Radiation is an element in Borderlands 3 and Borderlands 4.
Borderlands 3
Example of a radiation weapon in Borderlands 3
Effects
Radiation inflicts a degenerative status effect that damages enemies near the affected target. In addition to taking damage over time, irradiated enemies damage enemies around them. Enemies that die while irradiated explode in a radiation nova, with a chance to irradiate other enemies hit by the explosion.
The Radiation status effect lasts 8 seconds.
Weaknesses and resistances
Radiation weapons have a slightly lower base damage stat compared to weapons of other elements. In normal mode, Radiation deals regular damage against flesh and shields, and reduced damage against armor. In True Vault Hunter Mode and Mayhem Mode, Radiation also deals increased damage to shields, but damage against armor is further reduced:
| Flesh | Shield | Armor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal mode | 100% | 100% | 70% |
| TVHM/Mayhem | 100% | 150% | 50% |
Aura
An irradiated enemy inflicts roughly the same damage as their status effect to nearby enemies within a radius of roughly 2 meters / 6-8 feet. This does not irradiate those enemies, just damages them as long as they're nearby.
Explosion
When an irradiated enemy dies, they explode. The explosion's damage is 3× the status effect's damage per second. Enemies hit by this explosion have a chance to become irradiated themselves; in this case, the newly inflicted status effect damage is 3/8 of that which the exploded enemy suffered.
Notes
- Radiation was added as a replacement/adaptation of the explosive element from previous installments, which was replaced by splash damage of any element.
- Irradiated attacks contaminate any bodies of water they hit, creating a radiation area of effect pool for a short period of time.
Borderlands 4
Effectiveness
Radiation weapons do normal damage to flesh, increased damage to shields and reduced damage to armor. At higher difficulties resistances and weaknesses are both increased.
| Radiation effectiveness in Borderlands 4 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Flesh | Shield | Armor | |
| Easy | 100% | 110% | 90% |
| Normal | 125% | 75% | |
| Hard | 150% | 50% | |
| ||||||||