Tediore | Borderlands 4

Borderlands 4 continues the long-standing tradition of Borderlands games offering weapons from fictional in-game weapons manufacturers. These manufacturers often develop weapons with their own unique traits. While weapons are literally a dime a dozen in Borderlands 4 with billions of combination possibilities at your disposal, paying attention to the manufacturers behind each weapon will ultimately help you find the combat style you are aiming to achieve. There are a total of 8 unique manufacturers in the world of Borderlands 4 and 3 of them are all new to this title.

Tediore in Borderlands 4

Tediore is one of Borderlands' most mechanically distinctive manufacturers. Their signature design transforms ordinary reloads into offensive actions, turning the discarded firearm into an explosive, homing, or otherwise interactive projectile. Tediore is a mainstay in the Borderlands series and this page covers why players use it and how to make the most of these guns.

Core Mechanic (The Thrown Reload)

Tediore weapons swap a normal magazine change for a thrown-reload: when you reload, your character physically tosses the current gun (or launches it) and a fresh copy instantly appears in your hands. The thrown/returned object usually behaves like a grenade or explosive, dealing damage on impact or after a short timer. This unique reload action is the heart of Tediore's identity.

How Thrown Damage Is Determined

Most Tediore reloads scale with two main factors: the weapon's base damage and the amount of ammo remaining in the magazine at the moment you reload. In practice, that means reloading with more bullets in the mag yields a bigger, nastier toss. This turns reloads into an offensive option rather than just a downtime animation. Because the tossed gun is often treated as a grenade, grenade damage modifiers and grenade-related effects can influence the thrown damage.

Common Effects

• Explosive impact: Many thrown guns explode on contact or after landing, producing splash/explosion damage.
• Homing or roaming projectiles: Some Tediore weapons don't simply explode; the thrown weapon may bounce, home on targets, or even transform into an autonomous firing unit that chases enemies. These unique behaviors appear on certain items and legendaries.
• Launcher exceptions: Tediore launchers often behave differently from small arms: reload throws may act like rockets or consistently deal explosive launcher-type damage instead of being fully subject to grenade damage rules. In some cases, launcher reloads do not consume leftover rockets the same way smaller guns consume bullets.

The Benefits Of Tediore

• Instant offense while reloading: Reloading becomes an attack. In hectic fights, a well-timed throw can clear crowds or finish off enemies while you keep firing with your fresh weapon.
• Synergy with grenade damage and grenade boosts: Because thrown reloads are frequently treated as grenades, builds that boost grenade damage, radius, or related multipliers can dramatically amplify Tediore throws. This allows unusual hybrid builds that focus on both gun DPS and explosive reload bursts.
• Fast reload feel: Tediore gear is often associated with quick reload rhythms and a "swap-and-throw" pacing that can be satisfying and momentum-driven.
• Variety: Many Tediore weapons have fun, surprising effects on reload (bounces, homing, mini-turrets). This variety makes them entertaining and sometimes superior in specific encounters.

Best Character Build Uses

Tediore pairs well with characters or skill trees that either boost grenade effects, heighten reload speed (so you throw more often), or gain bonuses for explosive damage. Example tactics include:

• Grenade-boost hybrid: Stack grenade damage/radius effects (skills, class mods) and treat every reload as a grenade cast.
• Fast-reload spam: Use fast-firing Tediore pistols or SMGs with skills that reduce reload time — more reloads = more thrown explosions per minute.
• Magazine management: Deliberately reload with partial magazines when you need the grenade burst, or empty mags when you don’t want to waste bullets.

Downsides To Tediore

• Ammo is lost on reload: One of the biggest tradeoffs is that leftover rounds in the magazine are typically consumed into the thrown damage and do not carry over. If you reload mid-mag frequently you will burn through ammo faster.
• Not always optimal for single-target sustained DPS: Because notable damage comes from bursts on reload, single-target sustained DPS can be worse than more conventional manufacturers unless you design your build around the mechanic.
• Inconsistent special effects: Some Tediore legendaries have odd behaviors (homing, turret spawn, bounce), and those particular quirks can be unreliable or situational. Knowing the weapon's specific thrown behavior is important.

Tips

• Manage magazine state: Reload with the magazine level that matches your intent: a full magazine for explosive impact, empty for normal reload without losing bullets.
• Pair with grenade effects: Use any class skills, relics, or mods that increase grenade damage or radius to multiply the effectiveness of thrown reloads.
• Use Tediore launchers carefully: They often have unique reload behavior that can act like a missile which is great for certain encounters but different from pistol or SMG reloads.
• Test each unique weapon: Some Tediore legendaries become projectiles that home, bounce, or become temporary sentries. Experiment to see when those effects help or hurt your cause.

Best General Use

Tediore shines in crowd control, burst windows, and builds that intentionally convert reloads to primary damage windows. They're also a favorite for players who enjoy the mechanical novelty: every reload is a small tactical decision. They are less comfortable in ammo-tight, long sustained fights unless you play conservatively.