How to mod

Simple referral guide to more in-depth guides and videos on how to mod borderlands 2.

How to mod ?

First things first

There are 2 ways to mod , the old way which requires BLCMM a mod manager program and hex editing your EXE, and the new way which is called SDK which is a simple mod folder you unzip mods into and then they show up in game in a mod menu you can turn on and off , both take a little bit of setting up but it's pretty easy if you follow a guide with screen shots or a video.

SDK Modding

Here is a guide for installing python SDK and setting up BL2 (or TPS or tiny tina) for using SDK mods

Official site guide
https://bl-sdk.github.io/willow2-mod-db/

Video guide
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCkNCjx3xDM

SDK Mods
After you install python-SDK you simply download the mods from the left side of the main page https://bl-sdk.github.io/willow2-mod-db/ (you should see MODS and below that a list of the mods you can click on like "Action skill countdown timer" or "Afterburner tweaks" and so on.

BLCMM Modding

If you already have a mod you want to use and it's an older one that requires BLCMM (Borderlands Community Mod Manager) you will want to take the link below to first get BLCMM.

Written guide and link to program
https://github.com/BLCM/BLCMods/wiki/Borderlands-Community-Mod-Manager You can follow the instructions on this page or follow a video on youtube. This guide walks you thru most things including installing one of the better old mods "BL2 reborn".

Video guide
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOXvKGDp4Bk

Don't Forget !

You also need to hex edit Borderlands2.exe , this was covered in the previous video guide but if you didn't watch it here is the link

https://github.com/c0dycode/Borderlands-Hex-Multitool

Where to find mods ?

The mods themselves are not to hard too find , below I've listed the main places for both SDK and BLCMM mods.

SDK mods

As stated earlier these mods are listed on the mods page https://bl-sdk.github.io/mods/ on the same site as the installation guide.

You will want to look at the requirements first to make sure it doesn't require another mod to function.

Most don't have any extra requirements but if they do they are installed the same as all other mods just unzip and drag to the mods folder.

I recommend "Exodus SDK" mod https://bl-sdk.github.io/mods/BL2Exodus/ which adds hundreds of new guns to find and some slight tweaks that make the game more interesting without changing it too much.

Also "No Ads" mod https://bl-sdk.github.io/mods/NoAds/ Because screw those ingame ads for tiny tina or BL3 , they are annoying.

BLCMM mods

What about BLCMM mods ? Nexus mods is the best place to find them. https://www.nexusmods.com/borderlands2/mods/top/

The mods will tell you the requirements and how to install them on the nexus mod pages so make sure you click "Requirements" tab and check if it has any.

Credit

This is just a referral for anyone interested in modding but not sure how to get started , the guides themselves are written by their respective authors and all credit goes to them, this guide is mainly just to help people find the information in one spot.

Let me know if any of the links stop functioning or need updating.

[Radiowavehero]

Usually if you installed it but don't see it in the game that means a folder is in the wrong location. Try following the written guide , it can be easier to check the exact location that way.

For example you unzip the SDK Binaries folder and put it inside the previous binaries folder when instead you are supposed to put it in the borderlands 2 folder WITH the original binaries folder , letting the new one overwrite the old (it should overwrite the folder that was already there and the two merge together , but if you put the "binaries folder" inside of the first "binaries folder" it would not work, one is just sitting in the other.)

Go thru the installation guide step by step and find out where you went wrong , usually it will be a folder in the wrong spot.

[Ryan Winters]

What happens when I do install the SDK but don't see the "mods" option within the game menu itself?

[Radiowavehero]

You can try Gibbed borderlands 2 save editor , it will let you set things like level . skill points , fast travel unlocked.

If someone just set your level to 80 you can undo that and set yourself back to where you want , you could throw away or sell any over powered level 80 items they gave you and remove the fast travel points if they have some unlocked that you shouldn't.

https://github.com/gibbed/Gibbed.Borderlands2/releases it hasn't been updated in awhile but the game hasn't changed anything that would require it to be updated so don't worry about that.

You can find youtube videos that explain how to use it if you don't feel like figuring it out yourself , I would recommend you back up your save folder first just incase something goes wrong.

[Waterbearer24]

Is there a way to UNMOD what someone else may have done? My character was modded up to level 80 and I really don't want to start the game from the begging again to have a normal in game experience. Any help would be appreciated! :)

[Radiowavehero]

Did you try step 7."If the SDK fails to run with the files correctly in place as described above, you may need to download and install Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable." if you scroll down a little on the written guide (This one https://bl-sdk.github.io/ ) you should see the link to the correct Microsoft Visual Redistributable , if that doesn't work make sure your installed python correctly.

For instance when it says to put the binaries folder in C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Borderlands 2 , make sure you don't put the binaries folder from python into the binaries folder for BL2 , you want to put the python binaries folder into the Borderlands 2 folder which already has the Binaries folder , then they will merge and everything will be in the right place.

So look inside the binaries folder and make sure there isn't a second binaries folder there.

[Mystic Hatter]

I have the correct files but every time i load the game it says python module error. how do you fix that

[Radiowavehero]

No , In general you don't need fight for sanctuary to install SDK or BLCMM mods but some mods might specifically require some DLC , it should be listed in the requirements part of the mod.

I recommend checking the Nexus mods page if the mod has one available, they usually have all the information.

For example Overhaul Mods like BL 2 Reborn which change a lot of things might need some DLC https://www.nexusmods.com/borderlands2/mods/115 It doesn't need Fight for Sanctuary but does require Scarlet , Torgue , Hammerlock and Tiny Tina DLCs.

After a quick check on nexus and SDK mod site I found one that needed commander lilith , it's a play as Mr Torgue mod , but it's one of the newer mods , the vast majority of mods will not require the commander lilith DLC.

[Mystic Hatter]

Do you need fight for sanctuary for it to work?

[Lariria]

Good job!

[Radiowavehero]

Thanks, it's a lot easier to just type it all out once and have a guide rather than need to type it all out each time the topic comes up.

The real hard work was done by the people who make the detailed guides and youtube guides , I had fun making the bandit image at the top though.