Back 4 Blood, developed by Turtle Rock Studios, is a cooperative first-person shooter that pits you and your team against hordes of zombie-like creatures known as the Ridden. With its high-octane action and a focus on teamwork, it shares a lot with its predecessor, Left 4 Dead, but adds new mechanics that make it a unique challenge. One of these features is the deck-building system, which allows players to customize their gameplay through cards. This guide will walk you through how to master Back 4 Blood, covering deck-building, teamwork strategies, weapon choices, and surviving the most challenging levels.
1. Understanding the Basics of Back 4 Blood
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Before diving into the advanced strategies, you must first get a grip on the basic mechanics of Back 4 Blood. This game involves four-player teams fighting their way through different levels while battling the Ridden. Understanding these fundamentals will make more advanced tactics easier to grasp.
The Campaign Mode
Back 4 Blood’s campaign is split into four acts, each with multiple levels. Your goal is to survive, complete objectives, and get to the safe room. Communication with your team is crucial, as working together often determines whether you succeed or fail.
Special Ridden Types
Throughout the game, you’ll face special Ridden with unique abilities, such as the Tallboy, Hocker, and Reeker. Knowing how to deal with these enemies is key to survival.
2. How to Build the Perfect Deck
The deck-building system in Back 4 Blood is one of its most critical aspects. Players can create custom decks of cards that grant various buffs and abilities. Mastering the deck-building process will dramatically improve your gameplay.
Starting with Essential Cards
When building a deck, it’s important to choose cards that suit your playstyle. Focus on cards that boost health, stamina, and damage in the early stages. Cards like “Combat Knife”, “Cross Trainers”, and “Fit as a Fiddle” are excellent for beginners.
Synergies and Advanced Combos
As you progress, aim to create synergies between your cards. For instance, pairing cards that increase melee damage with cards that regenerate health with melee kills can turn you into a close-quarters powerhouse.
3. Coordinating with Your Team
While Back 4 Blood can be played solo, the game is best experienced with a coordinated team. Effective communication and teamwork make surviving the campaign much easier.
Assigning Roles
Assigning roles within your team helps you manage different situations. One player can focus on healing, another on dealing damage, and someone else on crowd control. Roles should complement each other, and players should adapt based on the team’s needs.
Stick Together
Splitting up is often a recipe for disaster. The Ridden can quickly overwhelm lone players, especially when special infected show up. Always stay within sight of your teammates to provide backup and support.
4. Managing Your Resources
Resource management is a critical part of Back 4 Blood. Ammo, health packs, and money are often scarce, so learning how to use them wisely can be the difference between life and death.
Prioritizing Purchases
At the start of each level, you can spend Copper to buy weapons, attachments, and items. It’s essential to prioritize healing items and ammo before purchasing weapons or upgrades.
Sharing Resources
If one player is low on ammo or health, don’t hesitate to share your resources. Keeping everyone well-stocked ensures that your team stays strong throughout the mission.
5. Mastering the Use of Weapons
Weapons are your primary defense against the Ridden, and Back 4 Blood offers a variety of choices ranging from pistols to sniper rifles. Learning how to use each weapon type effectively is crucial.
Choosing the Right Weapon
Pick weapons that complement your playstyle. If you prefer long-range combat, opt for sniper rifles or assault rifles. If you’re more of a close-quarters player, shotguns and melee weapons will be your best friends.
Upgrading Your Weapons
As you progress, you’ll find weapon attachments that improve handling, damage, and accuracy. These attachments can turn a basic weapon into a formidable tool for survival. Always be on the lookout for upgrades that suit your weapon choice.
6. Surviving Nightmare Mode
For players looking for a real challenge, Nightmare Mode is where Back 4 Blood truly tests your skills. The difficulty is cranked up, with more enemies, tougher Ridden, and limited resources. Surviving in this mode requires meticulous planning and execution.
Build Specialized Decks
To survive Nightmare Mode, your deck needs to be optimized. Focus on cards that enhance survivability, such as increased stamina and health regeneration. Cards like “Reload Drills” and “Vanguard” are ideal for high-pressure situations.
Team Coordination is Key
More than in any other mode, your team’s coordination must be flawless. Clear communication, strategic positioning, and resource management are essential to surviving the onslaught of enemies.
7. Dealing with Corruption Cards
Corruption cards are one of the most challenging mechanics in Back 4 Blood. These cards introduce random modifiers to each level, making the game harder by increasing the number of Ridden, adding environmental hazards, or buffing enemy types.
Understanding Corruption Cards
Before each level, the game will reveal which Corruption Cards are active. This allows you to plan your strategy and deck accordingly. If a card increases Ridden health, focus on cards that increase your team’s damage output.
Overcoming Corruption Challenges
Adaptability is crucial when dealing with Corruption Cards. The random nature of these modifiers means you’ll need to adjust your playstyle and deck depending on the challenges you face in each level.
8. Choosing the Right Characters (Cleaners)
Back 4 Blood features a roster of eight Cleaners, each with their own unique abilities and starting weapons. Selecting the right Cleaner can drastically influence your team’s success.
Best Cleaners for New Players
For new players, characters like Walker and Evangelo are great choices. Walker’s precision kills give the team a damage boost, while Evangelo’s speed and stamina make him ideal for quick escapes.
Advanced Cleaner Selection
As you become more experienced, experiment with other characters like Doc, whose healing abilities are invaluable on higher difficulties, or Hoffman, who has a chance to drop ammo for the team.
9. How to Complete Supply Lines for Better Cards
Completing Supply Lines is essential for unlocking new cards, which can significantly enhance your deck. These supply lines act as a progression system, rewarding players with new cards, skins, and cosmetics as they progress.
Efficient Card Unlocking
To efficiently unlock the best cards, focus on completing objectives and earning Supply Points. Use these points to advance through supply lines, unlocking powerful cards that can help you tailor your deck for different game modes.
Prioritizing Essential Cards
When working through supply lines, prioritize unlocking cards that boost core stats like health, stamina, and damage. This will ensure that your deck stays balanced and effective throughout the campaign.
10. Learning from Mistakes and Adapting Your Strategy
Even experienced players will encounter challenges in Back 4 Blood, especially on higher difficulties. The key to mastering the game is learning from your mistakes and continuously adapting your strategy.
Reviewing Failed Attempts
When a run goes wrong, take time to reflect on what happened. Did your team split up? Were you low on resources? By identifying mistakes, you can improve your approach in future attempts.
Continuous Adaptation
Back 4 Blood rewards players who adapt to the constantly changing conditions of the game. Whether it’s adjusting your deck, changing up your Cleaner, or refining your strategy, the ability to evolve your gameplay will lead to success.
Conclusion
Back 4 Blood offers a rich and challenging experience for players who love cooperative shooters. Its combination of a unique deck-building system, dynamic team-based gameplay, and challenging enemies requires a strategic approach to succeed. By understanding how to build a strong deck, manage resources, communicate with your team, and adapt to changing conditions, players can overcome even the most difficult levels. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced player, mastering these elements will help you thrive in the chaotic, zombie-infested world of Back 4 Blood.
