Borderlands 4 XP Farming Guide
Fastest Ways to Reach Level 60
The Ultimate XP FARMING Guide
If you’re looking to max out as fast as possible to test out new characters or simply try out the endgame content to push your build’s limits, learning the most efficient XP farming methods will be extremely helpful.
In Borderlands 4, there are only a couple of XP farming methods that are worth doing, and there’s a lot of randomness involved in the best option. Both methods have a chance to drop decent loot, so there’s not much harm in switching it up if you want a change of scenery.
How XP Scaling Works in NVHM and UVHM
Unlike in the previous games, your XP gain will be roughly the same no matter what difficulty you play in. The only reason you’d want to play on higher difficulties is for the increased chance for rare loot drops and/or if you want to challenge yourself with tougher enemies. With that said, you do need to have UVHM unlocked at the very least. This is the only requirement if you want to use the fastest XP farming method in the game.
NVHM and UVHM explained
Enemy levels scale the same way in both NVHM and UVHM, and the main difference is that Vile enemies do not spawn in the normal mode outside of story missions that involve them. This also means that you can’t get Vile Bounties, which we’ll cover further down.
Aside from that, there are scaling modifiers that simultaneously reward and punish you. With each UVHM rank, the following stats slightly increase:
- Enemy health
- Damage taken by players
- Cash drops
- Eridium drops
- Combat XP
- Loot Quality
While the higher combat XP may sound enticing at first, it’s a drop in the bucket compared to how much the XP farming methods we’ll be sharing actually give you.
If you’re still new to the game, focus on finishing the story first and unlocking UVHM rank 1. Even better if you can somehow get the next rank unlocked ASAP, as it will help speed up Vile Bounties, even if just by a little bit.
Why Bonus Combat XP Doesn’t Matter Much
Early on, especially if you’re already creating boosted level 30 characters, the higher UVHM bonuses won’t help much because regular mobs are going to be absolute bullet sponges. If you’re trying to get quick XP, the buffed enemy health will only be counterproductive.
This is further compounded by the game’s hidden “Infamy” system. Basically, if you ignore the side content, the game will start pushing all enemies to be above your level. Unfortunately, this happens by default if you start a new boosted character, and it doesn’t make much sense not to start at 30 if it’s not your first playthrough.
Because of this, focusing solely on efficient farming methods that have a decent chance of giving loot is the best way to speed through the levels. Not only will it grant fast XP, but you’ll also almost always have updated gear.
Best XP Farming Methods
VILE BOUNTIES
UVHM Required: Yes
Loot Potential: Low
EXP Rate: Very High
WHAT ARE VILE BOUNTIES?
Vile Bounties are one of the best ways to level up a fresh character all the way to the current level cap. These are the purple bounties that grant the most EXP out of every contract available from Bounty Boards.
Bounty Boards can be found in every Safehouse, so unlocking as many Safehouses as possible will give you more boards to check when farming.
UNLOCK REQUIREMENT
Vile Bounties only appear while playing in Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode (UVHM).
You’ll therefore need to complete the main story and unlock UVHM before you can use this farming method.
HOW TO FARM VILE BOUNTIES?
- Set your session to UVHM.
- Fast travel between your unlocked Safehouses and check each Bounty Board.
- Look for purple Vile Bounties.
- Accept the bounty and travel to the marked target.
- Defeat the Vile target and complete the bounty.
- Check the other Safehouses for additional Vile Bounties.
- Once no Vile Bounties remain, Save & Quit to refresh the Bounty Boards.
- Repeat the process for more XP.
OPTIMIZATION TIPS
- Break the purple crystals: Vile enemies are protected by purple crystals growing from their bodies. Destroy all of them to make the enemy vulnerable.
- Use splash damage:Torgue weapons, rocket launchers, and other splash-damage weapons are particularly effective at quickly destroying the crystals.
- Unlock more Safehouses: More Safehouses means more Bounty Boards you can check during each farming cycle.
- Refresh without Save & Quit: If you have more than one UVHM rank unlocked, you can switch between them to reload the session and refresh the Bounty Boards. This can be slightly faster than repeatedly saving and quitting.
DRILL SITES
UVHM Required: No
Loot Potential: High
EXP Rate: Moderate to High
WHAT ARE DRILL SITES?
Drill Sites are repeatable activities found throughout the game, marked on the map by a drill icon. Each Drill Site features waves of enemies followed by at least one boss and has a Moxxi’s Big Encore machine nearby that allows you to replay the activity.
While they don’t provide as much XP as Vile Bounties, they’re a great alternative if you want to level up while farming valuable loot. They’re particularly useful if you’re looking for Pearlescent weapons or Legendaries tied to specific Drill Sites.
Drill Sites are also a great option in co-op. Your group can repeatedly clear the same site much faster, or split up and clear multiple sites simultaneously since earned XP is shared globally.
UNLOCK REQUIREMENT
Drill Sites don’t require a special quest or prerequisite to unlock. Once you find one in the open world, simply approach its activation point and start the activity.
There are six Drill Sites spread across The Fadefields, Carcadia Burn, and Terminus Range.
HOW TO FARM DRILL SITES?
- Travel to a Ripper Drill Site.
- Activate the Drill Site and defeat each wave of enemies.
- Defeat the boss or bosses during the final wave.
- Collect the loot and sell any unwanted gear.
- Use the nearby Moxxi’s Big Encore machine to reset the Drill Site.
- Pay the required fee and repeat the activity for more XP.
The cost of repeating Drill Sites shouldn’t be much of an issue, as selling the unwanted gear dropped by enemies and bosses can help fund additional runs.
OPTIMIZATION TIPS
- Prioritize multi-boss Drill Sites: Sites with several bosses are generally better choices for XP farming.
- Farm The Pitted Stain: Located in Idolator’s Noose in The Fadefields, The Pitted Stain is particularly effective because its final wave features three bosses: Frank the Furnace, Sal the Engineer, and Hank the Welder.
- Use an efficient mobbing build: Drill Sites have high enemy density, so make sure your build can quickly clear large groups of enemies.
- Find the right UVHM difficulty: Higher UVHM ranks can provide better loot, but increased enemy health and damage can significantly slow your runs. If XP is your priority, favor faster clears over higher difficulty.
- Take advantage of co-op: A group can either clear the same Drill Site faster or split up and complete multiple sites simultaneously while benefiting from shared XP.
Reached the Level Cap? Shift to a Powerful Build
Once you’ve hit the level cap, you should now be pushing towards the highest UVHM ranks available to increase your chances of getting those rare drops.
Here are some optimal builds you can follow, and you can even use them for leveling if you’re thinking of creating a new character:
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is the Fastest XP Farm in Borderlands 4?
Vile Bounties are the fastest XP farming method in the game, regardless of what platform you’re playing on. As long as you have UVHM unlocked, there is no alternative that compares to the sheer amount of XP it offers, though it does often leave you behind in terms of loot.
If you want to balance it out, try clearing a drill site or two after every few levels. This should give you a new set of leveled gear, letting you kill Vile Bounty targets more efficiently.
What About Boss Farming?
While boss farming in Borderlands 4 is extremely fast thanks to the Moxxi’s Big Encore mechanic, the XP rate is dreadful even if you can clear them quickly. Even something as weak as Splashzone, who most players can kill within literal seconds, will offer around half the amount of XP per hour you’d get from doing Vile Bounties.
Should I Farm XP Before UVHM?
Not really. Generally, you want to complete the story first before you start doing any XP farms, since the best method that will be available to you is still slower than Vile Bounties by a significant margin.
On top of that, finishing the story allows you to create boosted vault hunters that already have the main quest completed. This will help you skip 30 levels of grinding whenever you want to try out a different character.
Can You Reach Level Cap Without DLC?
Yes, unless a new update changes that.
In Borderlands 4, the first level cap increase was dropped as a part of a free update that released alongside the major campaign DLC. As long as the developers continue with this trend, it’s safe to assume that future level cap increases will be treated the same way, allowing everyone to continue pumping up their builds without needing to whip out their wallets.