Kairos Weekly #10 (September 13-19, 2026): four-boss Encore rotation, Loveless the Hacker unlock bug fixed
The September 17 update rotates in a four-boss Quadruple Threat Encore (Idolator Sol, The Timekeeper, Vile Prototype, and Fractis), and the Wildcard Mission, Hangover Helper, guarantees a Legendary Lucian’s Flank Vladof Assault Rifle. The patch also fixed a Shared Progression bug that had blocked Loveless the Hacker’s Vault Hunter Heads and Skins. On the data side, we logged a Legendary grenade and energy shield this week, both at level 32.
Official announcements
September 17 patch: Shared Progression unlock fix
- With Shared Progression on, Vault Hunter Heads and Skins for Loveless the Hacker now unlock correctly.
- Note: Loveless the Hacker, the playable Vault Hunter from the Story Pack 2 DLC, has been available since September 11. This patch didn’t add her; it fixed how the unlock synced for players using Shared Progression.
- On splitscreen, screen shake and controller haptics from ziplines now come only from your own character’s zipline, not your co-op partner’s.
- Gearbox also addressed a batch of other reported issues for stability.
Weekly Activities (September 17-24): four bosses, one Encore
- The Big Encore Boss slot runs a Quadruple Threat this week: four boss variants in rotation, Idolator Sol, The Timekeeper, Vile Prototype, and Fractis.
- The Wildcard Mission is Hangover Helper (Centripetal, Irritable, Quickened), with a guaranteed Legendary Lucian’s Flank Vladof Assault Rifle.
- Maurice’s Black Market Vending Machine moved to a new spot again this week: the same location for every player, though the stock differs per player.
Dead ECHOs Episode 9
- Episode 9 of Gearbox’s scripted podcast, Borderlands: Dead ECHOs, is out.
- Set at the Jakobs Estate on Eden-6, it follows Watts, a former DAHL ECHO Operator, and Junie, the associate whose scheme pulled him in.
- Available on YouTube, Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, and Pandora.
Community highlights (This Week on Kairos)
- Alterock picked up a Legendary Star in the Steam Community Photopalooza.
- souls_699’s fan art is featured in this week’s Creative Corner.
Logged this week: two Legendary rolls at level 32
Regular farming turned up two Legendaries worth recording in full.
| Item | Type / Manufacturer | Lv | Key stats | Unique effect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atomic Jelly | Grenade (Ordnance) / Ripper | 32 | 4 charges, 1,786 damage | Self-Replication - Nuke grenade damage +31%, blast radius +62%, cooldown +25% longer |
| Nova Mutable Protean Cell | Energy Shield / Order | 32 | 4,905 capacity | Direct Current - ground slam toggles a mode that drains shield over time for +40% Shock damage (shield can’t absorb hits while active); Adaptive perk (+8% max life, +20% resistance to last damage type for 3s on shield activation); Nova perk (shield break triggers a nova for 2,365 damage) |
Both are level 32. We didn’t catch a second copy at a different level this week, so a scaling comparison will have to wait for a future article.
Sources
- Borderlands 4: Weekly Update - September 17, 2026 (Official Support)
- Update Notes - September 17, 2026 (Steam)
- Borderlands 4 Weekly Activities: September 17-24 (Steam)
- Borderlands: Dead ECHOs Episode 9 (Steam)
- THIS WEEK ON KAIROS (Steam)
Measured values come from our own in-game captures. Official information is sourced above.
FAQ
What changed in the September 17 patch?
With Shared Progression turned on, Vault Hunter Heads and Skins for Loveless the Hacker now unlock correctly; that part had been broken. Splitscreen players now only get screen shake and controller haptics from their own character's zipline. A handful of other stability issues were also addressed. Loveless the Hacker herself, part of the Story Pack 2 DLC, has been purchasable and playable since September 11 - this patch did not newly unlock her.
What are this week's (September 17-24) Weekly Activities?
The Big Encore Boss is a four-way Quadruple Threat rotation: Idolator Sol, The Timekeeper, Vile Prototype, and Fractis. The Wildcard Mission is Hangover Helper (Centripetal, Irritable, Quickened), with a guaranteed Legendary Lucian's Flank Vladof Assault Rifle. Maurice's Black Market Vending Machine also moved to a new spot - same location for everyone, different stock per player.
What is Dead ECHOs Episode 9 about?
Episode 9 of Gearbox's scripted podcast Borderlands: Dead ECHOs came out this week, set at the Jakobs Estate on Eden-6. It follows Watts, a former DAHL ECHO Operator, and Junie, the associate who pulled him into her scheme. It's up on YouTube, Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, and Pandora.
What data did you log this week?
A Legendary grenade, Atomic Jelly (Ripper), and a Legendary energy shield, Nova Mutable Protean Cell (Order), both at level 32. Full rolls are in the table below.