Getting started in Borderlands 4 is a big commitment, as players must choose their character and venture into the open world of Kairos, where threats and loot are at every turn. With so much to do at the start of Borderlands 4, we've compiled a checklist of things you should do first before you get too deep into what's on offer. These useful tips will provide players new to Borderlands 4 with activities and planning that they should look out for as they attempt to sabotage the Timekeeper's plans and unlock powerful Vaults.
Make Sure You Pick the Right Vault Hunter
4 Vault Hunters with a Multitude of Different Playstyles and Builds
The first thing players will do in Borderlands 4 is pick their Vault Hunter, which is the single most important decision that they can make. This decision comes at the start of the game, and their choice will determine their playstyle. Each Vault Hunter has 3 skill trees, which can be mixed and matched to craft the perfect build. In the intro scene where players can select their Vault Hunter, they will be able to see an abundance of useful stats, along with their elemental affinities. Selecting each Vault Hunter before confirming your selection provides information on how they're best played and the abilities that they come with. Players should be careful in which Vault Hunter they pick, as there's no way to swap out, and each of them has varying abilities and complementary skills.
Grab a Vehicle Before Exploring
Race Through Kairos Instead of Walking Everywhere to Save Time
After the prologue, the world of Kairos opens up (mostly) for players to explore. However, running everywhere is the way of the past, as are Scooter's Catch-a-Ride stations. Instead, players can summon their vehicle at any time, but to do so, they must first obtain the vehicle. Players can pick up their first vehicle within the 3rd main mission, Down and Outbound. It's a quick mission to complete, and one that will see players earn their permanent vehicle, which will allow them to ride around Kairos instead of relying on just their legs and their jumps.
Start Completing Safehouses, Silos, and Other Activities
Activities Reward SDU Tokens, Fast Travel Destinations, and Boss Fights
Activities in Borderlands 4 reward players with SDU Tokens, which can be used to upgrade the ammo capacity and the amount of loot that they can hold in the backpack, the lost loot machine, and their vault. With all this in mind, it's essential that players work through Kairos to complete the activities that appear on the map, so feel free to explore and locate a bunch of fresh activities. The most important activities to complete are the Safehouses and Silos, as the Safehouses act as safe HUBs and fast travel points, whereas Silos also act as fast travel points, but provide players with a radius to locate a fragment for a Vault Key.
Locate Side Missions for Free XP, Cash, and Guns
Side Missions are Hilarious, Enjoyable to Play, and Provide Great Loot
Instead of speeding through the main story, players should focus on exploring the world. Not only are there plenty of activities to try out for SDU Tokens and XP, but there are also a plethora of side missions. Side missions are more present than ever in Borderlands 4, and they're far more detailed, exciting, and funny. There are so many side missions, and each of them provides decent amounts of XP so that players can reach the level cap and enjoy the fruits of their labor with their builds. Side missions are a lot of fun, complement the main story, and provide great rewards that are best completed as you find them instead of hoarding them.
Loot Everything for the Cash
The More Money Players Have, the Better Gear They Can Purchase
Starting a playthrough of Borderlands 4, players are going to mainly come across Common and Uncommon loot tiers, which consist of white and green guns and gear. This loot might not be the most impressive, but at the early levels, it's all players are going to be able to use until their luck kicks into gear. With so much loot to claim, it's best not to leave it behind. Indulge in the inner hoarder within each Vault Hunter, and collect everything you can, but be sure to sell everything you don't intend on using to the vending machines scattered around Kairos so that you have a viable amount of cash at the ready.
Check Through Vending Machines for Solid Deals
Zed and Zane Might Offer Unique Loot for Players to Nab
Since loot is in abundance, most players might not even think to check on Zane and Zed's vending machines found throughout Kairos. While these vending machines are great ways to get cash by selling loot you're not interested in, they're also very reliable for purchasing random tier loot. As players level up and progress through the story, the loot that the vending machines will sell can increase to blue and purple rarity weapons and gear. There's also a featured piece of loot that's often up for grabs, which is usually a purple or a legendary item that can provide players with an intensely powerful piece of equipment, provided that they have the money for it.
Make Sure You Stock Up on Golden Keys
Golden Keys Provide Immense Loot from Golden Chests
Across the Faction Towns of Kairos, players can find a golden chest with a unique lock. To open it, players are going to need golden keys, and these can only be acquired through SHiFT codes. These SHiFT codes can be found on Gearbox, Borderlands, and Randy Pitchford's social media accounts on X (formerly Twitter). SHiFT codes provide players with a bunch of golden keys, which are single-use items and account-based. These keys provide purple loot and sometimes even legendary loot at your level so that you can always stay on top of the fight with the best possible gear available.
Find a Weapon Type That's Right for Your Playstyle
Gun Designs, Manufacturers, and Elements, All Matter to the Perfect Build
One of the first things players should do is kill, and kill some more. There are endless enemies on Kairos: human, metallic, and creature. Yet, there are perhaps more weapons to loot than there are enemies to kill, so players should feel free to experiment with what's available to them. Ordnance weapons provide players with different types of powerful guns like rocket launchers and miniguns, whereas their primary weapons, like SMGs, Shotguns, Assault Rifles, Pistols, and Snipers, provide near-endless power that alternates with stats, elements, and weapon manufacturer parts. One of the first things players should do is pick up their new weapon or piece of gear and read what it actually does, as it's important to know about the alternate firing mode, the elemental damage it deals, and for gear, it's important to see how much health you can get, and the firmware that might provide you with additional stats to elevate your build.
Borderlands 4
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 82 /100 Critics Rec: 88%
- Released
- September 12, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, In-Game Purchases, Users Interact
- Developer(s)
- Gearbox Software
- Publisher(s)
- 2K
