Borderlands 4, the latest installment in the popular looter-shooter series by Gearbox Software, introduces four new Vault Hunters, each with unique classes, traits, action skills, and playstyles. These classes define how you approach combat, whether solo or in co-op. In this article, we'll provide an overview of all classes and discuss which one stands out as the best based on community consensus and expert analyses.
Overview of All Classes
Amon the Forgeknight
Amon is a tanky melee-focused Vault Hunter specializing in Incendiary and Cryo damage. His playstyle revolves around versatility, allowing for defensive or aggressive approaches.
- Trait: Forgeskill – Activates a special ability that varies based on the equipped action skill, such as Molten Slam for area damage or Firewall for projectile absorption.
- Action Skills:
- Onslaughter: Overloads Forgefist for shield regeneration, bonus Incendiary damage, increased movement speed, and a rocket punch melee attack.
- Crucible: Throws Forgeaxes (Flame or Frost) that prime enemies for detonation; picking them up refunds cooldown.
- Scourge: Equips a Forgeshield to absorb damage as Vengeance, then launches a Forgewave for Cryo damage.
- Playstyle: Ideal for players who enjoy close-quarters combat, elemental damage, and tanking hits. Great in co-op but can feel clunky solo due to complexity.
Harlowe the Gravitar
Harlowe is a crowd-control specialist using Cryo and Radiation elements with engineered devices to manipulate enemies.
- Trait: Entanglement – Damages from action skills link enemies, sharing damage among them.
- Action Skills:
- Chroma Accelerator: Fires an Unstable Energy Pocket for Cryo damage, exploding into Radiation.
- Zero-Point: Places enemies in stasis, then slams them for an explosion.
- Flux Generator: Deploys a device creating an energy field for Cryo damage and ally overshields.
- Playstyle: Focuses on area-of-effect damage and immobilization. Excellent for teamplay and controlling mobs, but lacks strong solo defense.
Rafa the Exo-Soldier
Rafa is a high-DPS frontline fighter with hybrid melee and ranged capabilities, emphasizing Shock and Corrosive elements.
- Trait: Overdrive – Activates on action skill use, boosting movement speed and damage.
- Action Skills:
- Apophis Lance: Arm cannon fires piercing Shock blasts; unused charges refund cooldown.
- Peacebreaker Cannons: Shoulder cannons deal Kinetic damage in a frontal arc.
- Arc-Knives: Dual blades mark enemies for bonus damage, with dash attacks and Blade Fury.
- Playstyle: Suited for aggressive, burst-damage strategies. Easy for beginners, excels in endgame with equipment mastery.
Vex the Siren
Vex is a versatile Siren who summons phase entities and adapts to elemental damage, making her strong for solo play.
- Trait: Phase Covenant – Attunes action skill and melee damage to the current gun's element.
- Action Skills:
- Dead Ringer: Summons minions (Specter for ranged, Reaper for melee) that distract enemies.
- Incarnate: Creates a Phase Explosion for damage and health restore, with Eldritch Blasts.
- Phase Familiar: Summons Trouble, a teleporting minion that can become a Badass version for boosts.
- Playstyle: Emphasizes self-healing, distractions, and elemental flexibility. Ideal for solo players due to minions drawing fire.
Which is the Best Class in Borderlands 4?
While "best" is subjective and depends on your playstyle, the consensus from various tier lists points to Vex the Siren as the top overall choice. Her ability to summon minions provides excellent survivability, especially in solo play, combined with lifesteal, flexible builds, and strong damage output. She's versatile in any setting and thrives with minimal gear optimization.
Rafa the Exo-Soldier is a close second, often in S-tier for his ease of use and high burst damage, making him great for beginners and aggressive players. Harlowe and Amon rank lower, excelling in specific roles like crowd control or tanking but lacking the all-around strength of Vex and Rafa.
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