This guide features essential legendary weapons and the top SMGs to empower endgame builds in Borderlands 4. All information is based on tested gameplay and in-game drops.
Legendary Weapons with Unique Effects
Legendary weapons in Borderlands 4 include those that can call lasers from the sky, summon orbs, and fire beams capable of overwhelming even the toughest enemies. These weapons are essential, especially for mid to late game content.
The Legendary Linebacker Shotgun is obtained from the story boss Sky Spanner Cratch. This torque shotgun launches bouncing projectiles that increase in both damage and radius with each bounce, stacking damage effectively, especially against groups of enemies. While it works well against bosses, its best use is on ground-level targets, making it less effective against airborne enemies.
The Legendary Chaoson SMG is a drop from the final boss at the Ark of Origo. With a high rate of fire and sticky bombs that explode after a delay, each subsequent explosion increases damage. Although it is a Vlad weapon, it behaves much like a torque weapon, benefiting from Vlad enhancements such as extra projectiles and increased fire rate, making it a powerful choice for boss fights.
For group encounters, the Wombo Combo assault rifle, available at the Sauce Clanch, is a Vlad weapon that shoots both bullets and rockets, delivering significant splash damage and fire rate, especially when enhanced.
Elemental and AoE Powerhouses
Katagawa’s Revenge, an Easter egg to Katagawa Jr., can be obtained from a story boss at the driller hole. This Maliwan weapon comes in two elemental combos—fire and shock—each offering different AoE effects. The fire mode spawns clouds that collapse for extra AoE damage, while shock mode’s clouds linger longer, dealing sustained damage. Builds that stack elemental damage, such as those for Harlo, benefit greatly from this weapon.
The Oscar Mike offers a flashy effect by summoning a space laser. This weapon, inspired by Gearbox’s Battleborne, is a drop from Gen One, unlocked via the Fault Hunting side mission. Though the space laser has an internal cooldown, it is extremely effective against lower-end bosses and is a rare drop.
High-Damage Kinetic and Multi-Element Weapons
Rainbow Vomit can be farmed via the Wildcard mission or more reliably from leader Willam. Its legendary effect launches three random elemental projectiles, making it powerful for blood ladder builds, especially for characters like Vex. Its effectiveness is maximized at close range due to its shotgun nature.
The BOD is a datadilus weapon with multiple firing modes—shotgun, pistol, or assault rifle—allowing flexibility and benefiting from multiple gear buffs. This weapon can be obtained after unlocking and defeating the final boss in the main city area. Its all-arounder perk counts towards various achievements and challenges, making it highly desirable.
Beam Weapons and Endgame Drops
Ohm I God is a beam-shooting SMG with the energy transfer legendary perk. When the energy shield is active, it grants 50% extra damage by consuming shield energy instead of ammo. With overshield, the shield is not depleted, making it highly effective for certain builds, especially when using constant overshield mods. This weapon drops from Moon Madden Callus in the Elpus orbital Shatterfield and is a rare find.
The Plasma Coil is a Maliwan weapon that fires at a high rate and is available from the timekeeper boss. It typically spawns with shock or radiation elements and is valued for its supercharged mechanic and excellent impact, making it suitable for elemental and splash damage builds.
The Hell Walker is a kinetic shotgun obtained from the Meatthead Riders in the old scrape. Returning from Borderlands 3, this weapon fires five bullets in a pentagram pattern and is highly effective for kinetic builds, especially those focusing on blood ladder perks.
For those looking to expand their arsenal or optimize their endgame builds, platforms such as Borderlands 4 items for sale offer a convenient way to obtain these sought-after weapons.
| Weapon | Type | Main Effect | Where to Get |
| Legendary Linebacker Shotgun | Shotgun | Bouncing projectiles, increased AoE | Sky Spanner Cratch |
| Legendary Chaoson SMG | SMG | Sticky bombs, stacking explosions | Ark of Origo (final boss) |
| Wombo Combo | Assault Rifle | Fires bullets & rockets, splash damage | Sauce Clanch |
| Katagawa’s Revenge | SMG | Fire/Shock AoE clouds | Driller hole (story boss) |
| Oscar Mike | Assault Rifle | Summons space laser | Gen One (side mission) |
| Rainbow Vomit | Shotgun | Random elemental projectiles | Wildcard/Leader Willam |
| BOD | Flexible | Multi-mode firing, all-rounder buffs | Main city (final boss) |
| Ohm I God | SMG | Beam, shield-based damage | Moon Madden Callus |
| Plasma Coil | SMG | Supercharged, high RoF | Timekeeper |
| Hell Walker | Shotgun | Kinetic, pentagram shot pattern | Meatthead Riders |
Top Five Legendary SMGs
Among the best SMGs, purple SMGs—especially Vladov models with Jacob’s parts—can outperform many legendaries due to their random rolls and versatile attachments. These should not be overlooked when building an optimal loadout.
The Ludy Mad Lad is a datalless SMG with the “homemade ingenuity” perk, making it overheat and cool quickly. It always rolls with COV parts and is notable for its shotgun mode, making it enjoyable for infinite ammo or COV builds. While not the highest damage SMG, it offers a unique playstyle and drops from Mimicron.
The Berts Bees SMG stands out for its legendary “hive mind” perk, causing bullets to spiral and swarm around targets. It can roll in elemental types and with Jacob’s or TOR parts, allowing for ricochet stickies and elemental damage stacking. Berts Bees drops from Sledgema, unlocked via specific side quests.
The Oh my god SMG is a beam weapon that excels with sustained overshield builds. While its range is limited and it can down the user if used too close to enemies, it offers powerful mobbing potential, especially for characters capable of maintaining overshield such as Vex and Harlo. This weapon drops from Moon Madden Callus in the Elpus orbital Shatterfield.
The Plasma Coil is renowned for its high DPS, though it suffers from slow projectile speed. It is most effective against stationary or slow-moving targets and works across multiple builds. Players should avoid high-caliber mods with this weapon, as it reduces projectile speed.
The Chaos SMG, a favorite from Borderlands 3, remains powerful in Borderlands 4. It always features Vlad parts and torque stickies, with variations in elemental types and sticky damage percentage. The Chaos SMG is effective for both mobbing and boss encounters, making it a top-tier choice. For those seeking to quickly acquire such powerful weapons, buy BL4 cash for sale is a useful resource.
Tips on Purple SMGs and Build Synergy
Purple SMGs, particularly Vladov models with Jacob’s parts, stickies, tasers, and alternative fire modes, can outperform many legendaries when combined with the right build. These weapons provide significant flexibility, and even attachments such as flamethrowers can greatly impact performance.
When hunting for legendary SMGs, always consider the synergy between weapon perks and character-specific augments or skill trees, as this can dramatically enhance damage output and survivability in endgame content.
