“How Rush Saved Mercenary Day” dropped one of the most chaotic encounters in Borderlands 4: a two-phase boss fight where Minister Screw and his mechanical enforcer Donk team up to ruin your festive spirit.

This isn’t just a DPS check—it's a mobility puzzle, a shield/armor test, and a fight that punishes anyone who doesn't understand elemental matchups or the black hole mechanic.

Good news? With the right prep and strategy, you can melt both bosses consistently—even on Mayhem 10+, where their attacks and health pools scale dramatically.

Let’s break it down and turn this frustrating holiday duo into your most reliable legendary farm.

Preparation (Updated for 2025/2026 Meta)

Best Elements to Bring

Shock – Melts both shields fast (mandatory)
Corrosive – For Donk’s double armor bars and Screw’s armor
Incendiary – Crucial for Screw’s final flesh bar
Cryo (optional) – Freeze-lock Donk for safe burst windows on Mayhem 8–10

Borderlands 4: How to Beat Minister Screw & Donk - Guide

Community-Recommended Weapons (2026)

Rowdy Rider – Still meta for bossing due to ricochets
VoltTripper SMG – MVP for Shock specialists
Acidstorm Repeater – Fast Corrosive stacker
Hellbomber Shotgun – Best for Screw’s final bar burst
Solitude Sniper (Harlowe players) – Easy crit fishing

Optimal Gear Picks

Self-Charging Grenades (cluster variants) – Constant passive damage
Movement Relics – Speed > damage for this arena
Capacity + Recharge Delay Shields – Stable uptime
Healthraiser Repkit (from Screw) – Makes learning attempts safer

Class-Specific Boosts

Amon – Whip distance tool + shield regen synergy
Rafa (Soltado) – The strongest class here; mobility invalidates Screw’s tracking
Harlowe – Zero-Point resets let you skip lethal moments entirely

Phase One: Donk Must Die (No Exceptions)

Why Donk Is the Real Threat

Deploys Dome Shields protecting Screw from ALL damage
Double armor bars = long fight if ignored
Laser volleys + mid-range pressure adds chaos during Screw’s AoE spam

If you touch Screw first, Donk will force invulnerability cycles that waste your ammo and get you cornered.

Phase One Strategy

1. Dump every Shock weapon into Donk’s shield bar

Fastest way to get the fight under control.

2. Immediately swap to Corrosive for armor

Shotguns, SMGs, or repeaters work best.

3. Stay behind pillars

Donk’s lasers don't curve well around geometry.

4. Ignore Screw entirely

Only dodge Screw's:

energy projectiles
radial blast
melee charges

but do not waste damage on him.

5. Don’t greed the last 20%

Even at 1 HP, Donk can still dome-shield Screw. Take your time and finish him cleanly.

Phase Two: Minister Screw at Full Power

With Donk dead, Screw becomes more dangerous but predictable.

Minister Screw’s Three Bars

Shield → Shock
Armor → Corrosive
Flesh → Incendiary (melts hardest with DOT stacking)

Attack Patterns (Updated for late 2025 patch)

Tracking Orbs – Harder to dodge; strafe + slide-jump
Shockwaves – Roll backwards on telegraph
Close-Range Swipe – Now has a bleed effect at Mayhem 7+
Black Hole Vortex – Hardest mechanic, still lethal at all levels

Minister Screw’s Black Hole: Updated Strategy (2026)

What’s New?

In the December 2025 balance patch, the black hole:

Pulls harder
Activates slightly faster
Has a larger initial radius

How to Counter It (100% consistency)

1. STOP trying to run away

Running is useless—the pull strength beats every movement stat.

2. LOOK UP immediately

You’ll see 3–5 grapple points above center arena.

3. Grapple into the ceiling

Hold the grapple to ride the animation safely until the vortex ends.

4. Drop down + burst

Screw has a moment of recovery—this is your highest DPS window.

Common Player Death Reasons:

Waiting too long before grappling
Sprinting instead of grappling
Staying near the arena’s center during phase transitions

Advanced Tactics (Based on High-Level Players & Community Data)

1. Fight at Mid-Range

Close range = risk of bleed melee
Long range = tracking orb accuracy increases
Mid-range is the sweet spot.

2. Slide + Jump rhythm

Avoids both Screw’s orbs and Donk’s line lasers.

3. Use verticality

Rocket jump, double jump, and Amon’s whip create safe repositioning moments.

4. Co-op Strategy

One player roams left lane
One roams right
Split aggro = easier DPS windows

This is the strongest method to farm at Mayhem 10.

Rewards (2025/2026 Confirmed Drop Table)

Minister Screw’s Dedicated Drops

🎯 Rowdy Rider (Assault Rifle) — S-Tier

Critical ricochets scale extremely well in 2026 builds.

🎯 Inscriber (Pistol) — A-Tier

Spawns back-shot projectiles; strong for bosses with large hitboxes.

🎯 Healthraiser (Repkit) — S-Tier

Huge survivability tool—amazing for Chaos or Mayhem builds.

Fastest Farming Method (2026 Update)

Defeat the bosses once to unlock reruns.
Return to the Ministry of Culture entrance.
Use Moxxi’s Big Encore Machine.
Pay cash or Eridium → bosses instantly respawn.

Best Drop Rate Boosters

Mayhem Level (8–10 recommended)
Luck Stat stacking via artifacts
Co-op Multiplayer minor global increase

Conclusion: Turn Chaos Into Profit

Once you know the real flow of the fight—Donk first, grapple the Black Hole, rotate through elemental loadouts—the entire battle becomes a fast, high-profit legendary farm.

Whether you want the Rowdy Rider for your late-game build or the Inscriber for crit-based combos, this encounter becomes one of the most efficient Mercenary Day farms in Borderlands 4.

Borderlands 4: How to Beat Minister Screw & Donk (2026 Guide) – Best Strategies, Attacks & Legendary Drops