Important Notes
Important Notes for Borderlands 2
This section covers critical warnings, pitfalls, irreversible choices, missable content, difficulty spikes, grinding traps, online etiquette, anti-cheat concerns, save management advice, and common regrets. Read carefully to avoid frustration and optimize your Vault Hunting experience.
---
Irreversible Choices and Missable Content
1. Skill Point Allocation
You cannot respec skill points in the base game without paying Eridium (cost increases each time, up to a cap). In Borderlands 2, the respec costs start at 5 Eridium and increase by 1 each use up to a maximum of 50 Eridium. Save your Eridium for ammo upgrades and cosmetics first; wait until you understand your character before committing to a build.
Action Skill choice is locked per character and cannot be changed later. Each Vault Hunter has one Action Skill, but skills that modify it (e.g., Maya’s “Res” vs “Sub-Sequence”) are chosen through skill trees and can be respecced.
2. Quest Rewards – The One-Per-Playthrough Rule
Many quests reward unique or legendary items (e.g., the “Moxxi’s Endowment” weapon from “Safe and Sound” or the “Rakkman” shield from “The Rakkaholics Anonymous”). These rewards can only be obtained once per playthrough (Normal, True Vault Hunter Mode – TVHM, Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode – UVHM). If you complete a quest and accept the reward at a low level, you cannot get a higher-level version later except through a new playthrough or using the UVHM reset (which resets ALL quests).
Tip: Before turning in a quest that offers a choice of reward (e.g., “Sword or Pistol” from the “In Memoriam” quest), research which item is strongest for your build. You cannot undo this decision.
3. Missable Enemies and Challenges
Some enemy types only appear during specific story missions or side quests. For example, Varkids evolve fully only if you avoid killing them for a set time; if you kill them prematurely, you may miss the chance to fight rare variants. The Badass Rakk in “The Rakkaholics Anonymous” can be missed if you fail to spawn it.
Badass Challenges are points; some require defeating unique enemies that may not respawn (e.g., “Gettle” and “Mobley” in The Dust – you can farm them after completing the related mission, but if you kill them during the mission and don’t pick up the reward, you can still farm later). Most challenges are not missable if you complete side missions before advancing the story.
4. Tannis’s Quests and Eridium Locations
A few hidden Eridium piles are in areas that become inaccessible after certain story beats. For example, the Eridium inside the Southern Shelf cave (behind the bandit camp) is missable if you don’t grab it before leaving the area permanently. Use a guide to collect all Eridium before finishing a zone.
5. Character Customization and Heads
Most heads and skins are obtained from specific quests, boss drops, or chests. A few are only available during certain events or from the Shift Code system. Check the in-game customization menu to see what you’re missing; you cannot go back to claim a missed head from a completed quest.
---
Difficulty Spikes and Grinding Traps
1. Level Gating
Enemies that are 2+ levels higher than you deal massive damage and take greatly reduced damage (especially in UVHM, where enemies scale to your level). If you enter an area underleveled, you will struggle severely.
Tip: Always keep your level within 1-2 of the recommended level for the area (shown on the mission description). If you fall behind, do optional side quests or farm a boss (e.g., Captain Flynt for early XP) to catch up.
2. True Vault Hunter Mode (TVHM) and Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode (UVHM)
TVHM becomes available after defeating the Warrior on Normal mode. Enemies scale from level 30 to 50, and quest rewards scale with your level when you accept the quest (not when you complete it). Wait until you are the desired level (e.g., level 50) to accept quests with unique rewards.
UVHM (requires DLC or base game after patch) is extremely punishing. Enemies constantly regenerate health, have higher health pools, and are more aggressive. Elemental damage matching (fire vs flesh, shock vs shields, corrosive vs armor) becomes mandatory. Slag is virtually required to deal enough damage – always carry a Slag weapon or grenade mod.
The Power Leveling Trap: If you enter UVHM with level 50 gear but a level 52 character (because you did DLC or farming), you will face level 52 enemies with underpowered weapons. Avoid overleveling in TVHM – stay at level 50 until you start UVHM.
3. Farming Efficiency
Some players waste hours farming bosses for a specific legendary. The drop rates are very low (typically 1-10%). The Bee Shield from Hunter Hellquist (in The Highlands) has a ~10% drop rate, but if you kill him repeatedly, you’ll get it eventually. However, you should only farm when you are at the appropriate level and have a reliable way to kill the boss quickly. Don’t farm a level 30 item at level 50 – it will be useless.
The Grind Trap: Avoid spending hours farming the Badass Creeper or rare enemies for weapons that are not essential for your character. Focus on gear that fills gaps (e.g., a good sniper for Zero, a reliable shotgun for Krieg).
---
Online Etiquette and Anti-Cheat Notes
1. Multiplayer Basics
Host Matters: The host’s game settings (level scaling, quest progress) determine the session. If you join a game far above/below your level, you will be ineffective. Use matchmaking appropriately.
Loot Allocation: By default, loot is first-come, first-served. Communicate with teammates about who needs what. If you’re playing with strangers, it’s polite to ask before picking up a legendary that drops.
Respect Duplicates: If multiple players can use the same item, consider duplicating it (if you’re on PC with Gibbed or console glitches) or roll a dice. But in random lobbies, expect ninja looting – use private games or play with friends to avoid conflict.
2. Anti-Cheat and Legitimate Play
Borderlands 2 on PC does not have a built-in anti-cheat system. This means players can use external tools (e.g., Gibbed save editor) to create weapons or modify stats. Using modded items can corrupt your save if you’re not careful – back up your saves before using third-party software.
Online Bans: Gearbox does not issue bans for modding in PvE, but if you join a public game with overpowered modded weapons (e.g., a gun that deals 9999 damage per shot), you may ruin the fun for others. Avoid using cheats in public lobbies unless everyone agrees.
Shift Codes: These are legitimate freebies given by Gearbox for golden keys. Never pay for Shift Codes – they are distributed for free on social media and the official website. Any third-party seller is likely a scam or a source of modded keys that could flag your account.
3. Lag and Connectivity
Borderlands 2 uses peer-to-peer (P2P) connections, so lag can be severe if the host has poor internet. Host migration is not supported – if the host leaves, the game disconnects for everyone. Always ask the host to save and quit properly.
Cross-Platform Play: Not supported. Console vs PC cannot play together.
---
Save Management Advice
1. Cloud vs Local Saves
Steam: Cloud saves are enabled by default. If you have issues, disable cloud sync for Borderlands 2 and manually back up your saves. Cloud saves can sometimes corrupt if the game crashes while syncing.
Console (PS4/PS5/Xbox): Cloud saves require Plus or Gold subscription. Manually copy saves to USB or external storage if possible.
Important: Always backup your save before installing mods or using third-party editors. Save files are located in:
Windows: `%USERPROFILE%\Documents\My Games\Borderlands 2\WillowGame\SaveData\[HexID]`
Mac: `~/Documents/My Games/Borderlands 2/WillowGame/SaveData/`
Back up the entire `SaveData` folder.
2. Multiple Characters and Playthroughs
You can have up to 50 character slots. It’s wise to keep a separate character for farming (e.g., a level 50 perfect build) and one for experiencing the story. Use different save names to avoid overwriting.
Restarting a Playthrough: You can start a new game with the same character by selecting “New Game” from the main menu (on consoles, confirm you want to reset). This erases all progress on that character for that difficulty. There is no “reset TVHM” without losing all characters – to reset UVHM progress only, you need to go to the character select screen and choose “Reset Missions” (only available in UVHM). Be very careful: This resets all missions, including side quests, and you will have to redo every mission from the beginning on UVHM. It does not reset your level or inventory.
3. Corruption Prevention
Borderlands 2 is prone to save corruption, especially on PS3/Xbox 360. Signs of corruption: game freezes on loading, items disappear, infinite loading screen. To minimize risk:
Always quit to the main menu before turning off the console.
Avoid using “Alt+F4” on PC; use the in-game quit option.
Limit modded weapon usage.
Keep multiple backup copies of your save.
4. Co-op Save Sharing
When playing co-op, each player uses their own save. If you host, your game progress is saved for your character; guests do not advance their story missions unless they are at the same point. If you join a game that is ahead of your own missions, you may lock yourself out of certain side quests on your own save until you complete the story mission that matches. Always check mission status before joining.
---
Common Regrets and Proactive Tips
1. Skipping Side Quests in Normal Mode
Many players rush the story and then realize they are underleveled for the final boss (The Warrior). Do side quests to stay at the recommended level. The game will keep you around level 34-35 for Normal mode endgame if you do most side content.
2. Not Using the Fast Travel System
Fast travel stations are frequent but you need to activate them. After the first few areas, you can teleport between discovered stations. Also, vehicles (Catch-A-Ride) are available; use them to traverse large maps like The Dust. Not using these wastes time.
3. Underestimating Elemental Damage
In TVHM and UVHM, ignoring elements is a huge regret. Fire is strong against flesh, shock against shields, corrosive against armor. Slag makes all other elements do 2x damage (or 3x in UVHM). Carry a loadout with at least three elements.
4. Selling Unique Weapons
You may accidentally sell a rare quest reward. The game does not have a “buyback” feature. Put your favorite items in the bank (located in Sanctuary) or mark them as “Stash” (by pressing a button on the inventory screen).
5. Ignoring the Golden Chest
Shift Codes give golden keys for the chest in Sanctuary. These keys are limited per account (you can collect many codes). Use them wisely – ideally when you hit level 50 (or 72 with DLC) because the chest rewards scale to your level. A key spent at level 20 yields an item you’ll outlevel soon.
6. Not Unlocking Bank and Ammo Upgrades
Eridium is used to buy SDU (Storage Deck Upgrades) for your character. Bank and ammo upgrades are separate. Prioritize upgrading your backpack space (to hold more loot) and ammo capacity before spending Eridium on cosmetics. Respecs are less important.
7. Overfarming Before UVHM
Many players spend hours farming legendaries at level 30 or 50. Those items will be replaced within 2-3 levels in UVHM because enemy scaling is so aggressive. Only farm what you need to survive the next few levels; don’t grind for perfect parts until you reach level 72 (or OP levels).
---
Final Warnings
DLC Dependencies: The “Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode” requires the Ultimate Vault Hunter Upgrade Pack DLC (free for some editions). Similarly, the Commander Lilith & the Fight for Sanctuary DLC raises the level cap to 80 and adds OP levels. Without this DLC, you cannot access UVHM reset or level 80+. Check your version before planning builds.
Modded Weapons from Trade: Be cautious when trading with random players – modded guns can corrupt your save. If you trade, only accept weapons that look legitimate (stats within normal ranges).
* Game Crashes on PS4/PS5: The Handsome Collection version has occasional crashes, especially in co-op multiplayer. Save often. On PC, disable “AMD FSR” if you have a newer AMD GPU – it may cause artifacts.
Stay alert, Vault Hunter, and may the RNG gods smile upon you.