A Borderlands 4 player with three Level 50 Vault Hunters has just acquired their first phosphene weapon, often referred to as “shiny” weapons. These phosphene weapons represent ultra-rare variations of legendary firearms that unlock a distinctive skin for the weapon itself.

While not offering gameplay advantages, they are highly sought after within the Borderlands 4 community due to their rarity. The announcement of this player’s acquisition comes from a Reddit post by user v1rg1nm4ry, who shared an image of the weapon after dedicating nearly 100 hours to the game.

Highlights of the Acquisition

The player, v1rg1nm4ry, noted their excitement upon finally acquiring a phosphene weapon after spending around 80 hours leveling three Vault Hunters — with two reaching the Ultimate Vault Hunter 5 level. This instance underscores the rare nature of such weapons in the game.

The findings also arrive during a period of scrutiny regarding legendary drop rates in Borderlands 4. A previous Reddit post revealed that legendary drop rates hover around 5% after 3,000 boss encounters, prompting concerns from players about whether decreasing these rates was a favorable change designed to enhance the thrill of finding legendary items.

Due to the current rarity of phosphene weapons, it is likely that only players like v1rg1nm4ry, who invest countless hours across numerous Vault Hunters, will have a chance to secure one. As the game features a challenge called “Shining the Brightest,” awarded for collecting all 69 phosphene variants, it amplifies the significance of their scarcity.

While this story brings joy to hardcore players, for those who cannot devote as much time or endure the stringent drop rates, the chance of ever encountering a phosphene weapon remains slim. There’s anticipation that Gearbox might reconsider the drop rates for phosphene weapons in future updates, but for now, the path to acquiring one looks challenging for casual players.