How to Build a Melee-Focused Vault Hunter in Borderlands 4

In Borderlands 4, if you like getting close, taking hits, and ending fights with a brutal finisher, then a melee-focused Vault Hunter will fit you. The core idea is simple: close the gap, land big hits, and stay alive long enough to do it again. The rest of the build is about tools that let you move, hit hard, and recover fast.

Amon the Forge Knight is the blunt instrument of melee play. His kit rewards charging into fights and surviving the counterpunch. The Onslaughter skill launches Amon forward for a Rocket Punch that opens fights and scores big hits. The Forgeshield then soaks damage and gives him room to trade blows. To build Amon, put points into melee damage, shield size, damage reduction, and anything that speeds up his charge or boosts damage after an action skill. Those choices make him a steady brawler who can lead a fight rather than react to one.

Rafa the Exosoldier brings speed and finesse to close combat. His Ark Knives skill marks targets and spreads damage, which helps him chain kills quickly. Rafa works best when he can dart in, tag several enemies, then dance back while his marks explode or his team finishes the targets. For Rafa, invest in melee attack speed, crit melee damage, cooldown reduction, and movement boosts. Those stats turn Rafa into a hit-and-run specialist who still dishes out huge numbers when the timing lines up.

Every melee build needs a few shared priorities. First, focus on melee damage above all else so each hit actually changes a fight. Second, invest in survivability because being melee means you will eat enemy attacks; drop points into health, shields, and lifesteal on hit when you can. Third, mobility matters more than you think—skills that dash, stun, or reposition you let you choose which fights you take and which fights you avoid. Fourth, cut action skill cooldowns so your opener and defensive tools come back faster.

Look for gear that boosts melee options and then tune around those finds. Borderlands 4 Items that stack melee damage, give life or shield on hit, or add short invulnerability windows after a kill are the core of a strong setup. Keep artifacts, class mods, and shields that strengthen your chosen play pattern, and swap in weapons that either bait enemies into melee range or clean up after your hits. A mid-tier weapon that feeds your core loop is worth more than a flashy gun that breaks your rhythm.

Try different augment choices and keep the ones that let you chain kills without pausing. Use movement to flank enemies and use the environment—cover and narrow choke points—so you do not get swarmed. With steady testing and small adjustments you will make your Vault Hunter feel like a force of nature.

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