If you’re a Borderlands fan who’s sunk dozens of hours into looting, shooting, and cracking terrible jokes across Pandora since the 2026 launch of Borderlands 4, you’ve probably already heard chatter about the Borderlands 4 vault hunter pack. This premium add-on is easily one of the most hyped DLC drops for the game so far, and for good reason: it doesn’t just add new playable characters, it throws in exclusive story beats, unique gear, and quality of life perks you won’t get anywhere else. I’ve spent 20+ hours testing every part of the pack since it dropped last month, so I’m breaking down everything you need to know to decide if it’s worth the buy, and how to get the most out of it if you already picked it up.
What’s Included in the 2026 Borderlands 4 Vault Hunter Pack?
Unlike previous vault hunter packs for earlier Borderlands games, this release doesn’t cut corners with half-baked content or useless cosmetic fluff. Every part of the pack feels designed to add real value to both casual and hardcore players, and no content is locked behind additional paywalls once you buy the base add-on. The full list of inclusions is:
A lot of players worry DLC packs are just cash grabs, but this one actually adds meaningful content that doesn’t feel like it was cut from the base game. I ran three separate co-op runs with friends using each new character, and none of their skill sets feel overpowered or undercooked, which is a nice change from previous Borderlands DLC character drops that needed multiple patches to feel balanced. If you pre-ordered the pack, you also get a limited edition vault hunter skin set that glows in dark areas of the map, which is way more useful than it sounds when you’re exploring the new abandoned Eridian facility maps added in the last patch. The 2026 Borderlands 4 vault hunter pack doesn’t lock any endgame content behind a paywall for players who don’t buy it, which is a big win for the community that pushed Gearbox to avoid pay-to-win mechanics for this release.
Best Playstyle Builds for Each New Vault Hunter
All three characters included in the Borderlands 4 vault hunter pack have unique voice lines that react to different base game story beats, which is a nice touch that makes them feel like part of the world instead of tacked-on additions. Each has three distinct skill trees, and you can mix and match across trees to create wildly different playstyles, but these are the builds I’ve found to be the most effective for both solo and co-op play.
First up is Lila, the tech siren whose signature skill is Phase Rift, which pulls enemies into a small area and deals continuous corrosive damage. The best build for her is the Rift Weaver build, which focuses on extending rift duration and adding elemental splash damage. If you pair this build with the exclusive "Riftbringer" SMG from the pack, you’ll be able to clear entire rooms of mid-tier enemies in less than 10 seconds, even on Mayhem 10 difficulty. You can also swap a few skill points to turn her into a support build that heals teammates through her rifts, which fills a much-needed healer role that was missing from the base game’s character roster.
Next is Jax, the cyborg beastmaster whose signature skill is Robo-Skag Summon, which lets him call a robotic skag that explodes on death and drops ammo. The best build for him is the Swarm Commander build, which lets him summon up to 3 robo-skags at once, each with different elemental damage types. This build is perfect for solo players who don’t want to worry about running out of ammo or getting swarmed by large groups of enemies. I used this build to solo the entire base game campaign on Mayhem 5 last week, and I didn’t die once the whole playthrough, which says a lot about how powerful it is.
Last is Rook, the ex-military gunner whose signature skill is Deployable Shield Turret, which acts as both cover and a fully automatic turret that fires incendiary rounds. The best build for him is the Frontline Tank build, which increases his max health by 60% when the turret is active, and lets him share the shield buff with all co-op teammates. I used Rook for our 4-man raid run last week, and his shield turret was the only reason we beat the new Eridian Warden boss on our first try, since it blocked almost all of the boss’s one-shot projectile attacks.
Is the Borderlands 4 Vault Hunter Pack Worth the Cost in 2026?
This is the question I get asked the most when I talk about the pack, and the answer really depends on how often you play Borderlands 4 and what you want out of the game. Let’s break down the pros and cons to help you decide.
For players who log 10+ hours a week of Borderlands 4, the pack is almost definitely worth the $19.99 price tag. You get at least 15 hours of new playtime if you run through the story and level all three characters to max, plus the permanent QoL perks benefit all your existing saves, not just the new characters. The 10% loot rarity boost alone will net you way more legendary drops over time, which is a huge help if you’re grinding for perfect build gear. If you have the Game Pass version of Borderlands 4, the pack is 20% off for subscribers right now, which makes it an even easier buy for people on the fence.
That said, if you only play casually, like a few hours a month, you might not get enough use out of the pack to justify the cost. The story content is side content, so it doesn’t impact the main game’s story at all, so if you only care about the main narrative, you can skip it without missing anything critical. I talked to a dozen players in the official Borderlands Discord last week, and 9 out of 10 said they thought the pack was worth buying, but the one who didn’t said they only play once every couple of weeks and still haven’t finished the base game story. If you’re still on the fence, you can watch 10 minutes of gameplay from the Borderlands 4 vault hunter pack on the official Gearbox YouTube channel to get a feel for the new characters before you buy.
Another thing to consider is that Gearbox has already announced that future Borderlands 4 DLC will include exclusive missions that can only be accessed if you own the vault hunter pack, so if you plan to stick with the game long term, you’ll probably want to pick it up eventually to avoid missing out on content down the line.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Using the New Vault Hunter Pack Content
I made a lot of dumb mistakes when I first started playing with the pack content, so I’m sharing the most common ones to help you save time and frustration. Most of these are small oversights, but they can make a huge difference in how much you enjoy the pack.
Skipping the side story missions to jump straight to leveling the new characters. A lot of players do this, but the secret ending of the story unlocks a +5% XP boost relic that works for all your characters, so you’ll actually level faster if you play through the story first. I made this mistake myself at first, and I had to go back and play the story after I got Jax to level 40, which felt like a waste of time since I could have had that XP boost the whole time.
Sticking only to the exclusive gear that comes with the pack. While the legendary weapons are tailored to the new characters, you can get way more powerful builds if you mix in base game legendaries. For example, pairing Lila’s Rift Weaver build with the base game’s "Voidweaver" class mod doubles the damage of her rift skill, which is way more powerful than the exclusive class mod that comes with the pack. Another small tip: if you own multiple DLCs for Borderlands 4, the Borderlands 4 vault hunter pack characters can interact with NPCs from other DLCs to unlock hidden side quests, so keep an eye out for unique dialogue prompts when you’re exploring other DLC maps.
Forgetting to claim the pack’s QoL perks from the in-game mail. A lot of players don’t realize that the 10% loot rarity boost and extra fast travel slot don’t activate automatically when you buy the pack. You have to go to the mail tab in the main menu and claim them first, and they’re applied to all your saves once you do. I ran into three players last week who had owned the pack for two weeks and still hadn’t claimed those perks, so they were missing out on better loot this whole time.
Trying to use the new characters in high-level Mayhem runs before you unlock their full skill trees. The new characters have a much steeper learning curve than base game characters, so you’ll have a way better time if you level them up in normal difficulty first, instead of jumping straight into Mayhem 10 and getting one-shot by every enemy. Take your time to experiment with their skills first, and you’ll have way more fun.
At the end of the day, the Borderlands 4 vault hunter pack is one of the most polished and value-packed DLC releases Gearbox has put out for the franchise in years, especially for players who are already deeply invested in the 2026 iteration of Borderlands. Whether you’re a solo player looking for new build options to mess around with, or a co-op fan who wants to fill missing team roles for raid runs, there’s something in the pack for almost every type of Borderlands fan. Just remember to claim your QoL perks first, play through the side story to unlock that XP relic, and don’t be afraid to mix and match skill trees and gear to find a playstyle that works for you. If you pick it up, drop a comment below with your favorite new vault hunter build, I’d love to check it out.