The Factions Of The Solus System
Meet the opposing groups of Battleborn, all fighting for living space in the universe’s last solar system.
THE PEACEKEEPERS
Think of the Peacekeepers as the intergalactic space-police analog to America’s role in world politics. Once a massive fleet of many ships, the fading stars and resulting lost planets have greatly diminished the Peacekeepers’ presence. Lead writer Aaron Linde says the Peacekeepers are rounding up their remaining “Battlestar Galactica-sized fleet” and heading for Solus. The faction once relied on its vast military might to solve interstellar disputes, but now has to adapt in these dire times. Making matters worse, they settled late in the game on the semi-terraformed planet of Bliss, where the only vacant spots are covered in ice and snow. “They can be draconian, they can be beauracratic, but at the end of the day they are a pure hearted bunch,” Linde says.
THE LAST LIGHT CONSORTIUM (L.L.C.)
This economic and technological powerhouse is a collective mostly made up of business-minded robots. The L.L.C. used to be an important extension of the Peacekeepers, but splintered off as the United Peacekeeping Republic’s wealth and influence began to dwindle. Now unburdened of the Peacekeepers’ stiff ethics, the L.L.C. is free to become filthy rich as the universe’s biggest arms dealer. The L.L.C. supply chaotic battlefields with hundreds of minions and giant spider mechs, all from the comfort of their self-sustaining Arc fleet. The numerous robots and few organic members of the L.L.C. wear their wealth and elitism on their sleeves with top hats, monocles, canes, and more. Phoebe, the genius descendent of influential human L.L.C. engineers, even wears a Victorian Age hoop skirt. “They certainly don’t want everyone to destroy themselves, because then they have no purpose,” Linde says. “But they don’t want people to stop dying, either, because that would cut into their profits.”
THE ROGUES
This band of misfits is composed of the unaffiliated free peoples of the Solus System. The factions of Battleborn are all cosmetically unique from one another, but that diversity is taken to new extremes with the Rogues. This shady lot is a collection of mercenaries, smugglers, pirates, refugees, and other undesirables hailing from all corners of the universe and all races. True to their fractured nature, the Rogues call an asteroid belt at the far edge of the Solus System home. They settle on the larger chunks of planet in the Detritus Ring and sustain themselves by harvesting wayward scrap.“If you take a bunch of civilizations, grab them all by the neck and shake the crap out of them, whatever falls loose is basically the Rogues,” Linde says.
THE ELDRID
At first glance, the Eldrid look like an assortment of nature loving fantasy tropes. But this collection of mushroom people, tall, bow-wielding elves, and more aren’t quite what they seem. The Eldrid aren’t only in tune with nature, they worship the mathematics and physics that drive the universe. This ancient society has made it their duty to observe, study, and archive the cosmos’ mysteries in vast planet-sized knowledge depositories. The Eldrid practiced non combative isolationism until the Varelsi wiped out their precious archives. Motivated into action by the Varelsi’s interloping and the darkening stars, the Eldrid now take up arms to defend their lush, resource-rich home planet of Ekkunar against the encroaching factions. “They see their roles in the universe as stewards of the cosmos, in so much as they believe the cosmos to be a grand engine, and they’re an expression of that engine,” Linde says. “It’s their role in the universe to be the observers of that engine. They want to see it play out to its natural conclusion, and they’ve got front-row seats for it.”
THE JENNERIT EMPIRE
In stark contrast to the Eldrid, the expansionistic Jennerit Empire is happy to bend nature to its will. This empire sought for years to unlock eternal life. The Jennerit eventually unlocked the key to immortality by setting their planet, Tempest, into a fixed orbit around the sun that allows them to continually harvest huge amounts of energy. This energy powers their empire and converts them into the Sustained beings that do not die of natural causes but can still be killed. The Sustained nobles hold themselves above the lower, mortal castes of the Jennerit Empire. While the faction isn’t evil in intent, they don’t mind wiping out planets to secure resources for their perpetually living elite. When a sun burns out, the Jennerit simply hitch their power-generating planet to a tremendous ship and set course for the next solar body. Presently, the Jennerit are heading for Solus. “They’re not quite as distasteful of genocide as most,” Linde says. “They’re kind of jerks.”
Meet The Heroic Battleborn
Gearbox hopes to have around 20 characters playable when the game releases. Meet nine of the revealed cast:
Name: OSCAR MIKE
Faction: Peacekeepers
This consummate space marine is unflinchingly earnest in his exuberant love of battle. But for all his noisy military jargon, he’s not quick to discuss his past. There are many like Oscar Mike in the United Peacekeeping Republics who unquestioningly follow orders and deliver justice on the battlefield. He’s what you’ve come to expect and appreciate in space faring armed forces.
On the battlefield, Oscar Mike deals consistent, pestering medium-range damage with his rifle and grenades. Call of Duty fans will feel right at home with his grounded traversal and precise iron-sight aiming. His trusty frag grenade deals a blast of damage to enemies’ health, while his pulse grenade drains the shields of foes in the area. His airstrike ultimate ability allows him to call down a barrage of laser-guided missiles great for quickly finishing off wounded opposition or dealing a wide swath of damage.
Name: THORN
Faction: Eldrid
This lithe, nimble elf lived on the planet of Ekkunar in the Solus System long before the rival factions appeared and started blowing things up. She honed her skills and knack for survival while growing up on the frontier abilities that will be put to the test against warring groups and the tightening Varelsi stranglehold. She’s a conflicted battleborn, wrestling with her non aggressive upbringing as the mounting galactic threats force her into the fray.
Thorn is a fast, powerful midrange glass cannon without a shield. Her curse magic allows her to charge up arrows for added damage the longer they’re pulled back in her bow. Playing her efficiently requires patience, steady aim, and the wisdom for when to retreat into the shadows. Her generous jump allows her to leap out of enemies’ view and reach heights many cannot. Thorn can knock a cluster of arrows for a spread shot and lay down an aura of corruption to hurt and slow down enemies. Her ultimate ability unleashes a deadly scalewolf, a lightning-fast canine companion that hones in on and devastates targets.
Name: RATH
Faction: Jennerit
This seasoned swordsman has had unnaturally long experience with a blade thanks to the Jennerit Empire’s immortal Sustaining process. Formerly among the elite guard for the Jennerit Empress, Rath abandoned the position when infighting broke out within the upper class. Rath is less interested in power struggles and more concerned with sticking his energy imbued katanas through enemies on the frontlines.
Rath forgoes the clumsy firearms of the battlefield in exchange for three swords he handcrafted. He dual wields a pair of blades, slicing vertically and horizontally with presses of the trigger buttons. He raises his third sword a massive blade reminiscent of Cloud Strife’s buster sword overhead when preparing for his catalytic smash attack. The resulting ground slam sends enemies into the air, setting them up for his short-range energy projectile fired when he crosses his blades. For Rath’s ultimate ability, Dreadwind, he becomes a spinning whirlwind of death that can obliterate foes too slow to seek higher ground.
Name: MARQUIS
Faction: L.L.C.
This snappily dressed robot was formerly a butler for Phoebe’s prestigious family of early Last Light Consortium founders. After centuries of loyal servitude, Marquis’ programming has been swapped out with a new A.I. that has made him slightly more unhinged. Ever the gentleman, this robot still wears a bowler cap that he clutches to his metal skull as he tally-hos across the battlefield.
Uninterested in dirtying his hands with close combat, Marquis’ fancy cane transforms into a sniper rifle for long-ranged gun play. Players can aim down the cane rifle and adjust the level of zoom using an analog stick. Marquis can deploy an explosive robot owl named Hoodini to patrol a small area and detonate on ene mies that come too close. Marquis can also throw down another area of effect ability that slows time for anyone who steps through it, becoming easy fodder for his rifle. For his ultimate, Marquis charges up and fires a large single shot of deadly energy that glides across the battlefield, arcing electricity towards nearby enemies.
Name: MONTANA
Faction: Peacekeepers
The bubblegum-chewing Montana is four times the size of any battleborn revealed so far. This hulk’s time serving the Peacekeepers has strained the ideals he once held dear, but his gusto for combat is alive and well. Montana’s tremendous personality isn’t just for his own amusement he uses it as a tool to motivate his fellow brothers in arms.
Montana is an easy target on the field, but he can soak up a good deal of damage while peppering enemies with his humongous minigun. This beefy machine gun can be augmented to blast frost bullets that slow enemies and decrease overheating, or flame rounds that boost damage but cause the gun to seize up more quickly. While among the slowest of the battleborn, Montana can close the distance with a speedy dash that knocks enemies backward. For Montana’s Mansformation ultimate ability, he coats himself in steel, leaps into the air, and crashes down on a targeted area to deal damage as huge as his frame.
Name: REYNA
Faction: Rogues
The unaffiliated free peoples settled on the Detritus Ring asteroid belt and answer to no one, except sometimes Reyna. This faction’s defacto commander leads the ragtag crew when dire circumstances require cooperation. Referred to some as Valkyrie, Reyna is a supportive leader that does all she can to keep her allies in healthy, fighting shape.
Reyna carries a pistol into battle in one hand and wears a laser-firing command glove on the other. Energy projectiles fired from her command glove whittle down enemies’ shields, while her six-shooter chips away at their health. Her command glove also fires friendly energy blasts that home in on allies and give them a temporary over shied. On the flip side, she can fire another burst that locks in on and marks specified enemy targets. The priority target status allows teammates to deal damage on the mark that bypasses shields. Reyna’s ultimate ability lets her teleport to any ally on the battlefield to either heal a friend at the last minute or escape the fray.
Name: MIKO
Faction: Eldrid
This mushroom-headed creature hails from a planet of genetically identical fungus life forms. When the Eldrid discovered Miko they took the sentient fungal entity with them, thusly saving the being from the impending demise of the colony. When Miko speaks, it refers to itself as “we,” continuing the legion esque collective consciousness of its home world.
Like any hardy fungus, Miko is built for survival, complete with a generous health regeneration rate and multiple self-healing abilities. The creature is also an indispensable medic with decent speed and kunais for dealing mid-range damage. Miko can toss down a cloud of spores that deals damage to nearby foes and slows them down. The fungus’ mushroom cap can be removed and thrown on the ground for its special ability, creating a healing aura that also damages enemies caught in its radius.
Name: PHOEBE
Faction: L.L.C.
Phoebe is the last in a long line of brilliant inventors that helped shape the highly profitable and technologically advanced Last Light Consortium. Her human traits, like emotion and mortality, make her an oddity among the robotic leaders of the L.L.C. The robotic butler-turned-sniper, Marquis, was formerly the loyal servant of Phoebe’s family. However, Phoebe excused Marquis from his duties when alterations to his A.I. caused him to become unstable.
This brilliant aristocrat’s presence on the battlefield is immediately noticeable. A set of floating rapiers hovers above her, controlled by some techno-wizardry or magic powers. Phoebe can stab and slash with her airborne blades, and completing a combo against a foe enhances her suite of other abilities. Her abilities let her teleport short distances or unleash a flurry of telekinetic rapier attacks directly in front of her. For her ultimate ability, Phoebe digs her heels in and prepares to parry an oncoming attack. If she deflects an incoming assault, she retaliates by directing her entire floating arsenal of rapiers towards the unfortunate soul.
Name: CALDARIUS
Faction: Jennerit
This armored, jetpack-wearing champion is a lower caste Jennerit that fought his way to the elite ranks of the immortal Sustained. Caldarius excelled in broadcasted gladiatorial tournaments and won the prize of eternal life when he emerged victorious. The Sustained made true to their promise and granted him immortality, but locked him away for a long, long time to put him in his place. After emerging from his prolonged detention, Caldarius is ready to take out his pent-up aggression in battle.
Caldarius is a hunter killer that can handily chase down targets, dash in for an assassination, and retreat into the air via his jetpack before anyone can retaliate. He wields a submachine gun and a sword for up-close damage, which become even deadlier when combined with his blinding flash grenade. The character’s abilities aren’t set in stone, but Gearbox envisions an ultimate attack where Caldarius slams into the ground from above to deal a huge splash of damage.
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