What to know
- The Extra Medium Shield is a legendary energy shield with the Neo Synthesis perk.
- It releases a damaging nova each time the shield breaks or recharges.
- The shield can be farmed primarily from the boss Horus in Hungering Plains.
- Combat tips for the boss include using elemental synergies and environmental cover.
The Extra Medium Shield is a sought-after legendary shield in Borderlands 4, known for its unique ability to trigger an area-of-effect nova upon shield break or recharge. This makes the shield not only a defensive asset but an offensive one as well, offering explosive damage that can help in combat situations.
Extra Medium location and specs
The Extra Medium is a Legendary energy shield made by Maliwan. It’s notable because it has a special effect — it explodes both when filled and when depleted. It’s dropped by the boss Primordial Guardian Inceptus in the Arch of Inceptus vault in the Fadefields.
Details
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Name | Extra Medium |
| Type | Energy Shield |
| Rarity | Legendary |
| Manufacturer | Maliwan |
| Special effect (Unique Ability) | Named Nucleosynthesis — when the shield either fills up fully or breaks (empties), it triggers a nova/explosion that deals damage. |
| Damage of explosion | Approx 1,121 when filled & depleted (values may scale with level/stats) |
| Base stats (approx at level 20) | Capacity ~ 717, Recharge rate ~ 131/s, Delay ~ 4 seconds before recharge begins |
How to get the Extra Medium shield in BL4 [step-by-step guide]
Here’s how to acquire the Extra Medium:
Step 1: Collect Fadefields Vault Key Fragments
You need all the Vault Key Fragments in Fadefields. These fragments are found by hijacking Order safe houses in the region. Once you hijack one, the game highlights an area where a fragment is located. Use the “hot/cold” proximity indicator to find the fragment.
Step 2: Access Vault of Inceptus (Arch of Inceptus)
After gathering all the key fragments, place them to unlock access to the Vault. The Vault’s entrance is in the Arch of Inceptus located in the Dissected Plateau, Fadefields.
Step 3: Defeat Primordial Guardian Inceptus
Once inside, locate and fight Inceptus. This boss has multiple phases. Upon defeating Inceptus, you have a chance to get Extra Medium as part of its drop pool.
Step 4: Farming/re-repeat
If you don’t get it the first time, you can farm Inceptus. After a successful kill, you can return to the boss arena via the entrance and use Moxxi’s Big Encore Machine near the arena entrance to reset the fight and try again.
Boss fight tips: defeating Primordial Guardian Inceptus
Knowing how to beat Inceptus is key if you want Extra Medium. Here are tips and a breakdown of its fight phases.
How to approach the fight
- Inceptus moves a lot; mobility and paying attention are important.
- Keep some distance when you can, so you can see and react to attack cues.
Phase-by-phase behaviour & strategy
| Phase | What Inceptus does | What you should do |
|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | Uses tail attacks, salto jumps, tail whips, glowing tail signals, explosive spores, occasional ceiling hang‐downs. | Use dash/dodge to avoid tail whips. When tail glows, move to side. Target/explode spores quickly so they don't grow. Use grapple/Lash to expose weak points. |
| Phase 2 (Cocoon / Regeneration) | The boss hides in a cocoon on the ceiling; toxic or hazardous floor appears; boss regenerates and becomes harder to hit. | Climb or grapple to ceiling plants to avoid the toxic ground. Shoot at cocoon from above to interrupt regeneration. Then resume attacking weak points when exposed. |
Weaknesses & elements
- Inceptus is weak to Shock and Incendiary damage.
- Using a build with high mobility and some ranged skills helps a lot.
- Bring ammo, shields, or gear that can mitigate status effects from the boss (like corrosive or poison from floor hazards).
Key bosses tied to the Extra Medium shield
| Boss Name | Location | Mission/Story Requirement | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primordial Guardian Inceptus | Arch of Inceptus, Dissected Plateau (Fadefields) | Vault Key Fragments required (Mission: Rush the Gate) | Main boss known for dropping the Extra Medium Shield; late early-game boss with high HP pool. |
| Horus (also spelled Horace) | Hungering Plains, Fadefields | Recruitment Drive | Early-mid farming target but less efficient than Inceptus. |
How is Extra Medium useful in game
Here’s how Extra Medium can help you in Borderlands 4 and when to use it:
- The explosion on fill/break provides both defensive & offensive utility: even when the shield breaks, you get a reactive effect.
- Excellent for builds that benefit from shield regeneration or breaking mechanics.
- Useful when facing mobs or bosses that cluster, since multiple shield fills/breaks can trigger nova damage.
- As a Legendary, it offers better capacity and recharge compared to common shields of the same level, making it reliable for high-level content.
Wrapping up your hunt for the Extra Medium
The Extra Medium is a powerful Legendary shield with a unique twist — its Nucleosynthesis effect that triggers novas when filled or broken. To claim it, you’ll need to unlock the Vault in Fadefields and defeat Primordial Guardian Inceptus, possibly farming multiple runs. With good mobility, shock/incendiary weapons, and awareness of its attack phases, you’ll secure the drop faster. Once equipped, Extra Medium brings both survivability and damage potential, making it a standout shield for varied playstyles.
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