Think you’ve seen everything Borderlands 4 has to offer?
Think again.
This guide reveals 15 game-changing secrets, hidden features, and smart tips that the game never tells you. These tips will help you farm bosses faster, find the best gear, and master your build.
1. Reset All Your Cooldowns Instantly at the Medbay
Sick of waiting for your abilities to recharge between boss battles? The Medical Vending Machine is about to become your favorite tool.
After using your abilities, both your main skill (like the Dagger) and equipment (like grenades) need time to recharge.
But here’s the trick: visit the Medical Station, simply walk in and out—this instantly resets both cooldowns!
How to do it:
- Use both your skill and ordinance.
- Head to the Medbay (the medical vending machine).
- Enter and exit the med machinery.
- Voilà! Your skills are fully recharged.
Pro Tip: This makes boss farming dramatically faster—no more twiddling your thumbs while your abilities recharge.
2. Complete Multiple Weapon Challenges with the B.A. Shotgun
Borderlands 4 has many weapon challenges—often requiring you to get kills with specific weapon types. Did you know you can complete several challenges at once with just one weapon?
The secret: The “B.A.” shotgun has a special all-purpose feature, making it count as a shotgun, assault rifle, sniper rifle, pistol, and SMG all at the same time. Every kill you get with this weapon adds progress to all those challenge types.
To get the B.A. shotgun:
- Defeat the boss “Aximal” in the Minion area
- The B.A. shotgun drops fairly often
- Start racking up those multi-category kills!
- Perfect for players who want to complete challenges without constantly switching weapons.
3. Always Inspect Weapons for Hidden Stats—They’re Game-Changing
Weapon descriptions only show part of the picture. Two weapons with the same name and level can perform very differently.
Why?
Each weapon has hidden stats tucked away in the “Inspect” menu. Critical damage multipliers, for instance, can range wildly (e.g., one Ballista with 108% crit, another at 146%).
Why it matters:
Even two seemingly identical weapons may perform very differently due to these invisible stats, especially with high-end builds.
How to check:
- Pick up dropped weapons and put them in your inventory.
- Open the Inspect menu on each one before settling on a favorite.
- Compare hidden stats like crit damage, elemental bonuses, etc.
You can’t inspect items on the ground or from the card UI alone—so check your haul before tossing!
4. Get Jetpack Upgrades Instantly via Co-Op Exploit
Jetpack upgrades normally require completing three Vaults—a long mid-game process. But what if you could skip this, even with a low-level character?
How it works:
- Have a friend who’s already completed all three Vaults.
- They teleport to any unlocked Vault.
- You join their session with your underleveled character.
- When you spawn into the Vault, your jetpack is instantly upgraded—even if you’ve never done vaults!
To save progress:
- Move to a spawn point near the entrance.
- Have your friend exit to main menu (not party).
- You’ll be kicked. Continue with your character—upgrades are permanent!
Note: This could get patched, so use it while you can.
5. Hunt for “Loot Goblin” Wrangler Enemies—They Drop Legendaries
Love loot goblins? Borderlands 4 has an upgraded form—the “Wrangler” or “Loot Wagon.” They carry huge umbrellas and often appear at high levels (around 50).
Why bother?
- They have a strong chance to drop legendaries.
- After defeating some mini-bosses, big loot crates drop for bonus chances (though sometimes they’re duds).
If you spot a Wrangler in the wild, always engage!
6. Open Side Road Truck Chests for Extra Loot
While exploring Carcadia and other areas, watch for roadside truck chests that are usually protected by removable batteries.
How to loot:
- Locate the treasure chest.
- Remove batteries on the side to lower the shield.
- The loot isn’t always incredible, but can net a legendary and always rewards curiosity.
Every region has its version—explore and open whenever you see them!
7. Bosses Give Unique Flavor Text When Dealt Massive Damage
Have you ever seen bosses show special text like “Oof,” “This hurts,” or “That’s gotta hurt” after you hit them with massive damage?
These quick messages only appear for a split-second when you reach certain damage levels, rewarding players who deal lots of damage at once.
Try to catch them:
Record your footage and keep an eye out for these rare messages. No definitive word on whether higher levels exist, so let the community know if you spot others.
8. Steal Shields Off Enemies With Your Grapple
Shields make enemies much harder to fight in close combat. But if you get behind an enemy with a visible shield, you can use your grappling hook to pull it right off their back—removing their protection completely.
This trick works great in fights with lots of enemies where shields make battles take too long. Stay mobile, get behind them, and grab that shield!
9. Use Dashes for Invulnerability Frames
Your dash doesn’t just move you around—you become briefly invincible while dashing. Good timing lets you avoid powerful boss attacks or heavy hits instead of taking them head-on.
Tips:
- Dash twice in succession to avoid multi-hit combos.
- Many skills boost your damage with full shields—perfect your dodging for higher DPS uptime.
10. Legendary Farm: Infinite Gear From the “Vand of the Line” Quest
Want any legendary item in the game? There’s a way to repeat farm using a side quest in Carcadia called “Vand of the Line.”
How it works:
- Start “Vand of the Line” on any character.
- Proceed to the quest’s final vending machine at the “Dusty Dangler.”
- Back up your save file before turning in the quest.
- Complete the quest, buy a legendary from the machine, and deposit it in your bank.
- Delete the used save and restore your backup.
- Repeat to collect more legendaries—your bank is account-wide, so they’re available for all your characters.
Why it works: Your profile (bank) and character saves are separate files. Rinse and repeat for a full vault of legendaries!
11. Participate in World Events for Fun and Challenge (Not Always Rewards)
Borderlands 4 regularly creates special world events—sometimes with names, sometimes different for each map. While they don’t always give great rewards (expect about 20 Eridium for 10 minutes of work), they’re full of challenge and variety.
Example event: The Airship
- Board enemy airships, destroy property & foes, and climb the leaderboard.
- First ship: Focus on regular destruction.
- Second ship: Power a locked armory by installing scavenged batteries (watch for battery respawns).
- Final ship: Complete a series of hacks, then trigger self-destruct for a point bonanza.
Even solo, you can complete all objectives for high scores and bonus loot.
12. Hacking Consoles—Follow Red Cables for Objectives
Some world event tasks require hacking computers to open doors and weapon rooms.
These are often connected by easy-to-see red cables or lines. Follow these lines straight to your next target—no guessing needed!
13. Prioritize Self-Destruct for Maximum Points in World Events
In tougher world events, blowing up the ship doesn’t just look cool but gives you tons of extra points, helping you get a top ranking.
Always try to finish destruction tasks first, then blow up the ship for the best rewards.
14. Character Backups Can Hedge Against Bad Quest Outcomes
Making regular copies of your character files lets you retry hard quests, farm legendary items, or fix failed tricks—since your saves and bank are stored in different places.
PC players:
- Character saves are numbered files; profiles store your bank/stash.
- Restore, swap, and even duplicate characters to optimize your progress.
15. Don’t Ignore Side Activities—they’re Packed With Little Systems
Borderlands 4’s side missions and world events are more than filler:
- Treasure chests: Found in unexpected locations with creative unlock mechanics.
- Randomized loot: Even regular encounters sometimes drop exceptional gear if you know how to manipulate their mechanics.
- Mini-boss containers: Always crack them open for bonus loot!
Wrapping Up
Borderlands 4 is stuffed with hidden systems, clever exploits, and delightful secrets. Learning these 15 overlooked tricks can greatly speed up your progress, shake up your gameplay, and stack your vault with firepower.
From exploiting co-op tricks to hunting loot goblins and setting up legendary item farms, there’s always another layer for everyone.
