If the Borderlands series is known for anything, it's the game-breaking end-game builds and the insane array of weapons available in each entry. Although the games are still regularly updated with hotfixes, not every glitch gets caught.
The first two Borderlands games had glitches and exploits that stayed unfixed in the game for a considerable amount of time, and some still remain in the game to this day. Borderlands: The Pre Sequel and Borderlands 3 were much more put together on release (probably because the team had more experience), but each still had their own game-breaking bugs.
7 Drop Reloading – Borderlands
Drop Reloading is an exploit that allows players to instantly reload their guns, skipping the reloading animation entirely. This is an extremely powerful glitch that was especially beneficial for weapons with long reloading times, like rocket launchers and shotguns. It's still doable in-game, but only on PC.
To perform this glitch, the player must go to their install folder and locate the config file. Open the file in a text document, then locate the Throw Weapon keybinding command. There should be an underscore at the end of the line, which the player can replace with any key. Then, save the document. When launching the game again, press that keybind to drop the currently equipped weapon, then rapidly press E to pick it up again. The weapon will be fully reloaded and ready to fire much faster than a traditional reload animation.
6 Brick Speed Glitch – Borderlands
The original Borderlands game was rife with exploits and glitches. It was at the forefront of the looter-shooter genre, but that also means developing code as a pioneer. One glitch from the original Borderlands game made Brick about 50% faster at all times, and was extremely easy to replicate. The glitch was eventually patched out, but can still be replicated on old versions of the original game on Xbox 360.
All the player had to do to enable the speed boost was start Brick's Berserker ability, then enter the menu. Upon exiting, Brick will be much faster until the player enters another area they have to load in to. Some players found the glitch more easily replicable if they waited until Brick just starts to crack his knuckles before entering the menu.
5 Invincible Krieg Glitch – Borderlands 2
Like the first game, Borderlands 2 contains a lot of glitches that are still replicable today. One of the more notable exploits turned Krieg into an invincible killing machine. Krieg is a DLC character for the second entry in the series. While this playable psycho is canonically an undefeatable killing machine, it probably wasn't Gearbox' intention to make that literally possible in-game.
The main way players initiated the invincible Krieg glitch (before it was patched) was to use his Buzz Axe Rampage ability while below 33% health, then construct a vehicle at a catch-a-ride station. As long as Krieg didn't leave the current zone, he would take no damage. Unfortunately, this particular method was patched out. However, as recently as 2019, players are still finding unexplainable bugs that turn Krieg invincible indefinitely.
4 Gaige Shield Stacking – Borderlands 2
Krieg isn't the only DLC character that came with a game-breaking glitch. Gaige was another downloadable character who is supported by her robot pal Deathtrap. The skill Buck Up in the Best Friends Forever skill tree allows Deathtrap to automatically begin recharging Gaige's shields when she takes a hit.
When the player travels to another location at the very start of Deathtrap's shield-recharging animation, they will find that the blue twinge around their shields doesn't go away. From then on, her shields will always recharge instantaneously once they wear down. It doesn't reset between zones, and the player can perform the glitch over and over again to increase the shield recharge rate. It only goes away when the player quits the current session.
3 Morningstar Damage Stacking – Borderlands 2
The Morningstar is a sniper rifle in Borderlands 2 that the player can exploited to gain infinite stacking critical hit damage. What's more, the glitch still works today. It's a bit of a complex one, at least compared to the simplicity of some glitches, but lets players deal absolute maximum damage with the sniper rifle until they leave the area.
The player must empty the magazine of the Morningstar first, then start the reloading animation. Before the animation ends, but as quickly as possible, switch to another weapon and back, and continue doing this until it feels like enough. Upon landing a critical hit, the gun's critical damage will go berserk.
2 Unlimited Stats – Borderlands 3
Borderlands 3 was a mostly well-put-together game, with minimal glitches upon release. The glitches that were present, though, changed the game entirely. One such glitch was performable by any character for a short time before being patched out. Unless the player rolls back their version of the game and doesn't play online, this glitch is no longer replicable.
When it was in the game, the player only needed to find a Rough Rider shield with an ability that triggers once the shield is depleted. Because the Rough Rider has 0 shield, it procs infinitely. Depending on which stat is boosted this could launch a player across the map at stunning speeds or make end-game bosses trivial.
1 Item Duplication – Borderlands: The Pre Sequel
Borderlands: The Pre Sequel was, all things considered, a pretty glitch-free game. It runs on the same engine as Borderlands 2 and one can only assume the team worked out the kinks for the next entry in the series. However, the game has an item duplication glitch that is still present today, granting players unlimited quantities of valuable guns.
The glitch only works in co-op mode. When playing with a friend, turn the badass ranks off to auto-save, then back on. Drop the weapon you want to duplicate, and have a co-op partner pick it up. Players should then exit the game either via console command (ctrl-shift-del) or by pressing ALT-F4. The other player should turn their badass ranks off and then on again, initiating an auto save. When logging back in, both players will have the gun.