Though Tiny’s Tina’s Wonderlands has not even released yet, many fans have already started theorizing about what Borderlands 4 will be like. Unsurprisingly, one of the most popular topics is potential Vault Hunters. While some have made the case for a playable Tiny Tina or Tales from the Borderlands’ Fiona, one argument has not been made nearly enough.
Though the next Borderlands game will likely introduce a new team of Vault Hunters with fresh abilities like in other games, it might not be a bad idea to bring some old Vault Hunters back. Though the series has established a trend where previous Vault Hunters become quest givers and AI-controlled allies in certain missions, Borderlands 4 could shake things up by featuring a playable lineup of returning characters.
Why Old Borderlands Characters Should Be Playable Again
The biggest argument against playing as a character like Lilith again as opposed to a new Siren is that players will essentially be using the same skills that they did from older games. However, that would not necessarily be the case, as Borderlands 3 showed how much depth a single Vault Hunter could have through its various skill trees.
Unlike older Borderlands games where characters were limited to a single action skill, Borderlands 3 launched with a few different action skills for every Vault Hunter. The Designer’s Cut added extra skill trees for each character alongside new action skills, giving gamers some drastically different ways to play as their Vault Hunter of choice. With characters like Zane even being able to use multiple action skills at the same time, the latest mainline game was a big step up when it comes to character builds.
Certain characters from past Borderlands titles could be a lot of fun to see again if a similar approach is taken. For example, Lilith’s Phasewalk in the original Borderlands was just a small taste of her powers, with gamers never getting to make full use of the Firehawk abilities she has wielded since then. If Lilith became playable again, she could have an entire skill tree dedicated to flying around the map and slamming into the ground to create fiery explosions. This could come in addition to her old abilities, giving players the best of both worlds.
The same logic extends to other Borderlands characters. Borderlands 3’s FL4K made some big advancements when it comes to AI companions, with the pets from Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands expanding on the systems further. As such, a Vault Hunter like Mordecai could be a lot more fun to play than he was in the original game. Bloodwing was a fun enough action skill, but the bird was limited in what it could do. Talon, on the other hand, could feature a variety of attacks that are expanded upon with each skill tree.
Even the beloved Borderlands 2 Vault Hunter Zer0 could benefit from more action skills and focused skill trees, with Gearbox potentially leaning into Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands’ advanced melee systems to make his sword a lot deadlier. From combo attacks to a flurry of powerful slashes triggered by an action skill, it could be a lot more than a basic melee weapon. While some may see reused Vault Hunters as lazy, the reality is that Gearbox could do a lot more with its old playable characters. The Borderlands series has evolved over the years, and that progress could be shown clearly by putting ex-Vault Hunters into playable roles once again. With more abilities, they could feel brand-new as opposed to outdated.