The card system in Back 4 Blood is an intricate feature in the game. Below, we aim to streamline everything you need to know about the Back 4 Blood Best Cards build yourself the perfect deck.
Back 4 Blood Best Cards
The core purpose of the cards in Back 4 Blood is to boost your overall power in the game. This is done by allowing you to craft a custom deck of cards, switch between different builds and take on more challenging fights.
The Game Director in the game, which is a system of modern AI, picks up a collection of cards. These are called corruption cards based on your actions, choices, and health.
On the other hand, there are active cards that you choose yourself and that allow you to avail some useful perks. There can be a total of 15 cards in a deck and each card can be in a deck only once, meaning you can’t stack them.
Below, we will go over both types of cards separately. Play them right, and you’ll be unstoppable!
What are Corruption Cards?
These cards are essentially chosen by the Game Director AI at the onset of each level which in turn, apply several random alterations to the game, such as the special types that spawn with climatic effects like fog.
The Game Director has a total of, 10 corruption cards in B4B to choose from.
Active Cards
Active cards in the game serve to help you get your hands on some special bonuses, which allow you to counter the effects of corruption cards and improve your odds in the game.
After the Game Director has selected its cards, you will need to draw three cards. One of them will be a corruption card while others will be active.
You can only pick one of these cards. Once you’ve played the picked card, you will draw another card. You will repeat this process unless three cards have been played.
When a campaign commences, you will begin with one active card with your loadout. During the campaign, you’ll be able to acquire four more active cards to the point when you leave the safe house.
Apart from the active cards that you’ll naturally acquire, there are many more scattered across the map and can be purchased with the in-game currency – Copper.
Active cards are categorized into four types, namely
Each of these types offers you a particular boost. For instance, reflex cards are concerned with your movement speed as well as the reload speed of your weapon.
Some of the cards may have a catch for the benefits they offer so watch out for them. Oftentimes, reaping benefits from the cards may not be worth it!
Reflex Cards
The blue cards that you’ll see in Back 4 Blood are Reflex cards. These cards are focused on giving the player buffs that makes their character faster, more agile and move evasive.
| Card Name | Card Description |
| Adrenaline-Fueled | 100% more stamina 75% less stamina regeneration Allows you to gain 10 Stamina every time you kill an enemy and another 10 stamina over the subsequent 5 seconds |
| Brazen | 30% more melee efficiency 30% more melee attack speed 5% less damage resistance |
| Breakout | Allows you to escape from grabs by holding E |
| Cocky | 75% more weapon swap speed Decreases your accuracy by 20% for 3 seconds whenever you take damage |
| Combat Medic | 25% more use speed When you revive a teammate, it allows you to heal them for an extra 20 health |
| Cross Trainers | 20% more stamina 20% more stamina regen 3% more movement speed +5 health |
| Dash | 5% more movement speed |
| Energy Drink | 40% more stamina 5% less damage resistance |
| Evasive Action | Grants you +20% movement speed for 3 seconds whenever you receive 10 or more damage in a single hit |
| Fire in the Hole! | Grants you +20 health and +20% movement speed for 10 seconds whenever you throw an offensive accessory |
| Fleet of Foot | 10% more movement speed 5% less damage resistance |
| Glass Cannon | 50% more weak spot damage -30 health |
| Guns Out | 50% more weapon swap speed 5% less damage resistance |
| Headband Magnifier | 75% more use speed Grants you a chance to be blinded for 1 second whenever you take damage |
| Hellfire | 50% more movement speed while firing SMGs 10% more SMG damage |
| Hi Vis Sights | 30% more aim speed |
| Hyper-Focused | 50% more weak spot damage 20% less damage |
| Killer’s Instinct | 30% more weak spot damage Disables ADS (Aim Down Sights) |
| Mag Carrier | 30% more SMG/Pistol ammo capacity 10% more SMG/Pistol damage |
| Mag Coupler | 50% more reload speed Disables ADS (Aim Down Sights) |
| Mandatory PT | 10% more team stamina |
| Marathon Runner | Allows you to strafe and backpedal without slowing down movement |
| Medical Expert | 15% more healing efficiency Grants you +15% movement speed for 15 seconds whenever you use a medical accessory |
| Meth Head | 40% more melee attack speed 40% more melee stamina efficiency Stops your melee attacks from sticking to tough enemies Disables ADS (Aim Down Sights) |
| Miraculous Recovery | Grants you a 25% chance to have 100% increased effect whenever you use a medical accessory |
| Multitool | 50% more use speed 5% less damage resistance |
| Olympic Sprinter | 30% more spring efficiency 5% less damage resistance |
| On Your Mark | Grants your team +15% movement speed for 30 seconds whenever you leave a starting safe room |
| Pep in your Step | Grants you +10% movement speed for 5 seconds whenever you get a precision kill |
| Pep Talk | 100% more revive speed 5% less damage resistance |
| Power Swap | Grants you +20% damage for 5 seconds whenever you change weapons within 0.75 seconds of reaching a low ammo threshold |
| Reckless | 40% more sprint efficiency Makes you lose all stamina if you take damage while sprinting |
| Reckless Strategy | 30% more weak spot damage 5% less damage resistance |
| Reload Drills | 20% more reload speed |
| Rhythmic Breathing | 60% more stamina 20% less slow resistance |
| Ridden Slayer | 20% more weak spot damage |
| Rolling Thunder | 50% more movement speed while firing shotguns 10% more shotgun damage |
| Rousing Speech | 150% more revive speed 50% less revive trauma Disables offensive accessories |
| Run Like Hell | 5% more movement speed Decreases accuracy by 20% for 3 seconds whenever you take damage |
| Sadistic | 40% more weak spot damage |
| Screwdriver | 25% more use speed |
| Shooting Gloves | 25% more weapon swap speed |
| Shredder | Makes the target take +1% damage for each bullet you hit them with (up to 50%) |
| Slugger | +5 health 10% more melee efficiency 20% more melee attack speed |
| Smelling Salts | 50% more revive speed |
| Speed Demon | 12% more movement speed while using an SMG |
| Steady Aim | 80% more aim speed 50% less movement speed while using ADS |
| Stimulants | Grants you +10% movement speed, +10% reload speed and +10% weapon swap speed for 30 seconds whenever you use a Pain Med |
| Stock Pouch | 30% more sniper ammo capacity 10% more damage with sniper rifles |
| Superior Cardio | 20% more stamina 20% more sprint efficiency |
| +5 Health | |
| Tunnel Vision | 50% more aim speed 5% less damage resistance |
| Utility Scavenger | Allows you to sense Quick Accessories nearby Increases spawn rate of Quick Accessories |
| Widemouth Magwell | 30% more reload speed 5% less damage resistance |
Discipline Cards
The red cards that you’ll see in Back 4 Blood are Discipline cards. They enhance your character’s overall loadout, mostly focusing on ammo and explosive capacities.
| Card Name | Card Description |
| Ammo Belt | 50% more ammo capacity 20% less stamina efficiency |
| Ammo for All | 10% more team ammo capacity |
| Ammo Mule | 75% more ammo capacity Disables Support Accessories |
| Ammo Pouch | 25% more ammo capacity |
| Ammo Scavenger | Allows you to sense ammo nearby Increases spawn rate of ammo |
| Amped Up | Grants your team 50 temporary health whenever you leave a starting safe room |
| Antibiotic Ointment | 30% more healing efficiency |
| Avenge the Fallen | Grants your whole team +30% damage, +20% reload speed and unlimited ammo for 10 seconds whenever you or a teammate becomes incapacitated |
| Charitable Soul | Whenever you heal a teammate, allows you to also be healed by the same amount |
| Cold Brew Coffee | 40% more stamina regeneration 10% less stamina efficiency |
| Combat Knife | Turns your bash into a knife which is considered as a melee weapon |
| Combat Training | 5% more outgoing damage 50% more bullet penetration |
| Controlled Movement | 40% more movement speed while using ADS on a Sniper Rifle |
| Down in the Front! | 10% more damage resistance and no friendly fire while crouching |
| EMT Bag | 45% more healing efficiency 20% less stamina efficiency |
| Energy Bar | 20% more stamina regeneration +5 health |
| Field Surgeon | 75% more healing efficiency 25% less use speed |
| Front Sight Focus | 20% more accuracy |
| Group Therapy | All teammates are healed for ten health whenever you use a medical accessory |
| Hunker Down | 20% more damage resistance and 12.5% more accuracy while crouching |
| In the Zone | Grants you +5% reload speed for 5 seconds for every precision kill (up to 50% reload speed) |
| Inspiring Sacrifice | Heals all teammates for 25 HP over 10 seconds whenever you or a teammate becomes incapacitated |
| Knowledge is Power | 10% more weak spot damage Gives you the ability to see enemy health bars and the values of the damage you deal to them |
| Large Caliber Rounds | 10% damage dealt 100% more bullet penetration 20% less stamina efficiency |
| Marked for Death | Highlights the Mutations you ping and makes your teammates deal +10% damage to the highlighted enemies |
| Meatgrinder | 30% more movement speed when using and LMG while crouched |
| Medical Professional | Defibrillators and Frist Aids grant an extra life and recover 10 trauma damage |
| Motorcycle Helmet | 25% more damage resistance Disables ADS (Aim Down Sights) |
| Motorcycle Jacket | 10% more damage resistance |
| Natural Sprinter | +100 more stamina regeneration 50% less maximum stamina |
| Needs of the Many | 20% less health +1 extra life for the team |
| Optics Enthusiast | 30% more accuracy 20% less stamina efficiency |
| Padded Suit | 15% more damage resistance 20% less stamina efficiency |
| Patient Hunter | Increases damage by +10% for each second you’re using ADS (up to 30%) |
| Poultice | Teammates gain an extra 15 health over 30 seconds whenever you heal them |
| Power Reload | Increases magazine capacity by 30% until the next reload. This is only possible if you reload your gun within 0.75 seconds of reaching low ammo |
| Quick Kill | 50% more accuracy Disables ADS (Aim Down Sights) |
| Scattergun Skills | 40% more Shotgun reload speed |
| Silver Bullets | 15% more outgoing damage 150% more bullet penetration Makes you lose 5 Copper whenever you kill a Mutation |
| Support Scavenger | Allows you to sense Support Accessories nearby Increases the spawn rate of Support Accessories |
| Tactical Vest | 30% more rifle ammo capacity 10% more Assault Rifle and LMG damage |
| Trigger Control | 25% more Assault Rifle and Sniper Rifle accuracy |
| Vanguard | 10% more melee speed Grants one temporary health to teammates nearby whenever you get a melee kill |
| Weapon Scavenger | Allows you to sense weapons nearby Increases the spawn rate of weapons |
Brawn Cards
The green cards that you’ll see in Back 4 Blood are Brawn cards. They’re focused on increasing your character’s survivability, making them as tough as possible.
| Card Name | Card Description |
| Batter Up | 50% more melee damage +5 health |
| Battle Lust | Allows you to heal 2 health per melee kill |
| Berserker | For each melee kill you get in the last 4 seconds, grants 10% more melee damage, 10% more melee speed and 5% more movement speed |
| Body Armor | 25% more trauma resistance 20% less ammo capacity |
| Bomb Squad | 100% more explosive damage 35% more explosive resistance |
| Broadside | Grants your precision kills a 20% chance to blow up Ridden, dealing 15 damage to all other Riddens present within a 4 meter radius |
| Buckshot Bruiser | 15% more damage resistance while using a Shotgun |
| Canned Goods | +40 health 30% less stamina |
| Chemical Courage | Gain +25% damage for 60 seconds every time you use Pain Meds |
| Confident Killer | Grants +2% damage until the end of the level each time you or your team kills a Mutation (up to 100%) |
| Demolitions Expert | 50% more accessory damage 20% less ammo capacity |
| Durable | 15% more trauma resistance +5 health |
| Face Your Fears | Grants 3 temporary health each time you kill a Ridden within 2 meters |
| Fresh Bandage | At the start of every level, heals 10 trauma |
| Grenade Training | 25% more accessory damage |
| Heavy Attack | Grants your melee weapons the ability to burst forward whenever you hold LMB 100% more damage from charge attacks |
| Heavy Hitter | Grants your melee attacks the ability to deal +20 stumble damage when attacking weak spots |
| Hydration Pack | +25 health 20% less ammo capacity |
| Ignore the Pain | Increases damage by 20% when fighting Mutations using a melee weapon |
| Improvised Explosives | 75% more accessory damage 25% less swap damage |
| Line ‘Em Up | 100% more bullet penetration with Assault Rifles |
| Mean Drunk | 75% more melee damage Grants your melee attacks the ability to deal AoE damage Disables sprinting |
| Numb the Pain | Grants +15% damage resistance while you possess temporary health |
| Offensive Scavenger | Allows you to sense Offensive Accessories nearby Increases spawn rate of accessories |
| Overwatch | Whenever you get a kill from 16 or more meters away, grants 5 temporary health to teammates within ten meters of the enemy |
| Pyro | 100% more fire damage 75% more fire resistance Grants temporary health each time you get a kill with fire |
| Scar Tissue | Decreases incoming damage from all Ridden by 1 |
| Second Chance | +1 life +5 health |
| Spiky Bits | 25% more melee damage While using a melee weapon, damage resistance is increased by 10% 20% less ammo capacity |
| Sunder | Every time you hit a target with a melee attacks, they take 20% more damage for 5 seconds |
| True Grit | Heals 8 health over 5 seconds whenever you take 15 or more damage in a single hit |
| Two is One and One is None | Allows you to equip another primary weapon in the secondary weapon slot 25% less weapon swap speed |
| Vitamins | +15 health |
| Well Fed | 20% less stamina regeneration +10 team health |
| Wooden Armor | 40% more trauma resistance 100% less fire resistance 100% less acid resistance 100% less explosion resistance |
Fortune Cards
The yellow cards that you’ll see in Back 4 Blood are Fortune cards. They aren’t focused on any specific type of playstyle, instead, they grant miscellaneous buffs that you won’t find in any of the other cards.
| Card Name | Card Description |
| Admin Reload | Reloads your weapon whenever you stow it 20% less ammo capacity |
| Bounty Hunter | Grants you 10 copper each time you kill a Mutation (up to 300 Copper per level) |
| Box O’ Bags | 10% less health +1 team Support Inventory |
| Compound Interest | Every time you enter a safe room, you receive 10% of your total copper |
| Copper Scavenger | Allows you to sense nearby Copper Increases spawn rate of Copper |
| Double Grenade Pouch | +2 Offensive Inventory |
| Fanny Pack | +1 Support Inventory |
| Grenade Pouch | +1 Offensive Inventory |
| Highwayman | Grants your Pistol kills a 2% chance to spawn ammo |
| Life Insurance | +2 lives at the cost of losing 50 Copper at the start of each level |
| Lucky Pennies | Grants you a 35% chance to find extra Copper whenever your team loots Copper |
| Money Grubbers | Grants you 5 extra Copper whenever your team loots Copper (up to 100) |
| Mugger | Grants your melee kills a 2% chance to spawn ammo |
| Run and Gun | Allows you to shoot while sprinting |
| Share the Wealth | Grants each teammate 100 extra Copper at the start of each level |
| Shell Carrier | 30% less Shotgun ammo capacity 10% more Shotgun damage |
| Shoulder Bag | +2 Support Inventory 10% less damage dealt |
| Surplus Pouches | 10% less health +1 team Offensive Inventory |
| Wounded Animal | Regenerates 1 health for every kills you get while at critical health |
Best Cards for Your Deck
Below, we have enlisted and detailed some of the best active cards in the game.
Card # 1 – Second Chance
Bonuses
- +1 Extra Life
- +5 Health
With the extra HP and more importantly, the extra life you get with this card, you are able to fight for a longer period and hence, take on tougher challenges in the game.
Card # 2 – Pep in Your Step
Bonuses
- You get 10% additional movement for 5 seconds upon a precision kill.
In Back 4 Blood, you’ll be encountering countless hoards of undead enemies. So, landing precision hits or headshots is not that difficult.
Every time you make a precision kill, you get 10% faster than before for 5 seconds which is quite beneficial for you when dealing with unending streams of zombies.
Card # 3 – Ridden Slayer
Bonuses
- +35% Weakspot Damage
With this card equipped, you are able to take down the Ridden faster when hitting them on weak spots.
This card is particularly useful during the later stages of the game when you will encounter stronger and varied groups of Ridden.
Card # 4 – Superior Cardio
Bonuses
- +50% Sprint Efficiency
- +5 Health
Apart from the HP buff, the sprint efficiency is what you require during the harder stages of the game when Ridden are swarming you.
As you’ll realize, sometimes it’s better to evade them than to waste your time fighting them. That’s when Superior Cardio comes in pretty handy.
Card # 5 – Run and Gun
Bonuses
- Shoot while sprinting
When stuck in the tight corners, sprinting through the swarming Ridden to save your skin without gunning them down is not possible.
Luckily for you, with the Run and Gun card, you can shoot while sprinting. This means that you can move towards your objective while dealing with the Ridden at the same time.
Building a Card Deck
Now that you have all the required knowledge about the card system in B4B, let’s get into how you can build the Best Deck in B4B.
When you launch Back 4 Blood, on the top left corner of the screen that pops up, tap on the “Deck” option. After that, the “Decks” box will appear in the center of the screen, so click on it.
You will then be given an option to view your available decks or to view a new deck. To build a customized deck based on a particular playstyle, click on the option to create a new deck.
Note that to build a good custom deck, you’ll first need to acquaint yourself with a wide range of cards.
Anyhow, remember that whichever card you pick as the first one, it will be assigned to your loadout and you’ll start with it in the game. So, always pick a first card that complements the rest of your build.
