Feeling fortunate? Hello everybody, I’m Tommy Westerman, Senior Character Designer on Borderlands 4. Right now, I’m thrilled to share insights into the making of C4sh the Rogue, the new playable Vault Hunter coming to Borderlands 4 as a part of Story Pack 1: Mad Ellie and the Vault of the Damned* on March 26!
I’ve been a personality designer at Gearbox since Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, the place along with the group I designed Claptrap as the playable Fragtrap class, in addition to Jack the Doppelganger (aka Timothy) and Aurelia the Baroness. In Borderlands 3, the group and I designed Amara the Siren and Zane the Operative, adopted by the Clawbringer and Spellshot courses for Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands. That lastly brings us to Borderlands 4, the place the group and I designed Rafa the Exo-Soldier, Harlowe the Gravitar, and now C4sh the Rogue.
When designing C4sh’s distinctive Motion Expertise, Augments, and Passives, the group and I actually acquired to lean into the energy fantasy of going for broke as a devil-may-care gambler, bending luck in your favor to beat any odds. Ever since we designed Claptrap the Fragtrap over a decade in the past, I’ve had concepts in my head of issues I wished to repair, change, or tweak. With C4sh the Rogue, I used to be excited for the alternative to work with the group on one other character class that has some purposely unpredictable playstyles.
C4sh’s expertise vary from not-very-random to utterly random, however what’s key’s that you just’re at all times in a position to affect that randomness, preserving the thrill of counting on luck whereas guaranteeing it’s on the participant’s aspect.
Beating the odds
With regards to C4sh’s backstory, he’s a former CasinoBot with a new lease on life. After a protracted streak of gaming the photo voltaic system’s casinos and battlefields with statistical insights, he developed a style for the unpredictable after profitable the magical Deck of Kanansi in a high-stakes recreation. Now that he’s in search of out extra profitable, harmful dangers, a profession in Vault looking is the excellent approach to wager on himself in the largest manner doable.
(*26*)
(*26*)
We all know that followers love robotic Vault Hunters like Pre-Sequel’s Claptrap and BL3’s FL4K the Beastmaster, so we had been desirous to convey C4sh to Borderlands 4. When considering up a Vault Hunter’s origins, our first pillar is to easily make an fascinating character, whether or not they’re flesh and blood or circuits and bolts. We began with the concept of a CasinoBot who’s obsessive about numbers and likelihood, however the thrilling hook for us was C4sh’s need to hunt out eldritch trinkets that utterly upend mathematical probabilities.
As for what C4sh provides thematically to Borderlands 4’s ensemble, most individuals image basic rogues as sneak-attacking thieves, however there’s additionally the gambler who depends on luck and wit. We would like C4sh to really feel like that latter, rarer archetype: somebody who doesn’t decide pockets, however steals your cash anyway as a result of he is aware of manipulate the odds.
Coronary heart of the playing cards (and cube and weapons)
C4sh’s penchant for unpredictability is epitomized by his Motion Expertise and ability timber. Giving C4sh cube (Cleromancy Motion Talent / Roll the Bones ability tree) and a deck of playing cards (Sleight of Hand Motion Talent / Luck of the Draw ability tree) appeared excellent for gamers who love randomness, whereas his twin revolvers (Cross-Fireplace / Chaos Strolling ability tree) felt proper for the promise of a Wild West-style gambler.
Irrespective of the consequence, C4sh’s Motion Expertise are at all times highly effective, however with luck you possibly can set off some tremendous highly effective results. His ability timber are distinctive in that they don’t characteristic any Capstones, however all three of his timber provide a ability that grants an extra Increase slot. By constructing throughout all three ability timber, you may give C4sh’s as much as 4 Augments complete. Managing what number of Augments you equip offers you extra management over the diploma of randomness for his Motion Expertise.
One enjoyable factor we at all times attempt to do with Borderlands’ DLC characters is break some guidelines. BL2’s Gaige launched stacks and Krieg turned the complete concept of FPS fight on its head; Pre-Sequel’s Aurelia begged to be performed in co-op. After Claptrap, despite the fact that a few of us actually preferred him, all of us form of checked out one another and stated, “Effectively, let’s by no means do this once more.” C4sh broke that rule, and I like him for it.
You’ll have the ability to play as C4sh the Rogue throughout all of Borderlands 4’s story and zones by proudly owning Story Pack 1, which is included in Borderlands 4 Tremendous Deluxe Version. We are able to’t wait to see the way you provide you with builds that make the most of his chance-based talents, and bear in mind: there’s no telling what the subsequent card draw or cube roll will convey.
*Mad Ellie and the Vault of the Damned is the first of two post-launch DLC Story Packs coming to Borderlands 4. This content material is included with Borderlands 4 Tremendous Deluxe Version and the Borderlands 4 Vault Hunter Pack, and can be out there for separate buy. Base recreation required.