While it might not be the biggest selling point of the game, Back 4 Blood does have a dedicated player vs. player (or PvP) mode. Two teams of four go against each other in a game of survival. One team plays as the Cleaners (humans) and the other plays as the Ridden. The goal is for the Cleaners to survive as long as possible while the Ridden try to kill all of them. The teams then switch roles, with the new Cleaners having to beat the survival time set by their opposing team.
Of course, there are some strategies to be formed here. The Ridden have to create viable plans to wither down the Cleaners’ defenses and the Cleaners have to survive as long as possible. However, Cleaners will have access to a set of cards to put in decks of 15. They’re like the Campaign decks, but the Swarm (PvP) decks have slightly modified values. Here is a better combination of cards that can help you fend off the Ridden for a long time.
Best Swarm PvP deck in Back 4 Blood
This deck is best used with characters who excel in close-quarters situations. Any character can use this deck, but Holly will benefit most from this. Here are the cards you should use.
- Battle Lust: Melee kills heal 2 health.
- Buckshot Bruiser: When using Shotguns, gain temporary health for each pellet that hits.
- Vanguard: Melee kills grant 1 temporary health to you and nearby allies.
- Face Your Fears: Gain 3 temporary health whenever you kill a Ridden within 2 meters.
- Numb: Gain +15% damage resistance while you have temporary health.
- Scar Tissue: Take 1 less damage from all Ridden.
- Durable: +50% Trauma resistance. +5 Health
- Ignore the Pain: +20% Melee damage against all mutations. When you deal melee damage to a Mutation, gain 1 temporary health and recover 3 stamina.
- Berserker: Gain 10% melee damage, 10% melee speed, and 5% move speed for each melee kill in the last 4 seconds.
- Confident Killer: When you or your team kills a Mutation, gain 1% damage (up to 15%) until the end of the level.
- Combat Training: +5% Bullet damage. +50% Bullet penetration
- Patient Hunter: Each second you aim down sights, increases your damage by 10% (up to 3 stacks).
- Antibiotic Ointment: +40% Healing efficiency. +5 Health
- Grenade Pouch: +1 Offensive Inventory
- Vitamins: +25 Health
Ideally, with this build, you’re going to focus on the small fries with your melee weapon of choice while being around the majority of your team mates. The healing will make everyone near you a lot harder to kill. Because of this, you’ll survive longer, giving you more time to take down the enemy team when it’s your turn to become the Ridden.
You’ll also want to rock a shotgun to make use of all the shotgun perks in this card build. It’ll mostly be used to take down the human-controlled Ridden like the Bruisers, Reekers, and Stingers. The more pellets landed, the more temporary health you’ll have. The more temporary health you have, the more damage resistance you’ll have.
Chances are, if the team sees a Holly on the Cleaners side, they’ll prioritize her first, since she’s the hardest to kill. Don’t outright take on the larger foes. This build will require the player to gain temporary health before taking on the bigger threats.
The only issues you may run into while using this deck are ammo economy problems. In that case, use your shotgun of choice sparingly, picking up any ammo you find. Melee can only get you so far against the Ridden. You can always communicate with your teammates to spare you shotgun ammo if they aren’t using it.
Back 4 Blood is out now on PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and Series S/X, and PC via Steam and Epic Games. To check out additional content like guides and updates on the game, click here.
