Now Is a Good Time to Play Borderlands 2
Borderlands 3 is coming out in no more than a few months’ time. As a result, now is a good time to give Borderlands 2 a playthrough, particularly since it remains one of the better loot shooters to have come out in the 2010s.
What Are Some Borderlands 2 Tips to Keep in Mind?
Here are some useful tips to keep in mind for Borderlands 2:
Upgrade Your Character
Players should upgrade their characters whenever possible. Generally speaking, there are three things to keep in mind. One would be their skill points, which the player shouldn’t hesitate to experiment with because they can respec. Another would be their Badass Tokens earned from completing challenges, which can provide a number of useful bonuses. Finally, there are the Eridium bars that they will be picking up throughout their playthrough, which can be used to increase the number of items as well as the amount of ammunition that they can carry at any one time.
Use a Mix of Weapons
There is no simple and straightforward answer to the question of what is the best weapon in Borderlands 2. As a result, players will want to have a mix of weapons on them so that they can handle a wide range of enemies under a wide range of circumstances. For example, a shotgun can be very useful for blasting enemies in close quarters combat, but if the player wants to take out enemies shooting from behind cover at higher elevations, they are going to want to switch out to a sniper rifle for maximum efficacy and efficiency. It should be noted that this principle extends to elements as well because there are certain enemies that are either immune or very resistant to certain elements.
You Get Slag Weapons For a Reason
Speaking of elements, it should be mentioned that while slag weapons aren’t very good at dealing damage on their own, they can provide incredible results when combined with other weapons. Simply put, slag weapons are supposed to make enemies more vulnerable by slagging them. After which, the player can switch out to something with bigger numbers to make their enemies really feel the pain. Of course, switching between weapons can use up valuable shooting time, which is one of the many, many reasons that a lot of people love playing dual-wielding Gunzerkers.
Don’t Get Pinned Down
On a final note, Borderlands 2 isn’t a shooter that rewards players for remaining behind sensible cover as much as possible. Certainly, there are situations in which this will help, but at the end of the day, staying still too much is a good way to get rushed by Psychos, out-of-control Goliaths, and other close quarters enemies, meaning that it is better to remain mobile.
Extra Wubs
At the title screen, press Up(2), Down(2), Left, Right, Left, Right, Circle, X, Start to unlock the “Extra Wubs” option at the “Gameplay” section of the “Options” menu. Note: Extra Wubs has no effect in the game.
True Vault Hunter mode
Successfully complete the game to unlock True Vault Hunter mode.
Ultimate Vault Hunter mode
Successfully complete the game in True Vault Hunter mode to unlock Ultimate Vault Hunter mode.
Duplicating weapons, items, and money
Start a co-op game with at least one other player. Stand next to another player, and initiate a trade. Give them the desired weapons/items/money you would like to duplicate. Then, immediately quit the game without saving by exiting to the dashboard using the PS button. Since the game did not save after you traded the weapons/items/money, you will still have them, and the other player you traded them to will also have them. The other player can then give you weapons/items/money while using the same method. Repeat this as many times as desired. Note: Do not trade items near an auto save point to prevent the game from accidentally saving while trading the items.
Infinite Badass points
Note: This trick requires a character with at least $3 million. Create a new character, and start a game with both characters. Have the character with $3 million as player one and the new character as player two. Have player one trade $3 million to player two. You will get an extra 167 Badass points added to your profile. Then, have player two give the money back to player one. Next, have player two leave the game. Then, have player two join the game, but first delete the character player two was using, and create a new one before joining the game. Give the new character created for player two $3 million again to get another 167 Badass points. Repeat this as many times as desired.
Since Badass points are assigned to your profile and not a specific saved game file, it is possible to get an unlimited number of Badass points easily. Create a new character and have a second player join the game as a guest on controller two. Stand in front of the guest character with your main character, and keep activating a trade with each other by pressing Circle. Trades count whether you actually trade anything or not. Simply activate “Trade” without actually offering anything to still have it count as a trade. Do this 50 times to get a total of 166 Badass points. Then, create a new character and repeat the process as many times as desired. You can delete all the unwanted created characters once you are finished using this trick.
Note: You can also do this with dueling. Stand in front of the guest character with your main character, and start a duel. Win the duel, and repeat the process. Fifty duel victories will result in a total gain of 166 Badass points. This can be done even quicker by setting up the controller configuration so you can keep tapping [Melee/Attack] without changing your aim at the second player.
Easy XP
After completing the “A Dam Fine Rescue” mission, you will find Sir Hammerlock inside Sanctuary offering a quest called “Mighty Morphin'”, which involves taking an injector and injecting Varkid Cocoons with a special serum. Injecting the serum into a cocoon produces a Badass Varkid. Killing one yields around 1,900 XP during your first playthrough, depending on your level. As long as you do not complete or turn-in the quest, you can kill all the enemies, choose to “Save and Quit”, and reload the game to have the enemies respawn. Repeat this as many times as desired.
Quickly reaching Level 50 with new character
Defeat The Warrior with a Level 50 character. When you are given the option to either kill Jack or let Lilith kill him, jump into the lava. The game will then automatically be saved with Jack and The Warrior defeated. Next, choose the “Save and Quit” option. When you choose to continue the game, you will start near Jack with the requirement to still kill him.
Then, invite a character you want to easily level-up to 50. Once they have joined the game, have your Level 50 character kill Jack, wait three seconds, and then reset the system for the Level 50 character so the game cannot be saved. The new character will receive the XP given for killing Jack, but the Level 50 character’s game will not be saved after killing Jack. Repeat this for approximately an hour to get the new character to Level 50.
Better weapons and items
Go to any slot machine after the game has recently been auto saved. Play the slot machine as many times as desired. If you do not like the weapons and/or items you won, simply quit the game without saving by exiting to the dashboard using the PS button. Then, continue your saved game to still have all the money you spent on slot machine. Repeat this process as many times as desired to get better weapons and items.
Better mission weapons
When turning in a mission that gives you a weapon as a reward, usually the stats of the weapon are randomly generated (and in some cases elements). Thus, if you do not like the weapon you are given after turning in a mission, simply quit the game without saving by exiting to the dashboard using the PS button before the game auto saves. Continue your game, and turn the mission in again to get a weapon with different stats. Repeat this until you get a weapon with desired stats and/or elements. -From: Psychotic Elf.
Veteran skins
Have a saved game file from the original Borderlands on your hard drive to unlock the Veteran skins for all four characters using the option found under the “Extras” menu.
Moxxi weapons
If you keep tipping Moxxi large amounts of money in Sanctuary (over $10,000), she will eventually give you a weapon. Try to tip after she stops talking. Once you get a weapon from her, you can fast travel to another area and then back to Sanctuary. Keep tipping her again to get another weapon. She only gives two types of weapons — a fire elemental submachine gun and corrosive elemental submachine gun, but they should always have different stats. -From: Psychotic Elf.
Carrying an extra item in inventory
This trick requires two class mods. Once your inventory is full, switch your currently equipped class mod for another one in your inventory (you can then re-equip your original class mod after you have done this). Then, exit the inventory menu to be able to now pick up one additional item, allowing you to have up to 28 items in your inventory instead of the normal maximum of 27.
Good loot farming chest
In the Vault Of The Warrior, you will reach a bridge to walk over the lava (there is a lava fall to the right of the bridge) shortly after entering the area. Jump down the lava hole to the left of the bridge. Once you go down the hole, move forward to find a small cove with a red loot chest on the right. The loot chest contains good items. Once you grab the items, select the “Save and Quit” option to have the chest refill. Repeat this as many times as desired.
Defeating The Warrior easily
When you begin the battle with The Warrior, let him immediately kill you. You will then spawn behind a shielded barrier protecting The Warrior. Climb up on the rocks to the left to get above the shielded barrier, allowing you to shoot The Warrior from a distance without him harming you. Note: After defeating The Warrior, leave the area, and return to the area for him to respawn.
Dark Souls Easter Egg
In Caustic Caverns, go to the far eastern area of the map. Once you find the unique Crystalisk monster named Blue, run north across the corrosive green waters to the small island with a lone tree out in the distance. You must be at a high enough level to make it across, as you will take a lot of damage while running across the water. If you are using Salvador (the Gunzerker), you can activate his Gunzerk ability to gain health. On the island, you will find a bonfire. Sitting nearby is a Knight named Solitaire, a reference to the Knight Solaire in Dark Souls. You can also find a phantom spirit.
Dr. Tannis Easter Egg
Dr. Tannis, the Dahl Corporation scientist, could be found riding a fish while a dramatic soundtrack played in Treacher’s Landing in the original Borderlands by shooting five barrels in a specific order. This can also be done in Borderlands 2. Fast travel to Sawtooth Cauldron. Go forward, and jump off the cliff to reach Sawtooth Stilts. Then, turn left, and go through Smoking Guano Grotto. You will eventually reach the Main Street Reservoir area. Continue until you are at the very edge of the map, on a beach overlooking the reservoir. Scattered around the beach are five colored barrels. Shoot them in the following order to activate the Easter Egg:
- Blue barrel: Next to the arid plant-life near the water.
- Red barrel: Turn around to face the huts; the barrel is at the left hut.
- Green barrel: Turn around again, and look out at the reservoir. Move closer to the edge of the water, and look out at one of the small islands.
- Yellow barrel: On the left, behind a wooden barricade.
- Purple barrel: On the right, near a pile of tires.
Minecraft Easter Egg
Once you reach Sanctuary Hole after Chapter 9 (it can be accessed from the northeast area of the map in Three Horns Divide), you will find a cliff that drops off into a huge hole on your right behind a building close to the end of the town you go through immediately after entering Sanctuary Hole. It does not look like you can drop off the edge, but there is an area you can drop onto. Drop down to this area to reach the entrance to Caustic Caverns. You can also reach the entrance to Caustic Caverns by progressing through Sanctuary Hole normally. Once you enter Caustic Caverns, go to the “Guardian Ruins” at the northwest corner of the map.
Find the mine carts on the train tracks, and turn right just before you reach the huge door at the end of the train tracks. Then, go straight, jump over the two cube blocks, and immediately turn left to enter a cave with a bunch of Minecraft blocks. Keep smashing the blocks to enter a secret Minecraft area. There are Minecraft style enemies in this area. You can fine a special Minecraft head and skin for your character by defeating the enemies and smashing the blocks in this area. There is a different head and skin dropped in this area for each character. The enemies also drop rare loot. If you do not get the desired head and skin for a character and/or do not like the loot you got, you can choose to “Save and Quit”, and then continue your game to get different loot in this area.
Se7en Easter Egg
Whenever you open a box in The Dust, there is a small chance you will get this special Easter Egg. Inside the box, you will find a gun called “Neutralizing Gwen” and a female skull. Just as it is opened, Handsome Jack will exclaim; “What’s in the box? What’s in the box?” In Se7en, at the climax of the film, there is a famous scene where Brad Pitt yells, “What’s in the box?’ when he is faced with a mysterious package. The gun’s name, “Neutralizing Gwen” is a reference to the actress Gwyneth Paltrow who plays Brad Pitt’s girlfriend.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Easter Eggs
Once you reach Sanctuary, talk to Dr. Tannis in the Crimson Raiders HQ to unlock the “Splinter Group” Level 14 side-quest. The description of the mission reads: “Patricia Tannis has hired you to find and kill four dangerous mutated escapees from the Wildlife Exploitation Preserve. They’re hiding out in Bloodshot Stronghold, but be careful; they are well-armed, and color-coordinated.” If the mission is not available, try completing some more story missions, and keep checking back after completing each one until you are given the mission. To gain access to their Sewer hideout, you must pretend to be a pizza deliveryman.
Use the intercom, and the sewer grate will open. After jumping down, you will enter the Rat’s Nest. Interact with the table ahead to place a pizza to attract the mutants. Once they reveal themselves, you will see their referential names: Lee, Dan, Mick, and Ralph. They are indeed color-coordinated, have shells on their backs, and use the same weapons as their corresponding turtle. Additionally, after turning the mission in, the mission debrief says “References!” This entire mission is a reference to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, who are four talking turtles that starred in their own series of comics, movies, and cartoons. Each has their own ninja weapon, are color-coordinated, and named after classical Italian painters.
You can also fight an enemy named Flinter by proceeding through the Rat’s Nest in Bloodshot Stronghold. Once you reach an area with multiple objects that you can interact with, you must interact with each item a certain number of times in a specific order. Turn the wheel two times, press the button on the TV three times, pull the switch on the ground three times, and then pull the lever on the wall to the right of the switch on the ground three times. After a few seconds, Flinter will appear. He will drop some rare loot once he has been defeated. Flinter is a reference to Splinter from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. He was the four turtles martial arts teacher.
The Lord Of The Rings Easter Egg
To unlock this special event, you must first travel to the starting area in the game; Claptrap’s Place. Inside Claptrap’s Place, pick up the special hidden item in his fireplace. You must then travel to a special enemy called Geary on the volcano in Eridium Blight. You cannot fast travel to reach Geary or die on your way to him. You must follow a specific path to reach him; you can use vehicles. To reach Geary with the special item, starting from the fireplace where you obtained it, go to each area in the following order: Claptrap’s Place, Southern Shelf, Three Horns – Divide, Three Horns – Valley, The Dust, and Eridium Blight. You must then go to the volcano in the north-west area of the map. Travel up the volcano using the ramps to jump over the lava flow to reach Geary. Once you find Geary partially up the volcano, do not attack him. Geary is a psycho bandit that will die with one hit, but will also drop rare purple head items.
Thus, you can keep returning and killing Geary to farm rare heads for the characters, as he will always respawn in the same area, even if you do not follow these specific steps to reach him. Let Geary hit you once, but only once. If he hits you more than once, this special event will reset, and you must start over from the beginning. Additionally, Nova/Spike shields will kill Geary and reset this special event. After Geary attacks, he will jump off the cliff into the lava. Then, three Rakks will fly over near you and drop three loot chests. One of the chests will always contain purple loot. You can repeat this special event as many times as desired. This side mission is a reference to The Lord Of The Rings series of books by J.R. Tolkien, in which a hero takes a secret ring from a fireplace and travels to a volcano to dispose of it —- until it is stolen by a psychopath who falls into the lava anyway. The heroes are then rescued by three birds from the erupting volcano.
Top Gun Easter Egg
To get a side mission with a lot of Top Gun references in it, talk to Loggins at Ellie’s Garage in The Dust. Loggins is a reference to Kenny Loggins, the musician who recorded the song “Danger Zone”, which was the main theme in the Top Gun movie. In the side mission, Loggins wants revenge against his former flight squad of auto-gyro pilots. Top Gun is all about Air Force pilots.
To take revenge, you will need to burn down the squad’s volleyball court with a fire-element weapon. In the movie, there is a famous scene in which the pilots play volleyball to Kenny Loggins’ “Playing With The Boys” song. To reach the area with the volleyball court, you will need to jump off a huge rock to arrive in Goose’s Roost. Goose is best friends with Tom Cruise’s character in the film.
Easy “Feels Like The First Time” trophy
In Arid Nexus – Badlands, go to the northeast area on the map to find Fyrestone. This is the place where the original Borderlands started. Look for a red building in the desert. Get on top of that building to find a red chest. Open the chest to get some good loot and the “Feels Like The First Time” trophy.
