Borderlands 4 introduces four new Vault Hunters, each with unique backgrounds and abilities that enrich the gameplay experience. The playable characters are Amon, the Forgeknight and cult survivor; Harlowe, a former combat scientist specializing in tech; Rafa, an Exo-Soldier with an advanced exoskeleton; and Vex, a Siren wielding powerful phase energy. These new Vault Hunters bring distinct skill trees and adaptable playstyles, catering to a diverse range of combat preferences.
Each character features three customized Action Skills and extensive skill trees offering augmented and capstone abilities, allowing players to tailor their builds. New gameplay mechanics like grappling, gliding, double jumping, and vehicle summoning add layers of mobility and strategy. The introduction of these Vault Hunters marks a thoughtful evolution of the franchise, blending classic Borderlands elements with fresh innovations.
The future of Borderlands 4 also includes DLC content, with C4SH announced as the first downloadable Vault Hunter, continuing the trend of expanding player options post-launch. With their distinct traits and expansive customization options, these hunters promise to diversify the experience across both solo and cooperative play.
Key Takeways
- Four new Vault Hunters with unique skills are available at launch.
- Extensive skill trees provide in-depth customization for each character.
- New mobility and combat mechanics enhance gameplay variety.
All New Vault Hunters in Borderlands 4
Borderlands 4 introduces four distinct Vault Hunters, each with unique abilities and skill sets that define their roles on the battlefield. These characters bring a blend of offensive tactics, defensive resilience, and technological innovation, crafted to diversify gameplay and enhance cooperative strategies.
Vex the Siren: Powers and Playstyle
Vex is a Siren whose abilities focus on manipulating elemental forces and summoning companions. She channels phase energy to convert her damage output to the elemental type of her equipped weapon. This adaptive power allows Vex to tailor her attacks based on enemy weaknesses, making her versatile across combat situations.
Her Action Skills emphasize control and versatility, enabling players to summon entities or utilize phase-based effects. Vex’s skill tree provides options that enhance her elemental damage and tactical summons, offering a hybrid playstyle that balances offensive strikes with supportive capabilities in team play.
Rafa the Exo-Soldier: Abilities and Traits
Rafa, formerly a soldier at Tediore, comes equipped with an advanced exo-suit that transforms his combat approach. His signature ability, Overdrive, activates upon using his Action Skill, significantly increasing his movement speed and all damage sources. This trait suits aggressive, high-mobility combat styles.
His exo-suit allows for digi-structing weapons, meaning he can modify or dismantle gear mid-fight, adding a layer of adaptability. Rafa’s skill trees augment his offensive potential and survivability, ideal for frontline engagements where rapid response and raw damage output are critical.
Harlowe the Gravitar: Combat Science and Tech
Harlowe serves as a combat scientist once affiliated with Maliwan. She introduces advanced technology and battlefield gadgets into combat. Her Entanglement trait causes enemies affected by her Action Skill to share portions of incoming gun and skill damage, amplifying damage efficiency in group fights.
Her class features technological utilities and control mechanics, supporting manipulation of enemy positioning and damage distribution. Harlowe’s playstyle relies on scientific precision and battlefield control, making her effective in both solo and cooperative scenarios that benefit from strategic damage sharing.
Amon the Forgeknight: Defensive Offense
Amon is a warrior and the only survivor of a Vault Monster assault on his cult. His Forgeknight title reflects a hybrid combat style with a strong defensive core that integrates offense. Amon’s Forgeskill trait activates with his equipped Action Skill, delivering unique effects based on the skill in use.
This design encourages an adaptive approach to combat, allowing players to switch tactics seamlessly. Amon’s robust skill trees support tank-like durability while providing powerful offensive capabilities, making him a key figure in prolonged engagements where sustained defense and counterattacks are vital.
Skills, Abilities, and Customization Features
Borderlands 4 introduces a deep system of skills and customization tailored to each Vault Hunter. Players engage with unique Action Skills, expansive skill trees, and weapon crafting, all designed to support varied playstyles and strategic combat choices.
Action Skills and Signature Traits
Each Vault Hunter has three distinct Action Skills, granting tactical versatility. For instance, Vex wields abilities like Phase Phamiliar, summoning a spectral pet for tanking and damage, and Dead Ringer, which calls forth clone minions with specific damage roles. Her signature trait, Phase Covenant, synchronizes her damage type with the elemental nature of her weapon, enhancing adaptability.
Rafa specializes in hybrid ranged and melee combat with skills such as Peacebreaker Cannons, automated shoulder-mounted guns, Apophis Lance for charged cannon shots, and Arc-Knives that transform his fighting style. His Overdrive trait boosts movement speed and damage after skill activation.
Amon acts as a versatile tank, with Onslaughter providing shield regeneration and rocket punches, Scourge generating absorptive shields with damaging waves, and Crucible yielding axes that inflict damage and control. His Forgeskill trait enhances these skills by adding offensive effects, such as summoning drones.
Harlowe focuses on crowd control and support through CHROMA Accelerator for enemy slowing, Zero-Point to trap targets, and Flux Generator for entanglement fields. Her Entangled trait distributes damage across marked enemies, increasing team synergy and control.
Skill Trees and Build Diversity
Each character’s Action Skills connect to dedicated skill trees that allow players to specialize and further customize the effectiveness of their abilities. These trees include passives, Augments, and Capstones that fine-tune damage types, cooldowns, and utility.
For example, Vex’s trees support summoner builds or self-transformation with lifesteal effects. Rafa’s skill paths enhance ranged explosive damage or melee prowess. Amon’s skill trees enable toggling between defensive tanking and aggressive offense through Forgeskill augmentations that modify the base Action Skills. Harlowe’s skill trees expand her supportive potential by improving crowd control duration and damage distribution.
Weapon customization is another layer of build diversity. Players combine parts from various manufacturers, crafting hybrid guns that synergize with skill effects and character traits. This system encourages experimentation with different playstyles and combat strategies.
Movement, Gear, and Combat Innovations
Borderlands 4 advances mobility with features such as gliding and the use of exosuits that enhance traversal and combat dynamics on the new planet, Kairos. The Overdrive trait exemplifies speed-based combat enhancements, enabling rapid repositioning and aggressive engagements.
Gear includes new weapon types and highly customizable options. Vault Hunters can mix parts to tailor weapons for specific elemental effects or damage priorities that align with Action Skills. The game also introduces advanced enemy AI with tactical surface awareness, requiring players to adapt their combat approaches.
Intel and surface interactions play roles in strategic combat, allowing players to use environmental features and enemy behaviors to their advantage. Cross-manufacturer weapon crafting further deepens gear complexity.
Co-op Play and Cross-Platform Availability
Co-op in Borderlands 4 supports up to four players, each selecting from different Vault Hunters to complement team dynamics. Skills like Harlowe’s Entangled trait promote cooperative damage sharing and crowd control synergy.
The game features full cross-platform support, enabling seamless play across PC, consoles, and handheld devices. This inclusivity expands player pools and improves matchmaking quality.
Shared loot and progression systems ensure balanced reward distribution. Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode scales difficulty and loot quality based on player count, maintaining challenge and engagement in cooperative matches.
