The 3 Best Zane Builds in Borderlands 3

Today we are going to be exploring three of the best Zane builds for Borderlands 3. We will be breaking down why each Zane build is good and for what reason you might choose to go each build. So, without further ado, let’s go.

Other Posts

• FL4K Builds

Zane Buffs

Zane got major buffs here.

It might surprise you to know that Zane struggled in Mayhem mode on release. Everything he did kinda sucked. Now, a lot less of what he does sucks. His buffs are all around the board with some more focused buffs on his clone.

SNTL received more scaling damage while several kill skills were allowed to stack twice. These being, Donnybrook, Pocket Full of Grenades, Cool Hand, Violent Violence, and Violent Speed. Also, the clone received a 5% damage increase when swapping places with it.

Pair the extra damage the clone gets with the Donnybrook skill and that is an extra 35% overall damage for the clone and Zane. Pretty good.

The Zane grenade build also got a minor buff because the Pocket Full of Grenades can now stack twice. This gives Zane 40% grenade regeneration per second rather than 20%. Or to be blunt, double the effect.

There are some other changes as well but really you should check it out yourself. I’ll update the builds as I try more stuff out.

Grenade and Speed Zane/Digiclone Build

First, build we will be highlighting is the grenade and speed build. Some of you who played Borderlands 2 might remember that a similar character, Axton, also heavily relied on grenades. This specific Zane build is roughly the same except it has an added bonus of buffing his clone.

With this high-damage Zane build, you will be doing lots of damage with your clone. Once you reach the capstone of this Zane Digi-clone/grenade build, your clone will do more damage than you!

On a final note, you won’t be equipping grenades for this build because you don’t need to. Your guns will shoot your grenades and your clone will throw grenades so you don’t have to worry about equipping them and instead can grab SNTL. Read on to find out why this is best.

Key Abilities

• Fractal Frags – This ability allows Zane’s clone to throw a grenade when activated. On top of that, his clone also drops a free grenade when killed AND has a chance to throw an additional grenade when Zane kills an enemy.
• Drone Delivery – With this ability Zane’s SNTRY will occasionally drop grenades based on your current grenade mod. Dropping bombs on ya moms.
• Duct Tape Mod – This skill turns your weapon into a mini grenade launcher. The first shot fired from your gun has a chance to shoot a grenade, the more grenades you have the higher the chance.
• Double Barrel – Gives your clone the copy of your weapon and gives your Digi-clone bonus damage when you swap places.
• Boom. Enhance. – Your Clone consumes up to 3 grenades when summoned and has increased damage, fire rate, max health, duration, and reload speed.

Why this Zane Build is Strong

A good grenade mod is key to make this build as strong as possible, although it isn’t required. It might seem odd, but your grenade mod is just a bonus, the real damage is going to come from Zane’s Digi-clone.

That being said, a good grenade mod would be sick for this build. You shoot grenades left and right with this build so it wouldn’t make sense to not have the best grenade mod possible equipped.

Best Weapons for this Build

A pretty freaking good grenade. Storm front is bae <3.

Besides that, the One Pump Chump is a f**cking brilliant addition to the Grenade Zane build. It goes perfectly with Zane’s duct tape mod because the One Pump Chump only shoots one shot. Zane also should use the One Pump Chump to beat Killavolt, since they are in such close proximity to each other. Get the shotgun or you are gimping yourself. No not that gimping you weirdo.

Zane “The Flash” Hitman Build

As the name suggests, this Zane build is a movement speed bonanza that will have you feeling like the flash.

Now, this Zane build was theory crafted a while ago. So long ago, in fact, that the person believed the level cap was going to be 72. Spoiler alert, it isn’t. The actual level cap is 50 and we will be examining the build using only the points available to the level cap and cut most of the fluff from the build.

Key Abilities

• Violent Momentum – Quicker you move, greater the dmg. +30% @ walking speed.
• Violent Speed – Kill skill. Movement Speed +20% (+28% w/ DFC). Base duration = 8s (12s w/ DFC)
• Supersonic Man – If 2 actions skills are active, +24% speed.
• Seein’ Red – Activating an action skill activates all kill skills.
• Death Follows Close – All kill skills gain +40% effect, +4s duration.

Why this Zane Build is Strong

To quote the person who came up with this build:

With 2 action skills up you will

1. move +52% faster (+63% if near Barrier) (+6% extra per nearby enemy)
2. do +60% more dmg (+69% if near Barrier) (+79% if shield is full)
3. have +20% fire rate (+33% if near Barrier), +15% (+26% if near Barrier) reload speed, +60% weapon swap speed, +10% chance to slow enemy on crit
4. With the Seein’ Red skill, you will have all kill skills active right when you enter battle instead of waiting for that first kill. Death Follows Close adds enough duration and power to all kill skills to ensure they never turn off in a fight.

Not only are you moving at an absurd rate, but you are also shooting, reloading, and swapping quicker. Everything you do gives you that need for speed.

Best Weapons for this Build

One of the best ways to capitalize on all of this increased speed is to use SMGs. Accurate SMGs are preferred. The boosted fire rate and reload speed make SMGs do maximum damage as quickly as possible.

Another weapon of choice would be shotguns. The damage boost and reload speed are nice for low ammo shotguns and you also have a quicker swap speed if you ever need to switch weapons.

Zane Loves Barriers Build (Cryo)

To wrap it up I have yet another self-explanatory build to show you, the Zane barrier build. This build makes Zane an absolute unit that can tank hefty amounts of damage and resists loads of damage types. If you wanted a Zane tank build, this is it.

Key Abilities

• Best Served Cold – Whenever you kill someone, they fire a cryo nova. This has the potential to freeze enemies around them, thus a potential to proc the awesome Calm, Cool, Collected.
• Calm, Cool, Collected – This is the juicy stuff right here. You freeze someone and you immediately start recharging shield, if your shield is full, then you get health. Your health is full, well have your Action Skills back OR reset their duration entirely. This is incredibly strong and we need to get more cryo!
• Distributed Denial – Zane’s barrier gets the bonuses of his shield mod. Imagine something like The Sham with this kind of bonus. Epic PWNGE.

Why this Zane Build is Strong

One of the best things about this build is that it makes Zane incredibly tanky. Moreso than most other Vault Hunters, especially with a good shield. Which, now that I mention it, is the lynchpin to this build. Getting a good shield mod will turn this build into a powerhouse.

Besides the tankiness it provides, this build also has heavy cryo use. Essentially, a CC build. So now you’ve got a tanky assassin that can throw down a barrier and freezes enemies as well. Sounds like a win to me.

The best legendary for Cryo build Zane in Borderlands 3 is the Queen’s Call.

Best Weapons for this Build

Cryo based weapons are best, along with a decent shield.

Snipers probably aren’t the way to go since you need to be moving a lot and the strength of the build is tankiness anyway.

Other than that, really any weapon could work given that they are cryo based. SMGs and shotguns are what most people are going to be using but it really is a preference thing.

End

That’s it for the best Zane builds in Borderlands 3. If you want more Borderlands 3 builds let me know.

For now, I am going to be focusing on finishing the Amara, Moze, and FL4K builds so look out for that.

Peace!