How to unlock all Ultimate Vault Hunter Modes in Borderlands 4
While finishing the main story in Borderlands 4 is a satisfying achievement, the true test of any Vault Hunter begins with the endgame. Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode (UVHM) is the series' signature pinnacle of challenge, designed to push your builds and gear to the absolute limit. This guide provides a complete walkthrough for unlocking all five ranks of UVHM, ensuring you're ready to face stronger enemies and earn the best legendary loot the game has to offer.
Think of Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode as Borderlands 4's true test. Once unlocked, this difficulty setting can be toggled on or off at any time through your session settings. Activating UVHM dramatically increases the game's challenge: enemies become significantly tougher, gain more health, and spawn with powerful modifiers that grant them unique abilities. The reward for taking on this heightened threat is a vastly improved chance to find high-tier gear, including legendary weapons and class mods, making it essential for reaching the maximum level cap.
Progressing through the UVHM ranks is a structured process that involves completing specific in-game challenges to unlock special "Wildcard" missions. These missions, assigned by Lilith at Moxxi's bar, are remixed, harder versions of quests you've already completed. Each rank has its own set of prerequisites.
Prerequisite: You must first complete the Borderlands 4 main campaign.
After defeating the final story boss, Lilith will provide a series of introductory quests. Completing these missions will immediately grant you access to UVHM 1 through the session settings. This unlock applies to all your characters moving forward.
To earn the second rank, you must complete the following boss-kill challenges while playing on UVHM 1:
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What is Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode?
Think of Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode as Borderlands 4's true test. Once unlocked, this difficulty setting can be toggled on or off at any time through your session settings. Activating UVHM dramatically increases the game's challenge: enemies become significantly tougher, gain more health, and spawn with powerful modifiers that grant them unique abilities. The reward for taking on this heightened threat is a vastly improved chance to find high-tier gear, including legendary weapons and class mods, making it essential for reaching the maximum level cap.
The Path to Power: Unlocking Each UVHM Rank
Progressing through the UVHM ranks is a structured process that involves completing specific in-game challenges to unlock special "Wildcard" missions. These missions, assigned by Lilith at Moxxi's bar, are remixed, harder versions of quests you've already completed. Each rank has its own set of prerequisites.
Prerequisite: You must first complete the Borderlands 4 main campaign.
Unlocking UVHM 1
After defeating the final story boss, Lilith will provide a series of introductory quests. Completing these missions will immediately grant you access to UVHM 1 through the session settings. This unlock applies to all your characters moving forward.
Unlocking UVHM 2
To earn the second rank, you must complete the following boss-kill challenges while playing on UVHM 1:
- Bio Break: Defeat Bio-Bulkhead in the Dissected Plateau (Synthetic Nave).
- Song's Over: Eliminate Bramblesong in the Stoneblood Forest (Abandoned Auger mine).
- Omega 86'd: Vanquish the Bio Armored Omega Thresher, the final boss from the "One Slime Issue" side mission.
- No Points Awarded: Take down Sydney Pointylegs in the Hungering Plain (Ripper Drill Site).
After completing these challenges, receive and finish the "Rush The Gate" Wildcard mission from Lilith.
Unlocking UVHM 3
Progress to the next tier by defeating these formidable foes while on UVHM 2:
- Now Who's Gonna Watch This Core: Destroy the Core Observer in The Howl (Order Bunker).
- Pelted: Hunt Shadowpelt in the Cuspid Climb (Abandoned Auger mine).
- So I Felt Like: Defeat Rocken Roller in the Ruined Sumplands (Abandoned Auger mine).
- Blasted Furnace: Eliminate Frank the Furnace in the Idolator's Noose (Ripper Drill Site).
Return to Lilith to acquire the "His Vile Sanctum" Wildcard mission and complete it to unlock UVHM 3.
Unlocking UVHM 4
Prepare for a serious fight. On UVHM 3, you must conquer these challenges:
- But What If… You Were the Fake?: Kill Mimicron in the Idolator's Noose (Order Bunker).
- Who Named This Guy: Defeat the Immortal Boneface in the Cuspid Climb (Ripper Drill Site).
- Draggin’ Wagon: Destroy the Battle Wagon in the Stoneblood Forest (Ripper Drill Site).
- Bloom Boom: Eliminate Skull Orchid in the Grindstone of the Worthy (Abandoned Auger mine).
Speak with Lilith to begin the "Her Flaming Vision" Wildcard mission. Its completion grants access to UVHM 4.
Unlocking UVHM 5 (The Final Rank)
Reaching the highest level of difficulty requires you to conquer the Wildcardversions of the game's most challenging dungeons. You must first havecompleted the standard versions of these Vaults. On UVHM 4, complete the following:
- The Inception: Finish the "Primordial Vault: Fadefields" Wildcard mission.
- The Origin: Conquer the "Primordial Vault: Terminus Range" Wildcard mission.
- The Base: Complete the "Primordial Vault: Carcadia Burn" Wildcard mission.
Finally, Lilith will offer "The Timekeeper's Order," the ultimate Wildcardmission. Finish this final challenge to unlock UVHM 5 and claim yourplace as a master Vault Hunter.
Platform(s): PlayStation 5 PS5, Microsoft Windows PC, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X/S
Genre(s): First-person shooter, action role-playing
Developer(s): Gearbox Software
Publisher(s): 2K
Engine: Unreal Engine 5
Release date: September 12, 2025
Mode: Single-player, multiplayer
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