Borderlands 3: Everything you need to know about FL4K

Each new Borderlands game always introduces an eclectic cast of characters, but none seem to capture our attention quite as much as the four playable Vault Hunters. This time we'll be taking a look at FL4K, the Beastmaster class.

Everything you need to know about Borderlands 3

FL4K's background

FL4K is described by Gearbox as being a wandering robot who has three loyal pets at their side. Little is known about their early history, only that they have a deep affinity for nature.

According to The Art of Borderlands 3, FL4K was originally conceptualized as a woodland native, almost like a high-tech Robin Hood figure. Before finalizing the design, Gearbox toyed with the idea of FL4K absorbing the genetic makeup of the animals they tamed and becoming mutated as a result. This was deemed too fantastical, so it was eventually settled that they would become a robot. Though they don't need to wear clothes due to their robotic nature, they wear a bulky outfit suitable for the wilderness and one that helps conceal their appearance and keep their identity ambiguous.

It was because of this, and similarities in their design, that some fans speculated that FL4K was actually Loader Bot from Tales from the Borderlands in disguise, but Gearbox has since come out and stated that FL4K is not Loader Bot.

FL4K's action skills

FL4K's three action skills are two-pronged. In addition to their three pets; a Skag, a Spiderant, and a Jabber, they also have three skills for each corresponding skill tree. Gamma Burst teleports irradiated pets across the battlefield, Rakk Attack sends out dive-bombing Rakks upon the enemy, and Fade Away acts like's Zero's ability from Borderlands 2, allowing FL4K to become invisible for a short period of time.

Each of these action skills can be augmented through a skill tree, either Master, Hunter, or Stalker.

FL4K's fully interactive skill tree

FL4K's role in Borderlands 3

After Lilith sends out a distress call to unite more Vault Hunters across the galaxy against the Calypso Twins, FL4K is one of them who answers. Player characters in a Borderlands game generally don't affect the story independently from one another as much as NPCs do — other than completing missions and setting off events — so it's unclear if FL4K's role will differ from Amara, Zane, or Moze's.