By Andrew Highton

Copyright insider-gaming

We all remember the first Rift Boss portal we walked into in Borderlands 4. Full comprehension of what happens is another thing, and this guide runs through the World Boss fight, how it works, and crucial aspects of the fight to be aware of.

As if there wasn’t enough to do in Borderlands, Gearbox has World Bosses to fight. Unlike traditional replayable story bosses that serve as the culmination of a main mission, a Rift Boss is a one-off encounter hidden away and protected by a large magical gateway.

Whether you’ve crossed this intimidating barrier once before or not at all, you should learn about what the fights entail in Borderlands 4.

What Are Rift Bosses in Borderlands 4? World Bosses Explained

Rift Bosses, AKA World Bosses and Rift Champions, are boss fights that take place in a small natural arena, where you can’t leave the confines of the fight and can’t die, or else you fail, and are completely random.

Let’s unpack these unique set-piece encounters.

This point is almost self-explanatory, but we’ll still explain. Whereas in other boss fights and combat encounters throughout Borderlands 4, you can die, respawn, and get back into the action to try again, it’s not the case with World Bosses.

You die, you fail. You’ll respawn at your nearest respawn beacon in the event of this. However, if you go back to the rift, it’s gone. You get one shot, or that’s it. Thankfully, mobs usually appear during these fights, so you have a chance to activate Second Wind if it comes to it.

Don’t Leave The Arena

The giant dome remains throughout the fight once you enter. Not only is it aesthetically pleasing, but it also serves as a notice of the area’s boundaries. The moment you enter the hollowed rounds, you can’t cross them again.

Technically, you can leave, but if you do, the Rift Boss disappears almost immediately.

How To Beat World Bosses in Borderlands 4

Rift Bosses are just like normal bosses in that they have weaknesses and a large pool of health. There’s nothing immediately different compared to regular bosses, but the sense of urgency, where death and proximity to the arena’s edges make these fights a lot more precarious.

We have this header specifically in case you thought you were doing anything wrong. A couple of members of our team found that the boss disappeared a couple of times. We just wanted to clarify that this is likely due to accidentally leaving the arena.

Rift Bosses are still normal bosses at the end of the day. Take the Evan Horizon skirmish, for example. It’s a clever play on words as it relates to an ‘Event Horizon,’ where something—like a black hole—imprisons an object and it can’t leave. Evan likes to use its own vacuum-like attack to deal damage, which means you shouldn’t get close, in classic Chael Sonnen fashion.

The boss only has a handful of attacks, so it’s a matter of repetition, not dying, and staying in the battlefield. The same logic applies to most of these imperious one-off enemies.

Rift Boss Rewards in Borderlands 4

Defeating a World Boss rewards you with a normal boss loot drop—although there’s a better chance of scoring higher-rarity items.

These fights aren’t that easy. It makes sense then that you can acquire legendaries and other valuable rewards—like Eridium—from felling these mighty opponents. We’d wager there’s a future where Borderlands 4’s Rift Bosses might end up dropping Pearlescent gear if Gearbox is generous enough!

Let us know how you get on with Borderlands 4’s Rift Bosses. Have you found any special methods to deal with them or farm them? Are there any secrets we’ve not covered in this guide? Tell us through the Insider Gaming forum, or directly here in the comments below.

For more Borderlands 4 content and guides, check out how to unlock Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode and how to upgrade Inventory Space and Ammo Capacity.