Classes based around the 'elite soldier' archetype are a staple of Borderlands, acting as a great gateway for FPS players to acclimate to the unbridled mayhem of the series' frenetic combat. Rafa the Exo-Soldier is here to continue the franchise lineage of the battle-ready combat veteran class, making his debut as one of the all-new Vault Hunters breaking free in Borderlands 4.

Check out the Rafa Gameplay Overview video above to see how he masterfully wields the cutting-edge weaponry stored in his Deadframe exo-suit. This former Tediore trooper is ready for fights at any distance, whether he's slicing through enemies at melee range with his twin Arc-Knives, perforating midrange targets with his Peacebreaker Cannons, or blasting holes through multiple enemies with charged-up rounds from his APOPHIS Lance.

Tomorrow, July 24, we'll be sharing a full rundown of Rafa's abilities and three skill trees. Here's a high-level overview of the core Action Skills that Rafa has at the ready:

• Arc-Knives: Cut down anyone stupid enough to stand in your way with these twin energy blades. When activating Rafa's Arc-Knives, your perspective shifts from first-person to third-person, giving you maximum spatial awareness as you slash, dash, and slice your way through hostile crowds. The finishing touch on any melee carnage spree is Rafa's Blade Fury ability, which ends the Action Skill with a Shock Damage-infused whirlwind strike.  
• Peacebreaker Cannons: Amplify your damage output with an extra gun over each shoulder, as the Peacebreaker Cannons seek and destroy any targets in front of you. You can modify the Peacebreaker Cannons to fire all kinds of ammunition via Rafa's passive skills, and even turn them into a stationary turret via the Insta-Fort Battle System Augment.
• APOPHIS Lance: Convert Rafa's arm into a full-blown cannon with the APOPHIS Lance, with a default firing mode that unleashes orbs of pure plasma, piercing through enemies and reducing them to a red paste. You get multiple charges with each activation, so take your pick between firing off a volley of blasts or charging up devastating projectiles depending on the situation.

Rafa's always-on Trait, Overdrive, incentivizes you to keep using your Action Skills on cooldown, buffing your movespeed and damage whenever an Action Skill is active. Once you've found the rhythm of using your favorite Action Skill multiple times in each skirmish, you'll be tearing through the opposition with ease.

In case you missed it, be sure to check out the Vex Vault Hunter page, detailing all of the Siren's supernatural Action Skills and skill trees. Stay tuned for full reveals of the Amon and Harlowe Vault Hunter pages in the coming weeks.

Borderlands 4 is now available for pre-order on PlayStation®5 and Xbox Series X|S, and for pre-purchase on PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store! More info on Switch 2 pre-orders will be available in the future. Ahead of Borderlands 4's launch on September 12, 2025, make sure you're caught up with the latest Story Trailer. Then get behind-the-scenes insights from Gearbox developers with the ongoing Beyond the Borderlands video series, including "Making a Vault Hunter" and "Welcome to Kairos," with more on the way!