Borderlands 4 TASK Master — How to complete the tricky side mission

Unlock requirements for TASK Master

TASK Master is the fourth quest in Kilo’s pod-cracking chain. To see it appear, finish Main Mission 5: One Fell Swoop, then clear the side-mission trio in order: The Kairos Job → Free for the TASKing → TASK and Ye Shall Receive. After that, return to Kilo in The Launchpad (The Fadefields, at The Howl) to accept TASK Master. Kilo typically waits in the outer courtyard area of the town.

Where to find the Order pod

This pod spawns in the Idolator’s Noose region, in the southeastern stretch of the map. Depending on your progress, you may see it called out near Mirehome; expect it to be on or around a ruined building by swampy ground.

• If you’ve unlocked the Wyclef’s Reprieve Safehouse, fast travel there to cut down the run.
• Watch for a battered structure with the Order pod mounted on or beside it; the site is a short combat space rather than a full dungeon.

If your waypoint lands slightly differently across playthroughs, sweep the marked zone and look for the distinctive pod casing and control panel.

Open the pod: button order and power core placement

Like earlier entries in this chain, the pod opens only after you perform a short sequence on its panel. TASK Master adds a twist: you must physically handle a removable power core mid-sequence.

• Melee vs. press: “Smack” means a melee hit; “press” means the standard interact prompt. The game treats these as different inputs.
• Left vs. right: The panel has left and right switches; follow the side exactly as called.

The core steps you can rely on during TASK Master:

1) MELEE the red button
2) FLIP the left switch
3) REPLACE the power core:
   • Pull it out from the top-left housing
   • Throw or place it into the round socket on the top-right

After seating the power core in the top-right socket, complete any remaining prompts that appear on the panel to finalize the sequence. The pod door opens once you’ve fulfilled the full set in order.

Timer-based instructions and trick commands

Kilo calls each instruction with a short timer (roughly four to six seconds). If you miss a window or act out of order, the panel can reset or skip to the next instruction, forcing you to repeat steps.

• Do nothing when told not to: Kilo sometimes issues a “don’t pull the lever”-style command. In those cases, wait it out without interacting; the sequence will advance.
• Listen for exact verbs: Smack, press, pull, flip, and replace are unique actions. Acting on the wrong verb (e.g., pressing instead of smacking) won’t count.
• Stay on the panel: Keep your viewpoint centered on the controls and the core housings so you can move from one input to the next without repositioning.

Rewards and what to loot

Completing TASK Master grants the standard chain payout: Money, XP, and Eridium. The Order pod also reveals a weapons cache; interact with it to claim a random gun as a mission reward.

If you’re following the full arc, the chain continues after TASK Master with the next side mission in this line.

Troubleshooting common snags

• “Smack” not registering: You must land a melee hit on the red button, not a press. Swap to a weapon with a quick melee animation if timing is tight.
• Core won’t seat: The correct socket is the round receptacle on the top-right of the pod panel. Make sure you pulled the core from the top-left housing and aim precisely at the circle.
• Missed timers: If an input times out, wait for the next prompt rather than spamming. The sequence can include “do nothing” beats that punish extra inputs.
• Waypoint drift: In Idolator’s Noose/Mirehome, scan ruined structures near the swamp. If you have Wyclef’s Reprieve, fast travel there and approach from the safehouse to realign the marker.

Once you’ve cracked this pod and looted the cache, circle back to Kilo’s post in The Launchpad to keep the side-quest chain moving.