Look, we've all been there. You're tearing through the neon-soaked hills of Kairos, your inventory is basically a graveyard of common-tier pistols, and you just want the good stuff. You want those Primordial Vaults. But Gearbox decided to make us work for it this time. You can’t just stumble into a gold mine; you need those pesky Borderlands 4 vault fragment locations mapped out, or you’ll be wandering in circles while a Psycho mocks your life choices.
Honestly, the game doesn't do a great job of explaining that these aren't just random collectibles. They are keys to the endgame. Specifically, you need three fragments per region to unlock a Primordial Vault. Total of nine.
Most people think you just wait for a quest marker. Nope. You've gotta hunt.
The Fadefields: Where the Hunt Begins
This is the first "paradise" you land in. It’s pretty, sure, but the fragments are tucked away in spots that’ll make you pull your hair out if you’re just sprinting past.
Coastal Bonescape (Stillshore)
Head to the southwest corner of the map. You’re looking for a place called Stillshore. It’s a tiny coastal village that’s usually crawling with Rippers. Once you’ve cleared the neighborhood, look for the largest building—the one with a slow-spinning propeller on the side. The fragment is just sitting on a wooden crate on the western porch. Simple? Yeah, if you don't get distracted by the loot chests on the roof.
The Howl
You’ll find this one north-northeast of The Launchpad. There’s a massive cave entrance that’s hard to miss if you’re approaching from the north side. Inside, there's a stone altar. The fragment is perched right on top, glowing like it’s waiting for a photoshoot. Watch out for the Manglers; they get cranky when you touch their shiny rocks.
Idolator's Noose (Rosemary's Reserve)
This is the one that trips people up. It’s inside Rosemary’s Reserve. You need to find a specific vent on a wall near the Propaganda Tower. Use your grapple to rip the hatch off. The fragment is inside, held up by a mechanical Ripper arm. It’s a bit macabre, but hey, that’s Borderlands.
Carcadia Burn: Fire and Frustration
Carcadia is a mess of shattered land and Order outposts. The fragments here require a bit more verticality and, occasionally, a death-defying leap.
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Lopside Gas Station
This is probably the easiest one in the whole game. South of the Makeshift Chalet safehouse, there’s a rundown gas station called "One Pumper." Just mantle your way onto the roof. The fragment is sitting on a table in the center.
Tonnage Peel (The Shipwreck)
You’re looking for the Wreck of the Last Great Hope. It’s a giant ship—you can’t miss it. Go inside and look for a grate on the floor. Grapple that sucker open to reveal a hidden crawlspace. The fragment is tucked away at the very end of the tunnel.
Ruined Sumplands
Way up in the northwest. Go to Hull’s Handbasket. Near the water’s edge, there’s a small gap in the cliff wall. The fragment is sitting on an altar surrounded by these weird gold spheres.
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Expert Tip: If you're struggling to find the exact spot, hijack the local Order Silo. It launches a communications balloon that highlights the search area on your map. It basically turns the hunt into a game of "Hot or Cold" with a proximity scanner.
Terminus Range: The Frigid Peak Grind
By the time you hit the Terminus Range, you’re likely level 20 or higher, which is good because the enemies here don't play nice.
- Cuspid Climb (Logan’s Cave): This one is high up. You actually want to use the Reliquary Order Silo balloon to get some serious airtime. Fly north and land on the elevated rock shelf. There’s a cave (Logan's Cave) where the fragment is hidden.
- The Low Leys (The Pit): Fast travel to Snowy Wells and head east. You’ll see a large dead tree. Climb the rocks behind it and look for grapple points in the rubble. It’ll lead you right to a ledge where the fragment is waiting.
- Windspear (Order Facility): This is tucked inside an actual building. Go to the Order Wall Facility between Checkpoint Taupe and the Vestal Garrison. You’ll have to fight through a few rooms of Order soldiers, but eventually, you’ll find a control room. The fragment is sitting right next to the computer terminals.
Why These Fragments Actually Matter
You might be thinking, "Do I really need to do all this?" Well, if you want to touch the Pearlescent loot tier coming in 2026, or if you want to unlock the Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode ranks, then yes.
The Primordial Vaults are mid-game dungeons. You go in, you kill a massive boss like the Primordial Inceptus, and you walk out with Legendary (or better) gear. Once you collect all three fragments in a region, a purple portal icon appears on your map. That’s your ticket to the big leagues.
In the 2026 roadmap, Gearbox is leaning heavily into these vaults for the "Wildcard Missions." These are tougher versions of the vaults with crazy modifiers—like enemies dropping black holes when they die. You can't even access the final rank of Ultimate Vault Hunter without clearing these.
What to Do Next
Don't just collect them and let them sit. Once you have three fragments for a specific zone, go to your map and look for the Vault Door icon. In the Fadefields, it’s up on a hill in The Stubs. In Carcadia, it’s under a broken bridge in the Brindstone of the Worthy.
Make sure your build is ready before you step through that portal. If you're playing Vex, spec into status effect crits. If you're Amon, make sure your shield regen is peaked. These bosses have multiple phases and they will absolutely wreck a glass cannon build that isn't prepared for the toxic floor hazards.
Grab the fragments, open the vaults, and start farming those dedicated drops. Kairos isn't going to save itself, and you might as well look cool while doing it.