Borderlands 4 Ordinance Guide: Grenades, Throwing Knives, and Heavy Weapons Explained

Borderlands 4 (BL4) introduces a brand-new layer of combat variety with Ordinance weapons, expanding far beyond the traditional grenade mods of earlier games. These powerful secondary tools give Vault Hunters more ways to deal damage, control enemies, and create devastating combos on the battlefield.

Whether you prefer the precision of a throwing knife, the chaos of grenades that split into clusters, or the raw firepower of heavy weapon ordinance types, BL4 ensures there’s an option that fits your playstyle.

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In this guide, we’ll break down all Borderlands 4 Ordinance options, covering how they work, the different grenade types, heavy weapon mechanics, and even the new Firmware bonuses that unlock after level 25.

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What Is Ordinance in Borderlands 4?

Ordinance serves as a secondary weapon system that complements your Vault Hunter abilities and guns. Instead of relying on ammo, these tools now operate on cooldowns (sometimes with charges), making them reliable and always accessible—except during Fight For Your Life.

The two primary Ordinance categories in Borderlands 4 are:

• Grenades (including throwing knives and seeker types)
• Heavy Weapons (LMGs, Rocket Launchers, Plasma Cannons)

Additionally, Ordinance can roll with Augments (special passive effects) and Firmware (set-like bonuses available from level 25+).

Borderlands 4 Grenade Ordinance Types

Grenades are the classic BL4 Ordinance weapon, and you’ll likely find them before anything else. They can explode on impact, bounce around, split into smaller explosives, or even stick to enemies and track them down.

The variety doesn’t stop there—depending on the manufacturer, grenades have unique properties:

Manufacturer Bonuses for Grenades

• Daedalus (Frag Grenade): Cook grenades while held, explode after a set duration.
• Jakobs (Throwing Knife): Critical damage on weak point hits.
• Maliwan (Plasma Grenade): Sticks to enemies; grounded ones propel themselves toward enemies.
• Order (Seeker): Homes in on nearby targets.
• Ripper (Reaver Grenade): Teleports instantly to its destination before exploding.
• Tediore (Satchel Charge): Double-tap to remotely detonate.
• Torque (Exploder): Bounces and explodes on impact.
• Vladof (Impact Grenade): Explodes instantly on contact.

Because grenades can roll with affixes and augments, there are countless combinations. For example, a Booming Spaghettifying Throwing Knife (Jakobs) might include:

• Singularity Payload – Pulls enemies in.
• Gnawing Augment – Deals damage over time.
• Explosive Modifier – Boosts grenade damage.

This makes grenades not only flashy but also highly customizable depending on your preferred combat strategy.

Borderlands 4 Heavy Weapon Ordinance Types

The second core Ordinance option is Heavy Weapons, which include:

• Light Machine Guns (LMGs)
• Rocket Launchers
• Plasma Cannons

Unlike grenades, Heavy Ordinance weapons don’t have unique manufacturer bonuses. Instead, the manufacturer influences raw stats like fire rate, damage, or reload speed.

When you activate a Heavy Weapon Ordinance:

• You temporarily swap to it.
• Fire until the ammo runs out.
• A cooldown triggers once the weapon depletes.
• Ammo fully replenishes after cooldown, meaning you’ll never permanently run out.

Example Mods for Heavy Weapons

• Additional Barrels: Increases fire rate.
• Two Shot: Fires both barrels at once for massive burst damage.

Heavy Ordinance excels in burst DPS situations, making it perfect for bosses, hordes, or emergencies where you need overwhelming firepower.

Ordinance Augments & Firmware in BL4

Once you hit level 25, Ordinance weapons can drop with Firmware bonuses, functioning like set bonuses in games such as World of Warcraft or Diablo II. These can significantly alter your playstyle, encouraging specific builds and synergies.

Meanwhile, Augments add unique passive effects, such as damage-over-time, crowd control, or explosive enhancements. These make every Ordinance weapon feel unique and impactful.

Borderlands 4’s Ordinance system elevates combat beyond simple grenades. Whether you want the precision of throwing knives, the chaos of homing grenades, or the power of rocket launchers and plasma cannons, there’s an Ordinance type that fits your playstyle.

Experiment with different manufacturers, augments, and firmware bonuses to find the perfect setup for your Vault Hunter. Ordinance is more than just a backup—it’s a core part of your arsenal in BL4.