Borderlands 3 Legendary Artifact Guide

Last updated on Oct 28, 2018 at 09:20 by Kat 3 comments

This guide explains the complex variance when it comes to Artifacts in Borderlands 3. It details Primary Effects, Secondary Effects, and additional stats to help you understand what to look for when searching for the perfect Artifact.

1.

Legendary Artifacts Overview

Artifacts are one of the many types of items that can be equipped in Borderlands 3 and can be used by a character once they have defeated the Graveward boss in story mode.

Like most items in Borderlands 3, each time a Legendary Artifact is found it will come with a variety of different stats and effects, which will greatly dictate what the Artifact has to offer. While this can be said for most items within the game, most Legendary Artifacts have an additional level of rolls that makes the perfect Artifact exceedingly rare. The different levels of rolls can be separated into the following 3 categories:

  • Primary Artifact
  • Secondary Artifact
  • Secondary Stats
2.

Primary Artifacts

Primary Artifacts are the most defining characteristics of a Legendary Artifact and are unique part of that Artifact. While most Legendary Artifacts will have complex names, the primary component can be found in the second half of the Artifact's name. Using the Artifact "Fire Stone Commander Planetoid" as an example, the Primary Artifact in question would be Commander Planetoid.

A full list of each Primary Artifact can be found below:

  • Commander Planetoid
  • Cosmic Crater
  • Deathless
  • Launch Pad
  • Loaded Dice
  • Moxxi's Endowment
  • Otto Idol
  • Pull Out Method
  • Rocket Boots
  • Safeguard
  • Splatter Gun
  • Static Charge
  • Victory Rush
  • White Elephant
3.

Secondary Artifacts

Secondary Artifacts are the second part of a Legendary Artifact and contain more common, but still very powerful, effects. These effects can be paired with any of the Primary effects to generate the full effect of a Legendary Artifact. The secondary component of a Legendary Artifact can be extracted from first half of its name. For example 'Fire Stone' is the Secondary Artifact in "Fire Stone Commander Planetoid".

Secondary Artifacts also exist as standalone Artifacts. They will drop as either Rare or Epic Artifacts and will not be paired with unique Primary Artifact effects.

A full list of each Secondary Artifact and effect can be found below:

Artifact Name Effect
Atom Balm Enhances the Radiation status effect aura, making it larger and more deadly.
Berzerker Melee enemies to trigger Enrage. Enrage increases your Sprint Speed and Fire Rate.
Cauterizing Slide deals Incendiary Damage, creating a magma puddle upon impat
Caustic Coast Slide kicks up Corrosive shards that explode on impact.
Corrosive Stone Adds 80% bonus Corrosive damage to all Melee attacks.
Cutpurse Dealing Melee damage replenishes ammo for self and allies.
Cryo Stone Adds 80% bonus Cryo damage to all Melee attacks.
Electric Slide Slides arc beams of Shock to nearby enemies, which can arc to other nearby enemies.
Elemental Projector While suffering an elemental effect, increase your damage with that same element
Fire Stone Adds 80% bonus Incendiary damage to all Melee attacks.
Flesh Melter Killing an enemy with Corrosive increases your Corrosive damage for a short duration.
Hot Drop Slam launches Incendiary projectiles that spawn Magma Puddles
Ice Breaker Increases Cryo Efficiency and deal bonus damage to Frozen targets.
Ice Spiker Slam fires 3 Cryo projectile that damage and pass through enemies.
Knife Drain All Melee attacks return a portion of the damage dealt as health.
Last Stand Gain Temporary Invulnerability when Health drops below 50%
Loot Expanding Increases the amount of Cash, Health, and Ammo you receive from pickups.
Mind Melt Slam triggers a Radiation aura that follows you and damages nearby enemies.
Radiodead Slide deals additional Radiation damage, creating a toxic puddle on impact.
Radiation Stone Adds 80% bonus Radiation damage to all Melee attacks.
Rear Ender Improves Slam. Adds bonus damage, radius, and knockback.
Shock Stone Adds 80% bonus Shock damage to all Melee attacks.
Spark Plug Slam plants an electrified coil that does Shock damage to nearby enemies.
Snowdrift Slide launches a snowball that does Cryo damage. Increases slide speed.
Toxic Revenger Slam creates a large Corrosive puddle on impact.
4.

Secondary Stats

The last set of rolls that make up a Legendary Artifact are a set up secondary stats. Legendary Artifacts will roll with up to 3 secondary stats, and when added to the randomness of the Primary and Secondary components, make it almost impossible to roll the perfect Artifact. Nonetheless, there are a range of powerful secondary stats available and a full list can be found below:

  • Action Skill Cooldown Rate
  • Assault Rifle Damage
  • Area-of-Effect Damage
  • Cryo Damage
  • Cryo Efficiency
  • Cryo Resistance
  • Corrosive Damage
  • Corrosive Resistance
  • Electrocute Chance
  • Electrocute Resistance
  • Elemental Resistance
  • Experience Gained From Combat
  • FFYL Downed Time
  • FFYL Movement Speed
  • Grenade Damage
  • Health Regeneration
  • Ignite Chance
  • Incendiary Damage
  • Incendiary Resistance
  • Irradiate Chance
  • Luck
  • Magazine Size
  • Max Health
  • Max Shield
  • Melee Damage
  • Melt Chance
  • Movement Speed
  • Pistol Damage
  • Radiation Damage
  • Radiation Resistance
  • Shield Recharge Rate
  • Shield Recharge Delay
  • Shock Damage
  • Shotgun Damage
  • SMG Damage
  • Sniper Damage
  • Weapon Accuracy
  • Weapon Reload Speed
5.

Special Legendary Artifacts

Special Artifacts are a small subset of Legendary Artifacts that do not follow the rules mentioned above. These Special Artifacts, that each have their own specific enemy that they drop from, have powerful Primary Artifact effects but no Secondary Artifact effects. Additionally, only some of these Artifacts will roll Secondary stats.

The Special Legendary Artifacts in this category are:

  • Electric Banjo
  • Grave
  • Phoenix Tears
  • Unleash the Dragon
6.

Changelog

  • 28 Oct. 2019: Bloody Harvest event guide added.
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