Borderlands 4 Harlowe build, skill tree, and abilities

Looking for the best Harlowe build in Borderlands 4? We're busy planning which vault hunter we're going to play when Borderlands 4 arrives this September, and now that we have the complete skill trees and abilities for each character, we can shape our build, too.

Harlowe is a former Maliwan combat scientist, described as having a sunny disposition, and she uses plenty of gadgetry to fight enemies and buff allies in Borderlands 4. Harlowe is one of four Borderlands 4 characters, and although her abilities and skills are mainly crowd control and support, she has a few extra tricks up her sleeve when it comes to dealing large amounts of damage.

Being a scientist, the best Harlowe build means using lots of gadgets, including a Chroma Accelerator, Halo Accelerator, or Flux Generator, depending on which action skill and skill tree you decide to invest in. So far, it looks like Harlowe is a great support character, but could be optimized for solo runs, too. She specializes in crowd control and buffing allies with shields or heals.

If you're playing with pals, it looks like the Flux Generator is the best gadget, as well as dealing cryo damage to enemies in the projected field, allies also gain Overshield. Further along the Cosmic Brilliance skill tree, she can use Entangled to further buff allies, giving them critical hit damage.

Entangled is a key skill for Harlowe; she inflicts it on enemies by using her action skill, and when enemies become Entangled, they share a portion of gun damage and skill damage with all other enemies that Harlowe has Entangled - so you can bet there's a way to mass entangle enemies from certain skills.

Further skills include improving reload speed, status effect chance, ricochet chance, reduced skill cooldown, and finally, providing a second wind and healing allies within the Flux Generator.

If you're playing solo, however, and you're set on Harlowe, slowing enemies and crowd control can help set the pace of combat. We recommend using the Chroma Accelerator or Zero-Point action skill, either firing a large burst of cryo damage or suspending enemies. Both branches for these action skills provide buffs to Harlowe, increasing heals, rate of fire, elemental damage, critical hit chance, and more.

Borderlands 4 Harlowe action skills

Here's a breakdown of Harlowe's action skills:

Chroma Accelerator: Fire an unstable energy pocket from the Chroma Accelerator, which passes through enemies and deals cryo damage to all enemies it passes near. Pressing Action Skill causes the energy pocket to explode and deal heavy radiation damage in a large area.

Zero-Point: Press Action Skill to use the Halo Accelerator to place an enemy in stasis for a duration. Enemies immune to stasis take damage instead. Pressing Action Skill again causes the enemy in stasis to be slammed into the ground in the direction Harlowe is facing, and creates a small explosion. Retriggering stasis has a cooldown.

Flux Generator: Harlowe throws her Flux Generator in front of her, which projects an energy field, dealing cryo damage over time and entangling enemies. Allies inside the energy field gain overshield. Press Action Skill to pick up the Flux Generator and replace.

Borderlands 4 Harlowe skill tree

Within each of the three action skills, there are three skill trees that align with them, divided into a further three branches. That means there are A LOT of skills, and you can chop and change between branches, too. Each skill provides either a passive effect, or augments can be used to enhance action skills. At the end of each branch is a powerful ability called a Capstone, and they're well worth working towards. We've listed each one below, but you can only have one equipped at a time.

Creative Bursts (Chroma Accelerator)

A damage-dealing skill tree, best for solo runs, focusing on dealing cryo damage and radiation damage to enemies, while also freezing and entangling enemies.

• Branch 1 capstone - Q-Ball: Harlow's unstable energy pocket bonuses as it travels and can no longer be manually detonated. Each time it bounces, it creates a Radiation Explosion. Whenever it strikes an enemy, it changes direction and bounces towards another enemy.
• Branch 2 capstone - Demon Core: As Harlowe's unstable energy pocket travels, it shoots radiation darts at enemies. When Harlowe entangles an enemy while the Action Skill is active, automatically irradiate that enemy.
• Branch 3 capstone - The Shattering Light: Charge Skill. Chroma Accelerator gains charges as Harlowe keeps it readied for the duration. Holding the Action Skill ends the capstone early and refunds a portion of the cooldown for every charge remaining. Press Action Skill to fire a fast-moving, unstable energy pocket, consuming a charge.

Seize the Day (Zero-Point)

In this skill tree, Harlowe uses the Halo Accelerator to suspend enemies and slam them into the ground, creating explosions, among other effects.

• Branch 1 capstone - Falling Bodies: Pressing Action Skill places an additional enemy in stasis at the cost of action skill duration. When stasis ends, automatically slam all enemies straight down.
• Branch 2 capstone - Cold Plunge: Whenever Harlowe slams an enemy, create a singularity on that enemy, followed by a cryo explosion.
• Branch 3 capstone - Ground State: Every time Harlowe slams an enemy, gain increased slam damage and slam damage radius. Enemies in stasis take decreased damage. Press Action Skill to slam all enemies in stasis straight down.

Cosmic Brilliance (Flux Generator)

Harlowe uses the Flux Generator to create an energy field. This skill tree focuses on entangling enemies and dealing cryo damage, while buffing the party and providing allies with shields and health.

• Branch 1 capstone - Potential Transference: Charge skill. Whenever Harlowe relocates her Flux Generator, it teleports in her crosshairs, consuming a charge and creating a shock burst that deals shock damage to enemies inside it, granting a free second wind to allies and healing allies within the Flux Generator.
• Branch 2 capstone - Violent Horizon: Harlowe's Flux Generator occasionally shoots radiation projectiles at nearby enemies outside of its radius. If these projectiles irradiate an enemy, the Flux Generator then drags them within its radius. Re-trigger - Harlowe's Flux Generator creates a singularity burst that drags in nearby enemies and increases Action Skill Power.
• Branch 3 capstone - Group Study: Harlowe spawns a Halo Sidekick for each ally instead of her Flux Generator. Halo Sidekicks automatically fly to each ally and hover near them, granting increased gun damage, fire rate, and reload speed. Action Skill Retrigger - Overload Harlowe's Halo Sidekicks to increase their effects. This effect stacks. While Overloaded, Harlowe's Action Skill Duration drains faster.

Now that you're caught up on the best Harlowe build in Borderlands 4, here are all the Borderlands 4 legendary weapons to find and equip, and the best Rafa build, Amon build, and Vex build for your party.