All the need-to-know info about Takedown at the Maliwan Blacksite, available now as a free addition to Borderlands 3.

This may be the toughest mission you've faced yet, Vault Hunter. Takedown at the Maliwan Blacksite is now part of Borderlands 3, giving dedicated players a chance to test their mettle with some seriously challenging endgame content featuring Maliwan foes. In case you missed The Borderlands Show's initial reveal and hands-on discussion, Takedowns are free additions to Borderlands 3 that, unlike limited-time seasonal events such as Bloody Harvest, are here to stay. As the first Borderlands 3 challenge of its kind, Takedown at the Maliwan Blacksite is designed for intense difficulty and coveted rewards, all tuned for co-op parties of four max-level Vault Hunters.

TAKING ON THE TAKEDOWN

Having seen your sharpshooting handiwork back on Promethea, Lorelei is now recruiting you and your fellow Vault Hunters for a coordinated attack on a Maliwan facility where a secret weapon is being built. Only seasoned Vault Hunters should enlist: you can technically access the Takedown at the Maliwan Blacksite as soon as you finish the main story campaign and accept Lorelei's mission aboard Sanctuary III, but all the enemies you'll encounter in the Takedown are locked at level 50 and are ready to vaporize you in an instant if you rush to face them prematurely. You'll need to come very prepared if you want any chance of survival, meaning you should be level 50 yourself and have decked out your Vault Hunter with Legendary weapons and items that synergize with your preferred build.

Another word to the wise: though you have the option to jump into a Takedown solo or in parties of two or three, your best shot at success will come from a full squad of four decently geared Vault Hunters. If your team is short a Vault Hunter or three, you can join a Public Matchmaking queue for Takedowns that'll pair you up with likeminded players hoping to sabotage the Maliwan corporation's dangerous machinations. Co-op buddies should note that unlike the rest of Borderlands 3, Takedowns will not scale damage to accommodate for level differences during co-op. In other words, anyone who isn't level 50 will effectively be a liability for their Takedown team. If you haven't hit max level just yet, Mayhem Mode is an ideal way to earn extra experience and level up your Vault Hunter at an accelerated rate.

BIG RISK, BIG REWARDS, AND NO EASY RESPAWNS

Takedowns are already a fearsome undertaking enough given all the elite enemies you'll encounter, some of whom have abilities you won't have faced elsewhere in Borderlands 3. But to up the ante even further, Takedowns disable the ability to respawn during a fight. If you're knocked down into a Fight For Your Life state, your only options for getting back into the fray are a friendly revive or a Second Wind. Otherwise, you're pretty much out of the picture and sent into a spectator mode, where you'll watch the rest of your party fight for their lives.

But there's still hope. There are two new boss encounters you'll face in Takedown at the Maliwan Blacksite, in addition to all the Maliwan troops you'll have to overcome: one boss fight at the midway point, and a final boss at the end of it all. If you die during the first half of this Takedown but your party still manages to beat the first boss encounter, you'll rejoin your party at a subsequent checkpoint. Similarly, if you die before your team defeats the final boss, you'll come back to life and even get to take part in the resulting loot drops. Once you're eliminated, all you can do is hope your teammates can overcome the odds; best to cheer them on instead of blaming anyone for your premature death.

Provided you and your allies have what it takes, Takedown at the Maliwan Blacksite can be completed in about 30-45 minutes and is meant to be highly replayable. If you're after some of the best loot in the game, you'll definitely want to make repeat visits to the Maliwan Blacksite and get your farm on. Loot that drops exclusively in the Takedown at the Maliwan Blacksite includes new weapons, shields, a Vault Hunter skin, an ECHO skin, and even a Room Decoration to make you the envy of everyone else aboard Sanctuary III. 

If you're looking for a cooperative endgame challenge worthy of your Vault Hunters' greatness, we hope you enjoy the brutal gauntlet that is the Takedown at the Maliwan Blacksite. This is just Borderlands 3's first Takedown, so expect more uber-difficult content to come in the future. Good luck on your mission, Vault Hunter—Lorelei and the galaxy at large are counting on you!