Borderlands 4's first story expansion, Mad Ellie and the Vault of the Damned, is out now, and it brings a new zone, a new Vault Hunter, and a whole lot of guns to loot in the icy Whispering Glacier. The catch is that the entry point is easy to miss if you don't know where to look. Here's exactly how to get in, whether you're carrying over a character or starting fresh.
What do you need before starting the Mad Ellie DLC?
First, you need to own the DLC. Story Pack 1 is available on PlayStation, Xbox, Steam, and Epic Games Store for $29.99, according to TheGamer. Beyond that, the requirements split depending on which entry method you choose.
There are two paths in:
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If you're using an existing character, aim to be at least level 13 before heading into Whispering Glacier. Enemy density ramps up fast in the early DLC encounters, and going in under-leveled will make the opening fights noticeably rough.
How to start the DLC with an existing character
For players continuing with their main save, the access point is Zadra's Backup Plan, a Fast Travel station located in the Dissected Plateau area of the Fadefields. According to Polygon, you must have completed "A Lot to Process", which is the fourth main story mission in Borderlands 4, before this option becomes available.
Once you're at Zadra's Backup Plan, head inside and look for the tentacle-covered alien statue near the top of the stairs. Interacting with it starts the quest "An Invitation". Interact with the statue a second time to trigger a cutscene where Moxxi receives a mysterious letter, after which your Vault Hunter is teleported directly to the Whispering Glacier. The quest "On Icebound Shores Abandoned" kicks off automatically from there, and you're into the DLC proper.
The steps in order:
- Own the DLC.
- Complete "A Lot to Process" (mission 4 of the main story).
- Fast travel to Zadra's Backup Plan in the Dissected Plateau.
- Find and interact with the tentacle-covered alien statue near the top of the stairs.
- Interact with it again to watch the cutscene.
- You'll be transported to Whispering Glacier and receive "On Icebound Shores Abandoned".
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Make sure every player in your co-op party owns the DLC before you try to progress. Anyone without it cannot advance through the first DLC mission, according to Game Rant.
How to jump straight into the DLC with a new character
If you'd rather skip the main campaign entirely or want to try out C4SH, the new Vault Hunter released with Story Pack 1, Gearbox built in a fast-track option. From the main menu, select New Game and choose the Mad Ellie and the Vault of the Damned game type.
This creates a fresh character at level 13 with the following loadout, as confirmed by both Polygon and TheGamer:
- 4 starter guns
- 1 grenade
- 1 repkit
- 12 skill points to spend
- Movement abilities and a vehicle
- All prerequisite story missions (Guns Blazing, Recruitment Drive, Down and Outbound, and A Lot to Process) treated as complete
After a brief cutscene, you land directly in Whispering Glacier. The 12 skill points are worth holding onto for a moment before spending. The DLC's early encounters will give you a better sense of which direction to build before you commit.
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The new character option is ideal if you want level-appropriate loot from the DLC's opening hours. Bringing in a high-level character from the main campaign means the DLC gear will scale to your level, which is actually better for endgame players farming for upgrades.
What is the Whispering Glacier?
The Whispering Glacier is the central zone introduced in Mad Ellie and the Vault of the Damned. According to TheGamer, Ellie's landing pod crashed in this remote icy region after her arrival on Kairos went sideways. The zone gets its name from a cosmic entity lurking there that drives anyone nearby to madness through whispers, voices, and violent hallucinations centered on a strange monolith.
Moxxi isn't about to leave her daughter stranded against something like that, which is what sets the whole DLC story in motion. The icy environment also changes how combat plays out in practice. Positioning and mobility matter more here than in most of the base game's zones, so builds that rely on staying planted in one spot will feel the pressure.
Tips for a smooth start in the DLC
A few things worth knowing before you head in:
- Check your gear first. Whispering Glacier introduces new enemy types, and your base game loadout may not be optimized for what you'll face early on.
- Save skill points if starting fresh. The 12 points you begin with on a new character don't need to be spent immediately. Play the first mission or two, then allocate based on what you're actually fighting.
- Crowd control matters early. Enemy density in the opening DLC missions is high, so skills and weapons that handle groups efficiently will carry you further than single-target damage in the first stretch.
- Loot scales to your level. Veteran players bringing in a high-level character will get better gear drops than a fresh level 13 character. If farming is your goal, your main save is the right choice.
For more Borderlands 4 content covering builds, weapons, and endgame strategies, browse more guides at games.gg.