The Director’s Cut DLC for Borderlands 3 is less than a week away, meaning that it will not be much longer before players are doing everything there is to do in the expansion. Whether it be farming the new raid boss, solving some mysteries with Ava, or exploring the galaxy in some stylish Multiverse skins, April 8 will be a big day for fans of the game. However, a recent announcement made the Director’s Cut’s Vault Card system a lot more interesting.
Players have known about the Borderlands 3 Vault Cards for a bit now. Essentially a Battle Pass system, there will be three cards released throughout 2021, with the first arriving alongside the Director’s Cut. Players will level these up as they play, unlocking rewards themed around dead characters from past Borderlands games. While this system is plenty of fun and ensures players are constantly unlocking rewards, one of those rewards is a brand-new currency called Diamond Keys — and these special Keys are a game changer.
What Are Diamond Keys?
Diamond Keys are a fresh reward received exclusively from Vault Cards. Players will get them every few levels, with this new currency joining the element Eridium to pad out the length of the card. While the cosmetic rewards and exclusive Legendary weaponry is undoubtedly the focus of these cards, it is the Diamond Keys that will likely get those focused on gameplay interested. Rather than just allowing for better Golden Chest loot, these special items open up a whole new room on Sanctuary 3.
The Diamond Armory can be found beneath Sanctuary 3’s bridge, and each time players want to open it, they will have to spend one of their coveted Diamond Keys. Once activating the chest with a key, shutters will come down on the three sides of the room. Behind each shutter will be a wall full of some of the best loot in the game. On the left well, players will find shields, while the middle wall holds guns. Lastly, the right wall will hold weapons. While there are dozens of items to claim on these walls, players will not be able to take all of them.
After spending a Diamond Key, players will be able to take one item from each wall. While this would hardly be a big deal if players had the luxury of time, an added mechanic sees gamers limited on how long they can spend in the room. As such, they will have to rush through the looting process, picking up an item quickly so that they have time to get one of each possible reward. A neat mechanic resembling the timed loot sections seen at the end of the Secret Armory of General Knoxx and Psycho Krieg and The Fantastic Fustercluck expansions, this fun little mini game should keep players on their toes. After they loot each wall, players can also open the Diamond chest at the center for a guaranteed Legendary item that matches their level — meaning that Borderlands fans get four top-tier items per Diamond Key.
A Never-Before-Seen Borderlands Feature
While the Diamond Armory would be a fun addition on its own, what makes it particularly interesting is the fact that this concept has never been seen in the Borderlands series before. Diamond Keys are an entirely new type of currency, as is the method of obtaining them. Borderlands’ Golden Keys have always been obtained outside of the game, with fans needing to keep an eye on SHiFT codes to acquire more of the item. Diamond Keys, on the other hand, are rewarded just for playing the game and progressing through the Vault Card.
The Diamond Armory is a fun spin on the usual, randomized loot process. When players open the Golden Chest, or any Chests for that matter, they get a random set of rewards. The same can be said when killing enemies. With the Armory, though, playsrs have the chance to pick out exactly what they want. Further, for those familiar with the game and its lineup of loot, spotting the best Legendary items on the wall will be easier — ensuring that experienced players are rewarded with a smoother looting process. The Diamond Chest providing a fourth item is just another bonus, with players getting plenty of bang for their buck from each Diamond Key.
The timed loot mechanic also adds a small-scale, replayable version of the armories from the Knoxx and Krieg DLCs. This is something that fans have wanted for years, as the intensity of these scenarios is impossible to top. Clearly, Gearbox Software has listened, with the developer coming through in a big way via the Diamond Armory. As long as players have a Diamond Key, they can relive an exhilarating moment where the best possible loot must be grabbed within a time limit. While Ava’s murder mysteries and the boss fight with Hemovorous are understandably the biggest draws for the DLC, this Key-based Director’s Cut addition could be the best addition to the game in the long run.
A Reason To Keep Playing
While a third Borderlands 3 Season Pass is unlikely, as Gearbox Software will likely be looking toward a new entry in the series, the Diamond Key mechanic could keep players engaged until the next Borderlands arrives. After all, Diamond Keys ensure that none of the Vault Cards ever truly end. Once players obtain all the cosmetic rewards, they can keep going to get more Eridium drops and Diamond Keys. Adding great value to the Director’s Cut content, players will be getting some consistent rewards after every batch of kills and completed quests.
Once more Vault Cards are added, Borderlands 3 fans will be getting Diamond Keys at a faster rate. Further, with only one Card able to be activated at one time, some strategizing will be possible. Players can switch to a Vault Card that is closer to a new Diamond Key reward, using their daily and weekly challenges to get as many of the items as possible. Adding a new layer to the gameplay that encourages players to grind in different ways, the system is something that would be great to see in future Borderlands games.
While the delay of Borderlands 3’s Director’s Cut was sad to see, it seems like the wait will have been worth it. While it would be great to see even more content added to the game beyond the Director’s Cut, ranging from more raid bosses to additional expansions, Diamond Keys ensure that the current content is worth playing through once again. By running on an XP system, players can get keys no matter what difficulty they play on or which planet they fight through. Everything about the system seems well thought out, and the inclusion of the Diamond Key currency could be extremely beneficial for the game and its community.
Borderlands 3 is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
