10 Best Borderlands Characters (2024)

Highlights

  • The Borderlands world is full of unique and interesting characters that players can emotionally connect with.
  • Many characters, such as Claptrap, Tannis, Tiny Tina, and Handsome Jack, provide impeccable comedic relief for audiences.
  • Characters can remain fan favorites even long after they've died in any of the games

With the Borderlands universe having hundreds of unique characters that players are sure to meet along their journey, there are some characters that players will just never forget. The unforgettable one-liners, dialogue, and an array of quirky personalities make each encounter with a new character a completely different experience.

RELATED: Borderlands 3: Best Mods

Some characters provide such memorable performances and have incredible depth to their stories, which allows players to build a solid emotional connection with them as they continue to build on that relationship through dozens of questlines. With so many characters seeing a continuous return in many of the Borderlands games, players can look forward to expanding their existing connections with characters that will continue to evolve and surprise the player with new stories.

10 Scooter

10 Best Borderlands Characters (1)

Lovable Scooter might be slow in some areas, but he has his heart in all the right places. Vehemently passionate about cars, the Catch-A-Ride system, and his family, Scooter is proof of the good in the world, even if his thick southern accent struggles to get the message across sometimes.

Scooter is one of the most adored characters in the game, and he is widely recognized as a selfless hero after his sacrifice in Tales From The Borderlands, which was one of the saddest moments in the entire series.

9 Lillith

10 Best Borderlands Characters (2)

With much of the story of each game involving her in some way, Lilith is a mainstay in the franchise, and she has some of the best narrative arcs in the entire series. Having some of the most powerful siren abilities on Pandora grants Lilith a heavy advantage, and she utilizes this on various occasions, displaying her adept fighting prowess.

RELATED: Best Borderlands DLC Campaigns, Ranked

Lilith’s involvement in Borderlands 3 sees her lose her powers for the majority of the game; and when they are finally returned to her, she utilizes them in a last-ditch effort to save Pandora and her friends. Lilith’s sacrifice is a sad moment for many fans who have been on the journey with her since the first game, but a fitting way for her character to go out with a bang.

8 Typhon Deleon

10 Best Borderlands Characters (3)

As one of the first Vault Hunters to ever explore Pandora’s vaults, Typhon Deleon has a legacy of history, making him a heavily respected figure, even among other prominent Vault Hunters. Inspired by Danny Devito, he is an extremely likeable character, and players can almost imagine they're traversing the world of Pandora with Devito at their side.

With an energetic personality and his own personal ties to the story's main villains, he seeks to right his wrongs, attempting to fix his fragmented relationship with his children in the hope that it will diffuse their dominating lust for power. Typhon dedicates himself to the Vault Hunter's cause, proving his loyalty to the very end when he realizes his daughter's villainous streak must be put to a violent end in his dying moments.

7 Handsome Jack

10 Best Borderlands Characters (4)

Arguably one of the most iconic villains in all of gaming history, Handsome Jack delivers time and time again with a flawless performance. His backstory, as well as his exploitative and strained relationship with his daughter Angel, portrays a powerful character in a wide emotional capacity, allowing him moments of emotion and vulnerability.

RELATED: Best Borderlands Games, Ranked

With the various ways he torments, teases, and tortures the player throughout the course of the game, making it to the end of the story and putting him down for good can finally put players' minds at ease, finally ridding the world of a villain that just needed to die.

6 Tannis

10 Best Borderlands Characters (5)

With one of the most eccentric personalities in the entire franchise, Tannis proves herself to be one of the most interesting characters in the game. Being a character that prefers her own space and an incredibly smart scientist, she always has a trick or two up her sleeve and has some very memorable questlines and jokes that the player can indulge in with her.

During the events of Borderlands 3, Tannis is revealed to be a Siren after inheriting Angel's powers. While accepting her new-found power, Tannis revels in being a siren, and players should look forward to the interesting direction the developers decide to take her character in new Borderlands installments.

5 Roland

10 Best Borderlands Characters (6)

One of the most grounded characters that players can aid through the events of the Borderlands games, Roland possesses no enhanceable powers beyond his extensive combat experience, and his calm and calculated demeanor is one that many players can resonate with.

RELATED: Best Video Game Villains Of All Time, Ranked

While his character experiences an unfortunate demise at the hands of the titular villain, Handsome Jack, Roland leaves behind a long-lasting legacy for characters that will continue to expand the Crimson Raiders forever in his honor.

4 Mad Moxxi

10 Best Borderlands Characters (7)

Mother of Scooter and Ellie, and previous lover of Handsome Jack, Moxxi is a force to be reckoned with, and many characters know not to get on the wrong side of her. With empowering confidence and a headstrong ability to lead, Moxxi is a witty individual that knows the ins and outs of the chaotic world of Pandora.

While she is also known for her flirtatious behavior with various characters in the Borderlands universe, she is also a shrewd businessperson who runs various establishments, all of which benefit the player greatly as they traverse through the world and acquire new gear. Moxxi's multi-talented skillset and charisma make for a character that players will never forget.

3 Tiny Tina

10 Best Borderlands Characters (8)

With a thirst for blood and an energetic personality to boot, Tina makes for one of the most interesting characters players can come across, and her quests and comments are just as whacky.

She is a very likable character with a pretty tragic backstory, adored by players in the community who are constantly asking for more Tina-based content. The Borderlands 2 DLC Tiny Tina’s Assault On Dragon Keep is widely received as the best DLC in the entire series, and after an additional appearance in Borderlands 3, her character was so popular that she even got her own game, Tiny Tina's Wonderland’s.

2 Krieg

10 Best Borderlands Characters (9)

With multiple personalities, Krieg has an eloquently spoken side that carefully expresses his thoughts and ideas from time to time, and an enraged, psychopathic one, which he embodies through much of his violent and aggressive behavior.

RELATED: Best Vault Hunters In Borderlands, Ranked

Despite his violent nature, with his calmer personality, he expresses deep care and consideration for others, of which could not be expected from a Psycho in Borderlands. His relationship with Maya is one of the most interesting in the entire series, and the reunion with her during his Borderlands 3 DLC makes for a heartfelt moment that will leave players smiling at the end of it.

1 Claptrap

10 Best Borderlands Characters (10)

One of the most iconic characters in the entire franchise, Claptrap serves as the comedic relief, and he's always catching players off guard with his funny quips and comments.

While Claptrap’s over-the-top behavior can come across as annoying at points to many players, he possesses more personality than most humans that the player will encounter, and he is always looking out for the player's character no matter what. Claptrap is a loyal robot and, eventually, a character that players can call their friend.

MORE: The Most Powerful And Weakest Bosses In Borderlands 3

10 Best Borderlands Characters (2024)

FAQs

Who is the best character to choose in Borderlands 1? ›

Roland is the most well-rounded character in the game, and for those that choose to play alone, he's the easiest to grasp. His primary perk is the Scorpio Turret, which can serve a few different purposes.

Who is the strongest in Borderlands? ›

In True Vault Hunter Mode, Maya is usually considered "most powerful" due to her elemental attacks, crowd control abilities, and co-op . 1 Lilith, The Firehawk While so many Vault Hunters are iconic and powerful, no one can quite match the star power and strength of Lilith.

Who is the best overall character in bl3? ›

Overall, Moze is probably the best among the four Borderlands 3 characters since she excels at mobbing and bosses, whereas the others typically specialize in one or the other. She's just an absolute blast (pun intended) to play as, especially for newcomers to the franchise.

Who is the strongest character in Borderlands 1? ›

Mordecai is the strongest, but does require decent skill to optimize damage. You need a good Gunslinger/Gunfighter mod and a good masher, optimally an Unforgiven Masher. Damage is beyond insane, can clear Craw in under 10 seconds. Lilith is also strong but easier to play.

Who is the fan favorite character in Borderlands? ›

Claptrap and Tiny Tina are the leading contenders to become Borderlands' fan-favorite characters. Both were incredibly popular throughout the video game series, with Claptrap appearing in every mainline Borderlands game, while Tiny Tina got her own spinoff.

Who is the main guy in Borderlands? ›

The game follows two protagonists, the con artist Fiona and the Hyperion company man Rhys, as they somewhat questionably recount the plot of the game. Telltale Games aimed to incorporate two characteristics of the Borderlands series, gunplay and offbeat humor, into Tales from the Borderlands.

Who are the bad guys in Borderlands 1? ›

Commandant Steele is the villain of the first Borderlands game. The Siren leader of the Crimson Lance, Steele wants to acquire whatever is inside the Vault for the Atlas Corporation.

Who is the best sniper character in Borderlands? ›

10 Best: The Lyuda

And here it is! The Lyuda, the undisputed best sniper in the game. Honestly with FL4K Crit builds getting nerfed every patch, there's not much reason to use this over say The Unforgiven. But, the one that towers above all is the Lyuda.

Will there be a Borderlands 4? ›

Gearbox Software has just been handed over to Take-Two Interactive (2K) in the latest studio selloff from Embracer Group after their deal fell through last year. And, as a part of that announcement, the studio confirmed that Borderlands 4, or the “next installment” according to them.

What does claptrap stand for? ›

The word comes from the idea of "a trick to 'catch' applause," and its meaning evolved to mean "showy, cheap talk" and also, to some degree, "nonsense." Definitions of claptrap. noun. pompous or pretentious talk or writing. synonyms: blah, bombast, fustian, rant.

What is the highest level in Borderlands? ›

Highlights. Level 72 has become a tradition in the Borderlands franchise as the maximum player level in most mainline games, offering a satisfying cutoff point for players.

Who is the most OP character in Borderlands 3? ›

Conclusion. The best Borderlands 3 solo character is definitely Moze because Iron Bear wrecks everything and can be used as a panic button. Personally, I would also recommend Zane because he can make any weapon work.

Which character does the most damage in Borderlands 3? ›

Moze is extremely strong, and thanks to the ridiculous Mayhem Scaling she gets on three of her best skills (short fuse also gets mayhem scaling!) she can do bonkers damage simply from that alone, not to mention how strong the rest of her trees are!

Who is the main character in Borderlands? ›

The game follows two protagonists, the con artist Fiona and the Hyperion company man Rhys, as they somewhat questionably recount the plot of the game. Telltale Games aimed to incorporate two characteristics of the Borderlands series, gunplay and offbeat humor, into Tales from the Borderlands.

What is the best character to play in Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel? ›

Even though Jack and Wilhelm are more aggressive solo players, Athena can put out a significant amount of damage if built appropriately. On the other hand, the characters that are best suited for cooperative play focus on supporting teammates and helping them kill enemies faster.

Who is the main villain in Borderlands 1? ›

Commandant Helga Steele is an officer in the Crimson Lance and the main antagonist of Borderlands. She is a siren and the leader of the Crimson Lance forces on Pandora, determined to open the Vault.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Tuan Roob DDS

Last Updated:

Views: 5664

Rating: 4.1 / 5 (42 voted)

Reviews: 81% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Tuan Roob DDS

Birthday: 1999-11-20

Address: Suite 592 642 Pfannerstill Island, South Keila, LA 74970-3076

Phone: +9617721773649

Job: Marketing Producer

Hobby: Skydiving, Flag Football, Knitting, Running, Lego building, Hunting, Juggling

Introduction: My name is Tuan Roob DDS, I am a friendly, good, energetic, faithful, fantastic, gentle, enchanting person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.