As you venture into Borderlands 4, you’ll play as one of four distinct characters that grant special abilities and cater to different fighting styles. Each is unique, with plenty of flavor to go around depending on your experience with the series and personal preference. However, Vex the Siren is one of the best released so far, and we’ll tell you why.
From her set of skill trees to the way she carries herself in combat, Vex makes sweeping up Rippers and Manglers alike a breeze. Here’s everything you need to know to start playing as Vex and build her into the ultimate unit for whichever playstyle you prefer.
Siren Class Overview
The Siren class is unique in that it plays much like a caster, despite not having any traditional spells. Instead, Vex moves freely around the map to summon spectral allies that do her bidding and provide additional buffs while attacking enemies.
Overall, each of Vex’s skill trees offers something unique, whether you prefer to surround your enemies, tag-team them, or go up against the world one-on-one. Below is a breakdown of each tree, along with the best playstyle to go with it.
Vex Skill Trees
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
|
The Fourth Seal |
Here Comes Trouble |
Vexcalation |
|
Summons spectral clones as Reapers or Specters that deal additional Gun Damage and Taunt enemies. Ideal for surrounding enemies and spreading their attention thin between Vex and her minions. |
Summons Trouble, a tiger-like ally that changes affinity based on Vex’s current attunement. Can turn into a Badass variant to deal more damage and accompany Vex across Kairos. |
Enables Vex to cast Eldritch Blast and increase her movement speed in combat. This move deals damage to enemies on impact, and the cooldown is reduced when Gun Damage is dealt. |
|
Best For: Solo |
Best For: Campaign |
Best For: Multiplayer |
Best Siren Campaign Build For Vex
If you’re going through the campaign and focusing on leveling up, you’ll want to prioritize SMG weapons and assault rifles for a fast fight. Maliwan weapons tend to offer the most versatility for Vex, especially ones that let you swap between affinities at the press of a button.
To pair with this, you’ll want to focus on the Here Comes Trouble skill tree, where you summon Trouble to help you deal with enemies. The augments you unlock in this skill tree focus on balancing damage and utility, as Trouble works double-time to ensure you can maintain your distance from the fight without compromising on damage dealt.
Plus, you can pet Trouble any time in the overworld.
In the early stages of the build, you’ll want to focus on buffing Trouble as much as you can. Kill bonuses are also a plus, as they’ll help you thrive off each successful enemy slain. Remember that Trouble isn’t just a tool – Trouble is an ally you need to cooperate with to really bring down enemies. Blink Strike works well as your first Augment to draw fire away from you.
Upon reaching level 17, when you have enough points to select your second Augment, opt for Hexus Nexus. This makes enemies target Trouble over you since Trouble will taunt them, drawing attention away and allowing you to freely move about.
Finally, towards the end, the best ability you have is Unsealed. This allows Trouble to specifically target enemies and make them more susceptible to Vex’s attacks. When that enemy is slain, Trouble gains a Stack of Unsealed that grants health regen and increased damage buffs.
This effect stacks, and doubles when Phase Familiar is active.
Key Skills
As you build Vex to reach these key milestones in the skill tree, you’ll need to invest your skill points in smaller passives that stack over time. Below are the best options for Vex so you can carefully curate a powerhouse with Trouble:
|
Skill Name |
Description |
|---|---|
|
Grave Sustenance |
This Kill Skill restores a small percentage of the Action Skill Duration, allowing Trouble to remain a Badass longer. |
|
Grave Command |
This Kill Skill restores both Trouble’s Command Skill Cooldown and Respawn Cooldown, allowing them to overall be more active in the battle. |
|
Yowl and Bay |
With this skill, whenever Vex commands Trouble, she gains increased Gun Damage for a short time. |
|
Vorpal Fiends |
This increases the Critical Hit Damage for Trouble. |
|
Shocking Attunement |
While Attuned to Shock, Vex has increased movement speed and gun damage (while moving). The bonus is that this remains in effect for a short time even after switching to another attunement. |
|
Infusion |
When using a Repkit, Vex and her minions gain bonus damage for both Melee and Guns – with the bonus damage reflecting her current attunement. |
|
Guns and Needles |
Reduces the cooldown for using Repkits. |
|
Grave Sights |
Vex’s Critical Hit Damage and Gun Handling increases; this effect can stack. |
|
Fiendish Invigoration |
Increases the movement speed and fire rate for Vex and her minions upon using a Repkit. |
|
Target Prescience |
Increases Critical Hit Chance for Vex when striking any part of an enemy. |
|
Channeling |
Increases the Action Skill duration and attunement durations, allowing Trouble to remain a Badass longer. |
Best Siren Solo Build For Vex
When playing alone and hoping to take on enemies in swarms, you’ll want to invest in The Fourth Seal skill tree. This allows Vex to summon numerous Phase Clones to distract the enemy with Gun Damage and scythes. These allies are relatively short-lived compared to Trouble, but their versatility makes them the next best thing to a full party.
Each of the three Phase Clones Vex can summon take on her appearance and attunement, allowing you create a diverse group of allies that distract and dismantle your foes. Swapping between attunements allows you to vary the attack damage element, building upon elemental reactions to deal increased damage over time.
If you want to go overkill, you could always use this build with a full party. Maybe even a full party of Sirens with the same build.
This build is also best if you plan on farming bosses alone. To make the most of Vex’s skills here, you’ll need to prioritize picking up Maliwan weapons for the affinity attunements, but otherwise you’re free to select whichever weapon type suits you best. If you’re more of a gunner, then assault rifles will be your best friend.
If you prefer to get up close, start wielding those hefty shotguns. Otherwise, if you want to remain far from the fighting, summon your Phase Clones and take up a perch nearby with a sniper rifle to really maximize efficiency. Phase Clones won’t last forever, so it’s important to keep an eye on them and execute your plans with precision.
Stationary Bosses can easily be brought down with three Phase Clone Specters, but you’ll want at least one Reaper for mobile bosses.
To best maximize your build, take the Coven Augment to gain health regen (with Reapers) and increase your Critical Hit Chance (with Specters) for both Vex and the Phase Clones. You’ll also want to take Wither when you can, as it’s similar to how Trouble marks enemies.
Wither deals status effect damage over time, and it stacks. When a Withered enemy is killed, the Phase Clones can cast the spell again. Ultimately, though, your goal is to get the Dark Pact ability. This is the best possible ability for Vex with this build, as she can not only stop the health decline of her Phase Clones, but also fully restore all of their health bars. Movement speed is also increased during this time.
Key Skills
When working towards augments and abilities, there are certain skills you want to spend skill points on to ensure you get the best outcome in every battle. Below are the ideal skills to take so you can continue to slay enemies and support your Phase Clones in combat:
|
Skill Name |
Description |
|---|---|
|
Cold Iron |
This skill increases Gun Damage for both Vex and her Minions, allowing each Phase Clone to hit harder. |
|
Cursed Blade |
With this, Vex’s melee attacks apply Curse – which deals Kinetic Damage anytime they take Gun Damage. |
|
Extra Cursed |
This has a similar effect as Cursed Blade, but instead triggers when Minions deal melee damage to enemies – especially when dealing with critical hits. |
|
Prismatic Ichor |
Since Vex has great attunement abilities, this skill applies another random elemental effect when Vex (or a minion) applies a Status Effect. |
|
Recurrence |
Vex gains a Stack of Recurrence when dealing damage to enemies, which increases both her and the Phase Clones’ damage output. This effect stacks, though it must be done quickly. |
|
Reverburnations |
When striking a foe with a melee attack, Vex and the Phase Clones have a small chance to deal Incendiary damage. Given that you’ll want to inflict curses on enemies, this definitely won’t hurt (you). |
|
Haruspex |
Overrides the melee attack to instead throw a Phase Dagger in Vex’s offhand, but still deals Melee Damage to enemies when hit. |
|
Prismatic Weaponry |
Bonus damage from Gun Critical Hits randomly takes on an Elemental Type at reload. |
|
Obedient Fiends |
Minion Damage is increased, and their skills and commands gain more damage as well. |
|
Ancient Rites |
For each stack of Ancient Rites, minion damage is increased. Vex gains a stack every second she has a minion active. |
|
Diener |
Dead Ringer gains an additional charge, allowing you to summon a fourth Phase Clone. |
Best Siren Multiplayer Build For Vex
Finally, if you plan on never playing solo, then you’ll want to focus on dealing as much damage as you can while the party supports you. This primarily relies on the Incarnate ability and the Vexcalation skill tree. With this, embrace Vex’s witchy side to really start making magic.
This skill tree essentially turns Vex into a vampire that drains health from enemies and restores her own wellbeing. She can also cast Eldritch Blast and fire her guns to reduce the skill cooldown.
While this build works well in solo runs, we recommend it for playing in a team so you can focus on carrying your allies.
As you build Vex with this skill tree, focus on taking Geistwave to cause Phase Explosions and damage multiple enemies at a time. It also increases how much damage you deal in the duration following detonation!
Next, when selecting another Augment for Vex, lean towards the Witchy Trigger Finger. Dealing damage with Phase Explosions will fully restock ammo for the currently equipped gun, allowing Vex to continually fire at enemies while zipping around the field.
Since this build relies on Vex switching between her best guns, it doesn’t hurt to have emergency ammo ready at will.
Upon reaching the bottom of the skill tree, you’ll want to go with the Heartpiercer ability. While you’ll sacrifice a portion of your health on use, the Eldritch Blast attack comes out as a Piercing Wave. Enemies will take damage from it, but the wave heals allies when they are hit by the sheer force.
In addition to helping your teammates, Vex gains bonus damage and healing that scales with how much health was sacrificed. The real benefit here, though, is that Eldritch Blast no longer has a cooldown. This means you can use this ability as often as you like, allowing you to either act as Death itself or support your team as a makeshift healer.
It’s a little unconventional, but it comes in handy.
As for what weapons you should look for, you’ll want to stock up on Jakobs weaponry. These guns are renowned for their Kinetic prowess, making them perfect for a Kinetic-based build. Unlike the other builds for Vex, try to avoid any other element type with weapons.
Other elements won’t synergize well with this build, so focus purely on Kinetic damage to maximize Vex’s potential. it doesn’t matter what type of gun you use, so feel free to equip a loadout that covers all your bases – or just use your favorites.
Any Vampiric weapons, like the Vampiric Throwing Knife, should be held onto as they grant additional Lifesteal. Meanwhile, shields like the Firewerks or Evasive Retort can help Vex launch homing missiles at enemies or increase her movement speed to get out of the way, respectively.
Key Skills
When working towards your Augments and abilities, you’ll need to pick up passive skills that supplement Vex’s growth in combat. Unlike the other builds, you won’t really be buffing any minions or allies, so you want to prioritize keeping Vex alive.
However, some of her skills will pop off based on her overall health. Staying at max health may not be ideal in certain situations, so take a look at the skills below to see what works best for Vex as she continues to grow and level up.
Many of her skills from this tree revolve around Kintetic damage, so make sure you have the right weapons to utilize every skill!
|
Skill Name |
Description |
|---|---|
|
Leeching Attunement |
When attuned to Kinetic, Vex has lifesteal abilities and increased Reload Speed. |
|
Bloodletter |
Critical Hits have a chance to apply Bleed to enemies, dealing Kinetic damage over time. This can stack! |
|
Material Components |
Vex gains increased Kinetic Damage and Kinetic Status Effect Damage. |
|
Conjuration |
Vex gains increased Gun Damage that scales with her shield’s health. Additionally, she gains Damage Reduction that scales with how depleted her health is. |
|
Grave Vitality |
This Kill Skill stacks and increases both Max Health and Health Regen. |
|
Blood Shot |
After using a Repkit, the next shot fired becomes a Blood Shot that converts damage into Kinetic damage based on Vex’s health. |
|
Essence Leech |
Vex gains Lifesteal; the effect can double when using Incarnate. |
|
Blood is Power |
Vex gains bonus Kinetic Damage when using her guns, which scales with her Lifesteal effect when her health is full. |
Vex is a very versatile character that can be customized and rekitted to fit any manner of playstyle, so feel free to mix and match abilities to find what flows best with you. If you prefer more fantasy vibes, then the Vampiric Incarnate skill tree is likely where you’ll want to invest your skill points.
If you’re new to Borderlands, it’s best to start with Here Comes Trouble, as it requires little to no knowledge to use effectively in combat. The Phase Clones are the intermediate option, requiring a bit more planning, but ultimately they can be utilized rather easily. Vexcalation requires the most control, so only advanced players (or those looking for a challenge) should attempt to build Vex this way!
