Borderlands 4 Spatial Awareness Full Quest Walkthrough

This walkthrough covers the full “Spatial Awareness” side mission in Borderlands 4, including every objective, enemy encounter, and the exact location of the Eridian artifact you need to collect. You’ll get a step-by-step path from accepting the quest to claiming the reward, plus tips for dealing with the Anointed enemies that spawn during the final fight.

Quest Overview and How to Start

“Spatial Awareness” is a side mission available after you complete the main story mission “The Eye of the Storm” and reach the planet of Promethea. To pick it up, fast travel to the Meridian Outskirts and look for the quest giver, a scientist named Dr. Tannis’s assistant, who stands near the abandoned research trailer just east of the fast travel station. The mission icon is a blue exclamation mark, and it appears on your map once you’re within the area. The quest is recommended for level 18-20, so make sure your Vault Hunter is at least that level before starting.

Objective 1: Investigate the Anomaly Signal

After accepting the quest, your first objective is to investigate an anomalous Eridian signal coming from a nearby cave system. Follow the quest marker northwest from the trailer, past the ruined buildings and into the “Festering Caverns.” The cave is filled with level 18 Ratch enemies, so be prepared for a fight. Use a shock weapon to quickly strip their shields, and keep an eye on the ceiling—Ratch like to drop down from above. At the back of the cave, you’ll find a glowing Eridian console. Interact with it to trigger a short cutscene where Tannis explains that the signal is a map to a hidden artifact.

Objective 2: Locate the Three Eridian Resonators

The console reveals that you need to find and activate three Eridian resonators scattered around the Meridian Outskirts. These resonators are hidden in plain sight, but they only appear when you’re within a few meters. The first resonator is just outside the cave entrance, tucked behind a large rock formation to the left. The second is on top of a ruined building in the center of the map, near a broken billboard. You’ll need to jump across some crates to reach it. The third is inside a small underground bunker, accessible through a manhole cover in the middle of a road. Once you find all three, interact with each to activate them. This triggers a wave of Maliwan soldiers who have also detected the signal—defeat them to proceed.

Objective 3: Defend the Resonators

With all three resonators active, a timer appears on screen (90 seconds). During this time, you must defend the resonators from waves of Maliwan forces. The enemies spawn from three different directions, so stay mobile and use the environment for cover. The first wave is mostly Troopers and a few Heavies. The second wave includes Jet Troopers who will try to disable the resonators from above. The final wave includes an Anointed Alpha, a tough enemy that can teleport and deal heavy melee damage. Focus fire on the Anointed Alpha first, using a corrosive weapon to melt through its armor. If a resonator is destroyed, you’ll fail the mission, so prioritize killing enemies that are attacking the resonators. After the timer ends, all three resonators emit a beam of light pointing to the artifact’s location.

Objective 4: Retrieve the Eridian Artifact

Follow the beams to a small island in the middle of a lake, northwest of the map. The artifact is inside a small Eridian temple, guarded by a group of Eridian Guardians. These enemies are resistant to elemental damage, so use a kinetic weapon or a weapon with high critical hit damage. The temple has a simple puzzle: you need to step on three pressure plates in the correct order (the order is shown on the wall behind the artifact). Step on them in the sequence: left, middle, right. This opens the central pedestal, allowing you to claim the artifact. Once you pick it up, a final wave of Maliwan soldiers spawns, including a Badass Trooper. Defeat them to complete the mission.

Rewards and Aftermath

Completing “Spatial Awareness” rewards you with a unique legendary weapon: the “Phasecast SMG” (a Maliwan SMG that fires projectiles that pass through enemies), a chunk of Eridium, and a few thousand experience points. The SMG is particularly effective against armored enemies, making it useful for the next main story mission. After the mission, Tannis will send you a message thanking you and hinting at a larger Eridian conspiracy, setting up a potential future side quest. You can also return to the temple to find a few Eridian chests that respawn after a while.

Common Problems and How to Avoid Them

One common issue is not finding the third resonator because it’s underground. The manhole cover is easy to miss—look for a small circular hatch in the middle of the road, just south of the fast travel station. Another issue is failing the defense phase because you’re too focused on killing enemies rather than protecting the resonators. If a resonator takes too much damage, it will explode, and you’ll have to restart the mission from the last checkpoint. To avoid this, use a turret or a pet (if you’re playing as Zane or FL4K) to draw enemy fire. Also, make sure to stock up on ammo and health before starting the defense phase, as there are no vending machines nearby.

Tips for Solo Players

If you’re playing solo, the defense phase can be overwhelming. Here are a few tips specific to solo play:

Use a shield with a high recharge rate to survive the Anointed Alpha’s attacks.
Bring a rocket launcher to quickly clear groups of enemies clustered around a resonator.
Keep a shock weapon for the Maliwan shields and a corrosive weapon for the armor.
If you’re playing as Amara, use her Phasegrasp ability to immobilize the Anointed Alpha while you take out the adds.
If you’re Moze, summon your Iron Bear and use its minigun to mow down enemies, but be aware that Iron Bear can be destroyed quickly if you’re not careful.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I start “Spatial Awareness” before finishing the main story? No, the mission only becomes available after completing “The Eye of the Storm” and reaching Promethea. If you haven’t done that yet, the quest giver won’t appear.

What level should I be for this mission? The recommended level is 18-20. If you’re underleveled, the Anointed Alpha can one-shot you. Consider doing some side quests or farming for better gear first.

Is the Phasecast SMG worth keeping? Yes, it’s a solid legendary that can carry you through the next few levels. Its projectiles pass through enemies, making it great for crowd control. However, it uses a lot of ammo, so be prepared to buy more.

What happens if I fail the defense phase? You’ll have to restart from the last checkpoint, which is just before the timer starts. The resonators will be fully repaired, and you’ll have to fight the waves again. It’s not a huge setback, but it can be frustrating.

Can I replay this mission for better rewards? No, “Spatial Awareness” is a one-time side mission. Once you complete it, you can’t replay it, but you can get the same reward in True Vault Hunter Mode if you start a new playthrough.

Are there any hidden achievements tied to this quest? No, there are no achievements specifically for this mission, but completing it contributes to the “Complete All Side Missions” trophy.

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