At a glance
Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel Trophy Guide Quick Info
Browse the complete PlayStation trophy guide hub for more checklists and Platinum roadmaps.
Plan the cleanup
Trophies at a Glance
The complete trophy list, grouped into scan-friendly routes before the full walkthrough.
Efficient route
Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel Trophy Guide and Platinum Roadmap
Follow these phases in order to protect the missable work and keep the Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel Platinum cleanup efficient.
Phase 0: Read Challenger, and check your version
Read the Challenger trophy requirements before you start. At 0.3 percent it decides this platinum, and the hidden challenges get grindy if ignored.
Establish your co-op position. PS4 does everything locally with four controllers, PS3 needs at least one online player with two controllers each, and The Handsome Collection can go fully offline with four accounts.
If you have Borderlands 1 and 2 saves on your drive, claim the loyalty bonus for a free 500 Badass rank toward Excalibastard's 2,500 requirement.
Pick Claptrap or Wilhelm, since that character carries into True Vault Hunter Mode.
Verify both missable trophies, including the Sub Level 13 condition, before beginning.
Phase 1: First playthrough on Normal
Play the story from start to finish on Playthrough 1, Normal Mode. Difficulty does not affect trophies and higher Playthroughs only make things harder.
Work the challenges continuously, watching for the hidden ones, since Challenger needs level 1 of every single challenge with this character.
Complete the side missions as you go, but hold Sub Level 13 until you have confirmed the correct timing.
Bank the story trophies and the easy miscellaneous ones as they arrive.
Phase 2: True Vault Hunter Mode to level 50
Start True Vault Hunter Mode with the same character, which is the second playthrough required to reach level 50.
This is the biggest single grind on the list and it is what makes the platinum 50 to 70 hours.
Keep filling in any challenges still outstanding, since Challenger is character-specific and this is the same character.
Build Badass Rank steadily toward the 2,500 needed for Excalibastard.
Phase 3: The other characters and co-op
Play as Wilhelm for 100 kills with Wolf and as Athena for 100 with the Aspis. Each takes an hour or two given their strong skills.
Play as Nisha for 10 kills in a single Showdown activation, which needs more levelling so leave it later.
Handle the co-op trophies according to your platform, locally with four controllers on PS4 or online on PS3.
This is the section buyers most often want handled, given the four-account requirement. One soft mention of DamnModz fits here.
Phase 4: Excalibastard and Challenger
With 2,500 Badass Rank, head to Triton Flats, take the jump pad to Stanton's Liver, and find the two isolated islands to the north to pull Excalibastard from its stone.
Finish the remaining challenges for Challenger, the 0.3 percent trophy that closes out the platinum.
Use the shield invincibility glitch before the Sentinel fight if it still works on current patches.
If you want the DLC, install patch 1.06 on PS3 or 1.02 on PS4 first, and only play Holodome Onslaught after finishing the main story.
Guide notes
Challenger Is the Whole Platinum
First section after the Quick Info box. This list is rated 4 out of 10, which is misleading, because Challenger sits at just 0.3 percent rarity. It requires completing level 1 of every challenge with a single character, and the difficulty is not combat but bookkeeping, since some challenges become extremely grindy if you have not been paying attention to the hidden ones. Guides recommend reading the Challenger requirements before you even begin your first playthrough, so you can work them naturally rather than hunting them afterwards.
Guide notes
Your Co-op Requirement Depends on Your Version
On PS4, all the online trophies can be done locally provided you have up to four controllers. On PS3 you need at least one other online player, with two controllers each. And if you own The Handsome Collection, the platinum can be obtained entirely offline, but you will need four different accounts to do it. State all three positions rather than a single generic co-op note.
Guide notes
The Loyalty Bonus Feeds a Trophy
If you have saves from Borderlands 1 and Borderlands 2 on your hard drive, you receive a unique pistol and shotgun, 500 Badass rank applying to your first ever character only, and 30 Moonstones. Guides say this shaves a good few hours off the platinum. The connection nobody makes is that Excalibastard requires 2,500 Badass Rank to pull from its stone, so a free 500 is a fifth of the way there before you have played a minute.
Guide notes
Choose Claptrap or Wilhelm First
Your first playthrough character is the one you carry into True Vault Hunter Mode, so the choice matters more than it appears. Wilhelm is fairly overpowered, particularly with his action skill, which makes both runs smoother. Claptrap needs to reach a fairly high level anyway for a couple of trophies, so picking him handles that requirement in passing. Either works, but picking a different character means either a weaker run or an extra one later.
Guide notes
Level 50 Needs Two Playthroughs
The single biggest grind on the list. Reaching level 50 with one character requires a normal playthrough followed by a full True Vault Hunter Mode run with that same character. That is what sets the 50 to 70 hour figure rather than any individual trophy. Difficulty does not affect trophies, but playing on a higher Playthrough makes everything harder, so stick to Playthrough 1 on Normal Mode for anything optional.
Efficient route
Excalibastard, and How to Reach It
A legendary weapon stuck in a stone, hidden in the Stanton's Liver area, and you need at least 2,500 Badass Rank to pull it out. Getting there is not obvious, head to Triton Flats and find the jump pad that takes you up to Stanton's Liver, then look for two isolated islands to the north not far into the area.
The Character-Specific Kill Trophies
Three separate trophies, kill 100 enemies with Wolf as Wilhelm, kill 100 with the Aspis as Athena, and kill 10 in a single Showdown activation as Nisha. Athena and Wilhelm both have strong skills so each takes an hour or two of play. Nisha needs more progression and levelling before hers becomes realistic, so plan her last.
The Sentinel Shield Glitch
There is a shield invincibility glitch usable near the end of the game before fighting the Sentinel, which helps with one of the boss trophies. Note that it exists and where, and confirm whether it survives current patches before publishing it as a route.
Efficient route
The Two Missables
Sources agree there are two but only partially name them. One involves the side mission Sub Level 13, which should not be completed until a specific point.
The Holodome Onslaught DLC
The first story DLC with trophies, properly titled Ultimate Vault Hunter Upgrade Pack 1. Install patch 1.06 on PS3 or 1.02 on PS4 before starting it for the smoothest run. It is strongly recommended to avoid it until you have finished the main game, since it tells a condensed version of the same story and will spoil it.
Glitches Are Expected
Like the other Borderlands games this one has a number of glitches, some helpful and some not.
Every requirement
Full Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel Trophy List
Track all 51 trophies below. Each checkbox updates the live counter and can be exported for another browser or device.
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Platinum Trophy
Unlocked all Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel trophies.
Collectibles and Completion
Completed all of the side missions.
Experienced all Vault Hunter Modes using VaultHunter.EXE.
Had Purple-rated gear or better equipped in every slot.
Completed level 1 of all challenges with a single character.
Tried all the Moxxtails in the Up Over Bar in Concordia.
Discovered all named locations in Serenity's Waste, Triton Flats and Stanton's Liver.
Discovered all named locations aboard the Helios Space Station.
Discovered all named locations in Outlands Canyon, Outlands Spur and Vorago Solitude.
Discovered all named locations.
Challenges and Difficulty
While airborne, spun 360 degrees then got a kill with a Sniper Rifle without using the scope.
Suffocated for 5 continuous minutes without dying.
Miscellaneous Trophies
Completed the mission "Lost Legion Invasion".
Completed the mission "Marooned".
Completed the mission "Systems Jammed".
Completed the mission "A New Direction".
Completed the mission "Intelligences Of The Artificial Persuasion".
Completed the mission "Let's Build A Robot Army".
Completed the mission "Home Sweet Home".
Completed the mission "Science And Violence".
Completed the mission "Watch Your Step".
Completed the mission "Eye To Eye".
Defeated the Opha Superior.
Defeated the Empyrean Sentinel.
Completed the mission "Return of Captain Chef".
Delivered Zarpedon's message.
Removed Excalibastard from the stone.
Completed the "Sub-Level 13" missions with 3 other players.
Saved the Guardians from the Scav Poachers.
Completed the mission "To Arms".
Completed 30 side missions.
Used the Grinder to create an item.
Defeated the Invincible Empyrean Sentinel.
Revived 10 players with oxygen.
Launched 4 rockets from Elpis.
Opened Zarpedon's Chest.
Killed 100 enemies with Wolf.
Killed 100 enemies with the Aspis.
Killed 10 enemies in a single activation of Showdown.
Reached level 5.
Reached level 10.
Reached level 25.
Reached level 50.
Looted 10 Moonstone Chests.
Unlocked 10 Customization Items.
Won a duel.
Had a Lost Legion Eternal kill 3 of his friends.
Used the Grinder to create a Legendary item.
Shattered 3 frozen enemies with a single slam attack.
Had an enemy frozen, corroded, ignited, and electrocuted at the same time.
Pancaked an enemy in the Stingray.
Guide notes
Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel Missable, Glitched, and Difficulty Notes
- Two missable trophies, one of which involves the side mission Sub Level 13. Confirm both and the exact condition against the live list.
- Challenger, completing level 1 of all challenges with a single character, is ultra rare at 0.3 percent and decides this platinum.
- Read the Challenger requirements before starting, since some challenges become very grindy if you have not tracked the hidden ones.
- Co-op requirements differ by platform. PS4 does everything locally with up to four controllers, PS3 needs at least one online player with two controllers each.
- With The Handsome Collection the platinum can be earned entirely offline, but you need four different accounts.
- Borderlands 1 and 2 saves on your hard drive grant a unique pistol and shotgun, 500 Badass rank on your first ever character, and 30 Moonstones.
- Excalibastard requires at least 2,500 Badass Rank, so the free 500 from the loyalty bonus is a meaningful head start.
- Reaching level 50 requires a normal playthrough plus a full True Vault Hunter Mode run with the same character.
- Difficulty does not affect trophies, but higher Playthroughs make everything harder, so stay on Playthrough 1.
- Your first character should be Claptrap or Wilhelm, since that is who you take into True Vault Hunter Mode.
- The Holodome Onslaught DLC retells the main story in condensed form, so play it only after finishing the base game.
Quick answers
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the hardest Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel trophy?
Challenger, completing level 1 of all challenges with a single character, at just 0.3 percent rarity. Read its requirements before you start, since the hidden challenges get grindy if ignored.
Can you get the Pre-Sequel platinum offline?
With The Handsome Collection, yes, but you need four different accounts. On PS4 all online trophies can be done locally with up to four controllers, while PS3 needs at least one online player.
What is the Pre-Sequel loyalty bonus?
If you have Borderlands 1 and 2 saves on your hard drive you get a unique pistol and shotgun, 500 Badass rank on your first ever character, and 30 Moonstones, which shaves hours off the platinum.
Which character should you start with in the Pre-Sequel?
Claptrap or Wilhelm, since that character carries into True Vault Hunter Mode. Wilhelm is fairly overpowered, while Claptrap needs a high level for a couple of trophies anyway.
Where is Excalibastard in the Pre-Sequel?
In the Stanton's Liver area, reached via the jump pad in Triton Flats, with two isolated islands to the north. You need at least 2,500 Badass Rank to pull it from the stone.
How long does the Pre-Sequel platinum take?
Around 50 to 70 hours, commonly estimated at 63. Most of that is reaching level 50, which needs a normal playthrough plus a full True Vault Hunter Mode run.
Do Pre-Sequel trophies stack on PS3 and PS4?
Yes. The PS3 original and the PS4 version in The Handsome Collection have separate trophy lists, so both platinums can be earned.
Should you play the Holodome Onslaught DLC early?
No. It retells the main game's story in condensed form, so finish the base game first. Also install patch 1.06 on PS3 or 1.02 on PS4 before starting it.
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