Deep into its release,Borderlands 3received an update for Mayhem Mode that increased the difficulty level by several notches, while adding various modifiers to keep Vault Hunters on their toes. This allows players at the top of their game to receive even more powerful versions of their favorite weapons. This added difficulty and chaos includes increased enemy health and shields, and other wild elements such as larger enemy heads and healing drones for foes.
While some welcome these challenges, others find that grinding up to Mayhem 10 can be rather intense and tough — and not all weapons perform as well with such a high degree of difficulty and unpredictability. Thus, this list will aid in highlighting which weapons are best to gun for when finally hitting that treacherous peak of Mayhem 10 or 11.
Updated July 22, 2025, by Stephen LaGioia:Since the release of the Mayhem 10 level, which drastically elevates difficulty and loot drops, Gearbox released the Mayhem 11 update, whichfurtheramps up the toughness of this grind whiledropping the game-changing modifiers.With this added challenge — plusthe release of the epic DLCand heavy discounts bringing a renaissance to this looter-shooter — we felt it was a good time to revisit this powerhouse of a list. After all, there are so many awesome legendary guns to be had in BL3. With all of this grueling content and a wealth of potent weapons, fans will surely have much to occupy themselves with whilewaiting for Borderlands 4.
Maliwan
This Maliwan-manufactured blaster is a great option for those who like to deal ample DPS to their foes at close range. While verging on a more “mid-tier” weapon compared to most Mayhem-worthy legendaries — thanks partly to its frequent charging and high ammo consumption — the Recursion is a great finisher in a heated skirmish.
What’s unique and generally neat about this shotgun is that the particle beam fired will automatically hone in on secondary targets after hitting its initial mark. This distinct chaining perk makes it a good option for crowd control, and there’s plenty of that to go around in the 10 and 11 Mayhem modes.
23Redistributor
Hyperion
This crowd-punishing gun can wipe out hordes of enemies fairly easily and effectively, especially when taking advantage of the elemental boosts. True to its name, the Redistributor spreads out chains of potent blasts that latch onto several nearby foes.
While these specialized amped shots only kick in everyseventhblast, this still occurs pretty rapidly, given the swift fire rate of SMG. It’s a great way to soften the defenses of large mobs of baddies with its damage over time and high DPS abilities.
22Anarchy
Tediore
Tediore weapons can be a mixed bag, to say the least — with their often-jarring reload function that usually doubles as a second weapon attack. But this is one players will want to gun for when delving into the chaos of Mayhem Mode.
While a bit erratic, this weapon boasts a pretty high damage ceiling for those who have a steady hand, as its damage stacking buff allows for loads of DPS. In fact, a whopping1,370% damage increaseis possible when the stacking is uninterrupted. This is useful in Mayhem Mode, which is rife with targets gunning for players.
It should be noted though, that players will want to keep this gun out as long as possible, as any stacks or damage bonus is reset when swapped out.
21Yellowcake
COV
Rocket Launchers can be iffy, especially when compared to the boss blasters and ‘Fight For Your Life’ savers they were inBorderlands 2. But while most may not have theexplosive effectiveness they had in BL2, this weapon — A COV of all manufacturers — is one of the strongest in the game, bar none.
Players merely need to get used to the distinct and peculiar mechanics of this mortar-firing launcher. It’s certainly better for bosses, badasses, and generally larger targets, as the odd trajectory of the splitting mortars makes it tough to land direct hits from even middle distance. Aside from the range limitation, there’s also high heat generation to factor in, so this weapon shouldn’t be spammed too often. It only takesfour shotsfor this beast to overheat.
20Hellshock
Thisunique, potent Maliwanpistol is great for spamming and crowd control in general, but users will need to work around its inaccurate, unpredictable nature. Projectiles will always bounce, and evenmoreuseful, they’ll begin as one element before shifting to the second after their first impact.
If it successfully hits its mark, this can unleash a barrage of hefty damage and DoT at a level few weapons are capable of. Players may want to continually pump the trigger and aim for the feet of targets to get the most out of this one, and work around its distinct mechanics.
19Kaoson
Dahl
This nifty SMG has all the speed, accuracy, and portability of a pistol, with the DPS and explosive nature of heavy machine guns and even small launchers. Its speed, sharp accuracy, and splash-damaging stickies allow players to dealloadsof damage to multiple targets with ease.
This already powerful gun can be amped up even further, as certain prefixes yielddouble bullets fired/used.
18Face-Puncher
The aptly named Face-Puncher adheres quite strictly to a boxing/melee theme, not only with its amusing punching sound effect, but also its perks. This disruptive weapon draws from a Vault Hunter’s melee strength, and looses a melee accessory in every instance of being spawned.
This offensive boost based on melee can be especially useful in Mayhem — as players will likely have a build with potent melee abilities at this stage in the game. With its high damage ceiling, players taking advantage of a solid melee-focused build can unleash a walloping on enemies at close range.
17Maggie
Jakobs
The Maggie boasts nearly all the markings of a swift and sharp Jakobs pistol, while packing a punch from close or medium range that can essentially take the role of a strong shotgun. While it’s not the most accurate pick, it more than makes up for this shotty-like spread with its massive damage output.
It’s particularly great for whittling down some of thelarger, tougher bosses and minibossesthat populate the game. While the accuracy and damage per projectile go down a bit with each shot-per-clip, it’s still well worth blasting foes with this deceptively deadly tribute to Monty Jakobs' wife.
16Nukem
Torgue
While the rocket launcher group received a fairly big downgrade in terms of effectiveness and availability compared to pastBLentries, the Nukem is a rare gem in this category. This beast can wipe out crowds and leave a major dent in bosses in just a few quick shots, despite its highly limited magazine size and bizarre trajectory.
Its huge blast radius can thin out even some of the largest, most potent crowds — though players will want to keep their distance, as it can drop itsuserrather easily too.
15Sand Hawk
This legendary Dahl sniper can be an ammo glutton,consuming three per shot,and a bit slow when it comes to bullet speed. Otherwise, though, it is very worthwhile, even for those who don’t favor the clunky sluggishness of snipers.
With loads of damage-dealing and a widespread that continues expanding, this is a rare sniper that’s solid for both boss fights and crowd control. This can also be tightened up with its semi-auto firing mode, which keeps the spread closer and more reliable. Factor this in with the exponentially strong elementals, and the Hawk is a true killer as close and medium range.
