Borderlands 4 takes the series' signature looter-shooter chaos to a new level, but this time with a tighter focus: just four Vault Hunters to choose from. Each comes with three action skills tied to a distinct skill tree (red, green, and blue), plus augments and capstones that let you shape them into unique builds.

But with so many options, one question dominates the conversation: Which Vault Hunter is the strongest in Borderlands 4? Let's break it down with tier lists covering characters, skill trees, and builds.

Borderlands 4 Vault Hunter Tier List – Best Characters Ranked

S Tier – Rafa

If you're looking for the easiest, strongest pick in Borderlands 4, Rafa is the go-to choice. His Overdrive trait gives him sustained damage and speed boosts every time he activates an action skill, which lingers after the skill ends. That makes him extremely effective in both mobbing and bossing.

  · Arc-Knives (melee shock damage, enemy marking) – simple but aggressive.

  · Peacebreaker Cannons (deployable shoulder turrets) – massive sustained DPS.

  · APOPHIS Lance (piercing shock orbs) – great ranged synergy with gunplay.

Rafa is reliable, straightforward, and powerful without needing micromanagement—perfect for solo play.

A Tier – Harlowe

Harlowe is a flexible, tactical Vault Hunter, shining in co-op. Her Entanglement trait links enemies together, letting damage spread across groups. She thrives when you set up enemies and unleash explosive combos.

  · CHROMA Accelerator – Cryo/radiation orb that chains massive explosions.

  · Flux Generator – Creates overshields and cryo damage fields, ideal for support.

  · Zero Point – Crowd control via suspending enemies in stasis bubbles.

She's not as easy as Rafa but offers incredible utility and high payoff for players who enjoy tactical gameplay.

B Tier – Vex

Vex is all about companions and weapon synergies. Her Phase Covenant trait ties her action skills to the weapon type you're wielding, rewarding players who know damage types and enemy weaknesses.

  · Dead Ringer – Summons a melee Reaper or ranged Specter clone.

  · Phase Phamiliar – Summons Trouble, a persistent companion with commands.

  · Incarnate – Transforms into an eldritch caster with AoE blasts.

Vex is powerful in the right hands but has a steeper learning curve than Rafa or Harlowe. She's best for experienced players who enjoy minion builds and adaptability.

B/C Tier – Amon

The melee bruiser of BL4, Amon thrives in aggressive close-range combat. His skills mix offense and defense but require mastery of timing and positioning.

  · Scourge – Absorbs damage into a shield, releasing vengeance waves.

  · Crucible – Throws elemental axes for explosive combos.

  · Onslaughter – Rocket punches with speed and shield boosts.

He can be devastating late-game, but feels clunky early on, which keeps him from rising higher in the tier list.

Borderlands 4 Skill Tree Tier List – Best Action Skills Ranked

1. Rafa Red (Peacebreaker Cannons) – S Tier

Automatic turrets with lifesteal and elemental options make this one of the most broken skill trees in the game.

2. Vex Green (Incarnate) – S Tier

Skeletal wings, life steal, AoE blasts, and bleed effects give Vex endgame-level DPS and survivability.

3. Harlowe Red (CHROMA Accelerator) – S Tier

Radiation/cry explosions chain damage across mobs and bosses alike.

4. Amon Green (Crucible) – A Tier

Elemental axes with shock buffs, freezing, and firepower.

5. Vex Blue (Dead Ringer) – A Tier

Summons fragile but powerful minions for tactical play.

6. Harlowe Green (Flux Generator) – A Tier

Crowd control and support, spreading damage through Entangle.

7. Rafa Blue (APOPHIS Lance) – B Tier

Strong shock cannon, but lacks sustain.

8. Amon Blue (Scourge) – B Tier

Tanky shield skill, but long cooldowns limit it.

9. Harlowe Blue (Zero Point) – B Tier

Great for CC, less effective on bosses.

10. Rafa Green (Arc-Knives) – C Tier

Flashy melee, but squishy and struggles against bosses.

11. Amon Red (Onslaughter) – C Tier

Fun melee chain attacks, but weak versus bosses.

12. Vex Red (Phase Phamiliar) – C Tier

Pet-focused, but unreliable companion AI holds it back.

Borderlands 4 Build Tier List – Best Builds Ranked

1. Minion Dead Ringer Vex – S Tier

Specters scale with your weapons, creating a powerhouse minion build that dominates from early to late game.

2. Bleed Dead Ringer Vex – S Tier

Crit feedback loops create exponential damage scaling—currently considered the strongest build in BL4.

3. Onslaughter Amon – A Tier

Fast-paced melee juggernaut chaining kills into infinite shield refills.

4. Cannons Rafa – A Tier

Turrets become boss-melting machines that scale with your gear.

5. Chroma Accelerator Harlowe – A Tier

Radiation explosions with high fire-rate weapons destroy mobs and bosses.

6. Flux Generator Harlowe – A Tier

Group support and AoE damage—great in co-op.

7. Phase Phamiliar Vex – B Tier

Solid minion/tank hybrid, but weaker single-target DPS.

8. Forgedrone Minion Amon – B Tier

Explosive chaos built with drones, fun but inconsistent.

9. Overdrive Rafa – B Tier

Run-and-gun momentum builds, strong but lacks late-game scaling.

10. Arc-Knives Rafa – C Tier

Melee build with corrosive crits—fun but situational.

11. Crucible Amon – C Tier

Explosion loop potential, but too clunky to dominate.

12. Grenade Rafa – D Tier

Grenade-focused build, fun but too simple and underwhelming.

Conclusion – Who is the Best Vault Hunter in Borderlands 4?

If you want the strongest overall Vault Hunter, pick Rafa for his unmatched balance of power, simplicity, and effectiveness in solo play. If you enjoy tactical depth and co-op synergy, Harlowe is a fantastic second choice.

For minion lovers and late-game scaling, Vex has some of the most overpowered builds, but she requires more effort. And if you're into high-risk melee brawling, Amon will reward mastery, though he lags behind the others.

Ultimately, the best Vault Hunter and build depends on your playstyle—but Rafa's Peacebreaker Cannons and Vex's Dead Ringer builds are currently dominating the Borderlands 4 meta.