The Complete Edition bundles Grand Theft Auto IV with both episodes, The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony, into one Steam entry. The March 2020 update stripped out Games for Windows Live and the original multiplayer, added Steam achievements and moved DRM onto the Rockstar Games Launcher. Three campaigns overlap in the same Liberty City: Niko Bellic's 88 missions, Johnny Klebitz's 22 and Luis Lopez's 26, and all three converge on the same diamond deal from different sides.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Niko Bellic | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Johnny Klebitz | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Luis Lopez | A | Balanced | Best available |
| The Lost MC gang wars | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Drug wars and club management | A | Balanced | Best available |
For detailed meta rankings, see our Grand Theft Auto IV: The Complete Edition tier list.
A-Tier: Niko Bellic
Niko Bellic is a top-performing option in Grand Theft Auto IV: The Complete Edition.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Weapon | Combat Pistol | The heavy sidearm, effectively a Desert Eagle, with enough stopping power to end most fights in one or two hits. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Euphoria ragdoll physics | The RAGE engine runs Rockstar's Euphoria physics package, so pedestrians and Niko react to hits procedurally rather than playing a fixed animation. |
How to Play Niko Bellic
Niko Bellic focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this role works: Combat Pistol does the damage and Euphoria ragdoll physics 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
A-Tier: Johnny Klebitz
Johnny Klebitz is a strong option in Grand Theft Auto IV: The Complete Edition.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Weapon | Carbine Rifle | The M4 style rifle and the best all purpose weapon in Niko's campaign, accurate enough for headshots at range and controllable in bursts. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Friend like percentage and favours | Roman, Little Jacob, Brucie, Packie, Dwayne and each girlfriend track a like percentage that rises when you take them out and falls when you ignore their calls. |
How to Play Johnny Klebitz
Johnny Klebitz focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this role works: Pair Carbine Rifle with Friend like percentage and favours and the build stops depending on a good start, so it holds up across most content. See our weapons guide for detailed weapons breakdowns.
Pros:
- Most versatile option
- Straightforward gearing path
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Lower peak damage than S-tier
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Luis Lopez
Luis Lopez is a strong option in Grand Theft Auto IV: The Complete Edition.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Weapon | Combat Shotgun | The semi automatic shotgun, devastating in interiors and useless past a few metres. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Branching story choices | Several missions ask you to kill a character or spare them, with no indication of which pays better, and the finale splits between Deal and Revenge. |
How to Play Luis Lopez
Luis Lopez focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this role works: Branching story choices covers the gap Combat Shotgun 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
A-Tier: The Lost MC gang wars
The Lost MC gang wars is a specialized option in Grand Theft Auto IV: The Complete Edition.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Weapon | Grenade Launcher | Exclusive to The Lost and Damned, with a lobbed arc that takes practice and enough damage to end a gang war in two shots. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Cover shooting and free aim | Cover is contextual, taken by pressing against geometry rather than entering a stance, and the default aiming snaps onto targets. |
How to Play The Lost MC gang wars
The Lost MC gang wars focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this role works: This one leans on Cover shooting and free aim rather than raw numbers, and Grenade Launcher is what makes that trade pay off. See our weapons guide for detailed weapons breakdowns.
Pros:
- Strong in group/team content
- Straightforward gearing path
- Excels in its niche
Cons:
- Weaker solo performance
- Requires deep game knowledge
A-Tier: Drug wars and club management
Drug wars and club management is a specialized option in Grand Theft Auto IV: The Complete Edition.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Weapon | Sticky Bombs | Introduced in The Ballad of Gay Tony, thrown explosives that adhere to surfaces and vehicles and detonate on command. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Wanted level search circle | Police search inside a circle drawn on the minimap that grows with each star, and individual officer view cones show where they are actually looking. |
How to Play Drug wars and club management
Drug wars and club management focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this role works: Sticky Bombs and Wanted level search circle pull in the same direction here, which separates this from the safer picks above. See our weapons guide for detailed weapons breakdowns.
Pros:
- Unique, rewarding playstyle
- Straightforward gearing path
- Excels in its niche
Cons:
- High skill floor, punishing when misplayed
- Requires deep game knowledge
Build Progression Path
- Start with Johnny Klebitz: the most forgiving option for learning the game
- Transition to Niko Bellic once you understand core mechanics and have access to Combat Pistol
- Keep a Luis Lopez setup for content that keeps killing you
- Try Drug wars and club management 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.
- Turn on free aim in the settings before the third mission. Auto aim locks onto the torso and most enemies take four or five body shots, whereas a free aimed headshot ends the fight immediately and saves the ammunition you would otherwise run dry on.
- Answer friend calls during the first act rather than treating them as a chore. Little Jacob at high friendship delivers weapons to your car at a discount, Packie makes car bombs, Kiki Jenkins clears wanted levels by phone and Carmen Ortiz restores health, and all four save real time later.
- Don't spread upgrade resources across multiple builds until endgame
More Grand Theft Auto IV: The Complete Edition Guides
- Grand Theft Auto IV: The Complete Edition Grand Theft Auto IV: The Complete Edition Overview
- Grand Theft Auto IV: The Complete Edition Tier List
- Grand Theft Auto IV: The Complete Edition Walkthrough
- Grand Theft Auto IV: The Complete Edition Beginner's Guide
- Grand Theft Auto IV: The Complete Edition Tips & Tricks
- Grand Theft Auto IV: The Complete Edition Weapons Guide
- Grand Theft Auto IV: The Complete Edition Combat Guide
- Grand Theft Auto IV: The Complete Edition Boss Guide
- Grand Theft Auto IV: The Complete Edition Maps & Locations
- Grand Theft Auto IV: The Complete Edition Crafting Guide
- Grand Theft Auto IV: The Complete Edition Classes & Characters
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