How Long Does It Take to Max Level on "Borderlands"?

With multiple playthroughs, you'll soon reach the level cap in "Borderlands."

In "Borderlands" for the PS3, Xbox 360 and PC, whether you choose the "Hunter," "Siren," "Berserker" or "Soldier," your aim is to reach the max level to unlock your character's full capabilities. The amount of time it takes you to reach the level cap depends on how quickly you progress through the game.

Max Level

When "Borderlands" was originally released, the max level was 50. Even if you completed every quest in your first playthrough of the game, it was almost impossible to reach level 50 without a lot of experience grinding. With the release of update 1.41, Gearbox raised the level cap for all players who own the base game to 58, and made enemies and weapons throughout the game scale to your level after you complete the second playthrough.

The Secret Armory

In February 2010, Gearbox released "Borderland's" third downloadable content (DLC), "The Secret Armory of General Knoxx." This expansion added new weapons, enemies, environments and missions, in addition to raising the level cap from 50 to 61. With the release of update 1.41, the level cap for players who own the base game and "The Secret Armory of General Knoxx" DLC became 69.

Skill Points

Each time you level, you gain a point which you can invest in your character's skill tree. Each of "Borderland's" four characters offer a unique skill tree and abilities, and each ability has five levels. Even after you reach level 69, you will not be able to invest points in every skill, so choose your abilities wisely.

New Game+

The fastest way to reach max level in "Borderlands" is to finish your first playthrough and then start a "New Game+" with your current character. You will start the game from the beginning with the level you achieved at the end of your previous playthrough, and enemies will have higher levels and offer many more experience points.

Faster Leveling

There are several ways to increase the rate at which you earn experience points. If you play with others, for example, your enemies will scale in difficulty and reward more points than if you were to play alone. If you have a friend who is a higher level than you, ask him to "power level" you, or to run you through his own game where the enemies are of a much higher level. Your friend can run around killing all the enemies while you sit back and reap the experience gain.

References

• Gearbox Software: Borderlands