45 articlesUltimate Vault Hunter mode is the main endgame feature of Borderlands 4, featuring a set of ranks you climb through by hunting a variety of boss groups. This mode works pretty differently from True Vault Hunter and Ultimate Vault Hunter in previous games, though! We’ll let you know all the details in this guide, but do be warned that there will be some spoilers if you care about that.
Ultimate Vault Hunter Guide (Endgame Ranks & All Boss Locations) | Borderlands 4
The Basics of Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode
Unlike the previous games in the series, Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode (or just UVHM for short) is actually pretty distinct. This time around, it’s not a higher difficulty saved for New Game+. That means, you don’t need to replay the game’s campaign at all! You can replay certain story missions freely to make up for that, but you don’t need to replay the entire game.
Instead, UVHM is a lot closer to Mayhem Mode from Borderlands 3. You complete objectives to increase your UHVM Rank from 1 to 5, with each rank providing an increased challenge. On top of that, you’ll be able to get access to better loot, although the biggest increase in loot quality seems to happen at UVHM Rank 1.
Furthermore, you’ll also be able to fully use the Firmware system. More specifically, you’ll be able to transfer Firmware from one piece of gear to another. This allows you finish 3-piece sets of Firmware, which provide pretty substantial benefits and will be your main source of power in UVHM.
Borderlands 4: Pearlescent Item Guide Soul SurvivorMar 31, 2026
Borderlands 4 Released a Major Update with Some Quality-of-Life Improvements, Alongside a Free DLCNov 21, 2025
Take-Two CEO Blames Troublesome PC Performance for Borderlands 4’s “Softer” than Expected SalesNov 7, 2025Do note that Firmware transfer does not come without a cost, though. It destroys gear that originally had the Firmware in the process! Keep that in mind when choosing what to use and where.
Now, to enter UVHM, you just need to complete the following main missions once you’ve completed the story:
- Zane’s Firmware
- Maurice’s Black Market Vending Machine
- Moxxi’s Big Encore
- Lilith’s Wildcard Mission
You can track your progress for Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode by checking the Ultimate Vault Hunter category under the Challenges tab of the Missions menu.
Ultimate Vault Hunter Rank Scaling
With the basics laid down, we figured it’s a good idea to give you a handy table showing off all of the ways in which UVHM affects the game world:
| UVHM Rank | Rank 1 | Rank 2 | Rank 3 | Rank 4 | Rank 5 |
| Enemy Health | +150% | +200% | +250% | +300% | +350% |
| Damage Taken by the Player | +12% | +14% | +16% | +18% | +20% |
| Cash Drops | +20% | +25% | +30% | +35% | +40% |
| Eridium Drops | +20% | +25% | +30% | +35% | +40% |
| Combat XP | +10% | +12.50% | +15% | +17.50% | +20% |
| Loot Quality | Improved, though we don’t know how exactly yet. Seems to mainly give better Firmware drops. | ||||
| Enemy’s Elemental Defenses | Identical to Hard difficulty. | ||||
As a final note on the ranks, note that you can freely change your current rank by pausing the game and going into Session Settings. Just pick whichever UVH Rank you want from the Ultimate Vault Hunter Level drop-down! You can even turn it off and go back to normal gameplay if you wish.
Do note that only the host of a session can change this setting. So, if you’re in multiplayer, whoever is hosting is responsible for the current UVH Rank level.
How to Unlock Each UVH Rank
Now, as we’ve mentioned before, unlocking each UVH Rank will require you to defeat specific bosses and complete a Wildcard mission from Lilith. The bosses and missions are specific and unique for each rank, but you need to do the ranks in order from 1 to 5.
Thankfully, though, most of these bosses are ones you’ve already fought before during the story. Similarly, Wildcard missions are just enhanced versions of story missions. They feature stronger enemies and some quirky modifiers (such as only being able to damage with headshots), but they’re mostly the same.
Also, as we mentioned before, remember that you can check what you need to do under the Challenges tab in the Missions menu. It helps you keep track of what you have and haven’t done yet.
With that in mind, let’s go over the unlock requirements and boss locations for every Ultimate Vault Hunter rank in Borderlands 4!
UVH Rank 2
- Song’s Over – Kill Bramblesong in UVH1 (Abandoned Auger Mine in Stoneblood Forest)
- Omega 86’d – Kill Bio Armored Omega Thresher in UVH1 (Fades District in Dominion)
- Only available if you’ve completed the “One Gassy Issue” and “One Slimy Issue” side missions first.
- Bio Break – Kill Bio-Bulkhead in UVH1 (Synthetic Nave in the Dissected Plateau)
- No Points Awarded – Kill Sydney Pointy Legs in UVH1 (Ripper Drill Site in the Hungering Plain)
- Ultimate Vault Hunter – Complete “Rush the Gate” Wildcard mission in UVH1.
UVH Rank 3
- Pelted – Kill Shadowpelt in UVH2 (Abandoned Auger Mine in Cuspid Climb)
- Now Who’s Gonna Watch This Core? – Kill Core Observer in UVH2 (Order Bunker in The Howl)
- So I Felt Like – Kill Rocken Roller in UVH2 (Abandoned Auger Mine in Ruined Sumplands)
- Blasted Furnace – Kill Frank the Furnace in UVH2 (Ripper Drill Site in Idolator’s Noose)
- More Ultimater Vault Hunter – Complete “His Vile Sanctum” Wildcard mission in UVH2.
UVH Rank 4
- Draggin’ Wagon – Kill Battle Wagon in UVH3 (Ripper Drill Site in Stoneblood Forest)
- But What If… You Were The Fake? – Kill Mimicron in UVH3 (Order Bunker in Idolator’s Noose)
- Who Named This Guy? – Kill the Immortal Boneface in UVH3 (Ripper Drill Site in Cuspid Climb)
- Bloom Boom – Kill Skull Orchid in UVH3 (Abandoned Auger Mine in Grindstone of the Worthy)
- Even More Ultimater Vault Hunter – Complete “Her Flaming Vision” Wildcard mission in UVH3.
UVH Rank 5
Unlike the previous ranks, this one has you doing Wildcard missions exclusive. You can start all of these by simply talking to Lilith at Moxxi’s Bar. Nonetheless, here’s the list of challenges and their respective mission:
- The Inception – Complete “Primordial Vault: Fadefields” Wildcard mission in UVH4.
- The Origin – Complete “Primordial Vault: Terminus” Wildcard mission in UVH4.
- The Base – Complete “Primordial Vault: Carcadia” Wildcard mission in UVH4.
- Super Ultimater Vault Hunter – Complete “The Timekeeper’s Order” Wildcard mission in UVH4.
So, there you have it! That’s everything you need to know to get through all of the Ultimate Vault Hunter ranks in Borderlands 4, including the boss locations. It’s going to take some time, simply because it does require you to take on a lot of bosses and also requires an optimal build. But at least you know everything that you need to do!
Do you want more help with the game’s endgame? There are activities and things to do besides just UVH Ranks, after all! For more details, check out our Borderlands 4 endgame progression guide.
