Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode

Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode (UVHM), is a challenging new difficulty level following True Vault Hunter Mode.

Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode

Game Mode Details

"Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode is unlocked for a character once they have completed the main story missions in True Vault Hunter Mode and reached level 50. Unlike other playthroughs, Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode can be replayed multiple times with players able to reset their overall mission progress at any time from the Main Menu. No more tutorial missions -- characters in Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode begin in Southern Shelf with the Cleaning Up the Berg mission. While playing in Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode, enemies and bosses will scale according to the player's current level or, if playing with others, the highest-level player in that party." -Gearbox

Pearlescents are also available and have reported to be dropped from Legendary Loot Midgets with a 0.5%-1% drop rate similar to legendaries. Pearlescents are only available above level 50, 51-61.

Bosses have an increased Legendary drop rate and chests have a better chance of containing rare loot.

Gameplay

• Enemy health generally increased 4x.
• Non-boss enemies now have a small amount of health regeneration, although still much smaller than most damage over time.
• Increased duration of slag damage multiplier effect.
• Increased the damage that slagged enemies take from non-slag attacks from 2x to 3x.
• Slag on slag damage increased 50%.
• Weapon swap speed increased to better facilitate slag use.
• Enemies are now more likely to drop ammo, as a compensation to increased health.
• Enemies now have a higher drop rate of high quality items. Bosses have higher chance to drop their corresponding legendary and unique items.
• Loot Midgets are now "Legendary Loot Midgets" that have increased drop rates of Legendary items and other top-tier gear.
• Pearlescents are now available.
• Hyperius, Master Gee, Pete, Voracidous the Invincible, and Ancient Dragons of Destruction now only drop Seraph Crystals in UVHM.
• Increased the likelihood of certain Seraph weapons to drop from raid bosses as they are no longer sold in vendors.
• Enemies automatically scale their level above the character of the highest level, along with their health, attack, and loot level. Normal enemies will be the same level while greater enemies will be two levels higher. The change of level happens when characters gain a level or join/leave a game.
  • An enemy who is already engaged may not scale their level when level changing occurs.
• Gameplay progress, including all missions, can be reset in gamemode selecting screen.

Notes

• While Gearbox says that a character needs to be level 50 to start, it is only necessary to complete the main story missions.
• Level 50 legendary weapons often can deal with enemies efficiently up to level 55.
• This mode greatly encourages players to play in co-op, due to the increased attack and health on enemies, as well as the slag effect. A single player can slag an enemy to let the entire team deal bonus damage.