Payday 2 Enforcer Builds Guide – Which Skills To Unlock

How to be an effective enforcer in Payday 2. Find out where to put your hard earned cash to unlock skills that really make the heist easy for you.


As a professional robber, you can’t expect yourself to be good at everything. You could be awesome with machine guns, but wouldn’t be able to shoot a bulls-eye one foot away from you with a pistol. You could be pretty sly with how you do things, but wouldn’t know a thing or two about evasive maneuvers if spotted.

Payday 2 sort of limits the way you can build up your character in the very same manner. You could be good and controlling crowds, or adept at handling robbery-assisting tools and gadgets, or be as silent as a ghost.

Basically, you can build up your character with ‘perks’. There are 4 trees to choose from, and each tree is considered a specialization.

For more help on Payday 2, read our Mastermind Builds, Technician Builds and Ghost Builds Guide.

Payday 2 Enforcer Builds

Most players who start off Payday 2 tend to go with the Enforcer specialization.

This is because it’s fairly easy, since you get to unlock heavy armor, carry around shotguns, and become such a bestial force that civilians and cops will run away screaming.

Basically, the Enforcer is analogues to a ‘tank’ role.

We have three Enforcer builds for you in this guide, explaining how you would build such a specialized character in three different ways. Note that though skills from other trees are also chosen, we will limit our discussion to the Enforcer tree only.

Payday 2 Enforcer Build #1

Man of StealClick To View Build

Mastermind (5)

  • Endurance = Aced

Enforcer (93)

  • Hard Boiled = Aced
  • Shotgun CQB = Aced
  • Shotgun Impact = Aced
  • Die Hard = Aced
  • Oppressor = Aced
  • Man of Iron = Aced
  • Bandolier = Aced
  • Ammunition Specialist = Basic
  • Stun Resistance = Aced
  • Underdog = Aced
  • Bullet Storm = Aced
  • Berserker = Basic
  • Tough Guy = Aced
  • Steroids = Aced
  • Transporter = Aced

Technician (5)

  • Nerves of Steel = Aced

Ghost (17)

  • Assassin = Aced
  • Fast Hands = Aced
  • Dead Presidents = Basic
  • Sprinter = Aced
  • Cleaner = Aced

This build takes use of the main attributes of the Enforcer tree. Basically, your job will be to remain at the front, initiating foes and also carrying body and cash bags.

In order to give the character added resilience, it’s essential to use abilities like Underdog and Oppressor.

Furthermore, you can further bolster your toughness with Tough Guy. Since you’ll be up close (using shotguns won’t allow you to keep distance), it’s important to work your way towards getting Man of Iron, which would really help against SWAT teams with Shields in higher difficulties.

A character of such heavy resilience and presence is vital against high tier SWAT and FBI forces, and is always an essential asset in team games.

Once again, a dude wearing such heavy armor is never going to succeed in Stealth, so it’s best to tone down things or opt for a different class altogether when you’re looking to be a bit sneaky.

Payday 2 Enforcer Build #2

Shotgun TyrantClick To View Build

Mastermind (5)

  • Endurance = Aced

Enforcer (101)

  • Overkill = Aced
  • Hard Boiled = Aced
  • Shotgun CQB = Aced
  • Shotgun Impact = Aced
  • Die Hard = Aced
  • Oppressor = Aced
  • Man of Iron = Aced
  • Bandolier = Basic
  • Ammunition = Aced
  • Stun Resistance = Basic
  • UnderDog = Aced
  • Bullet Storm = Aced
  • Portable Saw = Basic
  • Berserker = Basic
  • Tough Guy = Aced
  • Transporter = Aced

Technician (5)

  • Nerves of Steel = Aced

Ghost (9)

  • Fast Hands = Aced
  • Sprinter = Aced

It’s time to get trigger happy with a shotgun, as this build will make you work your way up the first column perks. You’ll also get the OVE9000 while making this build, but you will always rely on your trusty shotgun first.

This build pays well when you need to defend your team and/or yourself within closed walls, particularly places like the Bank.

In addition to ruthless shotgunning, you would want to take the role of a support ammo supplier for your team. This will ensure all of your men have the required firepower to deal with some heavy-hitting SWAT and FBI teams on higher difficulties.

Like before, you’ll be responsible for carrying the bags and infiltration, and because of that you’d want to grab onto Man of Iron as well. Enjoy watching the shotgun tear up people!

Payday 2 Enforcer Build #3

Close and PersonalClick To View Build

Mastermind (5)

  • Endurance = Aced

Enforcer (85)

  • Shotgun Impact = Aced
  • Die Hard = Aced
  • Oppressor = Aced
  • Man of Iron = Aced
  • Stun Resistance = Aced
  • Underdog = Aced
  • Bullet Storm = Aced
  • Carbon Blade = Aced
  • Portable Saw = Aced
  • Berserker = Aced
  • Tough Guy = Aced
  • Steroids = Aced
  • Transporter = Aced

Technician (5)

  • Nerves of Steel = Aced

Ghost (25)

  • Assassin = Aced
  • Fast Hands = Aced
  • Dead Presidents = Aced
  • Sprinter = Aced
  • Cleaner = Aced
  • Cat Burglar = Aced

Here’s an experimental build for all those who think guns are too fancy and neat for their personality. If you want to roughen things up a bit, consider getting close, like REALLY close.

You’d want to focus on the third column in the Enforcer tree for such a build.

Basically, instead of shotguns, melee attacks will be your primary weapon. This might sound crazily risky, but it can actually be quite useful if you want to do a crazy stealth run, or when you are stuck in tight spaces.

Your major weapon will be the OVE9000, both a symbolic and practical representation of the brutality of this build. It’s really noisy, so use it only when (or if) your cover has been compromised.

However, unlike with the other two builds, you don’t want to initiate or be in the front. Have someone like a specialized Mastermind or Technician do that for you.

Once initiation is done, join the battle as a badass heavy hitter who’ll ram away anyone who comes up close.

Let us know your Enforcer build by commenting below.

Haider is a freelance contributor, who loves video games, playing guitar, and aviation. He is a competitive FPS player and also enjoys exotic RPG games like Diablo and Xenogears (his favorite game of all time) ...