Borderlands 4’s Rafa Has to Break Generations of Vault Hunter Trauma

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Before Borderlands 4, the action always revolved around a plethora of guns, but behind each trigger pull is a Vault Hunter – the playable characters in the Borderlands universe. As we’re eagerly waiting for the launch of Borderlands 4, we’ve been treated to sneak peeks at its four new Vault Hunters, with Vex, Rafa, and Amon already stealing the show, leaving Harlowe’s turn in the spotlight yet to come. So far, it seems like each character is bringing a unique twist to gameplay that we haven’t experienced before in the series, but Rafa might just stand out as the wild card if history has anything to say about it.

Each character in Borderlands 4 brings something distinct to the table, and they seem deeper than any previous Vault Hunters. Although unique, it doesn’t necessarily mean they are equal. Vex stands out with her Siren abilities and a formidable pet named “Trouble,” Amon appears as one of the most diverse characters in the series, and Harlowe looks promising for cooperative play and crowd control. However, Rafa bears a striking resemblance to past Vault Hunters, which could potentially make him less distinctive than the others. Let’s hope he doesn’t disappoint us in that regard.

Borderlands 4’s Rafa Could Break the Vault Hunter Curse

A History of Underwhelming Archetypes

Across all Borderlands games, it’s common consensus among the community that at least one Vault Hunter doesn’t perform as well as expected, be it in terms of damage, survivability, usefulness, or charm. For instance, Brick from the original Borderlands, while adored for his character, was not an ideal choice to play on harder difficulties. This trend continued in Borderlands 2 with Axton, whose turret could be helpful at times but couldn’t match the power of characters like Salvador and Zer0. The Pre-Sequel’s Aurelia was stylish, yet she fell short when it came to efficient team play or high-level gameplay.

In the game Borderlands 3, overall balance was enhanced, yet Zane (a recurring character in Borderlands 4) still seemed to trail behind compared to other playable characters such as Moze, Amara, and FL4K. Although his gadget-based combat was engaging, it didn’t deliver the consistent high damage output these characters could produce. Consequently, Zane ended up among the “less effective” Vault Hunters like Brick, Axton, and Aurelia. This unintentionally created an informal “least powerful Vault Hunter” persona, where characters might boast abilities but frequently struggle to deliver on their promises.

Why Rafa’s Hybrid Build Raises Questions

Here comes Rafa from Borderlands 4, with his combat gear looking like leftovers from the past. He’s equipped with mid-range fighting, a variety of utility skills akin to Axton, and some abilities that hint at Aurelia’s control in specific situations and Zane’s gadget swapping. This character offers a lot of versatility, but there’s a risk he might be too “jack of all trades,” which could make him less effective as a top choice for players, as he may end up being a “master of none.” Essentially, Rafa falls into the same trap that other Vault Hunter archetypes have found themselves in.

In the long run, Rafa’s true evaluation will hinge on how effectively his health, durability, and assistance abilities are balanced. If he can perform well even without optimal equipment, he might successfully overturn decades of Vault Hunter hardship and redefine expectations for his character type. Conversely, if he initially appears underpowered, players may quickly dismiss him as the weakest option, resulting in the other four Vault Hunters receiving more attention.

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2025-08-11 22:04