Choosing your character in Borderlands 4 is always a tough call, since every Vault Hunter has their own unique feel in the crazy world of Kairos. There are four hunters to choose from, but each offers its own playstyle.
You don’t want to choose blindly, either. You should really make sure that you know who you are picking and that they are right for you, whether you’re playing early or not.
Who Should I Play as in Borderlands 4?
If you’re after a character who can hold their own, summon a bunch of buddies, and adapt to pretty much any situation, then Vex the Siren might just be the one for you. Her supernatural phase energy makes for a really unique and forgiving playstyle, which is perfect if you’re planning on going through the Borderlands solo.
Her whole design is centered around providing steady support and damage with her summoned allies, taking the pressure off of you to constantly be in the thick of the action or perfectly time complex combos. This makes her an awesome choice for anyone who wants a more relaxed but still super effective experience on Kairos, ensuring you’ll always have a backup plan (or two, or three) ready to turn the tide of battle, and she’s the best one to use to unlock Vault Hunter mode.
All Characters in Borderlands 4
Borderlands 4 has introduced four totally distinct characters, like Moxi, who was great enough to get her own free Fortnite bundle. and each one brings a unique playstyle to the battlefield. First up is Harlowe, the Gravitar. She’s a former Maliwan scientist, and it’s pretty clear she uses her brain to kick some serious butt. She brings a ton of high-tech gadgets and is all about controlling the crowd with Cryo and Radiation damage.
Next, we have Amon, the Forgeknight. This guy is a tank, driven by a mission to take down Vault monsters. What’s awesome about him is how customizable he is. He uses weaponized drones and a bunch of “Forgeskills” that you can adapt to any situation.
Then there’s Rafa, the Exo-Soldier. After his body was messed with by Tediore, he now rolls around in a high-tech Deadframe exo-suit. He’s a versatile hybrid who’s great at both melee and ranged combat, specializing in Shock and Corrosive elements.
Finally, we have Vex, the Siren. She uses supernatural phase energy to power herself up and conjure some seriously deadly minions. Her “Phase Covenant” trait is incredibly flexible, and it converts her action skill and melee damage to whatever elemental type her current gun is.
Who Is Amon the Forgeknight in Borderlands 4?
Amon, also known as the Forgeknight, is a massive tank who’s all about dishing out and taking a ton of damage in Borderlands 4. He was part of a cult that worshipped a Vault monster, but then that very monster wiped out everyone he loved. Now, he’s the last one standing, and his whole purpose is to hunt and destroy as many of those beasts as possible.
Even though he’s a total badass on the outside and laser-focused on his mission, he’s actually a pretty warm and thoughtful guy on the inside. He’s known for being a bit of a warrior-poet, sharing stories and advice from all his travels, which makes him a really compelling character in the Borderlands universe.
In a fight, Amon is incredibly versatile, thanks to his weaponized drones and “Forgeskills.” He can switch between offense and defense on the fly, making him a major asset to any team. He can use a Forgehammer for huge pulverizing attacks, slice through enemies with Forgeaxes, or absorb incoming damage with a Forgeshield. His Vault Hunter Trait, “Forgeskill,” changes based on the Action Skill he has equipped, which adds a whole new layer of strategy.
For instance, if he’s using “Onslaughter,” he gets a new melee ability called “Molten Slam” that unleashes an Incendiary area-of-effect attack. If “Scourge” is active, he can deploy a “Firewall” that absorbs projectiles and buffs his allies. With “Crucible,” he gets a “Double-Edge” ability that lets him throw a twin Forgeaxe that does Cryo damage on the way out and Incendiary damage on the way back.
His skill trees really drive home that he’s a melee combatant and a tough tank, leaning heavily on Incendiary and Cryo damage. The “Calamity” skill tree is all about direct assault, letting you Rocket Punch enemies and stagger them, while constantly regenerating your shields and getting bonus Incendiary gun damage. The “Vengeance” skill tree focuses on his defensive side with “Scourge,” which lets him absorb frontal damage with a Forgeshield and then unleash it as a powerful Forgewave.
This tree is awesome for solo play because of the damage mitigation, but it’s also great for multiplayer since the “Firewall” can provide big buffs to teammates. The last tree, “Cybernetics,” gives him access to different elemental Forge projectiles, letting him set up detonations for huge explosions and cooldown refunds. Overall, Amon is the perfect choice for players who want to get up close and personal and never worry about dying. He can take a serious beating and dish out even more, all while being incredibly adaptable.
Who Is Harlowe the Gravitar in Borderlands 4?
Harlowe, also known as the Gravitar, is an amazing new character in Borderlands 4. She’s a former Maliwan combat scientist who’s super smart but also has this incredible energy and love for life. Unlike her relatives in the Traunt family, her mind is her greatest weapon.
She’s all about bringing new tech and gadgets to the battlefield. Her enthusiasm is honestly contagious; she approaches every fight with a sunny, cheerful disposition, and you get the feeling that nothing can really get her down. She’s always ready to deliver a beatdown, and she does it with a smile.
Harlowe’s combat style is all about her clever contraptions, which she uses to completely change the flow of a battle. Her gear lets her use powerful crowd control with Cryo and Radiation damage to slow down and weaken her enemies. Still, she’s not just about offense; she’s also a great support character, capable of boosting her team’s survivability.
For example, her signature CHROMA Accelerator creates an Unstable Energy Pocket that deals Cryo damage and chills enemies in its path. She also uses the HALO Accelerator to isolate high-priority targets by creating a Stasis bubble, which suspends them and leaves them totally vulnerable. With her Flux Generator, she can hit an entire area, buffing her allies and freezing enemies at the same time. Talk about versatile!
Her unique Vault Hunter Trait is called Entanglement, and it really shows off her strategic mind. When she uses an Action Skill on enemies, they become Entangled, meaning they share a portion of Gun Damage and Skill Damage with all other Entangled enemies. This trait seriously amps up the damage for the whole team, turning what would be single attacks into collective beatdowns.
Her skill trees, Creative Bursts, Seize the Day, and Cosmic Brilliance, are all designed to enhance her abilities. Creative Bursts focuses on her CHROMA Accelerator, letting her trigger powerful Cryo or Radiation explosions. Seize the Day, which is all about her Zero Point Action Skill, is centered on incapacitating enemies with stasis.
Finally, Cosmic Brilliance builds on the Flux Generator, making her an even better support character for allies and letting her control large groups of enemies. Honestly, Harlowe is a master of elemental damage and tactical support, making her a huge asset to any team of Vault Hunters.
Who Is Rafa the Exo-Soldier in Borderlands 4?
Rafa, also known as the Exo-Soldier was born and raised in microgravity, so his body wasn’t built for life on different planets. Because of this, he joined Tediore’s military and got some major upgrades to be able to use an advanced exo-suit.
This suit, called a Deadframe, lets him finally go out and explore the universe, but there’s a catch: he’s now bound to Tediore’s service forever. He decided he wasn’t having it and went AWOL, so now he’s a fugitive, and his Deadframe could literally kill him at any moment. That’s what drives him to make the most of his time as a Vault Hunter.
When it comes to fighting, Rafa is a hybrid character, meaning he’s great at both close-up melee attacks and long-range gunplay. He also specializes in Shock and Corrosive damage, which is a great combo. This makes him an awesome choice for players who like to switch things up. His special ability, called Overdrive, gives him a huge boost to both movement speed and damage from everything for as long as his Action Skill is active.
The best part is that the duration of Overdrive doesn’t decrease while an Action Skill is in use, which means he can keep up the pressure during extended fights. His three Action Skills really show off his adaptability. The APOPHIS Lance is his arm cannon that fires powerful Shock blasts. You can fire it quickly or charge it up for more damage, a bigger projectile, and a faster shot.
Any unused charges even turn into cooldown reduction, which is a nice touch. For enemies a bit farther away, he uses shoulder-mounted Peacebreaker Cannons that deal Kinetic damage in a frontal arc. When enemies get right in his face, he brings out his twin Arc-Knives energy blades for some serious melee damage that marks enemies, making them take more damage.
Rafa’s skill trees are called “People Person,” “Remote Agent,” and “This Year’s Gimmick,” and they let you tweak his abilities to fit your playstyle. Whether you’re blasting from afar, using your cannons, or getting in close with your knives, Rafa and his Deadframe are a formidable force on the planet Kairos. He’s always adapting to completely overwhelm his enemies.
Who Is Vex the Siren in Borderlands 4?
Borderlands 4 brings us a new Vault Hunter named Vex, the Siren, and her story is just as interesting as her powers. Her life was pretty rough early on, and that’s what made her so cynical and sarcastic. However, Vex knows what it’s like to suffer, and that’s what drives her to help others, especially if it means taking down “oppressive jerks.
Her willingness to cause some serious damage isn’t just for show; it’s her way of fighting for justice, even if she’s got a pessimistic attitude about it. As a Siren, Vex can use powerful phase energy in battle. It’s super versatile, letting her either boost her own power or create a bunch of deadly minions who will fight right alongside her. This unique ability to summon companions makes her a fantastic choice for solo players, as her spectral allies can handle everything from dealing damage and distracting enemies to soaking up hits.
Vex’s signature trait, Phase Covenant, makes her even more adaptable by changing all her Action Skill and Melee Damage to the elemental type of her current weapon. This lets her swap elements on the fly, making her arguably the most flexible character you can play. Her three Action Skills offer up some really different ways to play.
With “Dead Ringer,” Vex can summon either a taunting Reaper for close-quarters combat or a stationary Specter that shoots projectiles. The Heirloom Capstone in this tree is a game-changer, letting her Specters copy her equipped gun, which is awesome when you’ve got some top-tier legendary gear.
Then there’s “Phase Phamiliar” from the Fourth Seal skill tree, which introduces a wildcat minion named Trouble. This little guy can teleport, turn into a “Badass” version of itself, and even provide melee, ranged, taunt, and instant healing abilities. Finally, the Vexcalation skill lets Vex unleash a Phase Explosion that deals damage and restores her health, along with Eldritch Blast projectiles.
This is more of a direct, self-sufficient approach to combat. Her ability to restore health and apply status effects in this archetype just adds another layer to her multifaceted combat style in Borderlands 4.
