Table of contents
The Story
Athena was an NPC in the General Knoxx DLC from the original Borderlands, she was a ninja-like assassin and leader of the Omega Squad. Back then she worked for Atlas, these days she is an assassin for hire. This time around you get to play as her and she’s like your female Captain America.
Athena’s Action Skill
Her action skill is the Kinetic Aspis, a shield she can use to protect herself from incoming enemy fire. With all the damage that you collect with the Aspis, you will be able to throw that back towards your enemy.
Athena’s Skill Tree
Within her 3 skill trees; Phalanx, Xiphos, and Ceraunic Storm you are able to power up yourself and that shield to do some crazy-ass damage.
Phalanx
The skill tree that is heavily focused on Athena’s Action skill, for example, you also be able to absorb elemental damage with your Aspis and even friendly fire so you and your co-op buddy can do some serious damage. Phalanx is the Tank tree with as capstone the game-changer that lets the shield when thrown ricochet between multiple enemies.
Xiphos
This skill tree has a lot of melee buffs, Xiphos is also the name of Athena’s energy sword. Within this skill tree, you will be able to use her personal status effect called bleed. If you get your enemies to ‘bleed’ you will receive buffs the more enemies you ‘bleed’ the more buffs you get.
Ceraunic Storm
The elemental tree that’s focused on fire and shock damage, this tree uses a stacking mechanic. Every time you deal fire or shock damage you gain a maelstrom stack increasing your elemental damage.
There are some skills that tie into the new gameplay mechanics of Borderlands the Pre-Sequel. For one the low gravity, when Athena is in the air and uses the skill smite she creates a little elemental area of effect damage increasing her stacks of Maelstrom. And for the second gameplay mechanic the slam/ground-pound/buttstomp with the final tier skill you can let your enemies explode with a fire nova.
Are you excited to play as the Gladiator, try out Athena’s skilltree calculator.
Athena Wallpapers
Athena Gameplay
Gearbox Software gave several gameplay demonstrations showcasing Athena. Here is the coverage the big gaming sites did.
Athena at IGN
Athena at Gamespot
Athena at Rev3
