Borderlands 4: How C4SH Compares to Past DLC Vault Hunters

C4SH, the newest playable character in Borderlands 4, continues a tradition of unique, downloadable content (DLC) Vault Hunters. These characters often offer fresh and unusual ways to play, and have generally been very successful. For example, Gaige in Borderlands 2 sacrificed precision for massive damage with her ‘Anarchy’ skill, and Aurelia in Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel had a unique focus on cooperative gameplay. However, C4SH might be Gearbox’s best DLC character yet, as he represents the peak of their experimental character design.

Previous downloadable characters often just offered different ways to play, but C4SH is different – his abilities are all based on chance. At first glance, this might remind players of Claptrap from The Pre-Sequel, who was known for being chaotic and unpredictable. However, a closer look reveals a deeper connection to characters like Gaige, Krieg, Jack, and Aurelia, sharing a similar complex design philosophy.

C4SH’s Probability-Minded Playstyle

Within the world of Borderlands, C4SH is a unique character because he’s suddenly facing genuine uncertainty – after being a casino dealer, he’s now a player, letting fate take its course. This backstory is reflected in his gameplay, which balances exciting randomness with reliable opportunities for gaining power. His core ability, Windfall, perfectly achieves this balance, making C4SH both a powerful late-game character and one of the most creatively designed Vault Hunters to date.

Windfall builds up Fortune stacks as you defeat enemies. Filling these stacks, either by reloading or using an Action Skill, can trigger a period of increased gun and Action Skill damage. What makes Windfall special is that C4SH’s Action Skills also become much more powerful during this time. This ensures players always have a strong potential for damage, even when conditions change.

C4SH’s Three Skill Trees Each Represent a Different Type of Chance

C4SH has three different skill paths, and each one uses probability in a unique way. The Chaos Walking tree is the most direct – it changes how bullets fly, but doesn’t affect the player’s choices. His Cross-Fire action skill lets him pull out dual revolvers and unleash a flurry of gunfire. Added effects, like knocking enemies back with melee attacks or targeting specific foes, add depth to combat. Plus, during his Windfall ability, those revolver shots can bounce off surfaces, which is similar to the chaotic bullet patterns players created with Gaige in Borderlands 2.

As a fan, I’m really excited about the ‘Luck of the Draw’ system! It reminds me a lot of the contract system from The Pre-Sequel, because you’re making choices before a fight that really impact how things play out. Basically, you build a deck of throwable ability cards – think Fireballs and Magic Missiles – and then each time you use your Action Skill, ‘Sleight of Hand’, you get a random hand. You can customize your deck with augments to add even more powerful (and random!) cards. And when you get a ‘Windfall’, the effects of those cards are seriously boosted, which can be amazing!

Roll the Bones is the riskiest of the three options, but also offers the most control. Its special ability, Cleromancy, uses magical dice to summon a Bone Totem. What the Totem does – whether it boosts allies, attacks enemies like a turret, stays put, or actively hunts targets – depends on the dice roll. When Windfall is active, each roll always produces a different effect, replacing pure chance with predictable variety. This option feels most like playing as Krieg, offering big rewards for players who aren’t afraid of unpredictable situations.

Gaige Established the Appeal of Controlled Chaos

When looking at how C4SH compares to other playable characters added through downloadable content, Gaige from Borderlands 2 is a clear inspiration. C4SH’s design feels heavily influenced by her. Like Gaige’s ‘Anarchy’ skill, C4SH embraces a chaotic playstyle, rewarding players with increased damage and unpredictable effects. ‘Anarchy’ was the first skill that felt intentionally unstable, but also very satisfying to use.

C4SH’s abilities clearly build on past designs. Windfall’s ability to make bullets bounce reinforces the ‘tree’ style of gameplay, and the way Ace in the Hole increases damage with each Fortune stack is similar to Anarchy, though more restrained. Trick Shot, which adds bouncing bullets and extra damage, fits with Gaige’s skills like Nth Degree and Close Enough, all of which excel at quickly damaging multiple enemies. These abilities all aim to make clearing groups of enemies easier and to trigger effects more often with each bounce.

Krieg Also Utilizes Risk As A Resource

Kreig’s gameplay often involved taking risks for greater power, built on the idea that staying alive and dealing damage don’t always go hand-in-hand. C4SH follows this same principle, but with a twist: while Kreig risked his health, C4SH risks maintaining consistent performance. The ‘Unshaken’ ability, which boosts damage when beneficial effects are lost, is similar to Kreig’s ‘Salt the Wound’ skill. Both skills turn a negative situation – losing advantages – into a chance to deal more damage, encouraging players to build characters that can benefit from taking calculated risks.

The Doppelgänger Shares Systems That Feed Themselves

In The Pre-Sequel, Handsome Jack’s clone, Timothy, was designed around abilities that created chain reactions – skills that let him kill more enemies, or create copies of himself that kept fighting even after being destroyed. C4SH, a new character, works similarly with his ‘Roll the Bones’ skill tree. One skill, ‘Restless Remains’, lets his summoned totems reappear after being defeated, mirroring Timothy’s ability to respawn copies with his ‘You’re Hired’ skill. While both abilities function on the same principle, there’s a key difference: Timothy’s power increases in a predictable way, while C4SH’s relies on chance.

Aurelia’s Threads Are Thinner

Comparing C4SH from New Tales from the Borderlands to Aurelia Hammerlock from Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel is tricky. Aurelia relies heavily on co-op play, while C4SH is designed for solo action. However, some similarities exist, particularly with C4SH’s companion-focused abilities. C4SH’s Potent Posse skill boosts companion damage, similar to how Aurelia’s Contractual Obligations skill benefits her partner. Additionally, C4SH’s Nothing Beats Lead skill converts elemental damage into physical damage, mirroring the way Aurelia’s Wintertide skill links different damage types together.

C4SH Is a Pitch Perfect DLC Vault Hunter

Each playable character added to the game through downloadable content has brought something unique to the table, but C4SH takes those innovations and concentrates them into one character. He offers a fresh experience that still feels distinctly Borderlands. More than previous characters, C4SH shows Gearbox is becoming more confident in building characters around interesting concepts instead of just typical fighting styles. But really, the best part about C4SH (and the content he came with) is simply how enjoyable he is to play.

2026-04-04 10:05