Thought I would put a few pointers out there for those of you who are new to Borderlands. read on for these Basics that will help you survive on Pandora. this Guide is for Borderlands 2. if it gets enough likes, i'll consider writing one for TPS. when you start, you can choose between 6 different classes Axton (Commando) - can deploy turrets that automatically target enemies. can be upgraded to have protective shields, stick to walls and Ceilings, and even cause a mini nuke when deployed! Maya (Siren)- freezes enemies using Phaselock, uses Elemental powers to cause DPS, and can revive friends from afar. Salvador (Gunzerker) - essentially a Tanking class. can dual wield any two guns in the game while having increased damager resistance, movement speed, gun damage etc. with upgrades, he can become completely unstoppable Zer0 (Assassin) - ideal Sniping and Stealth class, can be ugraded to throw Knives, and slice up multiple enemies on the battlefield. he goes into Decepti0n mode, where he cloaks and gains increased damage for Melee attacks. Gaige (Mechromancer) - deploys a killer robot called Deathtrap to fight alongside her. in addition to attacking, Deathtrap can also restore team shields etc. you can also change his appearance depending on which skills you use. Krieg (Psycho) - Psychos are normally a common enemy type, but Krieg is your own brawler class, who runs on a risk/reward system, meaning the closer he is to death, the stronger he becomes. if you have ever wanted to set yourself on fire as a way of buffing yourself, Krieg lets you do that. Weapons there are literally millions of different guns that you can come across, and each one is different, but most of their basic traits depend on the Manufacturer: Bandit - These weapons have the Highest mag capacities, making them excellent for sustained fire and fighting large groups without reloading too often. Dahl - these weapons have minimal recoil, and burst fire capabilities when aimed. Hyperion - these are the bad guys of the story, but their weapons are pretty good; the longer you fire, the more accurate you get. their shotguns are especially deadly. Jakobs - these wild-west styled weapons fire as fast as you can pull the trigger. they deal high damage, but don't usually have elemental damage Maliwan - these weapons ALWAYS have elemental damage of some sort, making them good for DPS. Tediore - these weapons are thrown like a grenade when reloaded. the more bullets you have in the mag, the bigger the reload explosion. Torgue - ALL Torgue weapons fire Gyro jet rounds, which travel slower than regular bullets, but deal Explosive damage. Vladof - these weapons have the highest Fire Rates. Spray and Pray is the order of the day with these weapons. also be on the lookout for: E-tech - prototype weapons that fire unconventional projectiles, such as darts, lasers, plasma etc. Bladed Guns - some guns have attached Bayonets for increased melee damage. grenade mods - there are many different ways you can tune your grenades, they can steal health, stick, home-in, cluster explode, bounce around shooting stuff and much much more! Shields - you will need one to protect yourself. NEVER go without a shield. many have cool abilities that work if they are depleted, such as AoE attacks, damaging melee attackers, and deploying devices that you can pick up for an instant shield recharge. relics - these have all kinds of abilities; increased gun damage, health, shields vehicle boost etc. Class Mods - increases your characters abilities in a particular area, but some of them have trade offs, so watch out. in order to be effective, you'll also need to know your elements. it's slightly more complex than Destiny's system, but it's not hard to figure out. here it is: Incendiary - these weapons are most effective against flesh targets (Bandits/Marauders), but are poor against Shields and Armour Corrosive - Acid-spewing weapons are most effective against Armour. you can tell an Armoured enemy by their yellow health bar. they are less effective against flesh and shields however. Shock - these weapons use lightning to overcharge and destroy Shields instantly, that are extremely effective against enemies who rely on Large shields with little Health in reserve. they don't do as much DPS as the other types, but they can stun targets. Explosive - a jack of all trades, master of none. Explosives work on all enemies, but won't do as much damage as the "correct" element for the job. all non elemental Rocket Launchers, Grenades and Torgue Guns are Explosive. Slag - slag acts as a damge buffer. landing a good shot with a Slag Gun will turn the enemy purple. when this happens all OTHER damage types are more effective. hit them with slag, then switch to a different weapon for increased damage. Slag is essential for surviving the 2nd and 3rd playthroughs. there are also valuables you need to look out for, like; Money - self explanatory. moneys buys your ammo, your guns and your equipment (unless you want to rely entirely on scavenging), which can be done, but sometimes the shops will tempt you with high-rarity gear that you will want. on your travels, be a loot whore; PICK UP EVERYTHING!, as anything you don't need can be sold at a vendor, or given to a friend. (remember, you can also trade with your friend, and even Duel over your rarest items!). by loot-whoring, you will NEVER be short on cash. Eridium - without spoiling the Lore (plenty of that btw), Eridium is basically like Gold. you trade it for Storage upgrades that will let you carry more items and weapon ammo. you also need Eridium to enter a Raid Boss Lair. DLC CURRENCY - Seraph Crystals and Torgue Tokens will gain you access to some serious Firepower, but only if you save them up! Rarity System same as Destiny. white then green then blue then purple then Orange. there are also Seraph and Pearlescent rarities in endgame content. also remember that a low level Rare weapon ill not be as powerful as a more common weapon of a higher level, but generally speaking, Legendaries can be used for a little longer before they become noticeably weaker. remember, you can store your best gear in your bank and Personal Stash for other characters! that about sums up the very basics, if you have any questions, comment and I will reply. I want to help newcomers enjoy Borderlands as much as I do. if this gets enough likes, or hits trending, I'll make one for the Pre Sequel. hope you guys find this helpful. happy hunting!