What is the max level in Borderlands 3 without DLC?
The max character level you can currently reach in Borderlands 3 without purchasing any downloadable content is Level 57.
Gearbox increased the level cap to 57 for free when they released the first campaign DLC expansion, Guns, Love, and Tentacles. So if you only own the base Borderlands 3 game, you can still level up to 57 even though additional DLCs extend the cap as high as 72.
But why does the level cap matter, and what should you focus on once you‘ve hit max level? I‘ll cover all that and more in this beginner‘s guide to BL3 endgame progression.
A Brief History of Level Caps in the Borderlands Series
Let‘s start with some background on how character levels and level caps have evolved across the different Borderlands games:
| Game | Launch Level Cap | Current Max Level Cap |
|---|---|---|
| Borderlands 1 | 50 | 69 (with DLCs) |
| Borderlands 2 | 50 | 80 (with DLCs) |
| Borderlands Pre-Sequel | 50 | 70 (with DLCs) |
| Borderlands 3 | 50 | 72 (with DLCs) |
A few interesting things stand out from this level cap history:
- All mainline Borderlands games launched with a level 50 cap
- Additional DLCs have consistently raised caps further
- BL3 currently shares the highest max level cap with BL2 at 72
- You don‘t need DLCs to surpass the original level 50 cap
Borderlands 3 followed this familiar pattern by launching with a level 50 cap which was later increased to 57 via a free update alongside the first campaign DLC.
While the 57 max level remains lower than the current 72 cap attainable with all BL3 DLCs purchased, it still enables a lot of rewarding endgame content and progression.
Comparing Level Caps: Base Game vs DLC
Here is a straightforward breakdown comparing level caps with and without DLC:
| Game Version | Level Cap |
|---|---|
| Base Borderlands 3 (at launch) | 50 |
| Free Level Cap Update | 57 |
| With all DLCs | 72 |
While 15 may not seem like a huge difference compared to the current max cap, an additional 7 skill points to work with provides more build flexibility.
However, Level 57 still leaves you very powerful and able to take on all content outside the most extreme endgame challenges. You ultimately don‘t miss out on much without the DLC level cap increases.
The Pros and Cons of Reaching Max Level Without DLC
Let‘s analyze the key pros and cons to weighing whether it‘s worth buying the DLCs just to hit the max cap of 72:
Pros:
- Save money not buying DLCs solely for cap increase
- Level 57 still very competitive in endgame
- Fewer skill points can encourage more specialization
Cons:
- Less flexibility to experiment with builds
- Potentially tougher to solo newer Raid Bosses
- Locks you out of the highest difficulty settings
As this breakdown shows, you can still get a very fulfilling endgame experience and great level 57 builds without any DLC. I‘d only recommend grabbing the extra content if you really want to max out character potential and take on the most extreme endgame challenges.
Guide to Level 57 Endgame in Borderlands 3
Now let‘s get into what exactly you should focus on once you‘ve hit the peak Level 57!
Without any DLC, here are the key endgame activities I recommend:
- Farm Bosses for Legendaries – Target bosses with dedicated legendary drops you want for your build
- Proving Grounds & Circle of Slaughter – Take on these arena gauntlets for loot rewards
- True Vault Hunter Mode – Replay the story on this harder playthrough
- Max Out Guardian Rank – Get bonus stats from these post-level ranks
I‘m still finding challenging and rewarding content doing exactly these endgame activities at Level 57 after hundreds of hours. It‘s more than enough to keep you busy once you‘ve finished the main story!
The Future Level Cap – What Should We Expect?
While Level 72 currently stands as the max, previous Borderlands DLC trends suggest there‘s a strong chance the level cap could be lifted again in future updates.
We‘ll almost certainly get more Vault Hunter Skill Trees down the road too. So even without new levels, gearbox will keep expanding build options and power growth through new skills and abilities.
My bold prediction is we‘ll see the level cap pushed to 80 sometime in 2024, 2 years after BL3‘s original launch. That would match Borderlands 2‘s current ceiling.
But regardless what Gearbox decides for future caps, rest assured Level 57 builds can absolutely still melt through all but the most insane endgame fights! I hope this guide gave you a detailed overview of how Borderlands endgame progression works with and without DLC. Keep looting my fellow Vault Hunters!
