Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands is coming early next year, and when it does, it will be thrusting gamers into a Fantasy world. This is not the first time that Borderlands has delved into this setting, though, as Borderlands 2’s Assault On Dragon Keep expansion also saw this setting explored. With Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands taking place after this DLC, it can be assumed that the lovable demolitions expert will use a lot of the same ideas to bring her fantasy world to life.
With this in mind, it would not be too surprising if certain concepts from the Dragon Keep DLC made their way into Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands. This would hardly be a bad thing, though, as the DLC proved to be one of the most popular expansions the Borderlands franchise has ever seen. As such, if Gearbox does pull things from this beloved DLC, it should take everything from enemies to mission types into consideration. While there are tons of options, here are the best things that could be brought back from Assault in Dragon Keep.
Assault On Dragon Keep Enemies That Should Appear In Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands
While Gearbox has shared some interesting details about character creation in Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands, as well as its star-studded cast, enemy types have been a lot more limited. Skeletons were teased in the first trailer, while screenshots have given fans a look at a powerful figure that could be Will Arnett’s Dragon Lord. At Gearbox’s E3 conference, the Wyvern enemy type was shown, confirming an aerial enemy type that players will have to deal with. Some mischievous Goblins were also teased, which could function like Tinks from Borderlands 3. Beyond this, though, details on the enemy types remain unclear.
Fortunately, Assault On Dragon Keep featured a lot of enemy types, and with that game covering a lot of ground when it comes to Fantasy, it would make sense if some concepts are reused. One great option is Mimics. Given the importance of loot chests in Borderlands, bringing back this terrifying enemy type seems like a no-brainer for Gearbox. While Dwarves may be left out due to the introduction of goblins, the stone golems should definitely make a comeback. With a weakpoint in the chest, these are always fun to land critical hits on. Orcs could serve as more cannon fodder like skeletons, while wizards seem like a no-brainer. With Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands’ spellcasting feature usable for players, it would make sense if it were wielded by some enemies as well.
Treants should also return, as these foes were a ton of fun. Essentially a scarier version of Lord of the Rings’ Ents, battling through a forest full of living trees was an interesting change from Borderlands’ usual sights and sounds. Lastly, Pixies should return, as these unique enemies could give boosts to foes or friendly players. If caught, they would give extra healing, movement speed, shields, or ammo, making for a great change from the usual “gun down everything” approach seen in other Borderlands games. With an element of strategy tied to these fairies, bringing them back could add a fresh layer to combat encounters.
Assault On Dragon Keep Quest Types That Should Appear In Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands
While Assault On Dragon Keep’s enemies were a big part of what made its special, its mission types should return as well. The Magic Slaughter was essentially a more complex Circle of Slaughter, and with that concept returning for Borderlands 3, it should come back in Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands as well. While it followed the same concept of wave-based combat, Magic Slaughter included a unique arena that was changed with magic every round. This meant that new traps were always appearing, giving players a tougher and more engaging fight.
Another side quest type was a tower defense mission that saw players lifted on towers as hordes of enemies attacked. While this mission type was replayable, there was only one level, making it easy and predictable for those that had beaten it a few times. Still, Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands has the chance to improve on this piece of content, adding more tower defense missions and different arenas to play them in. Special spells can see large groups eliminated fast, while enemy waves could be randomized to keep Borderlands fans on the edge of their seats.
Finally, Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands needs raid bosses. The DLC’s offering saw players fighting the Ancient Dragons of Destruction, four flying enemy types that gave different boosts to one another. The result was an epic fight that required a lot of strategy, as Borderlands fans had to prioritize which buffs they wanted to deal with and which ones they wanted to avoid. Gearbox should take notes from this fight when designing any raid bosses for the game, as its complexity makes it highly replayable and genuinely challenging. Further, with only one true raid boss in Borderlands 3 able to be fought, including a few of these missions would be enough to offer more of this popular endgame content type.
Other Assault On Dragon Keep Features That Should Appear In Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands
While the mission types and enemies added to the Fantasy theme, it was the little things that helped the DLC to truly excel. While Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands will likely keep the titular character’s narration, as it added a lot of humor to the world and story, it can bring over some other fun concept as well. One of these is Butt Stallion’s loot, and with the diamond pony seen in the Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands trailer, Gearbox has every reason to feature the mechanic. When feeding the shiny horse some Eridium, she would throw-up rainbows and some terrific loot for gamers to collect. Keeping this mechanic makes sense, as it gives players something to do with the currency beyond raid boss doors and cosmetics.
Aside from giving Eridium a purpose with Butt Stallion’s loot pool, Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands should bring back the Dice Chests from Assault On Dragon Keep. In that DLC, players could roll dice for the chance at good loot, with bad outcomes entirely possible as well. While players could roll one dice on these chests for free, forking over 5 Eridium allowed a second die to be rolled. Increasing the chances at good loot, as a double 20 guaranteed a Legendary weapon, this mechanic added a risk/reward system to Borderlands’ straightforward chest opening. As such, it was more exciting to stumble upon these chests, as players were always gambling with the precious purple element.
Lastly, the love for Fantasy-focused easter eggs should still be noticeable in Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands. With an entire mission dedicated to beating up King Joffrey from Game of Thrones, as well as large nods to MMO RPGs and other Fantasy IPs, the DLC wore its inspirations on its sleeve. If these references accompany certain mission types, mechanics, and enemies in Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands, Gearbox should have no problem recreating its success with Assault on Dragon Keep. While the game should strive to do new things, as its character creation and spellcasting are interesting concepts, only good things can come from reusing the Borderlands 2 DLC’s best ideas.
Tiny Tina's Wonderlands is set for release in 2022 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.