Mordecai

Mordecai is Borderlands "Hunter" class. He relies on damage dealt with precise marksmanship and the use of falconry to defeat enemies and acquire loot. He returns in Borderlands 2 as a supporting character.

Background
At the age of 17, Mordecai won an Interplanetary Sharpshooting competition with a revolver. The other competitors, who were using sniper rifles, accused him of cheating and eventually got him banned from the competition for "unsportsmanlike conduct," although many witnesses noted that he did not display any unsportsmanlike behaviors until after the accusations began. He now travels from planet to planet with his trusty companion Bloodwing, searching for "everything this freaking universe owes me," which Mordecai has defined as a better gun and unlimited cash.

(Information taken from the Borderlands manual)

Gameplay
Mordecai's play style is that of a sharpshooter. He is well suited for ranged combat, being able to have improved accuracy and dealing the most damage with well placed critical hits. Based on how his skill points are distributed he is also able to do high damage with other guns, though most of his skills lead to a preference of sniper rifles and pistols. His melee weapon is a sword, which can also be a tool of great harm. All of these advantages come at the expense of his own durability under fire. Mordecai's active ability calls his bloodwing, a red-eyed alien bird that can be a very helpful companion in the search for the Vault.

His three skill trees are Sniper, which increases his skills with sniper rifles as well as group experience bonuses and accuracy; Rogue, which mainly focuses on increasing the potency of his Bloodwing as well as gaining loot; and Gunslinger, which improves his usage of pistols, as well as his melee weapon. Playing Mordecai involves making extra use of shields and evasive maneuvers, more than any of the other classes. Fighting in close quarters and boss battles can be difficult, while many fights in open areas will be much easier.

Action Skill
Mordecai has a Bloodwing as a pet, a deadly winged predatory bird that can be unleashed upon enemies to damage or kill them.

Bloodwing can be commanded to attack enemies and can be upgraded for increased damage and speed at higher levels. Bloodwing will attack any target bracketed in the crosshairs when he launches. If Bloodwing is blind-fired it will seek out the nearest target in the general direction it's master was facing in. Bloodwing's attack range is limited however, and more suitable to close combat conditions than for supporting long range sniping.

Bloodwing can be called back before the full duration of his flight expires. If he was called back before he attacked an enemy, he can be reused immediately. Otherwise his cooldown time will commence when the bird returns after a target has been struck.

Bloodwing will never attack the same target twice in a row. A useful tactic when using the Bird of Prey skill is when there are two enemies remaining, The Bloodwing will constantly alternate between the two targets until it's reached its limit. This is especially useful when Crimson Lance Engineers send out their Scorpio turret, which qualifies as an enemy; Bloodwing will then alternate between the Engineer and his turret.

Despite this being a possible drawback to Bird of Prey, combining it with Aerial Impact can daze multiple targets.

Bloodwing Tips

 * 1) Bloodwing can be launched immediately before entering a vehicle and it will continue to follow until the skill timer expires. It will attack enemies near the vehicle as Bird of Prey permits.
 * 2) Bloodwing can become entangled on obstacles, so some care should be taken to ensure it has clear air when launched and called back.
 * 3) Bloodwing can be recalled by pressing the action skill button, returning before the skill duration expires, and interrupting it from attacking any additional targets with Bird of Prey. This can be useful if the health return from Out For Blood is urgently needed.
 * 4) Health returned from Out For Blood occurs when the Bloodwing returns, rather than when it strikes.
 * 5) Bloodwing's Aerial Impact skill combined with Bird of Prey can be useful for getting past areas unharmed, when speed is preferable over combat. Dazed enemies will have trouble hitting targets, making them easier to run past.
 * 6) Bloodwing will only attack enemies that are visible to Mordecai. He will only circle above Mordecai if the hunter is running away or hiding behind cover.
 * 7) Bloodwing can be targeted on a specific enemy. He will prioritise his attack on the enemy that Mordecai has bracketed in his sights.
 * 8) The Predator skill can make Bloodwing come back in 13 seconds. It is also possible to find a class mod that adds four more points to the Predator skill, reducing Bloodwing's recharge time to as little as a second. Combined with the Bird of Prey and Aerial Impact skill, Bloodwing can become Mordecai's primary mode of attack.
 * 9) Bloodwing is the only action skill that will not be cancelled if the character becomes crippled. This means that if Bloodwing is in flight before Mordecai is crippled, it is possible for Bloodwing to damage or kill enemies for a Second Wind. Bloodwing can even attack before the bleedout timer starts, avoiding short bleed out times if needed.

Skill Tree Calculator
Check out the skill calculator at borderlandsthegame.com. Note - this tool is no longer supported by gearbox and will only calculate to level 61.

Borderlands 2
Mordecai, along with Roland, Brick, and Lilith, was a founding member of the Crimson Raiders. Between the events of Borderlands and Borderlands 2, Mordecai was involved with Moxxi, whom he won as a prize from the Underdome. Their relationship went sour, and Moxxi left him for Handsome Jack. When Hyperion attacked New Haven, Mordecai fought Wilhelm along with Lilith and Roland, but were easily defeated.

He learns of a Hyperion train convoy moving through the Tundra Express, supposedly carrying the Vault Key. Roland tells the Vault Hunters to meet him there, and he assists them by providing sniper fire. After Sanctuary's relocation, he heads to the Wildlife Exploitation Preserve to obtain a Claptrap software upgrade to bypass the deterrence field leading to Control Core Angel. Mordecai was overrun by Hyperion troops, and escaped after Bloodwing distracted them, but was taken to one of the facility's pens. The Vault Hunters manage to find her, but mutated after being subject to slag experimentation. They manage to weaken Bloodwing and retrieve the Claptrap upgrades, but Jack detonates her collar, killing her and sending Mordecai into a rage. He returns to Sanctuary after the events there.

Mordecai and Brick assume command of the Crimson Raiders after the loss of Roland and Lilith. When the Vault Hunters obtain the information on the Vault of the Warrior's location, he and Brick assist them in the first gauntlet of Hero's Path with a captured Hyperion drop barge, until it is targeted by a Moon Blitz. Against Mordecai's insistence, Brick jumps back onto the barge, which is then struck by the Blitz, sending them both crashing into the lava. Both of them manage to survive and make it to the Vault after Jack and the Warrior's defeat, and witness the activation of the map showing the locations of many other Vaults scattered throughout the universe. The sketches in the credits show Mordecai holding a Bloodwing hatchling.

Combat Style
Mordecai helps the Vault Hunters in the missions A Train to Catch, Wildlife Preservation, and The Talon of God in the areas Tundra Express, Wildlife Exploitation Preserve, and Hero's Pass respectively. In each mission, Mordecai positions himself at a vantage point with a very clear view of the area where he can pick off enemies with great accuracy and precision with his Sniper Rifle.

Mordecai's Sniper Rifle is charged with Slag and causes a Slag Explosion when it impacts either a surface or an enemy. In A Train to Catch, his vantage point is in the middle of the map which gives him a clear view of the whole area. In Wildlife Preservation, he's positioned in an area known as Casa de Mordecai, giving him a clear view of the entrance. In The Talon of God, he snipes from a Hyperion Barge stolen by Brick, giving him a mobile vantage point. His Sniper Rifle appears to become charged with Explosives after Bloodwing dies.

Quotes
Entering a game
 * "Sure I'll join ya, just leave the big game to me."

Opening a Chest
 * "So, you want me to share huh?"
 * "I'll just take a gander here"
 * "Lady Luck, do be kind."
 * "Satisfaction abounds."
 * "Hmm...So many to choose from."
 * "Hm...What do we have here?"
 * "Don't mind if I do."

Idle
 * "Sure is great, standing here. I LOVE IT!"
 * "Now that you mention it, I DO love standing here doing NOTHING!!!"
 * "How long you gonna admire that dirt?"

Leveling up
 * "Another notch on my rifle."
 * "Can it be? I'm getting even BETTER at this!"

Scoring a Critical Hit
 * "Boom! Hehehehehehe..."
 * "What? You didn't like that?"
 * "Did that hurt?"
 * "Feel it!"

Killing a Badass or Boss enemy Killing an enemy with Bloodwing
 * "So big, so angry, so dead."
 * "Nothing like a challenging kill."
 * "I don't think he liked me...ahahahahaha!"
 * "Another trophy for my wall."
 * "Not bad, not bad."
 * "Good boy!"
 * "Someone's getting a treat."
 * "Get 'em Blood!"
 * "You like my pet?"
 * "Give 'em hell, Bloodwing!"
 * "That's my boy!"

Killing enemies
 * "you like that?"

Depleting your ammo
 * "I got no bullets!"
 * "Shit, out of ammo!"
 * "Sonofabitch! Out of ammo!"
 * "Someone give me ammo!"
 * "Out of ammo!"
 * "Damn! No ammo."
 * "I need more ammo."

Spawning a Catch-A-Ride vehicle
 * "Let's get our feet out of the dust."
 * "We're going too slow."
 * "Time for a nice, relaxing drive."

Request to swap (Gunner/Driver) seats in a vehicle
 * "You can't hit shit!"
 * "Swap with me!"
 * "That's enough for you! Switch seats with me!"

Issuing a duel challenge
 * "You looking at Bloodwing? They lookin' at you, Blood?"
 * "C'mon, little girl. Make me laugh."

Winning a duel
 * "Nice effort, I guess."
 * "You're lucky I like you, or you'd be Bloodwing's lunch."

Getting Crippled
 * "Augh! Why? WWHHHYYYYYYYYYYYY!? Erugh..."
 * "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! I NEVER DIE!"

Reviving an ally
 * "What the Hell's wrong with you? Get UP!"
 * "Don't make me pick you up again!"
 * "Don't slip on your blood getting up. C'mon."
 * "I'm not making enough to watch you fall on your face all day. Get up!"

Spotting items
 * "Nice! Check that out!"
 * "Well shit, look at that!"
 * "Look at this!"

Trivia
''"troops will deploy today if all goes to plan. just met a man named mord-ee-kai. dude, eat something." ''Referencing Mordecai's rather thin build.
 * Mordecai's character model prior to the game's release was much beefier looking when compared to the final design. Reaver uses this older character model.
 * According to his profile Mordecai is colorblind, and dislikes eating. He is also stated to be 39, though it is unknown if this is before or after the skip to Borderlands 2.
 * The name Mordecai may be a reference to a pet falcon named Mordecai (seeing as Mordecai has a bloodwing which is similar to a pet falcon) in the movie "The Royal Tenenbaums" By Wes Anderson.
 * A bug existed in the initial release of Borderlands that enabled the Hunter to spawn multiple Bloodwings at once. The glitch in action can be viewed here.
 * In the Secret Armory of General Knoxx, his wanted poster states his bounty is $1,000,000.00 for "Poaching and possession of an endangered species", and in red handwritten text at the bottom, "another million for that annoying bird". This makes his bounty the second-highest (assuming Bloodwing is killed) of the original Vault Hunters, being beaten out by Brick.
 * It is hinted that Lilith and Mordecai may have known each other during one point in their childhood. This can be deduced from the Borderlands intro, when it shows drawings of the four Vault Hunters as children and Lilith and Mordecai appear in the same picture.
 * Mordecai's name may also be a reference to Major Alfred Mordecai of the U.S. Ordnance Department, dating from just before the Civil War. Major Mordecai's procurement research and decisions were a major contributing factor to U.S. military philosophy emphasizing superior marksmanship instead of overwhelming firepower.
 * Mordecai is compared to a Truxican Wrestler at the start of the game when Marcus says, "You there, with the sniper rifle and the crazy mask? You look like a Truxican Wrestler moon-lighting as a dominatrix, man!" "Truxican Wrestler" appears to be a play on the words, "Mexican wrestler," as Mexican wrestlers wear matching masks and suits, not too dissimilar to Mordecai's. The name also appears on a melee orientated class mod.
 * General Knoxx makes a comment on Mordecai on his Twitter account:
 * It is revealed in the side mission "The Good, the Bad, and the Mordecai" that he was once in a relationship with Moxxi before she left him for Handsome Jack.
 * Although his action skill quotes refer to Bloodwing as "boy", the pet is referred to as "her" multiple times in Borderlands 2.

Mordecai