Let me get this out of the way immediately: I have a massive bias toward the Borderlands 4 manufacturer Jakobs. Ever since the original game released back in 2009, I’ve been sold on the idea of only needing one shot to take out whatever foe crosses my path. Whether it was ricochet bullets in the later games or just the flashy, western-looking designs of the earlier titles, most of my arsenal in any given Borderlands game tends to be full of the company’s guns. So, naturally, when it comes to the Pearlescent I most want to see return within Borderlands 4, it’s little surprise that it’s the Bekah.
I’m well aware that there have been plenty of stellar (and not-so-stellar) Pearlescents over the years, so it’s not like the Bekah is the only gun that I want to see get a fresh coat of paint. The Avenger SMG, for example, is an awesome Tediore gun due to its unique ability to regenerate ammo and the weapon functioning like a bouncing betty once thrown. The Butcher is a powerhouse of a shotgun, and with elemental versions able to be obtained, it was an incredibly flexible weapon that could be easily built around. Yet even with no elemental damage, the Bekah stole my heart, and here’s why I think Borderlands 4 Pearlescent lineup won’t feel quite right without it.
The Bekah is named after the mother of Jacob from the Book of Genesis, Rebekah, serving as a fun play on the Borderlands manufacturer’s name.
Borderlands 4 Legendary Loot Drop Table
Players can find the location of every boss and their dedicated Legendary loot drops in Borderlands 4, right here to help you farm for the best gear.
Why Borderlands 2’s Bekah Was So Special
For players like me who try to hit as many headshots as possible in FPS games, whether it be PvE like CoD Zombies or PvP like Overwatch, the Bekah is as satisfying as it gets. This cool weapon fires two projectiles every time players pull the trigger. The first functions as any normal shot, flying toward the enemy rapidly and connecting immediately. The second shot, however, hovers briefly behind the first shot. It then splits into three shots, which home in on wherever the initial shot landed. Essentially, players are getting four bullets for the price of one with this semi-auto assault rifle, and since it fires as fast as players can pull the trigger, its DPS output is absolutely incredible.
Who’s That Character?
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Easy (7.5s)Medium (5.0s)Hard (2.5s)Permadeath (2.5s)
With the weapon’s only downside — its high recoil — able to be negated by rolling it with a Dahl stock or an accuracy prefix, it’s possible to get a version of the Bekah without a single downside. Not only is it a menace on its own, but Axton builds can take it to new heights. And if that wasn’t enough, Borderlands 2 amp shields like the highly sought-after Bee will amplify the three additional shots as if they were the original. This makes the gun even more deadly, as if it even needed the extra boost. On top of all this, it just looks great; the purpley-pink weapon skin gives it a distinct vibe that helps it stand apart from most other weaponry, only really resembling the Maggie, another Jakobs gun I’m fond of (shocker, I know).
Borderlands 3 Brought the Bekah Back Once Already, So There’s Definitely Hope
While the Bekah being so good in Borderlands 2 and my love for Jakobs would have been enough reasons to make it my most desired Borderlands 4 Pearlescent, there’s also the fact that the weapon returned in Borderlands 3, something that would make it outright odd if it never featured in Borderlands 4. Yes, the weapon was taken down to the Legendary tier since Borderlands 3 didn’t have Pearlescents, but it had the same 4-in-1 bullet effect and was a very powerful weapon after some buffs. It was, unfortunately, a pain to obtain; players had to complete all of Hammerlock’s Hunts to get a Bekah, meaning it can only be earned once per character. Considering how Borderlands 3 kept raising its level cap, this meant that the Bekah would quickly become outdated, forcing players to reach the new max level and go back through all the Hammerlock Hunts on another playthrough to get a usable version.
Borderlands 4’s Pearlescent Rarity Will be the New Holy Grail (But Expectations Are High)
The stakes are high for Borderlands 4’s Pearlescent rarity update, as it’s being held to higher expectations because of a serious content drought.
Borderlands 4’s Approach to Pearlescents Remains a Mystery
While Borderlands 4 will hopefully have a less tedious way of obtaining the Bekah, if the weapon actually returns, right now we have no idea of how Pearlescents will actually work in the latest Borderlands game. Perhaps there will be unique enemies to farm them from, or maybe they’ll be exclusive to the loot pool of Borderlands 4‘s raid bosses. Takedown exclusives are another possibility, though this seems unlikely to be the only method of distribution since the first Takedown is scheduled for Q2, while a rather disappointing scenario would see a handful of Pearlescents added to the existing loot pool and randomly dropping from anywhere. But with Borderlands 4’s shinies already filling that niche of random, extremely rare drops, hopefully Gearbox has something special in mind for the Pearlescent tier.
As for when Pearlescent gear is supposed to come to Borderlands 4, it’s currently penciled in as a free update for Q1 2026. Considering that Q1 ends on March 31, it’s a matter of weeks before Pearlescents come to the looter shooter, not months. If Gearbox wants to drop them alongside one of its premium releases to both give non-DLC players something to look forward to and to make for a more significant update, it has two options. The first will be on February 26 alongside the second bounty pack, Legend of the Stone Demon. The second opportunity will be with the first major expansion, Mad Ellie and the Vault of the Damned, which is expected around late March alongside the new Vault Hunter C4SH.
For now, all players can do is speculate based on past games. If the old patterns are followed, the following COULD be true about Borderlands 4 Pearlescents:
- Anywhere between 9-12 Pearlescents could be obtainable.
- Could drop from any source, but are more likely to come via raid bosses, red chests, and high-level badass enemies.
- Tubbies and Loot Tinks don’t exist in BL4, but there are loot versions of various enemies, which could be a source of Pearlescents. These enemies were an especially effective Pearl farm in Borderlands 2.
- Not all Pearlescents can be expected to be good like the Bekah; in Borderlands 2 especially, some of the Pearls were worse than top-tier Borderlands Legendaries.
Obviously, this is all just speculation since Gearbox has provided no meaningful details on Pearlescent weapons beyond the confirmation that they’re on the way. There is a lot riding on Pearlescent weapons, C4SH, and the first expansion, though. Borderlands 4’s player count has dwindled since players feel like there’s little to actually do in the game after clearing the open-world, so hopefully, the Pearlescent grind is satisfying and motivates them to stick with BL4 long-term. So long as the Bekah is one of the Pearlescent weapons to grind for, though, I’ll personally be very glad to hop back into Borderlands 4.
- Released
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September 12, 2025
- ESRB
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Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, In-Game Purchases, Users Interact
