From the first iteration as DLC for Borderlands 2, Tiny Tina's chaotic games of “Bunkers and Badasses” have provided Borderlands fans with endless entertainment in the game within a game. Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep, the fourth expansion for Borderlands 2, came out in 2013, and players have had to wait some time for a follow-up. But a standalone game was finally released in 2022, and Gearbox Software's action RPG shooter Tiny Tina's Wonderlands brought fans more of the tabletop-inspired madness.
Tiny Tina's Wonderlands wears its Dungeons and Dragons inspirations on its sleeve, with the players at the mercy of the capricious whims of Tiny Tina in the role of Dungeon Master, character sheets with their stats, miniatures that move about the overworld, and other similar elements. When it comes to classes, Tiny Tina's Wonderlands combines what gamers will already be familiar with from previous Borderlands titles with classes that could be lifted straight from a D&D campaign. Still, it should take this a step further.
Tiny Tina's Wonderlands Current Classes
For the very first time in a Borderlands game, players could create their own protagonist instead of picking one of several established Vault Hunters. Tiny Tina's Wonderlands' character creator is as creative and whacky as its gameplay, and gamers can really push the boat out when it comes to making their own Fatemaker. They could originally choose from six different classes, each one with its own distinct specialization and skills, and even some with accompanying helpers in the form of companions. As players progressed through the story, they could then choose a secondary class to combine with their primary one for even more customization.
A seventh class, Blightcaller, will be added in Tiny Tina's Wonderlands' DLC, which is another class focusing on poison and elemental damage. Many of the classes in Tiny Tina's Wonderlands have obvious ties back to classic D&D ones, such as the Brr-Zerker which has strong Barbarian vibes, or the Spellshot class which is reminiscent of Wizards or Sorcerers. Naturally, these all come with their own Borderlands twists and are able to use a variety of guns that aren't traditionally part of many D&D campaigns, but many hope that Tiny Tina's Wonderlands adds even more classes with D&D foundations.
Further D&D Inspirations It Could Use
The classes that are already featured in Tiny Tina's Wonderlands seem to have a few bases covered when it comes to D&D inspirations, from the Druid/Ranger combo found in the Spore Warden to the Paladin-adjacent Clawbringer. But D&D is a vast and rich source and there are plenty more classes that Tiny Tina's Wonderlands could bring in. The reaction to the DLC so far has been a little mixed, with some fans feeling as if the developer could push it further when it comes to adding new content, and bringing in classes that could lead to further character combinations and more creative combat seems like a no-brainer.
Before the classes were officially announced, many fans were hoping that a Bard class would make an appearance. Lots of players thought a Bard would slot in perfectly in Tiny Tina's Wonderlands' gameplay and fit in with the humorous and offbeat aspects of the game, as well as offer a great class for co-op play. An Artificer could also be a really intriguing addition and could be someone that is able to break down weapons to craft their own items and combine them with magic to help in battles. D&D classes also give players lots of opportunities to mix and match and create their own unique hybrids, which Tiny Tina's Wonderlands has offered to some extent, but it's something the game could definitely double-down on with more classes.
Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
