Once you complete Borderlands 3‘s main story campaign, you can activate Mayhem Mode. Previously you had to activate it by activating it through a terminal on Sanctuary III. With the revised Mayhem 2.0, which went live on April 23, 2020, you can enable it through your echo menu.
Enabling Mayhem Mode increases the difficulty, rewards, and drop rates for legendary items. Mayhem Mode 2.0 adds 10 Mayhem Levels to the game and each step up in Mayhem Level will further increase both the rewards and difficulty. You will get better loot in each additional Mayhem level to help you on your way during the next difficulty tier. Unless you are ‘Crazy Data‘ and run headfirst into the Maliwan Takedown.
Mayhem Mode 2.0
Mayhem Weapons
Loot that drops in Mayhem Mode 2.0 will receive a small damage increase depending on the Mayhem level. You can compare it to the OverPower (OP) levels from Borderlands 2. You can get a max level weapon with for example a Mayhem “5” buff on it. This boost should make the weapon viable on Mayhem 5 and get you started on Mayhem 6. Currently, some weapons lack the damage output to be useful at the higher Mayhem settings. These Mayhem Weapons will get you back into that loot grind for the perfect item.
Mayhem Weapons was mentioned in an article on Gamer.nl, therefore, I followed up with Austin from Gearbox for more information. Update: Gearbox now also confirmed this in their own blog. It’s sad that you won’t get an indicator of the Mayhem Level on your weapon item card. Yes, the weapon will get increased stats but you will have to do the math yourself to find out. Upon release, the 10 Mayhem Levels are representative of 10 weapon levels.
Exclusive Mayhem Legendary Items
With the introduction of Mayhem Mode LVL 4 (old version), Gearbox Software added M4 legendary Items to the game. Now with Mayhem Mode 2.0, we can farm for new gear as the M6 Legendary items only drop on Mayhem LVL6 or above.
Mayhem Mode Difficulty
The higher you go in Mayhem levels, the more difficult the Borderlands 3 becomes as more challenging modifiers are added to the game. The difficulty in the highest setting will be more challenging than Mayhem 4 (Mayhem Mode 1.0) which had a 1000% health increase for enemies.
Shits gonna get real – Anthony Nickolson, GBX Dev
| Mayhem 4 | Mayhem 6 | Mayhem 10 | Mayhem 11 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health | +800% | +3000% | +100000% | +100000% |
| Shield | +800% | +3000% | +100000% | +100000% |
| Armor | +800% | +3000% | +100000% | +100000% |
| XP | +80% | +120% | +200% | +100% |
| Money | +80% | +120% | +200% | +100% |
| Loot | +750% | +1300% | +2500% | +1250% |
- Mayhem 10 originally launched with +125000% Health, Shield, and Armor at launch.
- Mayhem 11 got added on November 9, 2020. This difficulty level is the same as Mayhem 10 but without all the Mayhem Modifiers. However, all the rewards are reduced.
- Note – August 9, 2022: Mayhem 11 is still bugged and you will get the same rewards as Mayhem 10.
Mayhem Modifiers
Mayhem Mode 2.0 will introduce over 25 new modifiers into the game. These will dramatically change up the gameplay. Modifiers will not change on map load or save&quit. You can choose to reroll modifiers if you don’t like the current setup.
| Mayhem Level | Modifier 1 | Modifier 2 | Modifier 3 | Modifier 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | EASY | – | – | – |
| 2 | EASY | MEDIUM | – | – |
| 3 | EASY | MEDIUM | MEDIUM | – |
| 4 | EASY | HARD | – | – |
| 5 | EASY | MEDIUM | HARD | – |
| 6 | EASY | MEDIUM | MEDIUM | HARD |
| 7 | EASY | HARD | HARD | – |
| 8 | EASY | VERY HARD | – | – |
| 9 | EASY | MEDIUM | VERY HARD | – |
| 10 | EASY | MEDIUM | HARD | VERY HARD |
Easy Modifiers
- Galaxy Brain: Enemy head size is increased by +100%. You know what that means: easier crits!
- Speed Demon: Who needs cars when you’ve got kills? After killing an enemy, Movement Speed is increased by 50% for 10 seconds. This effect can stack up to 3 times.
- Lootsplosion: Killing an enemy has a 10% chance to cause a LOOTSPLOSION. Critical Kills guarantee an enemy will lootsplode.
- More Than Okay Boomer: Grenade Damage is increased by 25%. Additionally, enemies drop grenade ammo when they die. WARNING: Grenades may be live!
- Slayer: Non-boss enemies below 15% total armor, shields, and health glow blue, and will explode into shield and health boosters if damaged by melee.
- Big Kick Energy: Gun Damage is increased by 25% but Recoil is increased by 100% and Weapon Spread is increased by 100%. It’s gonna be a bumpy ride…
Medium Modifiers
- Chilling Them Softly: Enemies may be infused with Cryo. Infused enemies are immune to Cryo damage and release a Cryo Nova when killed.
- Charred Mode: Enemies may be infused with Incendiary. Infused enemies are immune to Incendiarydamage and release an Incendiary Nova when killed.
- Total Radical: Enemies may be infused with Radiation. Infused enemies are immune to Radiation damage and release a Radiation Nova when killed.
- High Voltage: Enemies may be infused with Shock. Infused enemies are immune to Shock damage and release a Shock Nova when killed.
- Acid Reign: Enemies may be infused with Corrosive. Infused enemies are immune to Corrosive damage and release a Corrosive Nova when killed.
- Mob Mentality: Break it up, break it up! Enemy damage and Fire Rate is increased by 30% while near other enemies.
- Healy Avenger: Enemies have a chance upon dearth to release a powerup that will he’s the enemy it touches or drops health and shield boosters if destroyed.
- The floor is Lava: Motion is lotion! While in combat, standing still will cause an Incendiary damaging pool to form underneath you.
- Freeze Tag: Shoot to chill! Enemies may leave a Cryo Orb upon death. Cryo Orbs constantly release Cryo Novas and are slowed when damaged.
- Pain Tolerance: When damaged, enemies gain a 3% Damage Reduction against the type of damage received for 3 seconds. This effect can stack up to 20 times.
Hard Modifiers
- Chain Gang: Can you feel that connection? Nearby enemies are attached by a damaging elemental beam.
- Boundary Issues: At close range, enemies will attach a damaging elemental beam to you. Like a secondhand goldfish, it’s best not to get too attached.
- Drone Ranger: Enemies have a chance to spawn with a Healing Drone supporting them. If the enemy is killed, the Healing Drone will find a new target to support.
- Pool Party: Enemies drop Corrosive, SHock, or Incendiary Pools when their armor, shield, or health are depleted. Come in, the water’s fine.
- Laser Fare: Enemies have a small chance to drop a Spinner trap when damaged. Spinners projects a rotating elemental laser beam.
- Ticked Off: Status Effect Damage against enemies is reduced by 90%. Maliwan is not going to like this…
Very Hard Modifiers
- Dazed and Infused: Enemies may be infused with a random element. Infused enemies are immune to that type of damage and release a nova when killed.
- Post Mortem: Killing an enemy has a chance to release DEATH, which follows after you. If DEATH touches you, you instantly enter Fight For Your Life.
- Rogue Lite: You no longer enter Fight For Your Life before dying. All enemies drop insta-health upon death. Good Luck.
- Buddy System: Enemies may be supported by an Invunerablity Drone, which grants immunity to all damage until it is destroyed.
- Holy Crit: I can dance all day! Critical Hit Damage is increased by 25% but non-Critical Hit Damage is reduced by 50%.
- Not the Face: Critical Hit Damage is reduced by 75%. Some people are just hard-headed…
Mayhem Mode Guide
- Best Mayhem Mode Modifiers to survive Mayhem Mode 2.0
- Mayhem Level 4 Legendary Guide
- Mayhem Level 6 Legendary Weapon Guide
