Back 4 Blood is Turtle Rock's four player co-op shooter about eight Cleaners holding out against the Ridden from a base called Fort Hope. The campaign runs 33 missions across four Acts and ten chapters, and the part that separates it from the studio's earlier work is the card layer: you bring a 15 card deck, draw one card between levels, and the game's Director answers with Corruption Cards that change the level you are about to play. Difficulty runs Recruit, Veteran, Nightmare and No Hope, and by Nightmare a deck that does not match your role is the reason runs end.
This walkthrough takes you from your first session to endgame content. Each phase has specific goals, priorities, and milestones. New to the game? Start with our beginner's guide first.
Quick Progression Summary
| Phase | Area | Focus | Role | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Start | Fort Hope | Fifteen card decks basics | Holly | 1-2 hours |
| 2. Early | Act 1: The Devil's Return | Corruption Cards mastery | Holly | 3-5 hours |
| 3. Mid | Act 2: The Armory | Trauma damage + gear | Walker or Holly | 5-10 hours |
| 4. Late | Act 3: Dr. Rogers Neighborhood | Build optimization | Walker | 5-10 hours |
| 5. Endgame | Act 4: The Abomination | Min-max | Walker or Jim | Ongoing |
See our maps guide for detailed area breakdowns.
Phase 1: Getting Started (Fort Hope)
The hub between runs, where decks are built, supply lines are spent and cards are unlocked. Time spent here decides whether Veteran is playable, since an unbuilt deck is the single biggest reason early runs stall.
Level/Difficulty: Between runs, all difficulties Key Rewards: Card unlocks via supply lines, deck building, Cleaner selection
What to Do in Fort Hope
- Learn Fifteen card decks. A deck holds up to 15 cards and is drawn in the order you set, not shuffled. Spend your first session getting comfortable with this.
- Pick Holly as your starting role. See our builds guide for why.
- Deck order matters more than deck contents because cards are drawn in the order you set, never shuffled. Put Combat Knife, Cross Trainers or whatever fixes your biggest weakness in the first three slots, since a card at position 14 arrives in Act 3 at best.
- Acquire your first weapons upgrade: M249 or whatever's available.
- Clear all main content before moving on.
Phase 1 Checklist
- Understand Fifteen card decks fundamentals
- Holly selected and functional
- Fort Hope main content cleared
- Ready for Act 1: The Devil's Return
Phase 2: Early Game (Act 1: The Devil's Return)
Thirteen missions across four chapters, The Devil's Return, Search and Rescue, The Dark Before the Dawn and Blue Dog Hollow. It teaches special Ridden one at a time and is where a first deck gets tested.
Level/Difficulty: Recruit to Veteran, 13 missions Key Rewards: Early supply points, first full deck, Ridden identification
What to Do in Act 1: The Devil's Return
- Work on Corruption Cards. The Director draws Corruption Cards before each level, and they alter the rules rather than just the numbers: extra special Ridden, fog, mutations, timed objectives and hazards. This system becomes critical from here on.
- Farm for M249 if you haven't already. It's the key upgrade for this phase.
- Read the Corruption Cards in the safe room before you leave it. They are shown ahead of time, so a level stacked with Reekers is a reason to buy explosive resistance and a different weapon rather than a surprise halfway through.
- Complete all objectives before pushing to Act 2: The Armory.
- Consider whether Walker might suit your playstyle better than Holly.
Phase 2 Checklist
- Corruption Cards integrated into gameplay
- M249 acquired
- Act 1: The Devil's Return fully cleared
- Ready for Act 2: The Armory
Phase 3: Mid Game (Act 2: The Armory)
Ten missions across The Armory, Plan B and Job 10:22. Corruption Cards start stacking meaningfully here and the objectives run longer, which punishes teams that spent all their copper on attachments and none on healing.
Level/Difficulty: Veteran, 10 missions Key Rewards: Mid tier cards, weapon attachment access, copper discipline
What to Do in Act 2: The Armory
- Master Trauma damage. A portion of the damage you take becomes Trauma, which caps your maximum health for the rest of the level and is not restored by ordinary healing. This unlocks a new layer of gameplay.
- Start working toward AA12. It's the best weapon and becomes accessible around now.
- Trauma caps maximum health for the level and normal healing does not clear it. Fresh Bandage removes 10 Trauma at the start of each level and Doc supplies +25% Team Trauma Resistance, but the reliable fix is not taking the chip damage in the first place.
- This area is the main skill check. If you can clear it, you're ready for late game.
- Start investing in Copper and safe room buys for the tactical depth you'll need going forward.
Phase 3 Checklist
- Trauma damage mastered
- AA12 acquired or in progress
- Act 2: The Armory fully cleared
- Ready for Act 3: Dr. Rogers Neighborhood
Phase 4: Late Game (Act 3: Dr. Rogers Neighborhood)
Nine missions across Dr. Rogers Neighborhood and Remnants, including the T-5 level. This is where a deck built for the wrong role stops working and role coverage across all four Cleaners becomes mandatory.
Level/Difficulty: Veteran to Nightmare, 9 missions Key Rewards: Late campaign cards, Nightmare preparation
What to Do in Act 3: Dr. Rogers Neighborhood
- Finalize your build. You should be running Walker or Holly with optimized gear.
- AA12 should be your primary. If you don't have it yet, prioritize getting it.
- Spend every piece of copper before the level starts. Copper carried into a wipe is wasted, and team upgrades bought at the safe room apply to all four Cleaners while a personal attachment applies to one.
- Special Ridden and hordes optimization starts here. Small improvements compound into massive advantages.
- Farm this area for the resources needed to push into Act 4: The Abomination.
Phase 4 Checklist
- Build fully optimized
- AA12 upgraded to max
- Act 3: Dr. Rogers Neighborhood fully cleared
- Ready for Act 4: The Abomination
Phase 5: Endgame (Act 4: The Abomination)
A single long mission and the campaign's boss encounter. It is one level rather than a chapter, so the whole run is decided by the cards drawn across the previous 32 missions.
Level/Difficulty: Nightmare and No Hope, 1 mission Key Rewards: Campaign completion, highest supply point payouts
What to Do in Act 4: The Abomination
- Act 4: The Abomination tests everything. Come prepared with your best build and gear.
- Assign team bonuses deliberately across the four Cleaners. Walker gives +10 Team Health, Holly +20 Team Stamina, Evangelo +5% Team Move Speed, Mom one extra Team Life, Doc +25% Team Trauma Resistance, Hoffman team ammo capacity, Karlee team use speed and Jim team weak spot damage.
- The endgame loop: run Act 4: The Abomination, optimize gear, push harder content.
- Experiment with Jim for a fresh take once you've mastered the standard builds.
- This is where Special Ridden and hordes mastery separates good players from great ones. See our tips guide for advanced strategies.
Phase 5 Checklist
- Endgame content on farm
- Best-in-slot gear acquired
- Act 4: The Abomination fully cleared
- Ready for challenge content
Common Progression Mistakes
- Filling a 15 card deck without setting the draw order
- Leaving the safe room with unspent copper
- Treating Trauma as something healing kits will fix later
- Four Cleaners with overlapping team bonuses and no ammo or healing coverage
- Triggering alarms and car horns while a special Ridden is still alive
Key Tips for Smooth Progression
- Deck order matters more than deck contents because cards are drawn in the order you set, never shuffled. Put Combat Knife, Cross Trainers or whatever fixes your biggest weakness in the first three slots, since a card at position 14 arrives in Act 3 at best.
- Read the Corruption Cards in the safe room before you leave it. They are shown ahead of time, so a level stacked with Reekers is a reason to buy explosive resistance and a different weapon rather than a surprise halfway through.
- Trauma caps maximum health for the level and normal healing does not clear it. Fresh Bandage removes 10 Trauma at the start of each level and Doc supplies +25% Team Trauma Resistance, but the reliable fix is not taking the chip damage in the first place.
- Spend every piece of copper before the level starts. Copper carried into a wipe is wasted, and team upgrades bought at the safe room apply to all four Cleaners while a personal attachment applies to one.
- Assign team bonuses deliberately across the four Cleaners. Walker gives +10 Team Health, Holly +20 Team Stamina, Evangelo +5% Team Move Speed, Mom one extra Team Life, Doc +25% Team Trauma Resistance, Hoffman team ammo capacity, Karlee team use speed and Jim team weak spot damage.
For more advanced strategies, see our tips & tricks guide.
More Back 4 Blood Guides
- Back 4 Blood Back 4 Blood Overview
- Back 4 Blood Best Builds
- Back 4 Blood Tier List
- Back 4 Blood Beginner's Guide
- Back 4 Blood Tips & Tricks
- Back 4 Blood Weapons Guide
- Back 4 Blood Combat Guide
- Back 4 Blood Boss Guide
- Back 4 Blood Maps & Locations
- Back 4 Blood Crafting Guide
- Back 4 Blood Classes & Characters
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