If you’ve spent any time exploring Borderlands 4’s new pirate-themed open world zones, you know the Coastal Bonescape is equal parts atmospheric and frustrating. The fog-shrouded beaches, half-sunken galleons, and hidden cave networks are packed with undead mobs, rare loot, and dozens of hidden items to track down. I spent 12 hours scouring every inch of the region on my first playthrough, missing multiple collectibles because of hidden paths and shifting tides, so I put this guide together to save you the headache. If you’re stuck tracking down Borderlands 4 Coastal Bonescape collectibles, this guide covers every type, location tip, and reward you can unlock for finding them all.
What Types of Borderlands 4 Coastal Bonescape Collectibles Are There?
There are four distinct types of collectibles scattered across the region, each with its own unique reward for collecting the full set. You don’t have to collect them in any specific order, and you can come back to grab missing items at any point after you unlock the region. It’s worth noting that 40% of the collectibles are locked behind the main region story mission, so finish “Ghosts of the Wrecked Galleon” first before you start a full collectible hunt. The full list of collectible types and rewards includes:
- Pirate Journals (12 total): Unlock a unique vault hunter skin themed after the region’s infamous ghost pirate captain, plus 50,000 Eridium
- Cursed Gold Coins (24 total): Exchange all 24 at the hidden beach vendor for a legendary shotgun that deals extra damage to undead enemies
- Sunken Weapon Crates (8 total): Each crate drops a guaranteed rare or better weapon, plus a full set unlocks a unique vehicle skin for your technical
- Siren Glyphs (6 total): Activate all 6 to unlock a secret side mission that reveals hidden lore about the first Siren to land on Pandora’s coastal shores
I missed 3 of the Cursed Gold Coins on my first pass because they were tucked under tide pools that were flooded when I first walked through the area. I didn’t even realize they existed until I checked my map tracker and saw I was missing 3 coins in the southern tide pool sub-area. So make sure you check those spots both at high and low tide if you’re coming up short on coins. None of the collectibles are missable forever, so you don’t have to stress about skipping one during your first story run through the region.
How to Navigate the Coastal Bonescape Without Getting Lost
The Coastal Bonescape’s constant fog and shifting tides make it really easy to get turned around, even if you’re checking your map every two minutes. The region is split into 4 sub-areas: the Wrecked Galleon, Southern Tide Pools, Northern Cliffs, and Hidden Cave Network. Each sub-area has a set number of collectibles, so you can filter your map to show only collectibles in one sub-area at a time if you want to knock them out in order. You can toggle the region’s collectible tracker in your map menu once you find the first collectible, which marks how many of each type are left in each sub-area, so you don’t have to guess what you’re missing.
The tide cycles every 10 minutes of real time, so if a spot is underwater when you arrive, just fast travel to another region and come back, or wait a few minutes for the water to go down. Watch out for undead pirate mobs that spawn near collectible spots, they’re usually a dead giveaway that you’re close to something valuable. If you’re playing co-op, any collectibles you pick up will count for all players in your group, so you can split up and cover more ground faster if you’re playing with friends.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Hunting for Collectibles
Even with a map tracker, it’s really easy to make small mistakes that slow down your collectible run. The most common mistake I see players make is trying to collect everything before finishing the main region story. 3 of the Siren Glyphs are inside the galleon that’s locked until you beat the main mission, so you’re wasting your time trying to get in early. These glowing blue orbs only appear when you’re within 50 meters of a hidden collectible, so follow them instead of running past, even if they lead you off the main path.
Another common mistake is selling Cursed Gold Coins by accident. They stack in your inventory with regular gold, so make sure you lock them as soon as you pick them up, otherwise you might sell them to a vendor without noticing. Don’t forget that some collectibles are on high cliff ledges. You don’t need a specific character build to reach them, but using a jump boost mod or the Siren’s phase grasp ability can make reaching high spots way faster. Wait 2 or 3 seconds after picking up any collectible to make sure the small save icon appears in the corner of your screen before you fast travel somewhere else, otherwise you might lose progress on the item you just grabbed. If you’re still coming up short on Borderlands 4 Coastal Bonescape collectibles after checking all the obvious spots, look for small breakable wooden planks covering cave entrances, most of the hidden collectibles are behind those.
How to Unlock the Secret Reward for 100% Collectible Completion
Once you collect all 50 total collectibles across the region, you’ll get a pop-up prompt directing you to the hidden lighthouse at the northern tip of the Coastal Bonescape. When you arrive, you’ll have to fight a level-appropriate mini-boss: the ghost pirate captain’s first mate. The fight isn’t too hard, but the boss has a special attack that summons waves of undead minions, so bring a weapon with splash damage to clear them out fast. The mini-boss drops the "Bonescape Bounty" legendary assault rifle, which has a 50% chance to fire homing cannonballs alongside regular bullets, and it’s one of the best early-to-mid game weapons for all vault hunter classes.
On top of that, you get a permanent 10% damage boost against all undead enemies across the entire game, which is super useful for later endgame dungeons that have undead mob spawns. The secret side mission you unlock from the Siren Glyphs also gives you an extra 100,000 Eridium on completion, which is enough to upgrade two of your weapon slots to max level early on. A lot of players skip the glyphs because they think they’re just lore fluff, but the reward is absolutely worth the extra 20 minutes it takes to find all 6. I tested the Bonescape Bounty rifle on my first playthrough, and it carried me through the next 10 levels without needing to swap to anything else, so it’s definitely worth the effort of collecting everything.
Don’t let the fog and confusing layout of the coastal region slow down your 100% completion run. Even if you only have 10 or 15 minutes to play between sessions, you can knock out a handful of collectibles each time without rushing. If you put in the work to track down every Borderlands 4 Coastal Bonescape collectible, you’ll walk away with some of the best unique rewards in the early game, plus a ton of extra lore that makes the region’s story feel way more immersive. If you miss any spots on your first run, you can always fast travel back to the region at any point after beating the main story to finish your collection.