Let's be real: Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel is the weird middle child of the franchise. It’s got that low-gravity moon jump that either makes you feel like a god or makes you want to throw your controller across the room. But honestly? The biggest thing this game has going for it—even over Borderlands 2—is the character design. The Borderlands The Pre Sequel classes aren't just copy-pasted archetypes. They’re experimental. They’re aggressive.
Choosing a character in Elpis isn't just about picking a gun; it’s about deciding how you want to break the game. You've got a literal robot that’s a walking RNG machine, a gladiator with a Captain America shield, and a doppelganger of the series’ best villain. It's a lot. If you pick wrong, the first ten hours are a slog. Pick right, and you're an unstoppable force of cryo-damage and sarcasm.
Athena the Gladiator: The Tank That Actually Moves
Most people see a "tank" class and think of a slow, boring brick wall. Athena is the opposite. Her kinetic shield, the Aspis, is probably the most satisfying mechanic in the entire game. You press a button, you absorb all the bullets, and then you chuck that glowing disc into a bandit's face. It's simple. It works.
Her "Phalanx" tree is what most beginners gravitate toward because it makes you nearly invincible from the front. But if you really want to see why Athena is top-tier, you look at the "Ceraunic Storm" tree. This is where she becomes a literal goddess of lightning and fire. The "Maelstrom" mechanic builds stacks every time you deal elemental damage. Get those stacks high enough, and your damage numbers start looking like phone numbers. It’s chaotic. It’s loud. It turns the game into a fast-paced dance where you’re constantly juggling weapon swaps to keep the elemental procs going.
The nuance here is that Athena rewards aggressive positioning. You can't just hide behind cover. You have to be in the thick of it, absorbing damage to deal damage. If you've played Borderlands 1 or 2, she feels like a refined version of Lilith or Maya but with a much more physical presence on the battlefield.
Why Everyone Loves (and Hates) Claptrap
Playing as Claptrap—officially the "Fragtrap" class—is a choice. It’s a lifestyle, really. His action skill, VaultHunter.EXE, basically analyzes the current situation and gives you a random ability. Sometimes you get a giant laser. Sometimes you turn into a rubber ducky that bounces around uncontrollably. It’s a nightmare for players who want a predictable, tactical experience.
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But for co-op? Claptrap is a king.
His "I Love You Guys!" tree is filled with buffs that heal your teammates and increase their reload speeds. There’s a catch, though. Because it's Claptrap, these buffs usually come with a downside, like forcing everyone to fire their guns constantly. It’s hilarious. It’s also surprisingly powerful. Claptrap is the only character who doesn't need oxygen (Oz kits), which is a massive quality-of-life improvement on the moon. You just don't have to care about the atmosphere. That alone makes him a favorite for speedrunners or people who just want to explore without worrying about a ticking blue bar.
The Doppelganger: Jack’s Best Trick
Timothy the Doppelganger was a DLC character, but he’s arguably the strongest of the Borderlands The Pre Sequel classes. His whole gimmick is summoning two digital clones of Handsome Jack. These "Digi-Jacks" stand there and shoot at things, which sounds boring until you dive into the skill trees.
If you go down the "Greater Good" tree, you actually want your clones to die. Every time a Digi-Jack "dies," it triggers a bunch of "on-kill" skills for Timothy. You can basically set up a loop where your clones are constantly respawning and dying, feeding you infinite buffs. It’s a weirdly dark way to play, but it’s incredibly effective. Timothy is also the king of the "Inspire" skill—a literal skill that does nothing but have Jack give you fake words of encouragement. It's a joke skill that actually makes the game better because it nails the tone of the writing.
Nisha the Lawbringer: The Aim-Bot Queen
If you like playing shooters but sometimes your aim is just... off, Nisha is your best friend. Her action skill, Showdown, is literally an aim-bot. You activate it, and the game locks onto enemies for you. You just pull the trigger as fast as you can.
Nisha is a "glass cannon." She deals more damage than almost anyone else in the game, especially with pistols, but she can't take a hit to save her life. If you find a "Maggie" or a good "Jakobs" revolver, Nisha becomes a goddess of death. The "Fan the Hammer" tree lets you dual-wield pistols. Think about that. Dual-wielding pistols with an auto-aim lock. It turns the game into a Western movie on crack.
The downside? It can get a little boring. If the game is aiming for you, where’s the challenge? Well, the challenge is staying alive. In the later stages of the game (True Vault Hunter Mode and beyond), Nisha players have to be extremely careful with their movement. You’re fast, but you’re fragile. One well-placed rocket from a Lost Legion soldier and you're in "Fight For Your Life" mode.
Wilhelm the Enforcer: The Slow Burn to Cybernetics
Wilhelm is the most straightforward of the bunch, at least initially. He summons two drones: Wolf and Saint. Wolf flies around and shoots stuff; Saint stays near you and heals you. It’s the "summoner" archetype we've seen with Roland or Axton.
What makes Wilhelm unique is his "Cyber Commando" tree. As you put points into it, Wilhelm’s voice actually changes. He becomes more robotic. He gets a robot arm. He gets a robot leg. By the end of the game, he’s barely human. Mechanically, he’s the "steady" choice. He doesn't have the insane peaks of Athena or the chaos of Claptrap, but he’s incredibly reliable. If you're playing solo and you don't want to deal with complex mechanics, Wilhelm is the way to go. He just works.
Aurelia the Baroness: The Coldest Hero
Aurelia is the other DLC character, and she’s the "Sniper" of the group. But she’s not just a sniper; she’s an elemental powerhouse focused entirely on Cryo (ice) damage. The Pre-Sequel introduced Cryo as a new element, and Aurelia is the one who uses it best.
Her "Cold-Blooded" tree lets her freeze enemies almost instantly. In a game where enemies are jumping through low gravity, freezing them mid-air so they shatter when they hit the ground is deeply satisfying. She also has a unique "Contractual Alliance" tree designed purely for co-op. You literally sign a "contract" with another player that gives you both buffs. It’s a very "high-society" way to play a Borderlands game. She’s arrogant, her dialogue is hilarious, and she makes the endgame much easier by simply stopping enemies in their tracks.
The Reality of Choosing Your Class
When you look at the Borderlands The Pre Sequel classes, the "best" one really depends on whether you're playing alone or with friends.
- For Solo Players: Wilhelm or Timothy (Doppelganger). They provide their own backup, which makes boss fights much less frustrating.
- For Co-op Enthusiasts: Claptrap or Aurelia. Their skill trees are built to interact with other people in ways that the previous games didn't quite master.
- For High-Skill Players: Athena. Managing Maelstrom stacks and the Aspis shield requires a lot of focus, but the payoff is the highest damage potential in the game.
- For "Lazy" Fun: Nisha. Activate Showdown, hold the trigger, watch things explode.
Common Misconceptions About These Builds
A lot of people think Wilhelm is the "easy mode" character. In reality, Claptrap often has a higher survivability rate because of his lack of O2 requirements and his defensive buffs. Another misconception is that Nisha is only good with pistols. While she excels with them, her "Riflewoman" tree makes her terrifying with snipers and assault rifles too.
The biggest mistake players make is ignoring the "Oz Kits." Your class dictates how you use these. An Athena player should look for kits that boost elemental damage, while a Nisha player should look for "Slam" damage or accuracy buffs. The class and the kit have to work together.
What to Do Next
If you're just starting out or jumping back in for a nostalgia trip, here is how you should approach your build:
- Pick for the Action Skill, stay for the Trees. Read the Tier 1 skills before you commit. If you don't like the look of a character's "capstone" (the final skill in a tree), you probably won't like their playstyle later on.
- Invest in Cryo early. No matter which of the Borderlands The Pre Sequel classes you choose, Cryo is the strongest element in this specific game. It provides crowd control that fire or shock just can't match.
- Don't fear the respec. The New-U stations are cheap. If you find a legendary weapon that doesn't fit your current build, go change your skills to match the gun. The game is much more flexible than it looks.
- Try the DLC characters. Timothy and Aurelia feel more "polished" than the base four because the developers had more time to experiment with the game's unique mechanics.
Ultimately, The Pre-Sequel is about movement. Whichever class you pick, make sure you're comfortable with the double-jump and the slam. The classes are designed to be played vertically. If you're staying on the ground, you're missing half the fun. Get up there, use the low gravity, and let the skill trees do the heavy lifting.