Master Borderlands controls and learn about Roland the Soldier! This guide breaks down button mappings and the Soldier's Action Skill and Skill Trees for beginners.
Hey there! So, you're diving into Borderlands, huh? Awesome choice! Let's get you up to speed on the basics so you can start blasting psychos and looting like a pro. This section is all about getting a handle on how to move and fight, and we'll take a quick look at one of the characters you can play as.
Controls Breakdown:
First off, let's get you familiar with your controller. Knowing these will make everything from aiming to reloading feel natural:
| D-Pad | Select Weapon |
| Left Analog Stick | Move, Sprint (Click) |
| Right Analog Stick | Move Camera, Melee Attack (Click) |
| Start | Pause |
| Back | Status Menu |
| X Button | Interact, Reload |
| Y Button | Cycle Weapon |
| A Button | Jump |
| B Button | Toggle Crouch/Stand |
| Right Trigger | Fire Weapon |
| Left Trigger | Aim |
| Right Bumper | Throw Grenade |
| Left Bumper | Use Skill |
Meet Roland: The Soldier
Borderlands has four awesome classes, and they all handle the same way control-wise. Your choice really comes down to which character's special abilities and weapon perks you dig the most. Let's talk about Roland, the Soldier. He's often recommended for beginners because he's a solid all-rounder.
Roland's Specialties:
- Weapon Specialty: Roland is great with Combat Rifles and Shotguns, making him effective at both mid-range and close-quarters combat.
- Action Skill: His signature move is the Scorpio Turret. This bad boy automatically targets enemies and can really help you out in a pinch. It lasts for 20 seconds.
Why the Scorpio Turret is Great:
The Scorpio Turret isn't just for blasting enemies; it also puts out an energy shield that you can actually hide behind! This is super useful for drawing enemy fire away from you, especially in tight spots like hallways or rooms. Just a heads-up, though: it's not as effective against enemies that are flying or on a different elevation than the turret itself.
Roland's Skill Trees:
Roland's skill trees are where he really shines, especially if you're playing with friends. But even if you're going solo, you've got some great options:
- For Solo Play: The Infantry and Support skill trees are your best bet. Infantry boosts your offensive power (think Guided Missile!), while Support enhances your defensive capabilities (like Supply Drop).
- For Co-op Play: If you're teaming up, the Medic skill tree is where it's at. Skills like Aid Station and Grit make Roland an absolute lifesaver for your squad, especially when facing tough Borderlands enemies.
Quick Look at the Infantry Skill Tree:
Just to give you a taste, the Infantry tree has skills like 'Impact,' which increases your bullet damage across all weapon types by 3%. Then there's 'Sentry,' which boosts your Scorpio Turret's damage by a solid 7%. These are just a couple of examples, but they show how you can really customize Roland to fit your playstyle.
- Don't forget you can click the Left Analog Stick to sprint – it'll save you a lot of time getting around Pandora.
- Remember to use the Left Trigger to aim down sights for more accurate shots, especially with combat rifles.
- Experiment with Roland's turret placement; sometimes putting it just around a corner can catch enemies off guard.
- If you're playing with friends, definitely consider investing in the Medic tree for Roland – it makes a huge difference!
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