Borderlands 4: How to Unlock UVH 1–5 Fast — Lilith, Wildcards & Primordial Vaults Explained

Want tougher enemies and better loot in Borderlands 4? Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode (UVHM) is the game’s endgame difficulty system, and unlocking each rank is a clear, step-based process. Read on and you’ll know exactly which challenges and Wildcard missions to finish to crank up the challenge.

What UVHM does and how it works
How to unlock UVH ranks 1–5 (challenges, Wildcards, and requirements)

Borderlands 4 Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode explained

Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode is the post-campaign difficulty ladder that makes enemies stronger, gives them modifiers, and increases your chance at higher-tier loot. You can toggle UVH on or off in your session’s difficulty settings, so it’s easy to switch between relaxed play and full endgame challenge.

There are five UVH ranks. Each rank raises enemy health, damage, and the likelihood they spawn with extra abilities or affixes. As a result, you’ll face more dangerous fights, but you’ll also see improved drops — including better chances at legendary gear — which is the whole point if you want to chase max power.

How to unlock all Ultimate Vault Hunter modes in Borderlands 4

Each UVH rank is unlocked by completing a specific Wildcard mission. Those Wildcard missions are given by Lilith at Moxxi’s bar (the Moxxi’s Bottoms Up! Fast Travel station), but they only appear after you finish a set of **Challenges** found in the Missions menu. In short: complete the listed challenges, talk to Lilith, then finish the Wildcard mission to rank up.

UVH 1

To get Ultimate Vault Hunter 1 you must first complete the campaign. Then finish these post-campaign quests:

Ultimate Vault Hunter: Zane’s Firmware
Ultimate Vault Hunter: Maurice’s Bounty
Ultimate Vault Hunter: Big Encore
Ultimate Vault Hunter: Wildcard Missions

These missions are assigned by Lilith automatically after the final boss. Once you complete them, UVH 1 appears as an option in Session Settings for all characters on your account.

UVH 2

While playing on UVH 1, clear the following challenges to make the UVH 2 Wildcard available:

Bio Break: Kill Bio-Bulkhead (Synthetic Nave, Dissected Plateau)
Song’s Over: Kill Bramblesong (Abandoned Auger mine, Stoneblood Forest)
Omega 86’d: Kill Bio Armored Omega Thresher (final boss in the “One Slime Issue” side mission)
No Points Awarded: Kill Sydney Pointylegs (Ripper Drill Site, Hungering Plain)

After those challenges are done, talk to Lilith to start the Rush The Gate Wildcard mission. Complete that mission to unlock UVH 2.

UVH 3

On UVH 2, complete these challenges to unlock the next Wildcard:

Now Who’s Gonna Watch This Core: Kill Core Observer (Order Bunker, The Howl)
Pelted: Kill Shadowpelt (Abandoned Auger mine, Cuspid Climb)
So I Felt Like: Kill Rocken Roller (Abandoned Auger mine, Ruined Sumplands)
Blasted Furnace: Kill Frank the Furnace (Ripper Drill Site, Idolator’s Noose)

After finishing those, meet Lilith and take on the His Vile Sanctum Wildcard mission. Clearing it grants UVH 3.

UVH 4

To reach UVH 4 you must be playing on UVH 3 and complete these challenges:

But What If… You Were the Fake?: Kill Mimicron (Order Bunker, Idolator’s Noose)
Who Named This Guy: Kill the Immortal Boneface (Ripper Drill Site, Cuspid Climb)
Draggin’ Wagon: Kill Battle Wagon (Ripper Drill Site, Stoneblood Forest)
Bloom Boom: Kill Skull Orchid (Abandoned Auger mine, Grindstone of the Worthy)

Once those are complete, Lilith will offer the Her Flaming Vision Wildcard. Finish that Wildcard mission to unlock UVH 4.

UVH 5

The final UVH rank requires the most work. First, you must be on UVH 4. Then complete the Wildcard versions of each Primordial Vault — but note: their Wildcard runs only become available after you finish the regular versions of those vaults.

The Inception: Complete the Primordial Vault: Fadefields Wildcard mission
The Origin: Complete the Primordial Vault: Terminus Range Wildcard mission
The Base: Complete the Primordial Vault: Carcadia Burn Wildcard mission

Finally, complete the The Timekeeper’s Order Wildcard mission. Doing so unlocks UVH 5, the highest available Ultimate Vault Hunter rank.

In short: finish the campaign, complete each set of challenges at the listed UVH rank, talk to Lilith at Moxxi’s bar, then clear the corresponding Wildcard mission. That sequence is all you need to push the game to higher difficulty and better loot.