Which Vault Hunter is Best for BL3 Zane Mains?

Borderlands 4 looms large on the horizon, and with all the new Vault Hunters’ abilities officially revealed, fans of Borderlands 3’s Zane Flynt appear spoiled for choice. One of the most dynamic Vault Hunters in the franchise due to his double action skills, Zane stood apart as a character whose entire playstyle was built around speed and adaptability. Given that Borderlands 4’s new roster has the most complex and customizable Vault Hunters to date, however, Zane mains will soon have some decisions to make.

As a run-and-gun operative, Borderlands 3’s Zane had multiple viable builds for players who wanted to explore different roles. His Digi-Clone acted as both a second gun in the field and a teleport anchor for on-the-fly repositioning. Defensive players could lean on his Barrier shield to protect allies in co-op play, while his MNTIS shoulder cannon triggered all his kill skills. These abilities, alongside his almost comically powerful movement buffs, made Zane a true playground of a character.

Which Borderlands 4 Vault Hunter Should Zane Mains Choose?

Longtime Zane mains will likely gravitate toward characters who can mirror his speed or utility among Borderlands 4’s Vault Hunters. While none are one-to-one replacements, several have mechanics that evoke Zane’s most enjoyable traits. For players looking to recapture the Zane Flynt experience, here’s the breakdown of Borderlands 4’s wealth of Zane-adjacent options.

Rafa – Borderlands 4’s Speed Demon

For those chasing Zane’s class-defining mobility, Borderlands 4’s Rafa is the clear top choice. His unique trait, Overdrive, directly boosts movement speed whenever an Action Skill is active, and each of Rafa’s skill trees further emphasizes movement in some way, though his This Year’s Gimmick tree in particular does it best. His Arc Knives Action Skill incentivizes players to stay in constant motion, and the skills in that tree tie damage output to the combat flow just as Zane could.

Beyond speed, Rafa’s Tediore background and toolkit also make him feel like a spiritual successor to Zane. His Peacemaker shoulder cannons look like Zane’s MNTIS launcher, while his STRM Gliders are similar to his grenade-dropping SNTNL drone. Thematically, Rafa also fits as a tech-centric mercenary who uses military tech to control the battlefield. For those who miss Zane’s frenetic pace and characterization, Rafa will likely feel like the most natural fit.

Vex – Borderlands 4’s Clone Specialist

While Rafa channels Zane’s speed, Vex, Borderlands 4’s newest Siren, channels most of Zane’s clone capabilities. Her Dead Ringer ability allows her to summon phase copies of herself that can activate kill skills and be upgraded through the Fourth Seal skill tree, much like Zane’s MNTIS cannon and Digi-Clone, respectively. Those who favor clone-centric builds will find Vex’s playstyle very comfortable, as her duplicates can also wield her weapons, just like Zane’s could.

The new Siren isn’t just a clone specialist, however, as Vex’s Phase Phamiliar ability summons Trouble, a companion that she can teleport to, not unlike a certain Irish assassin in Borderlands 3. On top of that, her passive trait Phase Covenant ties elemental affinities directly to weapon use, which could make her combat loop feel just as cryo-centric as a Zane with points invested in the Under Cover skill tree. While the Siren class fantasy is definitely a departure from Zane’s mercenary style, the mechanical parallels mark her as another strong option for Zane players.

Honorable Mention: Harlowe, Borderlands 4’s Gravitar

Harlowe also deserves mention, particularly for players who favored Zane for teleportation and affinity for Cryo damage. Through skills in Harlowe’s Cosmic Brilliance skill tree, she can reposition her Flux Generator wherever she’s looking and then teleport to it in turn. Additionally, many of Harlowe’s skill trees favor Radiation and Cryo. Likewise, with abilities like Break the Ice, she may offer a damage package familiar enough for fans of those bits of Zane’s gameplay loop.

Ultimately, while players can’t replace him, they really won’t have to, as Zane is confirmed to return in Borderlands 4. Plus, the game looks to have some of the most interesting Vault Hunters to date. Despite the unique abilities and backgrounds of the new class of heroes, each offers something that could make fans of the errant operative feel right at home in the next chapter of the looter-shooter series.