To become a capable solo player or reliable support for your teammates early in Borderlands 4, you need to not only acquire more quality gear but also level up quickly.
While you might stumble upon some early XP through basic gameplay, to improve your leveling efficiency, you'll need a more specific and structured XP farming plan that encompasses all available XP-earning modes.
If you are unsure how to do this, don't worry - we will provide a detailed guide!
Unlocking Ultimate Vault Hunter
Before you can start farming, you need to accumulate points by completing various tasks in the game to reach Ultimate Vault Hunter level 1. This will grant you the following bonuses when you complete subsequent encounters:
- +10% XP
- Increased loot rarity
- +20% Eridium/cash
- +150% enemy health
- +12% bonus damage
While enemies will become stronger as a result, the benefits are more attractive in comparison. Reaching Ultra High Level 1 can be achieved by completing Wildcard missions, Big Encore, or Maurice's Black Market.
Completing Main Quests
Generally, upon entering the game, you'll be directed to a tutorial, some of which will be covered through the initial main storyline. Therefore, the main quests are the best starting point for farming XP in Borderlands 4!
Completing these quests will allow you to uncover thrilling backstory and earn XP or other items as rewards. While the story may take some time to read, this isn't a problem.
Farming In Enemy-Crowded Areas
Most of Borderlands 4's story and character backgrounds are centered around Kairos. As you progress through the game, you'll unlock more zones on the planet, each offering opportunities to farm XP by killing enemies.
To maximize your farming efficiency, prioritize traveling to areas with high enemy concentrations to quickly gain a large amount of XP. If you're lucky, you'll even earn Borderlands 4 cash, which can be redeemed for higher gear.
More importantly, some zones offer the opportunity to directly find collectibles and weapons after clearing them. So, don't rush out of your current zone after completing the main storyline; instead, loot all the loot you can find.
Don't Forget Side Quests
As you complete the main storyline and explore the various zones, you'll trigger some side quests. Since these may require you to travel to locations completely opposite to the next main quest, you might not want to complete them right away.
However, if you've completed all the main quests but haven't finished leveling, these side quests become crucial. Even more conveniently, you can complete the quests within a zone as you explore, achieving multiple goals at once!
Reseting And Farming Bosses
Of all enemy types, bosses provide the most loot and XP. What's even more surprising is that Borderlands 4 introduces a boss reset feature, meaning you can repeatedly farm them for massive rewards.
After completing the corresponding main quest, you can unlock Moxxi's Big Encore Machine in Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode hub, where you can consume Eridium to reset bosses.
Completing More Bounties
Borderlands 4 features a bounty system. Most bounties are easy, requiring you to travel to a specific destination and eliminate a specific target. This allows you to quickly complete many bounties to earn enough XP.
Of all bounties, Vile bounties are more challenging to defeat due to their infected enemies, but they also offer greater rewards, including more XP and bonus Legendary weapons.
Bounties typically spawn near Makeshift Chalet safe-house in Lopside area, on the western edge of Carcardia Burn. Alternatively, you can pick them up at another safe-house if you're near one.
Simply claim the bounty contract you want from the safe-house noticeboard and complete the required tasks. You can then save and exit, then refresh the noticeboard again to receive more bounties.
Completing Rift Events
These are dynamic events that randomly spawn throughout the map. This event takes you into a massive, dome-shaped arena, where you'll face off against hordes of enemies and dangerous bosses. The combat is intense and fast-paced, so it's best to play with a teammate.
Interestingly, while these events may appear random, they can actually be tied to your main story progression, your other adventures, or even your character's death.
Choosing High-Level Players As Your Teammates
If you're not leveling yet and are trying to gain more XP while challenging difficult levels, your survival rate is low if you complete the leveling alone. Teaming up with others, especially those with higher levels, is both safer and more effective.
Higher-level players can defeat enemies you can't handle, and when you team up, XP earned is shared among all team members. This allows you to earn more XP than playing a normal level.
Of course, members who directly kill enemies will receive a higher share of XP.
Upgrading To Better Gear Promptly
As you farm XP through these battle methods, you'll continually earn cash and new gear as loot. You can equip this gear directly or exchange it for more suitable weapons using cash or other currencies.
This will boost your overall combat effectiveness, allowing you to tackle more challenging content or complete regular XP farming stages more quickly, ultimately leveling up your character sooner.
These are the main methods for leveling in Borderlands 4. Once you reach the maximum level, you'll be able to tackle even more challenging stages, earn more loot, and become a true warrior!
