Borderlands 4 Vault Hunters bring fresh chaos and excitement. There are four new Vault Hunters, each with Borderlands 4 Vault Hunters Abilities and personalities. Let’s meet these new heroes and discover their powers.
How Many Vault Hunters are in Borderlands 4?
Many fans ask how many vault hunters in Borderlands 4. The answer is four. This follows the series tradition of launching with four distinct playable characters in each main Borderlands game. (For example, Borderlands 3 also started with four Vault Hunters at release.) At launch, players will have four choices, and all of them are new to the franchise.
Gearbox Software has also hinted at adding more Vault Hunters through DLC after release. In fact, two additional Vault Hunter characters are expected post-launch as downloadable content. For now, though, the base game’s four Vault Hunters already offer plenty of variety and hours of mayhem.
Who are the Vault Hunters in Borderlands 4?
Borderlands 4 features four brand-new Vault Hunters at launch. The four Vault Hunters are Amon, Harlowe, Rafa, and Vex, each a new playable character class with unique skills. So we will tell you who the new vault hunters in Borderlands 4 in the sections below.
Amon – The Forgeknight
Official concept art of Amon, the Forgeknight Vault Hunter. Amon is a hulking “sci-fi Viking” warrior who can morph cybernetic Forge Drones from his body into an arsenal of elemental weapons.
Amon was raised in a cult that worshipped Vault monsters – until a Vault was opened and the creature inside slaughtered his family and friends. As the sole survivor of this tragedy, Amon swore to destroy all Vault monsters. Despite his grim mission, he is described by developers as a warrior-poet with a stoic but introspective demeanor.
He is dutiful and fierce in battle yet warm with his allies, often sharing wise stories from his harsh life on the road. In many ways, Amon is Borderlands 4’s answer to a melee berserker or “Viking” knight — a character built for players who want to charge head-on into the fray.
Forge Drones
Amon has cybernetic drones living in his spine and arms that he can psychically transform into all kinds of weapons. This means his body is literally an armory – he can deploy an array of melee tools like swords, axes, hammers, shields, spears, or even a whip at will. The developers jokingly call him a “sci-fi Viking” because of this versatile, brutal arsenal.
Elemental Arsenal
Amon’s forge-weapons aren’t just for melee – he can infuse them with elemental energy to attack from range. For example, he can hurl elemental axes at enemies for heavy elemental damage, such as tossing a corrosive axe to melt armored targets or a shock axe to strip enemy shields. He can also deploy a massive energy shield (formed by his drones) to absorb incoming fire, then convert it into an electrified whip lash that strikes back with the stored damage.
Crushing Blows
In close combat, Amon delivers devastating strikes. He can smash enemies with a titanic punch, then follow up by slamming a giant hammer into the ground – an area-of-effect blow that rattles all nearby foes. These crushing melee attacks make Amon the toughest brawler of the team, able to stagger groups of enemies up close.
Gameplay Tips
Amon is the tank of Borderlands 4 Vault Hunters – a durable front-line brawler built for players who like to wade directly into combat. Use his shield-drone ability to soak up damage and protect yourself (and teammates) during firefights, then retaliate with the empowered whip strike once the shield absorbs enough hits.
Take advantage of his elemental arsenal by switching damage types to exploit weaknesses (for instance, use fire against fleshy enemies and corrosive against armored ones). Despite his bulk, Amon isn’t limited to melee – don’t hesitate to throw elemental axes or use his ranged options when needed.
In co-op play, Amon shines as a protector, providing shielding and area-denial for your team. If you prefer a hulking, juggernaut Vault Hunter who can “block with a shield and charge in with elemental melee weapons”, Amon is an ideal choice.
Harlowe – The Gravitar
Official concept art of Harlowe, the Gravitar Vault Hunter. Harlowe is a genius tech-user from the infamous Traunt family, wielding gravity-manipulating gadgets (like a “disco ball of destruction” cannon) to suspend and explode her enemies.
Harlowe is a former Maliwan combat scientist born into the notorious Traunt family (a name Borderlands veterans might recognize). Her relentless curiosity and engineering brilliance made her something of an outcast among the belligerent Traunts.
Now, as a Vault Hunter, Harlowe brings a sunny disposition and infectious enthusiasm for discovery – even as she implodes or explodes anyone standing in her way. She is upbeat and cheerful, genuinely loving life and science, which contrasts with the destruction she can unleash. On the battlefield, Harlowe fights with inventive high-tech gadgets and gravity-based powers, earning her the class title “Gravitar.” In playstyle, she feels like a mashup of a Siren’s crowd-control and an Engineer’s gadgetry.
In fact, one of her core mechanics, Entanglement, is reminiscent of Maya’s phaselock links from BL2 – making Harlowe a second “pseudo-Siren” in the team.
Entanglement Trait
Harlowe’s unique Vault Hunter trait is Entanglement, a special status effect that links enemies together with a rainbow-hued energy tether.
Enemies afflicted by Entanglement share damage – any damage dealt to one target will spread to all other linked enemies. This makes Harlowe a crowd-control powerhouse; by entangling a group of foes, she essentially lets you damage an entire crowd by focusing fire on just one enemy.
Clever players can maximize area damage using this trait, softening up whole packs of enemies at once.
Zero-Point (Gravity Lock)
One of Harlowe’s signature Action Skills uses her experimental gravity tech to suspend an enemy in mid-air, completely immobilizing the target (much like a Siren’s phaselock ability).
The levitating enemy is helpless – they cannot move or attack – and thanks to Entanglement, any damage they take is echoed to all linked enemies. Harlowe can even augment this skill to slam the floating enemy down like a gravity bomb, injuring them (and their entangled friends) on impact.
This “zero-g lock” ability is perfect for taking dangerous enemies out of the fight briefly, and for setting up group kills.
Gadget Arsenal
Ever the inventor, Harlowe enters battle with various high-tech gadgets. For instance, she can deploy an anti-gravity mine (the Flux Generator) that creates a wide zero-g field – pulling in nearby enemies and leaving them dangling helplessly in mid-air.
It’s great for crowd clustering. She also has a device that fires a slow-moving energy sphere which the devs nicknamed a “disco ball of destruction”. This volatile orb travels through the battlefield, entangling any enemies it touches and then exploding with massive force. Essentially, Harlowe can toss enemies around with gravity and then obliterate groups of them with a well-placed energy blast.
These tools reward creativity – for example, you can lift and group enemies with the mine, then hit them with the exploding energy ball for a huge combo.
Gameplay Tips
Harlowe plays as a telekinetic crowd-control specialist. Always take advantage of Entanglement – link groups of enemies at every opportunity, so that your team’s damage is multiplied across all targets.
For tough encounters, use Zero-Point to pluck a dangerous enemy (like a badass) out of the fight; a levitated foe can’t shoot you, and when you slam them down it delivers area damage to all entangled enemies. Follow up by deploying Harlowe’s gadgets for combo effects: for example, throw out an anti-grav mine to cluster a mob, then fire the “disco ball” energy sphere to blow up the entire grouped mob. Harlowe’s kit makes the battlefield her playground – she can lift, toss, and topple enemies at will. In co-op, she’s invaluable for setting up enemies for your teammates to finish off.
If you loved Maya’s phaselock or enjoy inventive gadget-based characters, Harlowe will be your favorite. Focus on clever combinations of her tools – entangle, lift, slam, and explode – to control crowds and amplify damage for your team.
Rafa – The Exo-Soldier
Official art of Rafa, the Exo-Soldier Vault Hunter. Rafa wears an experimental Deadframe exo-suit grafted to his body, allowing him to conjure high-tech weapons (like dual energy blades and shoulder cannons) on the fly.
Rafa is a former Tediore soldier who literally can’t survive outside of his powered armor. Born and raised in a micro-gravity environment (off-world), Rafa’s bones and muscles never developed to handle standard gravity.
To save his life and enable him to explore other planets, Tediore surgically grafted him into an advanced Deadframe exo-suit. In exchange, Rafa owed them a military tour of duty.
However, when he discovered that his “tour of duty” was effectively never-ending, Rafa went AWOL, escaping Tediore’s clutches. Now he’s on the run as a Vault Hunter, determined to enjoy whatever time he has left – because his unstable exo-suit will eventually kill him (its systems will deteriorate).
Despite this grim fate, Rafa remains optimistic and charming, cracking jokes and wisecracks even in battle. He approaches life with a carpe diem attitude, making him an endearing character. In combat, Rafa makes up for his relatively frail human body by leveraging speed, agility, and high-tech digistruct weapons from his suit.
He is described as the most agile Vault Hunter to date, akin to a high-mobility rogue or assassin archetype rather than a typical soldier.
Overdrive Trait
Rafa’s class trait is called Overdrive. Whenever Rafa activates an Action Skill, his exo-suit goes into overdrive mode – granting him a short burst of dramatically increased movement speed (+25%) and damage (+10%) to all his attacks.
Overdrive lasts around 12 seconds by default, and importantly, its timer pauses while an Action Skill is active, meaning Rafa can extend the buff’s uptime by keeping his skills going. This trait makes Rafa incredibly fast and kinetic in combat – you’re rewarded for using Action Skills frequently, zipping around the battlefield and hitting harder whenever Overdrive is triggered.
High-Tech Weaponry
Thanks to his Deadframe suit (and Tediore’s digistruct tech), Rafa can conjure a variety of futuristic weapons on demand. We’ve seen him dual-wield glowing Arc Knives (energy blades) to slice through enemies at close range, as well as deploy Peacebreaker shoulder cannons that automatically gun down targets in his crosshairs. He also has an arm-mounted APOPHIS Lance that fires piercing laser blasts for heavy ranged damage.
In essence, Rafa is a one-man armory: one moment he’s sprinting in with twin energy swords, and the next he’s strafing around with auto-tracking turrets and laser cannons. This flexibility lets him adapt on the fly – dishing out high DPS whether up close or at range.
Ultimate Agility
Rafa’s exo-suit grants him unparalleled mobility. He can dash and even double-jump using jet boosters, allowing him to outmaneuver enemies easily.
In playtests, it’s noted that even enemy NPCs comment on how quick Rafa is in battle (a little flavor detail showing his reputation). His swift movement, combined with frequent Overdrive boosts, lets Rafa run circles around opponents. Developers have stated Rafa is “the most agile Vault Hunter to date”. This agility not only helps him avoid damage (since he’s not as tanky as Amon or Harlowe), but also synergizes with his weapon summons – he can dart in with blades for a kill, then dash out and let his shoulder turrets mop up other foes.
Gameplay Tips
Speed is your best friend when playing Rafa. Unlike a typical “soldier” character, Rafa should be played more like an assassin or ninja – constantly moving, evading, and hitting targets when they least expect it. Make liberal use of his Overdrive trait: activate an Action Skill whenever it’s off cooldown to get that burst of speed and damage.
With Overdrive active, reposition quickly to confuse enemies or close gaps for a killing blow. Rafa’s dual energy blades are devastating up close – use them to slice through weaker enemies or to finish off a wounded badass in style. When facing tougher foes or needing to keep distance, switch to Rafa’s ranged options: deploy his shoulder cannons or arm cannon and let them whittle down targets while you dodge return fire.
A hit-and-run approach works wonders: strike fast, then relocate before enemies can retaliate. Keep in mind Rafa’s health is comparatively low, so rely on mobility for survival. In co-op, Rafa can dart around drawing aggro and distracting enemies with his speed, allowing sturdier teammates to line up shots. Overall, Rafa is ideal for players who favor agility and high-tech gadgetry over brute force.
If you enjoyed characters like Zer0 or Zane in past games, you’ll likely feel right at home with Rafa’s fast-paced, gadget-rich playstyle.
Vex – The Siren
Official concept art of Vex, the Siren Vault Hunter. Vex is a “Dark Siren” who can summon spectral minions – like a ghostly Reaper or a giant astral cat named Trouble – and wield life-stealing Phase magic against her foes.
Vex is the latest Siren to join the Borderlands universe – and she’s unlike any Siren we’ve seen before. She had a rough upbringing, having to fend for herself on the streets, which left her cynical, sarcastic, and slow to trust.
Things only got more complicated when her Siren powers unexpectedly awakened. Beneath her salty exterior, however, Vex is secretly an empath who understands pain and hardship better than anyone. She might gripe and quip, but she does care about helping those in need – and if helping people means dealing damage to oppressive jerks, Vex is more than happy to oblige.
In personality she’s a bit of a pessimist with a heart of gold. In combat, Vex is dubbed a “Dark Siren” by developers, leaning into eerie, supernatural themes. She harnesses phase energy not just to blast enemies (as past Sirens did), but also to summon otherworldly minions to fight by her side.
Vex is also the first Siren to heavily focus on kinetic (non-elemental) damage and life-steal abilities, essentially draining the life force of enemies to heal herself. This makes her playstyle a unique mix of summoner and vampire-like caster, setting her apart from previous Sirens like Lilith, Maya, or Amara.
Phase Covenant Trait
Vex’s Siren trait is called Phase Covenant. This ability makes Vex extremely versatile with elemental damage. Essentially, Vex is Attuned to the elemental type of whatever gun she’s currently holding, and it converts all her Action Skill and melee damage to that element.
In other words, by simply swapping weapons, Vex can instantly change the elemental affinity of her powers. If she’s wielding a fire gun, her abilities deal Incendiary damage; if she switches to a Shock weapon, her skills deal Shock damage, and so on. This attunement also enables Vex to do something no previous Siren could: she has a heavy focus on kinetic damage (non-elemental) and can imbue her attacks with life-steal, draining enemy health to heal herself.
In gameplay terms, Phase Covenant means Vex can always target enemy weaknesses (just swap to the appropriate element) and sustain herself with continuous healing. It’s a very flexible trait, ideal for solo play.
Summoned Minions
Uniquely, Vex can manifest physical minions with her Siren powers – making her the first Siren who isn’t a lone wolf in combat. One Action Skill, Dead Ringer, lets Vex spawn a Phase Clone of herself. She can choose between summoning a Reaper (a melee-oriented doppelganger that taunts enemies and slices them up) or a Specter (a stationary spectral clone that snipes enemies from range but is fragile). These decoys draw enemy fire and deal damage, acting as Vex’s personal helpers.
Another Action Skill, Phase Phamiliar, summons Vex’s pet: a gigantic spectral cat named “Trouble.” Trouble appears and mauls enemies, dealing heavy damage, and can even temporarily power up into a “Badass” form with increased damage. Not only are these summons powerful on their own, but thanks to Phase Covenant Vex can apply elemental effects to her minions as well.
For example, if Vex is attuned to Corrosive, her summoned Trouble will deal corrosive damage – great for melting armored foes. This makes Vex a true summoner class – a first for Borderlands. She can field a small army of phase creatures to fight for her.
Dark Magic & Mobility
Vex wields her Phase powers in creative “dark magic” ways. She can unleash devastating phase-blast attacks for burst damage, and even sprout ethereal “vampire wings” during combat that help her glide or double-jump around the battlefield. Many of Vex’s skills involve life-steal or self-healing – for instance, she has passive skills that restore her health whenever her minions deal damage (literally siphoning life from enemies to herself). This makes her very self-sufficient.
Vex can also perform tricks like a rapid phase-dash and other movement boosts, keeping her highly mobile. Overall, her powers combine crowd-control, damage, and survivability. She can weaken hordes of enemies with status effects, send a Reaper to cut through them, and keep herself alive through constant healing.
Vex’s playstyle doesn’t mirror previous Sirens; it’s a fresh blend of elemental spellcaster and pet summoner, with a dash of vampiric self-healing.
Gameplay Tips
Vex is arguably the most versatile among the Borderlands 4 Vault Hunters and she’s very well-suited for solo players. To play her effectively, make full use of her elemental attunement – always match your weapon (and thus your Action Skill’s element) to the situation.
For example, equip a fire weapon when fighting flesh enemies so that your skills do fire damage, then switch to a shock weapon when you need to break shields. This lets Vex maximize damage output by exploiting enemy weaknesses on the fly. Keep your minions active as much as possible: summon a Reaper to draw aggro and melee enemies that get too close, or a Specter to deal ranged damage to tough targets while you take cover.
Don’t forget to use Trouble the spectral cat during big fights or boss battles – it can tank enemies and deal significant damage, essentially giving you an extra Action Skill on a cooldown. Positioning is key with Vex; use her mobility (phase-dashes, spectral wings, etc.) to reposition and stay safe while your minions engage enemies. Thanks to her life-stealing abilities, Vex can regain health by dealing damage, so apply status effects liberally and let the dark magic heal you as you fight. Unlike past Sirens who mostly dealt elemental damage directly, Vex can do a bit of everything – damage, support, and self-heal.
If you want a character who is extremely adaptive – capable of crowd-control, summoning allies, and surviving via healing – then Vex will likely be your go-to Borderlands 4 Vault Hunters.
Borderlands 4 DLC Vault Hunters
Gearbox Software has confirmed that Borderlands 4 will receive two additional Vault Hunters as post-launch DLC characters. This means the game will eventually feature six Vault Hunters in Borderlands 4 in total (the four at launch + two coming in expansions).
The identities and abilities of these DLC Vault Hunters haven’t been revealed yet – Gearbox is keeping those details under wraps for now. However, players can look forward to fresh characters and playstyles in future updates. With Gearbox’s commitment to robust ongoing content, fans can expect that these new Vault Hunters Borderlands 4 will bring even more variety and chaotic fun to the game’s already over-the-top roster of heroes.
In the meantime, the four launch Vault Hunters (Amon, Harlowe, Rafa, and Vex) offer plenty of mayhem to hold players over until the DLC arrives.
Bottom line
The Vault Hunters Borderlands 4 introduces each bring something exciting to the game. Fans can look forward to chaos and fun with these four new Vault Hunters and their wild abilities. Borderlands 4’s new Vault Hunters are poised to make the next adventure the most thrilling one yet.
