Back 4 Blood takes Left 4 Dead's mechanics and piles a tower of cards on top with its deck system. Before starting any level, you can build a deck made of character-boosting cards that can change the game in small or enormous ways. Some cards are clearly meant to go together, while others are just great on their own.

　　However, other cards are blatantly geared towards certain weapon builds. Whether you're a sniper aficionado or enjoy a good ol' assault rifle, Back 4 Blood has ways to make specific weapons stronger, more versatile, and in some cases just blatantly overpowered. We've put together some simple builds that you can use to quickly take their undead-killing instrument of choice to the next level.

　　Anyone that's just getting started in the game can check out our list of essential Back 4 Blood starting tips. Back 4 Blood is currently available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and via Xbox Game Pass.

　　

Assault Rifles

Assault Rifle deckIf your approach to zombies is a quick burst from an M16, Back 4 Blood offers plenty of ways to make sure every shot is effective, and that there's as little downtime between firing as possible. This deck emphasizes reload speed, accuracy, and damage above everything else, with a few extra cards thrown in to ensure that you're not out of luck when enemies start to surround you.

　　Using this build, you should be able to take out hordes of enemies without worrying about switching to your secondary weapon. That should always stay in its holster since some of these cards boost your reload speed. With the right attachments, you can reload your main weapon even faster, ensuring that ammo is hardly ever a problem.

　　

Assault rifle deck

Reload DrillsRidden SlayerShooting GlovesHellfireAmmo PouchOptics EnthusiastTrigger ControlAmmo ScavengerMarked for DeathTactical VestLine 'Em UpRun And GunPower ReloadCombat KnifeCombat Training

SMGs

SMG deckThe bigger, beefier cousin of pistols, SMGs don't deal as much damage as assault rifles but fire incredibly fast. The best way to treat the lightweight weapons in this game is as a run and gun tool that never has to be aimed. Instead, you should be able to simply point and click, while your reticle stays closed in on your target.

　　With this SMG build, you won't be able to aim down sights, which some may have to adjust to at first. However, once you realize that your accuracy is essentially pinpoint while crouching and that you can reload almost immediately, you should be able to out-maneuver any enemy in the game, all while raining a hail of small-caliber fire on them.

　　

SMG deck

Mag CouplerReload DrillsCross TrainersShooting GlovesKiller's InstinctOptics EnthusiastMag carrierSpeed DemonAmmo PouchLarge Caliber RoundsAmmo ScavengerPower ReloadAdmin ReloadRun And GunHunker Down

Shotguns

Shotgun deckShotguns are a zombie-killer's best friend, letting them blow the undead into many pieces with massive amounts of close-range damage. The one downside to this class of weaponry is how long it takes to reload a shotgun. As such, our shotgun build is centered around two things: not aiming down sights ever and reloading as fast as possible.

　　Luckily, Back 4 Blood has seemingly also planned for shotgun users to be the game's defacto tanks, and as such, there are a couple of pretty strong cards available. One gives you temporary health for every buckshot pellet that hits an enemy, while another reduces damage taken while you have temporary health. Naturally, both are also included in this deck.

　　

Shotgun deck

Mag CouplerHellfireAmmo PouchQuick KillLarge Caliber RoundsPower ReloadMarked For DeathBuckshot BruiserNumbCombat KnifeAmmo StashRun And GunShell CarrierFace Your FearsBattle Lust

Sniper Rifles

Sniper Rifle deckSniping in zombie games is typically not a very good idea. Zombies will always spawn behind a group of players, meaning there's not really a safe place to stand. And since you always have to move, snipers can't really hunker down like they can in other games. However, snipers in Back 4 Blood are given plenty of options to support their teammates while also dealing massive amounts of damage.

　　This build gives snipers plenty of accuracy and damage, ensuring that they never miss and that whatever they hit won't be getting back up. It also includes some backup for when you inevitably get surrounded by undead.

　　

Sniper Rifle deck

Reload DrillsHi vis SightsStock PopuchLarge Caliber RoundsTrigger ControlControlled MovementPatient HunterMarked For DeathCombat KnifeOverwatchKnowledge Is PowerIn the ZoneAmmo PouchBreakoutRidden Slayer

Melee Weapons

Melee DeckYou might be asking yourself, "Is Back 4 Blood for me if I don't necessarily like guns?" And the answer, put simply, is absolutely, yes. Melee weapons will likely be overlooked by a majority of the game's players, but they can be extremely overpowered if you use the right cards. That being said, you'll still have to be extremely careful and pick your fights when using melee weapons, since some enemies can spew out area-denying acid or flat-out blow up.

　　Since you'll mostly be using melee weapons with this deck, there's no need to aim down sights, so we've thrown cards in that get rid of the mechanic in favor of more melee damage and speed. Since you'll still need a gun for some of the game's objectives, we recommend taking a shotgun. It will fit the build well and give you a bit of space if necessary.

　　

Melee deck

Meth HeadBrazenSluggerCross TrainersVanguardMarked For DeathSpiky BitsHydration PackIgnore The PainBerserkerHeavy HitterBattle LustSunderHeavy AttackMugger