My Borderlands 4 Vault Hunter Choice Just Changed, and Not For a Reason You’d Expect

Though Borderlands 4’s Vault Hunters came under fire for looking bland and forgettable when they were first revealed, they’ve gotten better and better as time has passed. Their visual designs have been touched up, their kits look incredible, and the Borderlands 4 animated shorts thus far have showcased their stories well. Even before all these new looks, I was sure that I had my starting Vault Hunter locked down. Amon was going to be my pick, as his backstory as a cult member sounded bold, and I haven’t played a “big guy” in a Borderlands game since Brick in the original. Even then, he wasn’t my starting choice, as I played as Mordecai on my first run. I was eager to do something different this time around, but I think I’ve just changed my mind thanks to a single skin.

While the bulky Amon and the tech-wielding Harlowe will undoubtedly have some cool looks of their own, and Vex the Siren is proving to be incredibly stylish, it is one of Rafa’s alternate looks that has me eager to use him on my first Borderlands 4 playthrough. Yes, really - it’s not Rafa’s memorable animated short or Arc-Knives that made me gravitate toward him, but the space cowboy outfit revealed near the end of his customization options trailer. Considering that it’s the thumbnail of that video, Gearbox must know that it hit a home-run, as fans of the space cowboy aesthetic like myself won’t be able to pass up on the ex-Tediore soldier now.

Rafa’s other cosmetics include:

A prisoner outfit
A sci-fi gladiator helmet
Wrap over his eyes imagining him if he were blind
Tediore-themed gear
A cloak with a high collar that looks straight out of Cyberpunk 2077
Different haircuts, from long hair to Final Fantasy-like spikes

Space Cowboy Vibes Are My Kryptonite

Whether it’s Cobb Vanth and Cad Bane from Star Wars or the Ghoul from Fallout, I simply love the idea of a cowboy character surrounded by advanced technology. It’s always been a look I strive to recreate in the Fallout games, and it’s an aesthetic I love so much that I sunk hours into Destiny 2’s Spire of the Watcher dungeon. Grinding that high-level content for hours with just one other person - that being my fiancée, as my social anxiety keeps me from interacting with new people even online - was no easy feat, as it was deflating getting to the end of a long run with the cowboy hat cloak still not dropping for my Hunter. Eventually, though, I got the full set, and it’s by far my most worn look on Destiny 2.

Destiny-2-Spire-Of-The-Watcher-Cowboy-Armor-Screenshot

This love for out-of-place cowboys in a sci-fi setting extends to Overwatch as well, one of my most played video games ever. While Cassidy may not have been my original main for the Damage role (I was a Tracer and Reaper player long before I picked up his trusty Peacekeeper), there was a window where he was all that I played. I even managed to get decent with him on the undocked Nintendo Switch, which was no easy feat. Come Overwatch 2, I learned his former Deadlock associate, Ashe, gravitating to her for the same reason I did Cass - I love her character design just as much as her kit. With all this in mind, it’s no wonder that Rafa’s coolest unlockable outfit speaks to me, and I can’t wait to do whatever I need to in order to make it mine.

Gearbox hasn’t detailed how Borderlands 4 players will acquire skins, but based on previous games, they will likely be purchasable via a vendor like Crazy Earl, quest rewards, and random drops from enemies.

Thankfully, Rafa’s Gameplay is Also Up My Alley

Fortunately, Rafa’s space cowboy skin isn’t the only thing I’ll enjoy about him, even if it is my main reason for making him my starting character. Had I not been deliberately wanting to shake it up with Amon, he probably would have been my initial choice anyway due to his Arc Blades. While players have far more control over them than they did over Zer0’s blade, the concept of quickly slicing and dicing the opposition definitely resembles that of Borderlands’ master assassin - a character I have used for multiple playthroughs of Borderlands 2. On top of that, like many others, I was really impressed with Rafa’s Borderlands 4 animated short, with the backstory around his deadframe being genuinely interesting and unique.

With all this in mind, it may have been for the best that Rafa’s space cowboy outfit swayed me toward making him my main Vault Hunter. And just like with other Borderlands games, I’m sure to play through BL4 more than once, meaning I’ll still get to experience Amon’s unique abilities at some point. Here’s hoping that none of the Vault Monster worshipper’s skins make me change my mind again, because I’m more than ready to live out my space cowboy fantasies as Rafa when Borderlands 4 releases.