Table of contents
Borderlands 3 Guardian Trials Introduction
At Gamescom 2019, Gearbox Software and 2K Games revealed Borderlands 3’s Proving Grounds. These are challenging gauntlets and part of the game’s end-game content. You need to clear out 3 zones filled with challenging mobs and take down the badass boss in the final, 4th zone. Your performance during the proving ground will reflect upon the loot that awaits you at the end of the trial. Therefore, you need to complete the trial within 30 minutes and do all the side objectives.
The Proving Grounds are designed to be challenging, rewarding, and repeatable. You can play them solo or as a team. When you successfully completed all of the trials you will receive an Achievement / Trophy.
Proving Grounds Starter Guide
How do you unlock the Proving Grounds in Borderlands 3?
- Complete the main story campaign
When you defeated the final boss, you will obtain a device to decrypt Eridian writing. You can use this Eridian Analyzer to read the Eridian Slabs but also activate Guardian beacons.
- Activate Guardian Beacons
Use your newly obtained device to interact with a Guardian beacon that sits on a pedestal. There are 6 hidden Beacons scattered in different locations around the galaxy.
- Travel to Sanctuary III
By interacting with a Guardian beacon you obtained coordinates to one of the trials. Fast Travel to Sanctuary III and move the spaceship into position.
- Use the drop pod
Head to the Cargo bay aboard Sanctuary III and enter the drop pod to travel to the new location.
- Talk to the Overseer
Once you talk to the Guardian called Overseer, the barrier to access the proving ground is deactivated. Have Fun Vault Hunter and don’t forget to stock up on ammo!
Proving Grounds Locations
Borderlands 3 has 6 Proving Grounds that you can unlock. You need to locate each of these beacons to gain access to the corresponding Trial. There are 2 beacons on Pandora, 1 on Promethea, 2 on Eden-6, and 1 on Nekrotafeyo. You will need to activate these beacons to unlock each Proving Ground Trial.
| Proving Ground Trial | Planet | Map Location |
|---|---|---|
| Trial of Survival | Pandora | Devil’s Razor |
| Trial of Cunning | Pandora | The Splinterlands |
| Trial of Discipline | Promethea | Meridian Outskirts |
| Trial of Instinct | Eden-6 | Floodmoor Basin |
| Trial of Fervor | Eden-6 | Jakobs Estate |
| Trial of Supremacy | Nekrotafeyo | Desolation’s Edge |
The quest location for the Trial of Survival can be found in Devil’s Razor on the planet Pandora. This beacon will give you access to the Gradient of Dawn location where you will encounter the Skag of Survival.
The quest location for the Trial of Instinct can be found in The Splinterlands on the planet Pandora. This beacon will give you access to the Ghostlight Beacon location where you will encounter the Tink of Cunning.
The quest location for the Trial of Discipline can be found in Meridian Outskirts on the planet Promethea. This beacon will give you access to the Precipice Anchor location where you will encounter the Arbalest of Discipline.
The quest location for the Trial of Instinct can be found in Floodmoor Basin on the planet Eden-6. This beacon will give you access to the Wayward Tether location where you will encounter the Tyrant of Instinct.
The quest location for the Trial of Instinct can be found in Jakobs Estate on the planet Eden-6. This beacon will give you access to the Skydrowned Pulpit location where you will encounter the Hag of Fervor.
The quest location for the Trial of Supremacy can be found in Desolation’s Edge on the planet Nekrotafeyo. This beacon will give you access to the Hall Obsidian location where you will encounter the Sera of Supremacy.
True Trials Difficulty
Gearbox Software added a True Trials Switch to the Proving Grounds with their Nov 18, 2021, Patch Update. This switch increases the difficulty and rewards of the current trials.
- Bosses gain a massive health increase (Raid Boss Health).
- Bosses drop dedicated True Trials bonus loot.
- Final Guardian Chest is always filled with Legendary Loot.
Proving Grounds Loot
The Proving Grounds are a great source to farm legendary class mods and legendary artifacts as they have an increased chance of dropping from the final guardian chest. Proving Ground Bosses also have Legendary Class Mods in their loot pool and when True Trials is enabled, they drop Top Tier Bonus Loot.
- Trial of Survival
- Location: Gradient of Dawn
- Boss: Skag of Survival
- Loot: Amara’s Breaker Class Mod, Moze’s Bloodletter Class Mod
- True Trials Bonus Loot: The Lob, Lucky 7 (Moxxi’s Heist of The Handsome Jackpot)
- Trial of Cunning
- Location: Ghostlight Beacon
- Boss: Tink of Cunning
- Loot: Amara’s Dragon Class Mod, FL4K’s R4KK P4K Class Mod
- True Trials Bonus Loot: Sickle, Skullmasher (Guns, Love, and Tentacles)
- Trial of Discipline
- Location: Precipice Anchor
- Boss: Arbalest of Discipline
- Loot: FL4K’s Friend-Bot Class Mod, Zane’s Antifreeze Class Mod
- True Trials Bonus Loot: Kaoson, Flipper (Bounty of Blood)
- Trial of Instinct
- Location: Wayward Tether
- Boss: Tyrant of Instinct
- Loot: FL4K’s Cosmic Stalker Class Mod, FL4K’s Red Fang Class Mod
- True Trials Bonus Loot: Backburner, Tizzy (Designer’s Cut)
- Trial of Fervor
- Location: Skydrowned Pulpit
- Boss: Hag of Fervor
- Loot: Amara’s Phasezerker Class Mod, Zane’s Shockerator Class Mod
- True Trials Bonus Loot: Maggie, Convergence (Psycho Krieg and the Fantastic Fustercluck)
- Trial of Supremacy
- Location: Hall Obsidian
- Boss: Sera of Supremacy
- Loot: Amara’s Elementalist Class Mod, Amara’s Nimbus Class Mod
- True Trials Bonus Loot: The Monarch, Atlas Replay (Director’s Cut)
Bonus Objectives
Each Trial needs to be completed within 30 minutes. However, when you manage to complete all these bonus objectives, the chest at the end of the proving grounds will be filled with Legendary Loot. These Guardian chests have a high chance of providing Class Mods and Artifacts.
- Don’t die (respawn)
- Find the Fallen Guardian
- Complete the challenge within 20 minutes
- Complete the challenge within 15 minutes
Tips
- Get Top-Tier Weapons and a good Character Build.
- Class Mods and Artifacts have an increased chance to drop in Proving Ground Trials chests.
- The Fallen Guardian is similar to a Loot Tink.
- Upgrade your SDUs as you will need a lot of ammo.
- Use the vending machine to stock up on ammo before entering.
- Don’t fall off the map.
