Borderlands 3 is Gearbox Software's looter shooter, published by 2K and on Steam since 13 March 2020 after six months of Epic exclusivity. Four Vault Hunters chase Troy and Tyreen Calypso across Pandora, Promethea, Athenas, Eden-6 and Nekrotafeyo, the first time the series leaves Pandora properly. The level cap sits at 72, with Mayhem 1 to 11 layered on top to scale enemies and loot for endgame play.
Resource management and crafting determine how quickly your power scales. This guide covers what to prioritize, where to farm, and how to avoid wasting resources on the wrong upgrades.
Crafting Priority List
The order you should invest resources:
| Priority | Target | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Primary weapons | Biggest damage increase per resource spent |
| 2 | Core build gear | Enables your role's key combinations |
| 3 | Defensive upgrades | Survivability for boss fights |
| 4 | Secondary weapons | Situational options for specific content |
| 5 | Consumables | Temporary boosts for hard content |
Resource Farming by Area
Pandora
Key resources: Hellwalker, the first vehicle, and Sanctuary III as your mobile base Farming efficiency: Low value per run, but safe and consistent
Focus on gathering materials for Hellwalker upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Promethea
Key resources: Atlas tracking weapons, Rampager and Katagawa Jr. drops, the city fights that define act two Farming efficiency: Good early-game farming spot
Focus on gathering materials for Hellwalker upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Athenas
Key resources: Cutsman from Borman Nates, Maya's storyline, one of the shortest farm routes in the game Farming efficiency: Best mid-game farming, worth revisiting
Focus on gathering materials for Hellwalker upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Eden-6
Key resources: Graveward loot, Aurelia and GenIVIV fights, most of the Jakobs weapon pool Farming efficiency: High-value materials for late-game upgrades
This is where you farm materials for Lyuda max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Nekrotafeyo
Key resources: Typhon DeLeon's logs and dead drops, General Traunt drops, the run into the final fight Farming efficiency: Best resources in the game, requires strong build
This is where you farm materials for Lyuda max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Upgrade Path
Early Game (Pandora to Promethea)
- Upgrade your starting weapons to functional level
- Craft basic defensive gear
- Save specialty materials, since you'll need them later
- Focus on Hellwalker once accessible
Mid Game (Athenas)
- Push Hellwalker to mid-level upgrades
- Start collecting materials for Lyuda
- Craft situational consumables for boss fights
- Upgrade build-specific gear pieces
Late Game (Eden-6 to Nekrotafeyo)
Crafting Mistakes to Avoid
- Spreading upgrades across multiple weapons: Focus one weapon to max before diversifying.
- Hoarding materials: Use them. The game provides enough if you farm efficiently.
- Upgrading the wrong gear: Check our builds guide before investing.
- Ignoring Athenas farming: This area has the best resource-to-time ratio in mid-game.
- Crafting consumables too early: Save specialty materials for late-game recipes.
Resource Efficiency Tips
- Keep a shock gun, a corrosive gun and an incendiary gun equipped at all times. Enemy health bars are colour coded by type, and a corrosive weapon against an armoured Badass roughly halves the fight compared with the wrong element on a higher damage gun.
- Farm Athenas during mid-game for the best return on time
- Check the walkthrough to know when each resource becomes available
- Match your farming route to your build. Some classes farm faster in certain areas
More Borderlands 3 Guides
- Borderlands 3 Borderlands 3 Overview
- Borderlands 3 Best Builds
- Borderlands 3 Tier List
- Borderlands 3 Walkthrough
- Borderlands 3 Beginner's Guide
- Borderlands 3 Tips & Tricks
- Borderlands 3 Weapons Guide
- Borderlands 3 Combat Guide
- Borderlands 3 Boss Guide
- Borderlands 3 Maps & Locations
- Borderlands 3 Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy Borderlands 3, check out these related guides:
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- Apex Legends Crafting Guide: fps game with similar mechanics
- Rainbow Six Siege Crafting Guide: fps game with similar mechanics
