Legendary Weapon Spotted in Borderlands 4: First Look at the Complex Root

A sharp-eyed Borderlands fan has spotted the first Legendary weapon in Borderlands 4, offering the community its earliest glimpse at how these iconic, orange-tier items will appear in-game. While Gearbox Software has been gradually revealing details about the upcoming looter-shooter, this is the first public sighting of a Legendary weapon ahead of the game’s September 12, 2025, release.

💥 Legendary Weapons Return – With a Twist

The Borderlands franchise is famed for its mind-blowing variety of guns, and Borderlands 4 is doubling down on that legacy. With billions of procedurally generated weapons and gear combinations, the game aims to ensure that players rarely encounter duplicate loot. Spotting and securing a Legendary weapon is a moment of triumph in any Borderlands title—and that tradition looks set to continue.

Reddit user Winter_Ad_2618 shared a screenshot showing the Legendary sniper rifle Vestigial Complex Root, a weapon that originally debuted in Borderlands 3’s "Bounty of Blood" DLC. In Borderlands 4, the gun retains its signature Maliwan flair, firing projectiles that burst into additional shots traveling in randomized directions—perfect for crowd control or chaos-infused builds.

🧩 Introducing Licensed Parts – More Customization Than Ever

Winter_Ad_2618’s post revealed more than just the gun’s return. The Vestigial Complex Root seems to feature two distinct elements: a Maliwan-manufactured base and a legendary component labeled “Sierpinski.” This aligns with Gearbox’s new Licensed Parts system, which allows players to mix and match special weapon parts from different manufacturers.

In past titles, a weapon's prefix (like “Vestigial”) was randomly determined based on assigned parts. Now, with Licensed Parts, players may have greater control over those enhancements—potentially customizing the behavior and synergy of Legendary weapons to suit specific builds or strategies.

🔄 More Depth, More Build Diversity

With systems like Licensed Parts, Borderlands 4 appears poised to reinvigorate its core formula. The dev team is also reportedly adjusting legendary drop rates, making high-tier loot harder to get—but more rewarding when found. Combined with customizable weapon mechanics, this opens the door to deeper theorycrafting and longer-lasting replayability.

As Borderlands 4 gears up for launch, this first Legendary sighting is just the tip of the iceberg.