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The Hunt

Official BL Hunt 2026 Rules

The Borderlands Community unites for the ultimate gaming scavenger hunt! In this event, Vault Hunters race to loot the rarest items in the game. The player who completes the list in the shortest time from new character creation will be crowned the Champion! This in-game event also raises funds for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

The primary goal is to bring the Borderlands Community together to support St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Remember, this is a charity event, and all competition should be in that spirit. Please actively encourage donations through your stream, using chat links, title commands (e.g., “Type !stjude to donate”), or chat timers to share the donation link. Visit the Discord server’s Charity channel for more information and fundraising tips.

START DATE
  • The Hunt: All Aboard 2026 starts on November 6th, 2026 at 10am Eastern US time and ends on November 15th, 2026 at 11:59pm Eastern US time.
Event Registration
The Hunt Champion
  • The winner is the player who completes the Hunt Checklist in the shortest IN-GAME TIME for Borderlands 4 and STREAM TIME for Borderlands 2 and 3.
  • There are 3 dedicated Leaderboards for each title. The leaderboards can be filtered by Vault Hunter and platform, recognizing the fastest completion for each.
  • VODs will be used to validate the completion time in case of any concerns about legitimacy of the run. There is no daily streaming limit, but please remember to take breaks, stay hydrated, and focus on total stream time rather than being the first to finish.
    • *Note for Borderlands 2 & 3: The start timer will begin when you hit Play from the start screen the first time for each stream, and will end on the final save quit of each stream.
REQUIREMENTS
  • All gameplay must be streamed on Twitch.tv with public Video On Demand (VODs) enabled.
    • Enable VODs in your Creator Dashboard under Settings -> Stream -> VOD Settings -> Store past broadcasts.
    • VODs will be used to validate drops and time, and hunters will be disqualified if any gameplay is not streamed and available in VODs.
    • If playing on console, be sure to display the game console dashboard before beginning play for each stream to verify you’re using the version you registered for.
    • Some streamers may not be able to store VODs for longer than 7 days:
      • If unable to store VODs for 14 days or longer, create a Highlight of the videos which can be saved indefinitely.
  • Play on the latest version of the game with the latest hotfixes.
  • Mods, macros, cheats, trainers, and save/profile editing are strictly prohibited. 
  • Absolutely no use of Read-Only files.
    *Note: Using mods, manipulating save files, or any cheats will result in disqualification.
Character and Difficulty
  • You must create a new level 1 character and use only that character throughout the competition.
    • You may restart from scratch, but all progress must be reset.
  • You must toggle Shared Progression off.
  • Select any difficulty you feel comfortable playing on.
    • Keep in mind that once you access UVH1, your game switches to HARD mode regardless of what you selected on the start of the game.
  • Prologue skip IS allowed.
Gameplay Restrictions
  • Visual Performance Improvement Mods are allowed.
  • Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode is allowed but not required.
    • Once you unlock UVH Levels, you are free to switch between the tiers or even disable UVHM at any time. In other words, you can unlock UVH5 but then go back down to UVH1 or UVH OFF at any time you’d like.
  • The Big Encore machine is allowed during the event.
Exploits and Glitches

For this hunt, we are allowing usage of glitches and Out of Bounds.

Banned Glitches/Exploits:

  • None

Allowed Exploits

These gameplay exploits are allowed during the Hunt. 

  • Super dashing (dash jump)
  • Swap reloading (including underbarrel swap reloading)
  • Grenade jumping
  • Instant gun reloading
  • Apply damage over time to self 
  • Rafa zipping
  • Propane jumping
Co-Op Regulations
  • Co-Op play is allowed and encouraged, but all party members must be signed up and streaming. Non-participants may not assist in any way.
  • It is mandatory for all co-op players to be present during the farm. Players who are farming another enemy or staying at the Big Encore machine during the fight will render the drop invalid for all players in that group.
  • You MAY all clip your specific drops in a co-op lobby and count the entire team for those clips. For those drops, make sure to include name of other players in clip title.
  • Entering a co-op player’s game late into any activity is NOT allowed. (i.e. waiting for them to have the boss nearly defeated and then joining to get the loot).
  • You may farm with friends up to the max party size (The Host + 3 Players). The difference in levels can not be greater than 10.
  • Players on UVHM1 or above cannot play co-op with players who haven’t reached it.

  • *Note: To correct a soft/hard lock that prevents game progression, you may join another participating player to complete the mission.

Item Restrictions

Boss enemies spawning in RIFTS (including Nightmare and Digi Rifts) count as regular boss encounters, and dedicated drops you get from facing them can be counted for points. For example: You enter a rift and it’s Horace. If you defeat him and he drops the Aegon’s Dream you may count that for points.

The Following items sources are NOT allowed for use in the playthrough:

  • Golden Chest
  • The Maurice Black Market machine
    • You can claim an item from Maurice’s Vending Machine only during the mandatory quest for accessing UVHM. This item does not count towards your points (unless you claim it as your World Drop) but you can equip and use the item otherwise.
  • Preorder and Deluxe edition items (you can and should claim them, but just bank them, drop them on the ground or immediately sell them – they have no cash value)
  • Twitch Drops and limited time offers (for example Horrors event gear, or SHIFT code items)
  • Vault Cards
    • Vault Card XP is allowed as there’s no way to disable it.
    • You MAY use Vault Card items that WORLD DROP as part of your build but they have no point value.

*Note: Only gear found during this Hunt event may be used. Passing items from another character, taking items from the bank or taking items dropped by another player not earned in your game will result in disqualification.

You may NOT:

  • Use super Deluxe or other edition bonus items. Please accept any such pre-order bonus and dump it on the ground when you begin play. Or leave it in your unclaimed items throughout the Hunt.

You MAY use the LOST LOOT machine as it is not shared between characters, but you can NOT claim any Lost Loot items for Points except if you claim a Legendary or Pearlescent from Lost Loot as your ONE World Drop. 

World Drops and Points

A world drop is defined as a legendary/pearlescent item that a specific enemy/boss normally doesn’t drop.

A dedicated drop is a Legendary or Pearlescent that has a specific enemy who can regularly drop that item at a fixed drop rate.

  • Every dedicated Legendary item is worth one point.
  • Every dedicated Pearlescent item is worth 5 points.
  • You can redeem ONE enhancement drop, from any source, for one point. These are world drops with no set source.
    • include the name of your enhancement drop in the clip title.
  • Only ONE world drop (Legendary or Pearlescent) item of your choosing is allowed to be redeemed for points from any random enemy, chest, etc., toward your progress. This is in addition to the one world drop Legendary Enhancement, of course.
  • You can redeem your world drop choice either immediately when you pick up the item or hold the world drop points for the end of the Hunt. Either way, you are required to clip and LABEL the drop as “WORLD DROP – (ITEM NAME)”.
  • Vending machine items are NOT allowed for points unless you choose one as your world drop, at which point you must purchase the item and clip it.
Proof of Drops
  • Twitch clips must be provided on the Item List page (click Claim) for each drop. You must show the item drop from its source and you must look at the item so the item card appears. Without the item card visible in the clip, the drop will need to be re-farmed.
TIMER GUIDELINES
  • Your run time starts when you press “Play” from the start screen.
  • Your run time ends at the final save/quit of each stream session. 
  • Your completion time ends with your final save and quit after finding the last item.
  • Timer overlays are not required for competing on the leaderboard, but are encouraged where possible.
  • There is no daily streaming limit, but please remember to take breaks, stay hydrated, and focus on self care rather than being the first to finish.
Character and Difficulty
  • You must create a new level 1 character and use only that character throughout the competition.
    • You may restart from scratch, but all progress must be reset.
  • Use NORMAL difficulty. Do not select Easy.
  • Guardian Rank must be disabled.
  • True Vault Hunter Mode is optional.

💡 Tip: Remember to use Cooperation mode to ensure you have access to the Lost Loot machine.

Gameplay Restrictions
  • Sanctuary science machine boosters are not allowed.
  • Out of Bounds (OOB) is allowed during the event.
  • You may adjust the level of Mayhem Mode or deactivate it at any time.
  • Special events (e.g. Bloody Harvest, Broken Hearts) can be toggled at the character select screen at any time.
Co-Op Regulations
  • Co-op play is allowed and encouraged!
  • All co-op players must:
    • Be registered on the Hunt site.
    • Have a Tiltify campaign linked.
    • Stream their own gameplay.
    • If a co-op partner does not follow all rules of the event, both participants will be disqualified from leaderboards.
  • Non-participants may not assist in any way.
  • Joining a game late for loot or progression is not allowed (e.g., entering just before a boss kill).
  • All players in a party must be within ±3 levels of the host.
  • XP or quest progression boosting is prohibited.
  • If a drop is found in co-op, only one clip/highlight is required. Include all teammates’ names in the clip title.
  • If a soft or hard lock prevents game progression, you may join another participating player to complete the mission regardless of level difference.
Item Restrictions

❌ You may NOT use:

  • Items from Golden Chest, Diamond Loot Room, or Vault Cards/Chests.
    • Vault Card XP is allowed as there’s no way to disable it.
  • Gear from your bank that was not found during the Hunt.
  • Items from Deluxe editions or pre-order bonuses.
  • Mailed items from other players.
  • Gear passed from other characters.

✅ You may use:

  • Bank and Lost Loot machine items earned during this Hunt.
  • Mailed gear from NPCs or manufacturers (e.g., after weapon or crew challenges).
  • Mailed items like the Baby Maker or Lyuda if earned through in-game challenges (may also be claimed for points).

💡 Tip: Empty your bank and Lost Loot machine before starting your Hunt character to avoid disqualification.

World Drops and Points
  • World drops do not count for checklist points.
    • A world drop is a legendary that drops from a source other than its dedicated source.
  • HOWEVER: ONE world drop Legendary item of your choosing is allowed to be redeemed for points from any random enemy, chest, etc., toward your progress.
  • The Arms Race exclusives can be claimed for points no matter where they drop within Stormblind Complex.
  • You can count all Handsome Jackpot Class Mods for points no matter where they drop within that DLC.
  • Named Cartel enemies will spawn outside of Villa Ultraviolet and their drops can be counted no matter the spawn location.
  • Mayhem-exclusive drops (e.g., from Anathema, Scourge) do count for points.
Proof of Drops

  • To claim an item, you must:

    • Provide a Twitch clip showing:
      • The item dropping from its dedicated source
      • The item card clearly on screen
    • If the item drops out of bounds, you may visit the Lost Loot Machine to show the item card instead.
      • Must be obvious the item dropped from the dedicated source.
      • Clip must show enemy kill, item dropping out of bounds, item card from Lost Loot machine.
      • Use Highlights if the clip exceeds 60 seconds.

✅ Arms Race drops don’t need to be extracted, only proven to drop.

✅ Proving Grounds final boss drops can be claimed with proper proof.

 

Final Notes

  • If something is not specifically stated as prohibited, it is allowed.
  • Always ask the admin staff in Discord if you’re unsure about a rule.
  • Rules exist to protect the fun, fairness, and legitimacy of the event. 
  • Have fun, support St. Jude, and may the loot gods bless your RNG!
Character and Difficulty
  • You must create a new level 1 character and use only that character throughout the competition. You may restart your Hunt from scratch, but all progress must be reset.
    • Starting with the boosted level 30 character is not allowed.
  • Badass Rank must be disabled.
Gameplay Restrictions
  • Transferring items between characters using Claptrap’s Stash is strictly prohibited.
  • Golden Chest loot is prohibited.
  • Moonshot farming is prohibited.
PLAYTHROUGH RULES

  • By playthrough, we understand NVHM -> TVHM -> UVHM -> OP Levels.

    • Upon entering the next playthrough difficulty, you May NOT go back to a previous playthrough to farm items for points with one exception: You MAY return to NON-OP Levels in UVHM mode and farm items for points.
    • You are allowed to go down to any prior playthrough level to farm items for your build (they will NOT count for points)
    • Upon entering Overpowered Mode, you can freely move between OP levels. 
    • *Note: Getting OP10 loot and going back to OP1 or UVHM with OP Off is allowed.
    • *Note: OP Levels are not necessary due to the addition of the Commander Lilith DLC and increase to Level 80.
Exploits and Glitches

Banned Glitches/Exploits:

  • None

Allowed Exploits

These gameplay exploits are allowed during the Hunt. It’s in the game and everyone can do it. Have fun.

  • Pimpernel/Launcher and Flakker/Launcher damage glitches.
  • Morningstar damage stacking.
  • Rising Shot respec stacking.
  • Buck Up shield glitch with Gaige.
  • Exploiting kill stacking on Gaige or Maya.
  • Co-op Movement Speed glitch with Axton.
  • Vladof launcher infinite ammo w/ Gunzerking glitch.
  • Digistruct Peak Shortcuts – Rocket/Grenade Jumping to skip to the end bosses, or skipping doors/walls to skip combat sections.
  • Rocket jumping
  • Grenade jumping
  • Double Shotting
  • Multi-Shotting
  • Instant Reloading
    • Drop Reloads
    • Swap Reloads
  • Permanent Spore Cloud Damage
  • Overlapping dialogue
    (Sometimes when you progress a mission fast, dialogue can overlap and skip mission objectives forward)
  • Intentional Out of Bounds 
  • Elevator/Gate Crushing
    (Enjoy crushing Gee and Pete as much as you want!)
  • Test Dummy XP
    (Repeatedly killing the test dummy in Sanctuary is now allowed.)
Co-Op Regulations
    • Co-Op play is allowed and encouraged, but all party members must be signed up and streaming. Non-participants may not assist in any way.
    • You may farm with friends up to the max party size (The Host + 3 Players). 
      • Each player must be the same level or within two levels (+/- 2) of the host of the game. 
      • Each player must be the same OP level as the host of the game.
      • Each player must use the same OP level of gear or lower as the host of the game.
    • All drops in co-op will count for all players in the lobby.
      • If a drop is found while playing with a group, only ONE highlight is needed for each member to claim that drop for points; please make sure to put the names of your co-op partners in the clip title.

    Banned Activities

    • Boosting – Entering a co-op players game late into any activity is NOT allowed. (i.e. waiting for them to have the boss nearly defeated and then joining to get the loot, mission progress, or XP).
    • Lobby Swapping – When players farm rare spawns in singleplayer, and grouping up when one person finds a rare enemy to count the drop. 
      • In order for a player to be eligible for loot from rare enemies, players must be in the lobby when a rare enemy spawns. This rule applies to Vermi, Tubbies, Omnd-Omnd-Ohk, and other rare spawns.

    *Note: To correct a soft/hard lock that prevents game progression, you may join another participating player to complete the mission, regardless of level difference.

Item Restrictions

The Following item sources are NOT allowed for use in the playthrough:

  • Golden Chest

*Note: Only gear found during this Hunt event may be used. Passing items from another character, taking items from the stash, or taking items dropped by another player not earned in your game will result in disqualification.

World Drops and Points
  • Items without a dedicated source (World Drop only) are allowed and can be claimed for points in Borderlands 2. Those items are indicated as “World Drop” on the items list, but here’s the full list:
  • Fire Bee
  • Bouncing Bonny
  • Legendary Coms: Berserker, Soldier, Hunter, Mechromancer, Psycho, Siren
  • Nasty Surprise 
  • Pearlescents: Avenger, Bearcat, Butcher, Sawbar, Stalker, Storm, Tunguska, Unforgiven
    • Only ONE world drop (Legendary or Pearlescent) item of your choosing (not on the above list) is allowed to be redeemed for points from any random enemy, chest, etc., toward your progress. This is in addition to the above items that have no dedicated source. 
    • All vendor items are allowed for points, but you must buy them to redeem the item and claim the points. This also includes the slot machines.
  • *Note: This includes all Pearls and Seraph rarity items.

 

Proof of Drops

  • Twitch clips must be provided on the Item List page (click Claim) for each drop. You must show the item drop from its source and you must look at the item so the item card appears. Without the item card visible in the clip, the drop will need to be re-farmed.

welcome to the hunt

To be able to claim your items, you’ll need to specify your platform and what vault hunter you’re using. You can choose them from the options below:

Claim an Item