Bend Studio brought Days Gone to PC on 18 May 2021, two years after the PlayStation 4 release, with unlocked frame rates, a wider field of view and ultrawide support. Deacon St. John rides through post outbreak Oregon across six regions, from Cascade in the north down to Crater Lake, and his bike is the only transport he gets. Hordes are the reason to stay: the Old Sawmill horde alone packs roughly 500 Freakers into one moving mass, and there is no version of that fight you win by standing still.
Picking the right build determines how your experience plays out. These builds are ranked by overall effectiveness, factoring in damage, survivability, gear requirements, and how well they scale into endgame. New to the game? Start with our beginner's guide first.
Quick Rankings
| Role | Tier | Playstyle | Core Gear |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stealth Trapper | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Horde Runner | S | Scout the horde's route in daylight while it sleeps, set traps at the chokepoint, wake it with an attractor and keep backing away in a wide loop, never letting the crowd get an angle around you. | Chicago Chopper, attractors, pipe bombs, Molotovs, napalm where available, maximum Stamina injectors |
| Marksman Bounty Hunter | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Melee Brawler | B | Fight in doorways and narrow paths so only one or two Freakers reach you at a time, and always keep a spare melee weapon since durability runs out mid fight without warning. | Spiked bat or fire axe, crafting materials for melee repairs, Health injectors, bandages |
| Explosives Specialist | A | Bait groups into pre placed remote bombs, use attractors to move Freakers away from a camp before entering it, and keep Molotovs strictly for Breakers and Ragers rather than ordinary Swarmers. | Pipe bombs, remote bombs, Molotovs, attractors, a suppressed sidearm for cleanup |
For detailed meta rankings, see our Days Gone tier list.
A-Tier: Stealth Trapper
Stealth Trapper is a top-performing option in Days Gone.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Weapon | Drifter Crossbow | An upgraded crossbow supplied through Iron Mike's camp, with better damage and accuracy than the starting version and access to explosive and poison bolts. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Bike fuel and durability | The bike burns fuel on every ride and takes damage from crashes, Freaker hits and gunfire, and both are fixed with scrap and gas cans looted from the world. |
How to Play Stealth Trapper
Stealth Trapper focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this role works: Drifter Crossbow does the damage and Bike fuel and durability keeps it running, which is why this sits at the top of the list. See our weapons guide for detailed weapons breakdowns.
Pros:
- Highest overall performance
- Straightforward gearing path
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Popular pick, resources may be contested
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
S-Tier: Horde Runner
The build the whole game points toward. High Stamina, a crowd control primary and a bag full of explosives, used to funnel 300 or more Freakers through a gap where the crowd cannot spread out.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Weapon | MWS | An assault rifle available early with a clear step up in stopping power over the starting weapons. |
| Core Gear | Chicago Chopper, attractors, pipe bombs, Molotovs, napalm where available, maximum Stamina injectors | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Stamina first and by a wide margin, then Health, then Focus | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Camp Trust and credits | Each encampment tracks its own Trust level and its own credit balance, so everything you earn for Copeland does nothing for Hot Springs. |
How to Play Horde Runner
Scout the horde's route in daylight while it sleeps, set traps at the chokepoint, wake it with an attractor and keep backing away in a wide loop, never letting the crowd get an angle around you.
The build the whole game points toward. High Stamina, a crowd control primary and a bag full of explosives, used to funnel 300 or more Freakers through a gap where the crowd cannot spread out.
Why this role works: Pair MWS with Camp Trust and credits and the build stops depending on a good start, so it holds up across most content. Core gear like Chicago Chopper, attractors, pipe bombs, Molotovs, napalm where available, maximum Stamina injectors pushes it further. See our weapons guide for detailed weapons breakdowns.
Pros:
- Most versatile option
- Clear stat priority (Stamina first and by a wide margin, then Health, then Focus) makes gearing straightforward
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Lower peak damage than S-tier
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Marksman Bounty Hunter
Marksman Bounty Hunter is a strong option in Days Gone.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Weapon | Chicago Chopper | A drum fed submachine gun modelled on the Thompson, with one of the highest rates of fire and largest magazines in the game. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Freaker hordes | A horde is a single crowd of Freakers with a daily routine: it feeds, drinks and returns to a cave or building to sleep. |
How to Play Marksman Bounty Hunter
Marksman Bounty Hunter focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this role works: Freaker hordes covers the gap Chicago Chopper leaves open, so the build stays usable even when a fight goes badly. See our weapons guide for detailed weapons breakdowns.
Pros:
- Best survivability
- Straightforward gearing path
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Slower clear speeds
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
B-Tier: Melee Brawler
A resource light build for players who want to stop spending ammunition on Newts and Swarmers. Crafted melee weapons like the spiked bat and the fire axe kill in one or two swings and are rebuilt from scrap in seconds.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Weapon | SMP9 | A compact stockless submachine gun carried in the sidearm slot, firing fast with good accuracy but a limited magazine. |
| Core Gear | Spiked bat or fire axe, crafting materials for melee repairs, Health injectors, bandages | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Health, then Stamina, then Focus | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | NERO checkpoints and injectors | Every NERO checkpoint needs its generator restarted with a fuel can, then its speakers disabled before you can take the injector inside. |
How to Play Melee Brawler
Fight in doorways and narrow paths so only one or two Freakers reach you at a time, and always keep a spare melee weapon since durability runs out mid fight without warning.
A resource light build for players who want to stop spending ammunition on Newts and Swarmers. Crafted melee weapons like the spiked bat and the fire axe kill in one or two swings and are rebuilt from scrap in seconds.
Why this role works: This one leans on NERO checkpoints and injectors rather than raw numbers, and SMP9 is what makes that trade pay off. Core gear like Spiked bat or fire axe, crafting materials for melee repairs, Health injectors, bandages pushes it further. See our weapons guide for detailed weapons breakdowns.
Pros:
- Strong in group/team content
- Clear stat priority (Health, then Stamina, then Focus) makes gearing straightforward
- Excels in its niche
Cons:
- Weaker solo performance
- Requires deep game knowledge
A-Tier: Explosives Specialist
A build around crafted ordnance rather than guns, which suits the ammunition scarcity of the first half of the game. Pipe bombs, remote bombs and Molotovs cost scrap and rags that the world hands out constantly.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Weapon | .50 BFG | A heavy sniper rifle that removes most enemies in a single hit, including armoured militia and larger Freakers. |
| Core Gear | Pipe bombs, remote bombs, Molotovs, attractors, a suppressed sidearm for cleanup | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Stamina, then Health, then Focus | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Survival Vision and Focus | Survival Vision highlights tracks, loot and enemies through cover at no cost and is how you follow ambush trails and hunting paths. |
How to Play Explosives Specialist
Bait groups into pre placed remote bombs, use attractors to move Freakers away from a camp before entering it, and keep Molotovs strictly for Breakers and Ragers rather than ordinary Swarmers.
A build around crafted ordnance rather than guns, which suits the ammunition scarcity of the first half of the game. Pipe bombs, remote bombs and Molotovs cost scrap and rags that the world hands out constantly.
Why this role works: .50 BFG and Survival Vision and Focus pull in the same direction here, which separates this from the safer picks above. Core gear like Pipe bombs, remote bombs, Molotovs, attractors, a suppressed sidearm for cleanup pushes it further. See our weapons guide for detailed weapons breakdowns.
Pros:
- Unique, rewarding playstyle
- Clear stat priority (Stamina, then Health, then Focus) makes gearing straightforward
- Excels in its niche
Cons:
- High skill floor, punishing when misplayed
- Requires deep game knowledge
Build Progression Path
- Start with Horde Runner: the most forgiving option for learning the game
- Transition to Stealth Trapper once you understand core mechanics and have access to Drifter Crossbow
- Keep a Marksman Bounty Hunter setup for content that keeps killing you
- Try Explosives Specialist for a fresh experience once you've mastered the basics
Follow our walkthrough for the optimal progression path through each area.
Gearing Tips
- Invest in your primary weapon first, since it gives the biggest power spike. See our weapons guide for rankings.
- Fuel governs the early game more than ammunition does. Keep a can strapped to the bike, top up at every abandoned vehicle, and buy the larger tank upgrade before any cosmetic bike part.
- Trust is per camp and so are credits, so decide early which encampment you want to shop at. Selling Freaker ears, meat and plants at that one camp reaches Trust 3 far faster than spreading deliveries evenly.
- Don't spread upgrade resources across multiple builds until endgame
More Days Gone Guides
- Days Gone Days Gone Overview
- Days Gone Tier List
- Days Gone Walkthrough
- Days Gone Beginner's Guide
- Days Gone Tips & Tricks
- Days Gone Weapons Guide
- Days Gone Combat Guide
- Days Gone Boss Guide
- Days Gone Maps & Locations
- Days Gone Crafting Guide
- Days Gone Classes & Characters
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