MMOexp Borderlands 4: Tips for the Mission

These cosmetic and gear rewards serve as reminders of your descent into Borderlands 4 Boosting one of Borderlands 4's most disturbing missions.

Tips for the Mission

Bring elemental Borderlands 4 Weapons. Creeps and Vile enemies are weak to fire and corrosive types.

Use the cover smartly. The narrow hallways make grenade splash damage risky.

Grab every ECHO Log. They expand on the Order's backstory and Ted's fate.

Save your best ammo for the Vile Ted boss fight - it's the toughest part.

Below the Surface isn't just another side quest - it's a tragic story about survival, corruption, and redemption. With Ted's journey finally ending where it began, you leave the Hydrus Sublab knowing you've put one of Borderlands 4's darkest chapters to rest - and claimed some solid loot in the process.

Vile Ted and the Experiments is one of the most haunting and emotional encounters in Borderlands 4. Taking place near the end of the Below the Surface side mission in Dominion City, this boss battle puts players face-to-face with Ted - a victim of the Order's cruel experiments - as he transforms into something monstrous. In this walkthrough, we'll cover where to find the fight, how to defeat both the Vile Experiments and Vile Ted, and what Legendary loot you can expect for surviving the ordeal.

Location and Setup

You'll face Vile Ted and the Experiments in the Hydrus Sublab, an abandoned Order research facility beneath Dominion City. This is the same area explored during the Below the Surface mission. After fighting through waves of Creeps and reactivating the elevator, Ted will contact you, saying he's coming down to meet you in the R&D lab. This marks the beginning of the final sequence.

Before Ted arrives, however, you'll need to survive a fight against the Vile Experiments, a group of heavily mutated Creeps that guard the lab's core. Make sure to restock at the nearby ammo vending machine and reload all your cheap Borderlands 4 Weapons before the encounter begins.

Phase One: Defeating the Vile Experiments

While waiting for Ted's arrival, three Vile Experiments will emerge from containment pods around the lab. These enemies are enhanced Creeps with Eridium-infused armor that completely negates health damage until shattered.

Combat Tips:

Target Weak Points:

Each Vile Experiment's Eridium plating has glowing nodes. Focus sustained fire or explosive weapons on these areas to break the armor faster.

Use Corrosive or Explosive Weapons:

Eridium armor is especially weak to corrosive damage, though explosive weaponry works well too. Shotguns with wide spreads or splash damage can break multiple nodes at once.

Isolate and Eliminate:

Try to kite one Creep away from the others to focus your fire. Each one's armor regeneration can make prolonged fights difficult, so burst damage is key.

Once all three Vile Experiments are destroyed, you'll have a brief window to regroup. Ted then approaches, expressing his need to "return to where it all began." The tone shifts dramatically as he steps into a nearby experimental chamber - triggering the transformation into Vile Ted.

Phase Two: The Vile Ted Transformation

When Ted steps into the machine, a surge of Eridium energy engulfs him, mutating his body into a towering, crystalline figure. The fight against Vile Ted begins immediately, and while his moveset mirrors standard Vile enemies, his speed, resilience, and damage output are significantly higher.

Vile Ted's Attacks:

Eridium Slam: A ground pound that creates shockwaves, dealing area damage. Jump or dash to evade.

Crystalline Barrage: Fires shards of Eridium that explode on impact. Take cover behind the lab equipment when he winds up.

Charge Attack: Rushes toward you to close the distance, often followed by a slam. Sidestep and counter while he recovers.

Armor Regeneration: If left undamaged for too long, Vile Ted's armor reforms, forcing you to repeat the breaking phase.

Phase Three: Breaking the Armor

Just like the Vile Experiments, Vile Ted's Eridium armor must be shattered before you can damage his health bar. This is the most critical part of the fight.

Recommended Strategy:

Open Strong:

Start the battle with your highest DPS weapon - such as a rocket launcher or heavy assault rifle - to quickly crack his armor.

Use Action Skills Wisely:

Time your action skill (like Phasecast, Fade Away, or Digi-Clone) to coincide with his armor break, maximizing burst damage during the short vulnerability window.

Maintain Pressure:

Don't let up once the armor breaks. Unload everything until his health drops significantly, or it'll regenerate.

Watch for AoE Attacks:

When the armor begins to reform, he'll often follow with an AoE slam. Back off and reposition rather than pushing in recklessly.

Phase Four: The Final Blow

Once his armor is shattered for the second time, Vile Ted's health should be low enough to finish him off. Keep dodging his slams, stay mobile, and stay behind cover when necessary. Upon defeat, Ted will collapse, reverting slightly to his human form before dying - a somber end to his tragic story.

After the fight, an ECHO Log drops nearby, revealing Ted's final words and confirming that he willingly faced this fate. Collect it for lore completion and emotional closure to the Below the Surface questline.

Legendary and Unique Drops

Defeating Vile Ted and the Experiments can reward several rare and Legendary-tier loot items. While the drops are somewhat randomized, there's a high chance of obtaining:

Vile Repeater (Legendary SMG): High fire rate, corrosive elemental damage, and bonus armor penetration against Eridium enemies.

Ted's Remorse (Epic Shield): Generates a temporary Eridium barrier when health drops below 25%.

Echo of the Past (Legendary Grenade Mod): Each detonation plays a distorted ECHO log sound effect and applies radiation damage over time.

Vile Creep Mask (Cosmetic): A rare vanity item inspired by the mutated experiments in the Hydrus Sublab.

In addition, you'll always receive XP, Cash, and a random Uncommon–Epic weapon as part of the Below the Surface mission's completion rewards.

Tips for Success

Bring Corrosive Gear: Essential for quickly breaking armor.

Use Fast Reload Borderlands 4 Weapons: Sustained pressure keeps armor from regenerating.

Don't Ignore Grenades: Splash damage grenades help manage Creeps in phase one.

Keep Moving: Most of Ted's melee attacks punish stationary players.

Grab the ECHO Logs: They deepen the lore surrounding the Order's twisted experiments.

Final Thoughts

The Vile Ted and the Experiments encounter stands out as one of Borderlands 4's most emotionally charged and mechanically demanding boss fights. It combines the chaos of traditional Borderlands combat with tragic storytelling, forcing players to end the suffering of a man twisted by science gone wrong. With powerful loot, chilling atmosphere, and one of the game's best boss themes, this fight is both heartbreaking and unforgettable - a true highlight of Dominion City's underground horrors.

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