A substantial update has been rolled out for Borderlands 4 across PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. This patch primarily focuses on enhancing the game`s four Vault Hunters, making a wider range of character builds more viable for players.
Developer Gearbox Software detailed the changes on its official website, emphasizing the goal of fostering “greater build diversity by adjusting underperforming skills.” Key adjustments include a general buff to Forgeknight Amon to bring him in line with other Vault Hunters, increased summon power for Exo-Soldier Rafa and enhanced melee capabilities for Siren Vex to improve their late-game effectiveness, and a refinement of Gravitar Harlowe’s Stasis ability for better utility.
Beyond character balance, Gearbox also implemented other improvements. These include strengthening the weekly Big Encore boss, relocating Maurice’s Black Market Vending Machine and refreshing its inventory, and introducing an automatic cleanup for outdated Borderlands 4 shaders to prevent potential performance issues on some PCs.
Borderlands 4, which launched on September 12 to positive critical reception (including a 7/10 score in a review that praised its loot, build crafting, and chaotic gameplay), is currently available on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. While a Nintendo Switch 2 port is planned but delayed indefinitely, a new Vault Hunter is slated to join the roster in 2026.
Below are the detailed patch notes for Borderlands 4`s October 2 update:
Detailed Patch Notes
Weekly Activities:
- The Weekly Big Encore Boss has been replaced with a tougher variant of an existing boss, now offering a more rewarding loot pool.
- The Weekly Wildcard Mission has been updated, now guaranteeing a Legendary drop that can be farmed for ideal rolls.
- Maurice’s Black Market Vending Machine has moved to a new location, and its offerings have changed. Note that items differ between players, so collaboration is key to finding specific gear.
Additional Changes:
- Implemented auto-clearing of stale shaders on version updates to prevent performance degradation on certain PCs.
Character Balance Adjustments:
Harlowe
Action Skills – Zero-Point
- Stasis Slam Damage increased by 30%
- Stasis Immune Damage increased by 14.7%
Rafa
Action Skills – APOPHIS Lance
- Increased Damage by 10%
Capstones – People Person
- Project: Raiju Damage now scales by 12% per second (previously 10%)
- Project: Basilisk Damage increased by 15%
- Project: Basilisk Hazard Damage increased by 25%
- Project: Gorgon Damage increased by 17%
Passives – People Person
- El Catrín
- Critical Hit Damage increased to 8% (from 7%) per point
- Bonus Shock Damage increased to 8% (from 7%) per point
- Per My Last
- Double Damage Chance increased to 6% (from 5%) per point
Action Skills – Arc-Knives
- Melee Attack Damage increased by 12%
- Dash Damage increased by 5%
Passives – This Year’s Gimmick
- Handshake Deal
- Melee Damage increased to 9% (from 7%) per point
- To the Last
- Skill Damage increased to 8% (from 6%) per point
- El Paragus
- Splash Damage increased to 9% (from 7%) per point
- Liquidation
- Damage increased by 50%
- Collaborative Ignition
- Bonus Damage increased to 8% (from 6%) per point
- Sinergia
- Duration increased to 14 seconds (from 12 seconds)
- Melee Damage increased to 4% (from 3%) per point
- Empuje
- Action Skill Duration increased to 7% (from 6%) per point
Vex
Action Skills – Incarnate
- Phase Explosion Damage increased by 16.6%
- Eldritch Blast Damage increased by 9.5%
Augments – Vexcalation
- Energy Vampire Damage increased by 25%
Capstones – Vexcalation
- Heartpiercer Damage increased by 22%
- Desecration Hazard Damage increased by 50%
- Desecration Airborne Burst Damage increased by 48%
- Geistwave Damage increased by 41%
Passives – Vexcalation
- Radiant Attunement now deals 7% Splash Damage (up from 6%) per point
- Dreadlight Hazard Damage increased by 100%
- Ars Arcana now increases Skill Damage by 9% (from 8%) per point
Action Skills – Phase Phamiliar
- Trouble Health increased by 10%
- Trouble Damage increased by 21.9%
Augments – Here Comes Trouble
- Violent Outburst Damage increased by 12.5%
- Vorpal Fang Damage increased by 34%
Capstones – Here Comes Trouble
- Trouble Bubble Damage increased by 33%
Passives – Here Comes Trouble
- Blood is Magic now increases Action Skill Damage by 8% (from 7%) per point
- Claw and Bang now increases Melee Damage by 8% (from 6%) per point
Passives – The Fourth Seal
- Fell Inscriptions Melee Damage increased to 7% (from 6%) per point
- Recurrence now increases Melee Damage by 0.2% per stack (from 0.16%) per point
- Haruspex Phase Dagger Damage increased by 11.7%
Amon
Action Skills – Scourge
- Scourge Maximum Vengeance increased by 50%, allowing it to absorb and deal more damage with Forgewhip when consumed.
- Forgewhip Damage increased by 27%
Augments – Vengeance
- Blastchill Damage increased by 45%
- Molten Rebuke Damage increased by 86%
- Eternal Winter Massive Forgewave Damage increased by 100%
- Stormlance Damage increased by 52%
- Stormlance Detonation Damage increased by 10%
Capstones – Vengeance
- Glacial Rapture Capstone cooldown reduced to 60 seconds (from 70 seconds)
- Glacial Rapture Forgewhip Damage increased by 16%
- Glacial Rapture Fissure Damage increased by 41%
- Wrathfall Damage increased by 46%
Passives – Vengeance
- Scorched Kairos now increases Ordnance Damage by 6% (up from 5%) per point
- Battleborn now increases Gun Damage by 4% (up from 3%) per point
- Scar Tissue now increases Maximum Health and Rep Kit healing by 9% (up from 8%) per point
- Eternal now increases Action Skill Duration by 5% (up from 4%) per point
- Worldbreaker Damage increased by 50%
- Winter’s Kiss now increases Damage Dealt by 10% (up from 8%) per point
- Strike The Anvil now deals 15% of the Damage Dealt (up from 12%) per point
Action Skills – Crucible
- Forgeaxe Damage increased by 12%
- Double-Edge’s Twinned Forge Axe Damage increased by 10%
Augments – Cybernetics
- Axe and Stones Action Skill Cooldown and Ordnance restoration increased to 40% (from 33%)
- Endless War Gun Damage Taken increased to 20% (from 15%) per Prime stack
- Hour of the Hammer Forgehammer Damage increased by 14%
- Blade Tempest Forgesword damage increased by 13%
- Blade Tempest Forgesword Detonation damage increased by 4%
Capstones – Cybernetics
- Snowmaul Damage increased by 38%
- Storm Surge impact damage increased by 10%
- Storm Surge Forgestorm damage increased by 60%
- Conflangarang Capstone’s Fire Trail Damage increased by 100%
Passives – Cybernetics
- Gathering Storm now increases Elemental Damage by 3% per stack (up from 2%) per point
- Executioner now increases Critical Hit Damage by 4% (up from 3%) per point
- Destruction Engine now increases Forge Skill Damage by 6% (up from 5%) per point
- Destruction Engine now increases Detonation Damage by 8% (up from 6%) per point
- Tempered Pyre Forge Axe Damage increased by 19%
- Tempered Ice Forge Hammer Damage increased by 18%
- Masterwork now increases Forgedrone’s Damage by 10% (from 7%) per point
- Masterwork now increases Forgedrone’s Duration by 8% (from 5%) per point
- Tempered Lightning Forge Sword Damage increased by 13%
- Lightning Rod Elemental Bolt now deals 40% of the Damage Dealt (up from 30%) per point
- Escalation now increases Forgedrone’s Attack Speed and Movement Speed by 5% (up from 3%) per point
- Honed Point now increases Forgedrone’s Critical Hit Chance by 5% (up from 4%) per point
- Heat Exchange now increases Cryo and Incendiary Damage by 8% (up from 7%) per point
Action Skills – Onslaughter
- Onslaughter Shield Regeneration increased to 15% per second (from 10%)
- Onslaughter Rocket Punch Damage increased by 78%
- Molten Slam cooldown reduced to 60 seconds (from 80 seconds)
- Molten Slam Damage increased by 50%
Augments – Calamity
- Fellfrost Damage increased by 71%
- Fulminating Fist damage increased by 69%
Capstones – Calamity
- Hoarcleave cooldown reduced to 55 seconds (from 65 seconds)
- Hoarcleave damage increased by 11%
- Hoarcleave Detonation damage increased by 18%
- Molten Roil cooldown reduced to 70 seconds (from 80 seconds)
- Stormcutter cooldown reduced to 65 seconds (from 75 seconds)
- Stormcutter Damage increased by 65%
Passives – Calamity
- Heavy Plate now increases Maximum Shield Capacity by 7% (up from 6%) per point
- Wield The Storm now increases Status Effect Damage and Status Effect Duration by 7% (from 6%) per point
- Tritanium Knuckles now increases Melee Damage by 8% (up from 7%) per point
- Tritanium Knuckles now increased Skill Damage by 4% (up from 3%) per point
- Harbinger now increases Melee Damage by 2% per stack (up from 1%) per point
- Mortal Flare Damage increased by 22%
- Judgment now increases Melee damage by 10% (up from 8%) per point