How to beat Gigamind in Borderlands 3

Gigamind is one of the early bosses you beat as part of the main story Borderlands 3. However, don't be fooled by his appearance. A giant brain in a jar riding a hoverboard might seem like fun, but the Gigamind can be surprisingly tricky to take down. He's a curveball the game throws at the beginning to keep you on your toes, forcing you to rethink your weapons and build options.

He is a living database for the Maliwan faction, storing vital information that you need to help Rhys in BL3. Gigamind won't just hand over data just because you asked nicely. You'll have to fight walking skulls for that, which won't be easy.

With a powerful shield, an army of drones and waves of minions to back him up, Gigamind only has one weakness, which many players often overlook. This Borderlands 3 guide breaks down the boss fight by diving into his attack patterns, how to find the best attack opportunities and survive his overwhelming firepower.

Whether you're tackling him solo or in co-op with friends, here's everything you need to know to beat the Gigamind for his legendary loot.

Gigamind's location in Borderlands 3

Gigamind is in Meridian Metroplex on the planet Promethea. Make your way to the Rise and Grind Coffeehouse and follow the corridor at the back of the brewery facility, as shown on the map above. The corridor takes you directly to the Gigamind.

If the path is blocked, continue to complete Borderlands 3's main quest in the Meridian Metroplex until Zero opens the passage. This will happen during the sixth mission: Hostile Takeover. The path to Gigamind's arena will remain open for you to return and beat him for a chance to loot all of his rewards.

At least you have to be
level 12 or higher
for your first encounter to have a chance against Gigamind. BL3 has tons of side quests and other quests that you can take on to level up. There's no need to rush Gigamind if you're not ready.

Gigamind's phases and attacks

The Gigamind boss fight involves three phases Borderlands 3all with unique attack patterns and sometimes a combination of attacks from different phases. Familiarize yourself with how the walking skull behaves in each phase.

Phase 1: Shield Defense and Mid-Range Attacks

Gigamind moves around the arena on a hoverboard during the first phase of the fight, firing medium projectiles as basic attacks and deploying shielded drones. He also has a shield, giving him high resistance to standard attacks. Having a good impact weapon is important here to drain his blue shield bar quickly.

Impact damage is strong against shields. The elemental status effect causes enemies to deal damage over time, sometimes landing them in a minor stun.

Phase 2: More shields and protected troops

Gigamind enters the second phase of the fight after you deplete his shield. With its red health bar exposed, the Gigamind becomes vulnerable to fire damage. Therefore, switch from your melee weapon to a fire weapon to burn through his flesh for increased damage.

Fire damage is strong against flesh, igniting enemies to take burn damage over time.

He also starts firing more projectiles and calling waves of Maliwan Assault Troopers, who can sometimes be protected by drones from taking damage. It's best to always leave a couple of them alone if you're low on health. You can use Assault Troopers to get an easy Second Wind to get back on your feet.

Gigamind may have lost his main shield in the first phase, but he still has more shields to bolster his defenses in Borderlands 3. During the second phase, he breaks away from his attacks to enter the center of the arena. Here he creates one of two shields to protect himself. If it's a green shield, the Gigamind will absorb most of the damage you send its way. If it's a red shield, the Gigamind will respond by firing a barrage of gunfire. While you can shoot the shields to deal reduced damage, flanking him is far more effective.

The arena can get pretty messy during this phase, but thankfully there are several containers around that you can use for cover.

Phase 3: More drones and tornados

Gigamind enters the final phase of the fight as his health level drops low. He lands another attack, deploying clusters of drones in a massive whirlwind. This is a powerful attack that you must avoid. It does a lot of damage, especially if you play at higher Mayhem levels.

Best strategy to beat Gigamind in Borderlands 3

Gigamind is basically a ball sponge, in the first phase. While impact weapons are very effective, you can rely on other types of damage or even regular bullets. However, this will take longer to drain his shield. Therefore, if you do not have an impact weapon, you can try at least bring stun grenades. These are also quite effective against shields.

Gigamind has two weak points in Borderlands 3. The first is his head, which can be difficult to target since you'll be on the move to avoid his projectile attacks. The second and most critical weakness is the glowing circle on the back. Therefore, whenever Gigamind creates his shield during the second phase, flank him to target his weak point.

Note that Gigamind can appear immune to all damage if your damage output is low. You can still hit him by targeting the glowing pink spot on his back.

Several legendary weapons in Borderlands 3 making Gigamind an easy boss to farm. When playing on higher Mayhem, always carry a stun gun and a firearm to the fight.

Also, make it a priority to clear all drones. This may seem trivial, but they can quickly add up to overwhelm you. Weapons that deal splash damage work great. Take down the shield drones first, followed by the rest. Clear the airspace, so you only need to focus on the units on the ground.

Finally, don't forget to use cap in BL3. You can't keep running and jumping to avoid every attack throughout the boss fight. Make your way behind cover to let your shield recharge. This also gives you a great position to peek from both sides to shoot from safety.

The borders of the arena have several ammo boxes. Go to them if you're low on ammo.

Gigamind Loot Rewards

Gigamind has one 15% chance to drop two legendary weapons in Borderlands 3. The first is the Tediore Smart-Gun SMG, with high corrosive splash damage that transfers to your turrets on reload. The other is the Anshin Red Card shield, which damages and drains enemies from their shields by sliding into them.

Both legendary weapons are primed to be a part of any overpowered build BL3. Even if they don't suit your preferred playstyle, you can still farm Gigamind to add his loot to your pool.