Borderlands 4: The Toil of Spoiling Vis Walkthrough

Borderlands 4's Augur Mines are among the most challenging yet rewarding late-game areas, and The Toil of Spoiling Vis is one of the most significant of them all. Located deep within the Carcadia District of the Dominion, this mine is home to Axemaul, a fearsome mini-boss who drops some of the game's most powerful Legendaries - including the Bod, Buzz Axe, and Kill Spring.

 

While The Toil of Spoiling Vis isn't a particularly long dungeon, reaching its hidden entrance and navigating its maze-like structure can stump even veteran Vault Hunters. In this walkthrough, we'll guide you step-by-step through how to access the mine, clear it efficiently, and farm Axemaul for his loot - all while keeping your time and ammo spent to a minimum.

 

How to Enter The Toil of Spoiling Vis Augur Mine in Borderlands 4

 

The entrance to The Toil of Spoiling Vis is tucked away west of The Lockaway Safehouse in the Dominion region. While it might seem close on your map, there's no direct path - you'll need to go through several detours and fight your way past some tough enemies to reach the hidden cave.

 

Step-by-Step Entry Guide:

 

1. Start from The Lockaway Safehouse

 

Exit the safehouse and follow the road leading west. You'll soon reach an open area infested with Kratch waves - flying insectoid enemies that can swarm you quickly. Use a weapon with splash or radiation damage to handle them efficiently.

 

2. Head Toward the Craw Daddies Zone

 

Continue onward until you enter the Craw Daddies' territory. This zone has multiple elevated platforms and broken scaffolds. Jump across them carefully - falling can reset your progress, forcing you to backtrack.

 

3. Circle Back Toward the Northwest

 

Your goal is to loop back up toward the Dominion crash site - the same one you used earlier to enter this region during the main questline. Keep your bearings by checking the mini-map frequently, as it's easy to get turned around among the metallic wreckage.

 

4. Find the Bombed Building

 

Once you're back on the highway, look northwest for a bombed-out building with a small hole in its wall. Crouch and move through the gap, then proceed north until you find a narrow passageway.

 

5. Discover the Toil of Spoiling Vis Entrance

 

Continue through the corridor and you'll eventually reach a glowing fissure in the rock wall - this is the Toil of Spoiling Vis entry point. Interact with the marker to descend into the Augur Mine.

 

Note: You must have completed the Terminus Range main questline to access this Augur Mine. Since you've already reached the Dominion, you've likely met that requirement.

 

How to Get to Axemaul in The Toil of Spoiling Vis (Full Walkthrough)

 

Once you enter the mine, your journey to Axemaul begins immediately. While this is one of the shorter Augur Mines in Borderlands 4, its multi-level layout and teleportation gimmicks can be confusing at first glance.

 

Step 1: Descend the Elevator Shaft

 

Upon entering, drop straight down the elevator shaft. You'll land in a massive central cavern filled with manglers and floating surveyor drones. Eliminate them quickly - area-of-effect damage and crowd control skills shine here.

 

Step 2: Find the Hidden Path

 

After clearing the enemies, look to your right-hand side of the hollow. You'll spot a cracked explosive barrel embedded in the dirt. Behind it lies a narrow passage heading west - this is the route forward.

 

Step 3: Use the Portal Shortcut

 

Follow the path until you enter another chamber packed with manglers. Once you clear them out, you'll notice a grapplable portal on a raised ledge. Use your grapple or jet pack to reach it.

 

This portal teleports you back into the central cavern - but now at a higher vantage point, allowing access to previously unreachable terrain.

 

Step 4: Glide and Climb Toward the Boss Path

 

From your new position, glide across to the central rock pillar in the hollow. Refresh your jet charge, then glide again to the east, landing on a metal scaffolding. This narrow path leads directly toward the vending machine area - the universal signal that a boss fight is near.

 

Step 5: Enter the Boss Arena

 

Once you restock and reload, jump into the large circular hole ahead. Slide down to enter Axemaul's arena, a molten pit surrounded by jagged machinery.

 

How to Defeat Axemaul (Boss Tips)

 

Axemaul is a heavily armored brute, wielding dual explosive buzz axes. His main mechanics revolve around close-range burst damage and shockwave knockbacks. Here's how to take him down efficiently:

 

·Stay Mobile: Axemaul's melee combos deal devastating physical damage. Keep strafing, using cover, and dodging his charge attacks.

·Exploit Elemental Weaknesses: He's particularly weak to Corrosive and Cryo damage types. Weapons like the Daedalus or Vindicator series excel here.

·Watch for Adds: During the second phase, Axemaul summons manglers and drones. Focus them down to prevent being overwhelmed.

·Use Jet Slides: His shockwave slams can be dodged by sliding right before impact. Time it carefully to maintain DPS uptime.

 

Once Axemaul's health drops to zero, you'll unlock the chest room to the northeast - it contains a red chest and a portal back to the vending area, enabling efficient boss farming.

 

Axemaul's Loot Pool and Best Legendary Drops

 

Axemaul has a dedicated drop pool with three unique Legendary Borderlands 4 Items, plus a chance to roll standard world drops:

 

1. Bod (Legendary Shotgun):

 

Functions as a Shotgun, SMG, Sniper, Assault Rifle, and Pistol simultaneously. Gains 5x scaling from Gun Damage bonuses while in Shotgun mode, making it one of the most broken weapons for multi-class synergy builds.

 

2. Buzz Axe (Throwing Knife):

 

A hybrid melee/ranged weapon that increases your next melee hit by 100% after landing a successful throw. Great for melee-focused builds like Berserker or Brute archetypes.

 

3. Kill Spring (Repkit):

 

On kill, converts excess damage into Healing Orbs that seek out nearby allies. Perfect for co-op support builds or solo sustain setups.

 

These rewards make The Toil of Spoiling Vis one of the best legendary farming zones in Borderlands 4, especially after you've reached the level cap.

 

Conclusion

 

The Toil of Spoiling Vis in Borderlands 4 is a compact but rewarding Augur Mine packed with secrets, portals, and a powerful boss that drops some of the best gear in the game. Though reaching its entrance takes effort, the payoff is worth it - especially if you're chasing endgame builds that rely on top-tier Legendaries like the Bod or Kill Spring.

 

Whether you're tackling it solo or with a squad, mastering this mine is an essential step toward maxing out your Vault Hunter's potential. And remember - if you want to skip the grind, you can always buy Borderlands 4 Items to enhance your build and focus on the fun: blasting through bosses like Axemaul with style and power.