To get the Hellfire SMG in Borderlands 4, defeat Skyspanner Kratch in Lambent Mine, in Cuspid Climb, Terminus Range. You must progress the campaign to unlock Cuspid Climb and complete the story missions that open the mine. After finishing Kratch’s associated mission once, you can use the Encore Machine at the arena entrance to respawn him and farm for another chance at the weapon.
Where to find the Hellfire SMG
The Hellfire’s listed boss source is Skyspanner Kratch, found in Lambent Mine, within Cuspid Climb in the Terminus Range. Mobalytics lists Hellfire as a possible drop from Kratch alongside Linebacker. The community-maintained Borderlands Wiki also identifies Kratch as a source, but its drop information is best treated as corroboration rather than official confirmation. Mobalytics’ Hellfire guide and the Borderlands Wiki entry describe the weapon and source.
How to unlock Lambent Mine
Access depends on campaign progress: first advance the story until Cuspid Climb is available, then complete the relevant story missions to open Lambent Mine. The available guide does not name the specific mission that unlocks the mine, so there is no reliable mission title to follow independently of the campaign’s progression.
How to farm Skyspanner Kratch
- Reach Lambent Mine: Follow the campaign route into Cuspid Climb and continue until the mine is open.
- Complete Kratch’s associated mission: Defeat him as part of that mission at least once.
- Return to the arena entrance: After the mission is complete, go back to the entrance area.
- Activate the Encore Machine: Use it to respawn Kratch, then defeat him again for another possible Hellfire drop.
Hellfire is not guaranteed on a kill, and the reviewed sources do not give a numeric drop rate. Treat each respawn as another chance rather than a promised reward.
Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallOutdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware match#1 Best Overall
- BE A BADASS: Become an unstoppable force of battle, blasting through enemies with an all-new arsenal of outrageous weaponry. Move across the Borderlands like never before—double jumping, gliding, dodging, grappling, and more—dealing death from every direction. Explode each encounter with devastating Action Skills that unleash your Vault Hunter's unique abilities. Craft your perfect build with branching skill trees and a deep, rewarding loot chase full of wild weapons and powerful gear.
- FIGHT SOLO OR CO-OP: Wreaking havoc across Kairos is awesome alone and even better with friends in 2-player splitscreen or up to 4-player online co-op.* Borderlands 4 is designed for co-op from the ground up; whether you're hunting for loot, tackling missions, or wandering freely, level scaling and individual difficulty keeps the party together and having fun.
- LESS BORDERS, MORE LANDS: Freely explore a vast and dangerous world rife with warring factions. Hop on your hover bike and ride through lush fields, towering peaks, and deadly deserts full of fearsome enemies, dynamic events, and engaging quests with unforgettable characters. Unite the people of Kairos and ignite a revolution, tackling this adventure however you see fit in a seamless Borderlands experience.
Other route: a past Wildcard Mission reward
There has also been a non-boss route: official notes for the January 22, 2026 weekly activities listed the Hellfire Ripper SMG as the guaranteed reward for the Wildcard Mission Unpaid Tab. That was a dated weekly rotation, not confirmation that the mission currently awards Hellfire. The present reward rotation is not established by the available official notes. Check the in-game weekly activities rather than relying on the January listing. Borderlands’ January 22, 2026 weekly activities notes.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the Hellfire does
Hellfire is a Ripper Legendary SMG focused on incendiary damage. Mobalytics says it can deal up to 75% extra damage against enemies with Flesh health bars and recommends it for status-oriented builds and elemental-damage modifiers. That percentage is the guide’s published claim, not an independent test result, and it does not make Hellfire a universal best-in-slot choice: its usefulness depends on the enemy’s health type and your build. Mobalytics’ guide.
Rank #2
- DELUXE EDITION CONTENT — Includes the Borderlands 4 base game, Firehawk's Fury Weapon Skin, and Bounty Pack Bundle with four separate post-launch DLC packs: Bounty Pack 2, 3, 4, and 5.
- BOUNTY PACK BUNDLE — Explore four unique areas with new missions and a unique boss, plus four Vault Cards, new Vault Hunter cosmetics, four new vehicles with cosmetics, and new Legendary Gear.
- BE A BADASS — Blast through enemies with an arsenal of weapons, use dynamic movement abilities, and unleash your Vault Hunter's Action Skills in intense shooter combat.
- BUILD YOUR VAULT HUNTER — Customize your build with branching skill trees and pursue powerful gear as you take on enemies across Kairos.
- EXPLORE KAIROS — Ride your hover bike across lush fields, towering peaks, and deadly deserts, discovering warring factions, dynamic events, quests, and unforgettable characters.
There is also an official balance-history note specific to the gun. Borderlands Support’s update notes, published December 8, 2025 and updated July 2, 2026, say: “Updated Ripper Legendary Hellfire SMG to correctly apply its intended damage increase.” The note confirms a fix but does not state the damage increase’s numeric value or explain the precise effects of the earlier issue. Official Borderlands 4 update notes.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- Includes all four add-on packs released to date (on disc), as well as fold-out gameworld map
- Intense combination of FPS and RPG gameplay with Borderlands' random gun generator provides endless weapon variety
- Tear through the relentless monsters of Pandora with a crew of up to 3 of your friends in multiple modes including split-screen co-op
- Get behind the wheel of and engage in intense vehicle-to-vehicle combat
- Online multiplayer support for up to 4 players
Rank #3
- BE A BADASS: Become an unstoppable force of battle, blasting through enemies with an all-new arsenal of outrageous weaponry. Move across the Borderlands like never before—double jumping, gliding, dodging, grappling, and more—dealing death from every direction. Explode each encounter with devastating Action Skills that unleash your Vault Hunter's unique abilities. Craft your perfect build with branching skill trees and a deep, rewarding loot chase full of wild weapons and powerful gear.
- FIGHT SOLO OR CO-OP: Wreaking havoc across Kairos is awesome alone and even better with friends in 2-player splitscreen or up to 4-player online co-op.* Borderlands 4 is designed for co-op from the ground up; whether you're hunting for loot, tackling missions, or wandering freely, level scaling and individual difficulty keeps the party together and having fun.
- LESS BORDERS, MORE LANDS: Freely explore a vast and dangerous world rife with warring factions. Hop on your hover bike and ride through lush fields, towering peaks, and deadly deserts full of fearsome enemies, dynamic events, and engaging quests with unforgettable characters. Unite the people of Kairos and ignite a revolution, tackling this adventure however you see fit in a seamless Borderlands experience.
- Hall Effect Thumbsticks and Triggers – Contact-free magnetic sensors in the thumbsticks and triggers provide a more fluid pro-level feel to help with precision and longevity
- Low Latency Wireless – Play wirelessly on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Windows 10/11 using the included Wireless USB Adapter
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →
