The Maliwannabees quest in Borderlands 3 presents a tough decision, should you kill Rax or Max? Turns out, there may be another option entirely. To pick up the quest, players will need to speak with Ziff, an NPC in the outskirts of the Meridian. Ziff can be found in the tunnels above the central Catch A Ride that leads to the mysterious Meridian Metroplex.
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Her family was murdered by one of the bandits in question, but it is not clear who based on the transmissions. Both Rax and Max are convinced they killed Ziff's family. How to track the alleged killers down, as well as the consequences of killing each, are covered below.
Updated On July 29, 2021 by Payton Lott: Anyone that decides to kill Rax or Max will have the opportunity to pick up a few unique items. The Messy Breakup shield and Widowmaker grenade modification are the two most common rare drops. This updated guide will explain these drops in more detail and break down their usefulness in game. That way, people can decide if Rax and Max are worth farming in Borderlands 3. Also, each of these items drops from one of the two mini bosses, so players will want to make sure they are taking out the right one.
The murder site is a ways away, so gamers will want to hop in a vehicle before heading toward the quest icon. As soon as players arrive at the scene, Rax and Max begin to argue over who is the true killer once again. While Rax and Max continue their "who is more diabolical" back and forth, head to the supply vehicle marked on the map. Ziff believes that the supply vehicle may reveal more clues about the killer.
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While on the way there, Rax states that he melted someone at the supply vehicle with a flamethrower. On arrival, it is clear that the supply vehicle is on fire. With that information alone, there is very little indication of which Maliwan is guilty. Inspecting the supply vehicle will not reveal any other clues, and at this point, Ziff will be okay with either of them meeting their maker.
After walking up the stairs and across the walkway by the quest indicator, both Rax and Max will appear. They force someone to walk the plank and fall to their death as soon as gamers arrive. The civilian can be saved, but it will not alter the outcome of the quest. It will seem like both bandits want to die because neither will admit they are not the killer. At this point, vault hunters will have to choose whether they want to kill Rax or Max.
If Rax is killed, Max will become immune and walk away. Max will be disappointed, remarking "Aw, man. I thought I was the worst". Ziff will respond on the comms saying " Yeah, yeah! It WAS that guy! Screw him!". However, on the way back to Ziff, she will start to question whether it was actually Max that killed her family. She will request that gamers return to kill Max as well. This objective is optional. Players can either return to Ziff or go back and kill Max too.
Killing Max first will change up the dialogue slightly. Rax will remark "Come ON! I was WAY worse!". Ziff will have the same initial response and second thoughts no matter which of them is killed, however. Likewise, Rax will become immune and will not attack after Max is killed.
If gamers choose to just kill one of the two, Ziff will not be happy. Her response is always "No? Okay. I guess I'll spend the rest of my life knowing there's a fifty-fifty chance my family's killer is still out there". After tracking down and executing a bounty for her, you would think she would be more appreciative.
Killing both bandits will increase Ziff's cash reward after the quest. Additionally, Ziff will be a lot more grateful. Once the second bandit is killed, she will say "Okay! All bases covered! You definitely avenged my family somewhere in all that."
When speaking with her at the Outskirts, she will remark "Payback! You're a killin' machine, Vault Hunter. Thanks for taking the endless cycle of bloodshed onto your shoulders, now I'm out of it!". This is by far the most rewarding option in terms of dialogue and actual cash rewards. Additionally, both of the bandits can be looted.
Rax has a chance to drop the Messy Breakup, a legendary shield. The shield reflects 15% of projectiles and spawns a drone that fires at enemies. A second drone will spawn as soon as the character's shield breaks. With high capacity, the shield can be viable with the correct build. The drone will follow players around as long as the shield is equipped. It deals a fair amount of damage too. All of the damage from the drone counts as the user's damage. It can miss shots, but the damage will range depending on level. If vault hunters travel to a different zone, the drone will disappear. The shield needs to be swapped out and re-equipped for the drone to spawn back in.
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For early to mid-game, the shield is good for characters that struggle with DPS. However, for the end game, it is not one of the better choices. The main issue with the shield is that it only deals corrosive or shock damage. The type of damage the drone inflicts will depend on the resistance of the roll. Regardless, there will be a host of enemies that are immune to the drone's attacks. The fire rate of the drone is slow, and it will miss a fair few shots. This item is really just a fun legendary to test out and not a choice for serious gamers. Damage will scale, but the drone does not do enough damage on its own to justify using the shield. Obviously, the potential for an ammo replenish roll is great, but there are dozens of more impactful item traits.
Max can drop the Widowmaker grenade modification on occasion. Like a proximity mine, the grenade will explode into honing rockets if an enemy is too close. Gamers can throw the grenade in areas where an enemy might approach and wait for the grenade to go off. The honing mechanism will trigger as soon as AI enter the flashing radius of the grenade. The Widowmaker deals a moderate amount of damage to those hit my one of the honing elements. Users will have more success if they use the grenade in chaotic situations. Bosses and mini-bosses move around too much, and the grenade will always target the nearest enemy. It is likely that the enemy closest to the grenade when it is thrown will not be hit by the honing explosions.
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The Widowmaker excels against large mobs. People can throw three or four of the grenades and damage dozens of enemies in just a few seconds. By carefully throwing them at the right distance from each other, there will be a massive area of effect with multiple active. If players are fighting a small group of enemies, or want to hit a specific target, the Widowmaker will be inconsistent. Overall, the modification is a nice option to have in-game, and can be useful in a number of situations.
These two legendary items are the principal reasons why it makes no sense to kill just one of the bandits. There is a slight chance that lucky players will pick up two legendary items for a quest that can be completed in under 10 minutes. Not a bad return on investment.
NEXT: Borderlands 3: Every Rare Spawn Enemy (& Where To Find Them)
