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Borderlands 2 All Achievements & Trophy Guide (July 2025)

Borderlands 2 All Achievements & Trophy Guide
1st July, 2025

Welcome vault hunters! I've spent over 200 hours mastering every single achievement in Borderlands 2, and today I'm sharing my complete guide to help you earn that coveted 100% completion. Whether you're playing on Steam, PlayStation, or Xbox, this comprehensive guide covers all 75 base game achievements worth 1,875 gamerscore.

Table of Contents

Borderlands 2: Quick Achievement Overview

Category# of AchievementsEstimated TimeDifficulty
Story2025-30 hoursEasy
Character-Specific410-15 hoursMedium
Exploration55-10 hoursEasy
Combat/Challenges1520-30 hoursHard
Co-op52-5 hoursEasy
Miscellaneous2615-20 hoursVaries

Total Completion Time: 60-80 hours (2 playthroughs recommended)

Borderlands 2 Achievement Guide

Essential Roadmap for 100% Completion

Before diving into individual achievements, here's my recommended approach after completing the game twice:

Playthrough 1 (Normal Mode):

  • Choose either Zer0 or Salvador as your starting character
  • Complete all main missions
  • Collect all side missions (don't need to complete them yet)
  • Focus on exploration achievements
  • Work on level 1 challenges throughout

Playthrough 2 (True Vault Hunter Mode):

  • Continue with the same character to reach level 50
  • Complete all remaining side missions
  • Focus on Challenge Accepted achievement
  • Clean up any missing achievements

Story-Related Achievements (Unmissable)

These achievements unlock automatically through story progression:

First One's Free (5G)

Complete the mission "My First Gun"

  • Simply follow Claptrap's instructions in the opening tutorial

Dragon Slayer (25G)

Complete the mission "Best Minion Ever"

  • Defeat Boom and Bewm during the early game escort mission

A Road Less Traveled (10G)

Complete the mission "The Road to Sanctuary"

  • Reach Sanctuary for the first time

New In Town (10G)

Complete the mission "Plan B"

  • Help relocate Sanctuary

An Old Flame (10G)

Complete the mission "Hunting the Firehawk"

  • Find and meet Lilith

No Man Left Behind (10G)

Complete the mission "A Dam Fine Rescue"

  • Rescue Roland from the Bloodshot Stronghold

Wilhelm Screamed (10G)

Complete the mission "A Train to Catch"

  • Defeat Wilhelm at End of the Line

Sky's The Limit (20G)

Complete the mission "Rising Action"

  • Reach Thousand Cuts

Can See My House From Here (20G)

Complete the mission "Bright Lights, Flying City"

  • Board Sanctuary

Farewell, Old Girl (20G)

Complete the mission "Wildlife Preservation"

  • Complete the Wildlife Exploitation Preserve

Got The Band Back Together (20G)

Complete the mission "The Once and Future Slab"

  • Reunite with Brick

Identity Theft (20G)

Complete the mission "The Man Who Would Be Jack"

  • Infiltrate Opportunity

An Angel's Wish (25G)

Complete the mission "Where Angels Fear to Tread"

  • Major story spoiler mission

Bombs Away (20G)

Complete the mission "Toil and Trouble"

  • Clear the path to Hero's Pass

Know Thine Enemy (25G)

Complete the mission "Data Mining"

  • Defeat the BNK3R

Cool Story, Bro (30G)

Defeat Jack

  • Complete the final story mission "The Talon of God"

Character-Specific Achievements

Each vault hunter has a unique achievement requiring specific skill usage:

Sabre Rattler (20G) - Axton

Kill 100 enemies with the Sabre turret

  • Tip: Farm weak enemies in Southern Shelf
  • Let your turret get the killing blow
  • The Guerrilla skill tree helps increase turret damage

Phased and Confused (15G) - Maya

Phaselock 100 enemies

  • Tip: Simply use Phaselock on any enemy 100 times
  • Doesn't require kills, just the action skill usage
  • Works on most standard enemies (not bosses)

So Much Blood! (25G) - Salvador

Gunzerk continuously for 90 seconds

  • Tip: Reach level 25 and invest in the Rampage skill tree
  • Get "Yippee Ki Yay" and "Last Longer" skills
  • Find a group of weak enemies and keep killing to maintain Gunzerking

Unseen Predator (20G) - Zer0

Remain in Decepti0n for 10 seconds straight

  • Tip: Requires level 31 minimum
  • Max out "Many Must Fall" skill in Cunning tree
  • Chain kills to extend Decepti0n duration
  • Best done in areas with many weak enemies

Combat & Challenge Achievements

Challenge Accepted (30G) ⭐ MOST DIFFICULT

Complete level 1 of all non-level-specific challenges with a single character

This is the most time-consuming achievement. Here's what you need to know:

Important Notes:

  • Must be done on ONE character
  • Area-specific challenges don't count
  • Some challenges are hidden until you complete prerequisites
  • DO NOT reset challenge progress (Update 1.03 feature)

Critical Hidden Challenges:

  1. JEEEENKINSSSS!!! - Kill Jimmy Jenkins
    • Farm Thousand Cuts or Wildlife Exploitation Preserve
    • Open every container, especially Hyperion ammo crates
    • Can take 2-5 hours of farming
  2. Open Wide! - 750 point-blank shotgun kills
    • Unlocks "Shotgun Sniper" challenge
  3. Splish Splash - 200 rocket launcher splash kills
    • Unlocks "Catch-a-Rocket" challenge

Pro Strategy: I recommend using this comprehensive challenge checklist to track your progress systematically.

Goliath, Meet David (15G)

Allow a Goliath to level up four times before killing him

Step-by-Step Method:

  1. Find a Goliath (Frostburn Canyon is ideal)
  2. Shoot off his helmet
  3. Let him kill other enemies to level up:
    • Level 0: Goliath
    • Level 1: Raging Goliath
    • Level 2: Badass Goliath
    • Level 3: Super Badass Goliath
    • Level 4: Ultimate Badass Goliath
    • Level 5: Fatal GOD-liath (Kill now!)
  4. Weaken other enemies but don't kill them
  5. Lead the Goliath to fresh enemies if needed

Went Five Rounds (25G)

Complete Round 5 of any Circle of Slaughter

  • Choose either Fink's Slaughterhouse (The Fridge) or Hyperion Circle (Ore Chasm)
  • Bring a co-op partner for easier completion
  • Stock up on ammo before starting

Exploration Achievements

Arctic Explorer (15G)

Discover all named locations in Three Horns, Tundra Express, and Frostburn Canyon

  • 26 total locations across 4 areas
  • Reveal all black areas on the map

Urban Explorer (15G)

Discover all named locations in Sanctuary, Opportunity, and Lynchwood

  • Check every corner and rooftop
  • Lynchwood requires a specific mission to access

Highlands Explorer (15G)

Discover all named locations in The Highlands, Thousand Cuts, and Wildlife Exploitation Preserve

  • 25 locations across 4 areas
  • Some require story progression

Blight Explorer (15G)

Discover all named locations in Eridium Blight, Arid Nexus, and Sawtooth Cauldron

  • 24 locations across 4 areas
  • Arid Nexus has two separate maps

World Traveler (15G)

Discover all named locations

  • Hidden Area Alert: Southern Shelf Bay
  • Access from southernmost point of Southern Shelf
  • Easy to miss if you fast travel everywhere

Money & Gear Achievements

Sugar Daddy (10G)

Tip Moxxi $10,000

  • Location: Moxxi's Bar in Sanctuary
  • Press X/Square to tip $1,000 (10 times)
  • Money Save Trick: Save before tipping, dashboard after achievement

Decked Out (15G)

Have Purple-rated gear or better equipped in every slot

Gear Rarity Colors:

  • White → Green → Blue → Purple → Magenta (E-Tech) → Orange

Required Slots:

  1. Weapon Slot 1 (Purple+)
  2. Weapon Slot 2 (Purple+)
  3. Weapon Slot 3 (Purple+)
  4. Weapon Slot 4 (Purple+)
  5. Shield (Purple+)
  6. Grenade Mod (Purple+)
  7. Class Mod (Purple+)
  8. Relic (Purple+)

Best Farming Spots:

  • Sanctuary slot machines
  • Boss farming (The Warrior, BNK3R)
  • Golden Key chest

Better Than Money (10G)

Purchase 5 items from the black market

  • Location: Crazy Earl's in Sanctuary
  • Requires Eridium (purple currency)
  • Buy any 5 SDU upgrades

Rare Enemy Achievements

Tribute To A Vault Hunter (15G)

Get an item from Michael Mamaril

  • Random spawn in Sanctuary
  • Check these 10 locations each visit:
    1. Crimson Raiders HQ (near Tannis)
    2. Marcus's shop
    3. Near bounty board
    4. Moxxi's bar entrance
    5. Scooter's garage (under stairs)
    6. Near Claptrap's place
    7. Zed's clinic
    8. Near vending machines
    9. By the news stand
    10. Black market entrance

Definitely An Italian Plumber (15G)

Kill Donkey Mong

  • Random spawn in Eridium Blight
  • Near Ore Chasm exit
  • Bullymong throwing barrels
  • Save/quit to respawn if needed

High-Flying Hurler (10G)

Kill a flying enemy with a thrown Tediore weapon

  • Tediore weapons explode when reloaded
  • Target Rakks (lowest health flying enemies)
  • More ammo left = bigger explosion

Cute Loot (15G)

Kill a Chubby

  • Extremely rare spawns (1-2% chance)
  • Can be Chubby versions of: Skags, Rakks, Varkids, Spiderants
  • Best farm: Caustic Caverns (behind first fast travel)

Special Mission Achievements

Well That Was Easy (10G)

Complete the mission "Shoot This Guy in the Face"

  • Location: Thousand Cuts
  • Given by Face McShooty
  • Literally just shoot him in the face

Thresher Thrashed (20G)

Defeat Terramorphous the Invincible

  • Post-game raid boss
  • Requires "You. Will. Die." mission from Tannis
  • Costs 8 Eridium per attempt
  • Highly recommend co-op or being level 50

Feels Like The First Time (5G)

Open the chest at the bus stop in Fyrestone

  • Location: Arid Nexus - Badlands
  • Northwest red building in Fyrestone
  • Jump to the roof to find the chest
  • Nostalgic Borderlands 1 reference

Co-op Achievements

Friendship Rules (10G)

Revive someone on your friends list in "Fight for Your Life!"

  • Must be someone on your platform's friends list
  • Can be done in split-screen
  • Just revive them before they die

Better Than You Were (10G)

Reach level 10

  • Natural progression

Capped Out... For Now (50G)

Reach level 50

  • Requires 2 full playthroughs
  • Use side missions for extra XP

Miscellaneous Achievements

Token Gesture (15G)

Redeem 25 Badass tokens

  • Earn by completing challenges
  • Redeem in Badass Rank menu

Duel-icious (15G)

Win a duel without taking damage

  • Melee another player to initiate
  • Easy with a friend letting you win

Bounty Hunter (20G)

Complete 20 side missions

  • Track in your mission log

Did It All (40G)

Complete all side missions

  • Must include "You. Will. Die." (Terramorphous)
  • Check mission log for "Undiscovered" missions

Build Buster (20G)

Kill a Constructor without it ever building another bot

  • Use high-damage weapons
  • Corrosive damage recommended
  • Kill quickly before it can spawn loaders

Pro Tips for Difficult Achievements

Challenge Accepted Tips:

  1. Start tracking early - Use a checklist from day one
  2. Jenkins farming method - Keep "Doctor's Orders" mission active with 0/4 ECHO logs collected
  3. Weapon variety - Rotate weapon types constantly
  4. Elemental damage - Keep one of each element type
  5. Second winds - Let enemies down you strategically for element-specific second wind challenges

General 100% Tips:

  1. Character choice matters - Zer0 or Salvador first for skill requirements
  2. Don't sell purple gear - Store in Sanctuary's bank
  3. Co-op makes everything easier - Especially Terramorphous and Circle of Slaughter
  4. Backup saves - Before expensive achievements (Sugar Daddy)
  5. Check every red chest - Jimmy Jenkins and loot midgets hide inside

FAQs

Q: Can I get all achievements in one playthrough?

A: No, you need at least 2 playthroughs to reach level 50. I recommend starting with Normal mode for exploration and side missions, then True Vault Hunter Mode for level 50.

Q: What's the hardest achievement?

A: "Challenge Accepted" by far. It requires completing level 1 of all non-level-specific challenges, including finding the rare Jimmy Jenkins. This alone can take 5-10 hours of farming.

Q: Do DLC achievements count toward 100%?

A: No, the base game has 75 achievements. DLC achievements are separate and not required for the base game completion.

Q: Can I complete achievements in co-op?

A: Yes! All achievements can be earned in co-op, and some (like Terramorphous) are much easier with friends.

Q: What if Challenge Accepted won't unlock?

A: Common issues include:

  • Missing hidden challenges (Open Wide, Splish Splash)
  • Not all on one character
  • Accidentally reset challenges (Update 1.03 feature)

Q: Best character for achievement hunting?

A: I recommend Zer0 or Salvador first due to their skill-specific achievement requirements (level 31 and 25 respectively).

Q: How long for 100% completion?

A: Expect 60-80 hours for all achievements, depending on your luck with rare spawns and Jenkins.

Q: Can I boost co-op achievements solo?

A: Yes, with split-screen on consoles. PC requires two copies of the game.

Conclusion

Earning all 75 achievements in Borderlands 2 is a rewarding journey that showcases everything this incredible game has to offer. While some achievements like "Challenge Accepted" will test your patience, the sense of accomplishment when that final achievement pops is absolutely worth it.

Happy hunting, and may the loot be ever in your favor! Feel free to leave a comment if you need help with any specific achievement - I've been through them all and I'm happy to help fellow vault hunters reach that 100% completion.

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