Critical Clones Vex Boss Farm Build
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★ Builds: Vex | Amon | Rafa | Harlowe
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The Critical Clones Vex build uses Dark Pact to amplify clones and make farming bosses easy for Vex in Borderlands 4. See the best builds, skills, weapons, and gear to use for Vex, along with the best skill tree abilities and character playstyle.
| All Vex Guides | |
|---|---|
| Leveling Build | Vex Cosmetics | Boss Farm Build | Bleed Build |
| Vex Skill Trees and Voice Actor | |
Critical Clones Vex Build Guide
| Jump to a Section! | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skill Tree | Skill Progression | ||||
| Weapons | Enhancements | ||||
Vex Best Skill Tree and Action Skill
| Skill Tree | The Fourth Seal |
|---|---|
| Action Skill: Dead Ringer | |
Dead Ringer allows Vex to summon multiple clones based on Vex' current Attunement. These clones deal gun damage based on their attunement, allowing you to place down clones that specifically target an enemy's weakness.
Vex can also choose between Reapers and Specters, giving you more flexibility, depending on the situation.
Vex Best Skills
| Jump to a Section! | ||
|---|---|---|
| Skill Tree | Skill Progression | |
| Passives | Capstone | |
Best Passive Skills
| Skill Tree | Priority Skills | ||
|---|---|---|---|
 The Fourth Seal |  Cold Iron Vex and her Minion(s) gain increased Gun Damage.  Cursed Blade Vex's Melee Attacks apply Curse to hit enemies, making them take Kinetic Status Effect Damage any time they take Gun Damage.  Extra Cursed Curse Damage now triggers on Minion Melee Damage, and deals increased Damage when it's triggered by a Critical Hit.  Prismatic Ichor When Vex or her Minion(s) apply a Status Effect, apply another random Elemental Status Effect.  Recurrence Whenever Vex deals Gun Damage or Melee Damage, gain a Stack of Recurrence, which increases her and her Minions' Gun Damage and Melee Damage. Stacks of Recurrence are lost if a new Stack has not been gained for a Duration. This effect can stack.  Reverburnations Melee Damage dealt by Vex or her Minion(s) has a chance to deal Incendiary Melee Damage.  Haruspex Melee Override. Vex now throws a Phase Dagger from her offhand that deals Melee Damage to enemies hit. Phase Daggers can Critically Hit. Kill Skill. Haruspex's Cooldown is reset.  Prismatic Weaponry Vex and her Specters deal Bonus Damage with Gun Critical Hits. The Bonus Damage will be a random Elemental Type that changes on Reload, and that is increased for each active Attunement.  Obedient Fiends Vex gains increased Minion Damage. Minion Skills and Command Skills gain further increased Damage.  Ancient Rites Vex gains a stack of Ancient Rites for each of her active Minion(s) every second, increasing Minion Damage. Stacks are lost after a Duration with no active Minion.  Diener Dead Ringer gains an additional Charge. |
| Skill Tree | Priority Skills | ||
|---|---|---|---|
 VexcalationVexcalation |  Leeching Attunement Attunement Skill. While Vex is Attuned to Kinetic, she gains Lifesteal and increased Reload Speed. These effects persist for a Duration after Attunement is switched. |
The best skills for the Critical Clones Vex Build revolve around amplifying her minion damage and Status Effect damage.
From the Vexcalation Skill Tree, take Leeching Attunement to boost Vex' survivability by providing lifesteal upon equipping Kinetic Guns.
Recommended Skill Progression
| Recommended Skill Progression | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Cold Iron Vex and her Minion(s) gain increased Gun Damage. Lvl 2 | Cold Iron Vex and her Minion(s) gain increased Gun Damage. Lvl 3 | Cold Iron Vex and her Minion(s) gain increased Gun Damage. Lvl 4 | Cold Iron Vex and her Minion(s) gain increased Gun Damage. Lvl 5 |
| Cold Iron Vex and her Minion(s) gain increased Gun Damage. Lvl 6 | Cursed Blade Vex's Melee Attacks apply Curse to hit enemies, making them take Kinetic Status Effect Damage any time they take Gun Damage. Lvl 7 | Cursed Blade Vex's Melee Attacks apply Curse to hit enemies, making them take Kinetic Status Effect Damage any time they take Gun Damage. Lvl 8 | Cursed Blade Vex's Melee Attacks apply Curse to hit enemies, making them take Kinetic Status Effect Damage any time they take Gun Damage. Lvl 9 |
| Cursed Blade Vex's Melee Attacks apply Curse to hit enemies, making them take Kinetic Status Effect Damage any time they take Gun Damage. Lvl 10 | Cursed Blade Vex's Melee Attacks apply Curse to hit enemies, making them take Kinetic Status Effect Damage any time they take Gun Damage. Lvl 11 | Extra Cursed Curse Damage now triggers on Minion Melee Damage, and deals increased Damage when it's triggered by a Critical Hit. Lvl 12 |  Portents of Suffering Vex and her Minion(s) gain increased Status Effect Damage. Lvl 13 |
| Portents of Suffering Vex and her Minion(s) gain increased Status Effect Damage. Lvl 14 | Portents of Suffering Vex and her Minion(s) gain increased Status Effect Damage. Lvl 15 | Portents of Suffering Vex and her Minion(s) gain increased Status Effect Damage. Lvl 16 | Prismatic Weaponry Vex and her Specters deal Bonus Damage with Gun Critical Hits. The Bonus Damage will be a random Elemental Type that changes on Reload, and that is increased for each active Attunement. Lvl 17 |
| Prismatic Weaponry Vex and her Specters deal Bonus Damage with Gun Critical Hits. The Bonus Damage will be a random Elemental Type that changes on Reload, and that is increased for each active Attunement. Lvl 18 | Prismatic Weaponry Vex and her Specters deal Bonus Damage with Gun Critical Hits. The Bonus Damage will be a random Elemental Type that changes on Reload, and that is increased for each active Attunement. Lvl 19 | Prismatic Weaponry Vex and her Specters deal Bonus Damage with Gun Critical Hits. The Bonus Damage will be a random Elemental Type that changes on Reload, and that is increased for each active Attunement. Lvl 20 | Prismatic Weaponry Vex and her Specters deal Bonus Damage with Gun Critical Hits. The Bonus Damage will be a random Elemental Type that changes on Reload, and that is increased for each active Attunement. Lvl 21 |
| Ancient Rites Vex gains a stack of Ancient Rites for each of her active Minion(s) every second, increasing Minion Damage. Stacks are lost after a Duration with no active Minion. Lvl 22 | Ancient Rites Vex gains a stack of Ancient Rites for each of her active Minion(s) every second, increasing Minion Damage. Stacks are lost after a Duration with no active Minion. Lvl 23 | Ancient Rites Vex gains a stack of Ancient Rites for each of her active Minion(s) every second, increasing Minion Damage. Stacks are lost after a Duration with no active Minion. Lvl 24 | Ancient Rites Vex gains a stack of Ancient Rites for each of her active Minion(s) every second, increasing Minion Damage. Stacks are lost after a Duration with no active Minion. Lvl 25 |
| Ancient Rites Vex gains a stack of Ancient Rites for each of her active Minion(s) every second, increasing Minion Damage. Stacks are lost after a Duration with no active Minion. Lvl 26 | Recurrence Whenever Vex deals Gun Damage or Melee Damage, gain a Stack of Recurrence, which increases her and her Minions' Gun Damage and Melee Damage. Stacks of Recurrence are lost if a new Stack has not been gained for a Duration. This effect can stack. Lvl 27 | Recurrence Whenever Vex deals Gun Damage or Melee Damage, gain a Stack of Recurrence, which increases her and her Minions' Gun Damage and Melee Damage. Stacks of Recurrence are lost if a new Stack has not been gained for a Duration. This effect can stack. Lvl 28 | Recurrence Whenever Vex deals Gun Damage or Melee Damage, gain a Stack of Recurrence, which increases her and her Minions' Gun Damage and Melee Damage. Stacks of Recurrence are lost if a new Stack has not been gained for a Duration. This effect can stack. Lvl 29 |
| Diener Dead Ringer gains an additional Charge. Lvl 30 | Recurrence Whenever Vex deals Gun Damage or Melee Damage, gain a Stack of Recurrence, which increases her and her Minions' Gun Damage and Melee Damage. Stacks of Recurrence are lost if a new Stack has not been gained for a Duration. This effect can stack. Lvl 31 | Recurrence Whenever Vex deals Gun Damage or Melee Damage, gain a Stack of Recurrence, which increases her and her Minions' Gun Damage and Melee Damage. Stacks of Recurrence are lost if a new Stack has not been gained for a Duration. This effect can stack. Lvl 32 | Leeching Attunement Attunement Skill. While Vex is Attuned to Kinetic, she gains Lifesteal and increased Reload Speed. These effects persist for a Duration after Attunement is switched. Lvl 33 |
| Haruspex Melee Override. Vex now throws a Phase Dagger from her offhand that deals Melee Damage to enemies hit. Phase Daggers can Critically Hit. Kill Skill. Haruspex's Cooldown is reset. Lvl 34 | Prismatic Ichor When Vex or her Minion(s) apply a Status Effect, apply another random Elemental Status Effect. Lvl 35 | Prismatic Ichor When Vex or her Minion(s) apply a Status Effect, apply another random Elemental Status Effect. Lvl 36 | Prismatic Ichor When Vex or her Minion(s) apply a Status Effect, apply another random Elemental Status Effect. Lvl 37 |
| Prismatic Ichor When Vex or her Minion(s) apply a Status Effect, apply another random Elemental Status Effect. Lvl 38 | Prismatic Ichor When Vex or her Minion(s) apply a Status Effect, apply another random Elemental Status Effect. Lvl 39 | Obedient Fiends Vex gains increased Minion Damage. Minion Skills and Command Skills gain further increased Damage. Lvl 40 | Obedient Fiends Vex gains increased Minion Damage. Minion Skills and Command Skills gain further increased Damage. Lvl 41 |
| Obedient Fiends Vex gains increased Minion Damage. Minion Skills and Command Skills gain further increased Damage. Lvl 42 | Obedient Fiends Vex gains increased Minion Damage. Minion Skills and Command Skills gain further increased Damage. Lvl 43 | Obedient Fiends Vex gains increased Minion Damage. Minion Skills and Command Skills gain further increased Damage. Lvl 44 | Leeching Attunement Attunement Skill. While Vex is Attuned to Kinetic, she gains Lifesteal and increased Reload Speed. These effects persist for a Duration after Attunement is switched. Lvl 45 |
| Leeching Attunement Attunement Skill. While Vex is Attuned to Kinetic, she gains Lifesteal and increased Reload Speed. These effects persist for a Duration after Attunement is switched. Lvl 46 | Leeching Attunement Attunement Skill. While Vex is Attuned to Kinetic, she gains Lifesteal and increased Reload Speed. These effects persist for a Duration after Attunement is switched. Lvl 47 | Leeching Attunement Attunement Skill. While Vex is Attuned to Kinetic, she gains Lifesteal and increased Reload Speed. These effects persist for a Duration after Attunement is switched. Lvl 48 | Reverburnations Melee Damage dealt by Vex or her Minion(s) has a chance to deal Incendiary Melee Damage. Lvl 49 |
| Portents of Suffering Vex and her Minion(s) gain increased Status Effect Damage. Lvl 50 | |||
From Levels 1~30, your goal is to stack points into The Fourth Seal, until you unlock Dark Pact. Once Dark Pact is unlocked, with the skills equipped leading up to it, you should reach a point where you can effectively farm bosses alone.
From Level 31 onwards, take skills that will improve your runs significantly, such as Haruspex, in order to inflict Curse from a distance, and Prismatic Ichor which will inflict additional Status Effects when dealing damage.
Vex Best Augment
 Wither
|
 Coven
|
With the Dark Pact Capstone, choose Wither and Coven as your Augments.
Wither increases your overall damage against an enemy, while Coven provides Critical Chance and HP Regen to you and your summons when spawning a Reaper.
Vex Best Capstone
 Dark Pact
|
||
| Tree |
The Fourth Seal
(Branch 3) |
|
|---|---|---|
| Effect | ||
| Vex can now equip two Augments, and gains the ability to use Dark Pact. Dark Pact: Press and hold ability while a Minion is active to fully restore Health of all Phase Clones, as well as granting increased Movement Speed and Minion Attack Speed for a Duration. Phase Clones do not lose Health over time while Dark Pact is active, and Health loss is reset when Dark Pack ends. | ||
Dark Pact, besides allowing you to equip two Augments, also has an active effect where it massively buffs summons for a few seconds.
This makes your clones excel against bosses, being able to reduce a Boss to nothing within seconds when used correctly.
Vex Best Weapons
Best Manufacturer for Vex: Maliwan
Maliwan weapons and licensed parts pair great with the Critical Clones Build for Vex, since clones base their element on your current attunement.
Using Maliwan weapons with two different elements allow you to place clones with different elements, allowing you to capitalize on the Boss' weakness, regardless of what element is needed.
Best Weapon Type for Vex: Any
For this build, you can use virtually any weapon, as long as you have Elemental Weapons on hand to change your attunement before placing clones.
Because of the nature of this build, being familiar with Elemental Weaknesses is recommended, to allow you to clear bosses faster and more efficiently.
Elemental Weakness Chart and Damage Guide
Vex Best Enhancement Mods
| Enhancement | Effects |
|---|---|
| Maliwan Enhancement |
・Synthesizer - Guns with Maliwan-licensed parts have +25% Status Effect Damage ・Transfuser - On kill, Guns with Maliwan-licensed parts spread their active Status Effect to up to 3 nearby targets. |
Equipping a Maliwan Enhancement with either Synthesizer or Transfuser would be best for this build, but obtaining a Legendary Enhancement with both will provide more DPS.
We recommend Synthesizer for optimizing your Status Effect Damage, including the Damage from Curse, while Transfuser is excellent for clearing mobs, which can be very useful when farming bosses in Drill Sites.
Vex (Siren) Boss Farming Guide
Place Clones Based on Boss Weakness
When starting boss fights, place down your clones depending on the Weakness of the boss. This can be done by changing Vex' elemental attunement, done by simply changing your equipped weapon.
If a boss has multiple HP bars, you can place down different elemental clones If you can quickly burst down the boss.
When to Place Reaper vs Specter
| Stationary Bosses | Aggressive Bosses |
|---|---|
| 3 Specters | 2 Specters 1 Reaper |
When deciding what to place during boss runs, it is best to decide based on the boss' behavior and attack patterns.
If a Boss is Stationary, like Idolator Sol and Core Observer, placing 3 Specters should be enough to quickly burst down the boss.
Aggressive Bosses, like Mimicron, and Drill Site Bosses, should be distracted by drawing aggro, so spawn 1 Reaper and 2 Specters instead, to ensure that the boss does not rush you or your specters.
Use Dark Pact for DPS Boost
After placing your clones, use Dark Pact to buff your summons, providing you with a significant DPS increase, which allows you to clear Bosses faster.
Keep in mind that certain bosses, such as Vault Guardians have significantly more HP, and is unlikely to be bursted completely during the duration of Dark Pact.
Melee Bosses When Possible
With the Skill investment for this build, Vex' and her Reapers inflict a Curse on enemies, which is detonated by gun damage.
When challenging bosses with a 3 Specter setup, use Vex to melee the boss to ensure that Curse is applied. If you have a Reaper on the field, you can attack from a distance instead, since the Reaper's attacks will also apply Curse that can be detonated by your Specters.
Critical Clones Vex Build Overview
Critical Clones Vex Build Summary
| Skills | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dead Ringer |
Cold Iron Vex and her Minion(s) gain increased Gun Damage.
Leeching Attunement Attunement Skill. While Vex is Attuned to Kinetic, she gains Lifesteal and increased Reload Speed. These effects persist for a Duration after Attunement is switched.
Cursed Blade Vex's Melee Attacks apply Curse to hit enemies, making them take Kinetic Status Effect Damage any time they take Gun Damage.
Extra Cursed Curse Damage now triggers on Minion Melee Damage, and deals increased Damage when it's triggered by a Critical Hit.
Prismatic Ichor When Vex or her Minion(s) apply a Status Effect, apply another random Elemental Status Effect.
Recurrence Whenever Vex deals Gun Damage or Melee Damage, gain a Stack of Recurrence, which increases her and her Minions' Gun Damage and Melee Damage. Stacks of Recurrence are lost if a new Stack has not been gained for a Duration. This effect can stack.
Reverburnations Melee Damage dealt by Vex or her Minion(s) has a chance to deal Incendiary Melee Damage.
Haruspex Melee Override. Vex now throws a Phase Dagger from her offhand that deals Melee Damage to enemies hit. Phase Daggers can Critically Hit. Kill Skill. Haruspex's Cooldown is reset.
Prismatic Weaponry Vex and her Specters deal Bonus Damage with Gun Critical Hits. The Bonus Damage will be a random Elemental Type that changes on Reload, and that is increased for each active Attunement.
Obedient Fiends Vex gains increased Minion Damage. Minion Skills and Command Skills gain further increased Damage.
Ancient Rites Vex gains a stack of Ancient Rites for each of her active Minion(s) every second, increasing Minion Damage. Stacks are lost after a Duration with no active Minion.
Diener Dead Ringer gains an additional Charge.
|
||||
| Best Weapon Type | Best Manufacturer | ||||
| Any | Maliwan | ||||
This build relies heavily on Dead Ringer, and your minions' damage. With heavy investment in The Fourth Seal, this build specializes in dealing massive single target damage, designed to burst down bosses, regardless of weakness.
For Weapons, we highly recommend having Incendiary, Shock, and Corrosive at least for your guns, to specifically target the different weaknesses of enemies. We also recommend having at least 1 Jakobs Weapon, which you should equip and use to proc your lifesteal, when backed into a corner.
Best Dead Ringer Vex Build Playstyle
Optimized for Boss Farming
This Vex build is specifically designed for Boss Farming, putting heavy investment in Vex' and her minions' damage.
Through our testing, Normal Bosses in Hard difficulty can be cleared in less than 1 minute under optimized conditions, and approximately 1:45 for tankier bosses such as Vault Guardians, and Auger Mine Bosses.
Viable for Mob Clearing and Leveling
While this build is specializes in burst DPS, this build can still be used for leveling and clearing the story.
If you are facing difficulties in using this build for leveling, you can try investing more skill points into defense and lifesteal, or use our designated Vex Best Build for Leveling!
Best Vex (Siren) Build and Leveling Guide
Borderlands 4 Related Guides
Best Builds for Each Vault Hunter
All Character Builds
| Character | Build |
|---|---|
 Vex |
Critical Clones Boss Farm |
 Rafa |
|
 Amon |
|
 Harlowe |
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