Borderlands 4 character tier list

Borderlands 4 may be a chaotic looter-shooter adventure, but that doesn’t mean you can just thrive with any character; you need the best.

Sure, tactics aren’t really the forefront of Borderlands 4, but you’ll often find yourself calling out for a revive or using that med-kit a little too often, especially if you don’t optimize your character or pick the strongest choice in the first place.

Naturally, when you’re just starting out, choosing the strongest character can be a little tricky. Luckily, we’ve got a full tier list to ensure you’re able to thrive in Kairos and feel like a true badass Vault Hunter.

Best characters in Borderlands 4

Our tiers explained

• S: The best
• A: Very good
• B: There might be situations where they can perform well

It’s worth noting that the roadmap does highlight that a new Vault Hunter will be coming, so when there’s a patch or a new character, we’ll be updating this article, so check back soon.

S-Tier characters

Vex

Dexerto

Vex is easily one of (if not the) most powerful characters in Borderlands 4. She’s got some fantastic minion summoning, meaning she’s able to thrive in any setting you find yourself in, whether that’s in co-op or solo play.

Master her minions, taunt enemies, and cycle through them with ease. Vex is an absolute powerhouse in any situation while keeping herself safe thanks to her summonable companions. 

Check out the best Vex build in Borderlands 4 here.

Rafa

Dexerto

Characters that excel in the endgame are fantastic in games like Borderlands 4, and Rafa is a prime example of that.

Rafa lands in S tier for how straightforward and brutally effective he is. The standout here is the Peacebreaker Cannons ricochet build, which turns his cannons into high-damage lasers that scale off your gun bonuses. With the Beam Team capstone, those cannons wipe mobs in seconds, while Double Auto Shot keeps bosses melting at close range.

The reason Rafa is in S-tier is due to how easy he is to play. Vex is here for those tactical players who thrive in their abilities. Rafa is here for those who’ve played Battlefield, CS:GO, CoD, or any FPS. If you play it like that, you’ll be thriving, and you’ll adore how he decimates those bandits and bosses without a care.

Check out the best Rafa build in Borderlands 4 here.

A-Tier characters

Harlowe

Dexerto

Harlowe is a fantastic fighter with the means to control the crowd around her. Her gravity skills and AoE abilities like Entanglement are fantastic when there’s a ton of enemies in one go. Then, her Radiation focus becomes deadly at higher levels, as you’ll literally melt through enemies.

However, she’s just not as versatile as the likes of Vex or Rafa. In a co-op scenario, she’s amazing thanks to her powerful crowd control, but in a solo situation, she doesn’t excel past that crowd control. You won’t find her too tricky to succeed with, but she’s not the strongest in the group.

Check out the best Harlowe build in Borderlands 4 here.

B-Tier characters

Amon

Dexerto

It’s worth noting before we dive into why he’s at the bottom of the pack, Amon is still great, he’s just more of a one-trick pony, which puts him lower than the others.

Essentially, he’s a brilliant tank, capable of surviving most hits once he’s had the right build. That said, Amon is tanky to a fault. His Pyroclast Onslaught build can turn him into a sprinting firestorm of melee damage, chaining kills into infinite uptime and fiery rocket procs. It’s easily his strongest setup and pushes him into A-tier potential in the right hands.

Check out the best Amon build in Borderlands 4 here.

So, those are the best characters to pick in Borderlands 4. While exploring Kairos, be sure to check out the Maurice Vending Machine location, Wildcard missions, upcoming roadmap, the best settings, and how to get some free rewards through the Twitch Drops and SHiFT codes.