skills, such as the Ion Cannon with the Cryo attachment, Zane can control engagements effectively, extend his freeze durations, and shorten ability cooldowns.

Skill	Effect
Ice Breaker	Increases cryo damage and applies additional cryo effects to frozen enemies
Coolant Consumption	Extends the duration of cryo effects for 2 seconds
Good Intentions	Grants bonus cryo damage to frozen enemies
Chilling Hold	Applies freeze duration to all enemies near an enemy killed with cryo damage

Skill Tree Optimization for Zane’s Best Build

1. Action Skill Options

Focus on SNTNL and Digi-Clone to maximize damage output and versatility.

2. Kill Skills

Prioritize skills that boost gun damage and critical hit chance, such as “Seein’ Dead” and “Violent Violence.”

3. Survivor

Invest points in “Headshot” and “Confident Competence” for increased survivability.

4. Doubled Agent

Choose “Undercover” and “Violent Momentum” to enhance SNTNL’s damage and mobility.

5. Hitman

Focus on “Violent Speed” and “Pocket Full of Grenades” for increased gun damage and grenade capacity.

6. Professional

Invest points in “Decoy” and “Fractal Projector” for additional crowd control and damage mitigation.

7. BarrierMaximize damage reduction with “All-Rounder” and “Salvation.”

8. Digital Distributed Processing

This tree provides a wealth of powerful skills, including:

Prioritize these skills for a well-rounded and powerful Zane build.

Advanced Tips and Tricks for Mastering Zane

General Tips

Spam Slide: Zane’s Slide skill can be spammed to quickly reposition or escape danger.
Use Clone Drones: The Clone Drones skill provides a valuable distraction and can draw enemy fire.
Maximize Barrier Damage: Equip skills and gear that increase the damage dealt by the Barrier skill.

Skill Tree Optimization

Invest in Salvation: The Salvation skill reduces damage taken when the Barrier is active, making Zane more durable.
Focus on Brain Freeze: The Brain Freeze skill inflicts cryo damage on enemies, slowing them down and making them vulnerable.
Utilize Playing Dirty: The Playing Dirty skill grants Zane increased damage and critical hit chance after using his Action Skill.

Equipment and Anointments

Prioritize Speed: Equip gear with stats that increase movement speed, making Zane more agile.
Select Cryo Anointments: Anointments that apply cryo effects or increase cryo damage complement Zane’s cryo-focused playstyle.
Consider Omega Mode: The Omega Mode shield offers increased damage while the Barrier is active, making it a potent offensive choice.

Combat Techniques

Use Slides to Dodge and Engage: Slide into combat quickly to surprise enemies or dodge incoming attacks.
Combine Clone Drones and Barrier: Deploy Clone Drones to draw attention while staying behind the Barrier for protection.
Chain Brain Freeze and Barrier: Freeze enemies with Brain Freeze to lock them in place, then activate the Barrier to deal massive damage.

Advanced Optimization

Time Your Action Skills: Coordinate the use of Zane’s Action Skills to maximize their effectiveness.
Utilize SNTNL as a Sentry: Deploy SNTNL in turret mode to provide cover and eliminate enemies from a distance.
Exploit Weaknesses: Study enemy types and exploit their vulnerabilities to maximize damage output.

Gameplay Overview

Zane specializes in deception and versatility, making him adept at controlling the battlefield and supporting his allies. With his unique action skills, he can project a Digi-Clone to distract and confuse enemies, deploy a SNTNL drone for aerial support, and use his Barrier to shield himself and his teammates from harm.

Skill Trees

Zane has access to three skill trees: The Hitman, The Double Agent, and The Undercover. Each tree offers distinct abilities and bonuses that cater to different playstyles.

Build Considerations

When building Zane, consider specializing in one or two skill trees to maximize their benefits. The Hitman tree focuses on critical hits and weapon damage, while The Double Agent emphasizes crowd control and deception. The Undercover tree provides increased survival and area-of-effect damage.

Best Zane Build

For optimal damage output and battlefield control, consider a Zane build centered around the SNTNL drone. Here’s a detailed breakdown:

SNTNL Drone Specialization

Prioritize the following skills from The Hitman tree:

Drone Delivery
Target Acquisition
Binary System
Like a Ghost
Violent Speed
Drone Ranger
Synchronicity

These skills enhance the drone’s damage, range, and duration, making it a formidable offensive tool. Additionally, the Like a Ghost skill allows Zane to teleport to the drone’s location, granting increased mobility and tactical options.

Barrier Enhancement

Consider investing points in the Barrier skill from The Double Agent tree. The following skills provide significant utility:

All-Rounder
Head Case
Adrenaline

All-Rounder increases the Barrier’s health and damage absorption, while Head Case triggers an explosion upon Barrier activation, dealing damage to nearby enemies. Adrenaline grants Zane increased reload speed and movement speed while the Barrier is active.

Support and Utility

To enhance Zane’s support capabilities, consider investing in The Undercover tree. The following skills provide valuable benefits:

Pocket Full of Grenades
Playing Dirty
Seein’ Dead

Pocket Full of Grenades increases Zane’s grenade capacity and damage, while Playing Dirty provides bonus damage to enemies damaged by status effects. Seein’ Dead reveals enemy weak points and increases critical hit damage.

Equipment and Weapons

To complement this build, prioritize weapons that synergize with the SNTNL drone, such as assault rifles or sniper rifles with increased accuracy and stability. Additionally, consider equipping artifacts that boost drone damage or grant bonuses to critical hits.

Best Zane Build for Borderlands 3

Zane Flynt, the “Hitman” of Borderlands 3, is a versatile character with a wide range of skills and abilities. Players can create different builds to optimize Zane’s strengths and weaknesses. One of the most popular and effective builds for Zane is focused on his “Clone” ability.

The Clone build revolves around the “SNTNL” and “Clone” abilities. These abilities allow Zane to deploy a drone that deals damage to enemies and creates a holographic decoy that draws their attention. By combining these abilities with various skills and gear, players can maximize Zane’s damage output and survivability.

Key Skills and Gear

The following skills and gear are essential for the Zane Clone build:

Skills: Digi-Clone, SNTNL, Barrier, CCC (Confident Competence Critical)
Gear: Cloning Maddening Tracker, Old God, Seein’ Dead

Gameplay Tips

When playing the Zane Clone build, focus on the following:

Deploy your Clone as often as possible to draw enemy fire and deal extra damage.
Use your SNTNL to harass enemies and provide cover for your Clone.
Activate the Barrier to protect yourself from incoming damage.
Use CCC to increase your damage output and survivability.

Skill	Description
Cold Bore	Increased damage after a period of not firing.
Synchronicity	Bonus damage when action skills are active.
Playing Dirty	Upped critical damage after reloading.
Calculated Gamble	Improved accuracy and damage when shield is low.
Commitment	Reduced action skill cooldown after using them.
Good Misfortune	Additional gun damage after status effects are applied.
Headshot	Boosted critical hit damage.