Hunt: Showdown 1896 is a tense PvPvE extraction shooter set in a monster-infested Louisiana bayou during the late 1800s. The 2024 engine upgrade to CryEngine 5.11 dramatically improved visuals and performance while adding the new Mammon's Gulch map. Every match drops 12 players (solos, duos, or trios) into a map where they hunt AI boss monsters while watching for other hunters doing the same. The permadeath system means losing a hunter erases all their equipped gear and earned traits, making every firefight genuinely nerve-wracking.
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.
Quick Rankings
| Role | Tier | Playstyle | Core Gear |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long Ammo Sniper | S | Hold long sightlines outside compounds, pick off rotating players, and cover teammates during banish and extraction. | Mosin-Nagant M1891 Sniper, Caldwell Conversion Uppercut (for ammo sharing), First Aid Kit, Throwing Knives |
| Shotgun Rusher | S | Push into compounds aggressively, hold doorways and tight angles, and use consumables to block enemy rotations. | Romero 77, Caldwell Pax (or Officer Nagant for Fanning), Concertina Bomb, Choke Bombs |
| Dual Pistol | A | Get within 15 meters before engaging, spray both pistols simultaneously, and rely on volume of fire to secure kills. | Dual Caldwell Conversion Pistols, or Dual Officer Nagants, Knuckle Knife, Vitality Shot |
| Crossbow Stealth | B | Move silently through the map, avoid sound traps, set up ambush positions, and one-shot unsuspecting hunters. | Hand Crossbow (with poison bolts for AI), Crossbow (regular bolts), Decoy Fuses, Knuckle Knife |
| Bomb Lance | A | Sprint at enemies with abandon, stick them with an explosive harpoon, and finish with melee swings in the chaos. | Bomb Lance, Caldwell Conversion Uppercut (ranged backup), Stamina Shot, Choke Bombs |
S-Tier: Long Ammo Sniper
Long ammo weapons like the Mosin-Nagant and Lebel 1886 deal heavy damage at range with minimal bullet drop. The Mosin with Sniper scope can two-tap hunters at 200+ meters. This build dominates open-field engagements and forces enemies into cover during bounty extractions.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Weapon | Mosin-Nagant | The premier long ammo rifle dealing 136 damage per hit with excellent muzzle velocity. |
| Core Gear | Mosin-Nagant M1891 Sniper, Caldwell Conversion Uppercut (for ammo sharing), First Aid Kit, Throwing Knives | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Traits: Scopesmith, Steady Aim, Fanning (for Uppercut close-range backup) | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | bounty extraction | Each map spawns 1-2 boss monsters in random compounds. |
How to Play Long Ammo Sniper
Hold long sightlines outside compounds, pick off rotating players, and cover teammates during banish and extraction.
Long ammo weapons like the Mosin-Nagant and Lebel 1886 deal heavy damage at range with minimal bullet drop. The Mosin with Sniper scope can two-tap hunters at 200+ meters. This build dominates open-field engagements and forces enemies into cover during bounty extractions.
What makes this role work: The synergy between Mosin-Nagant and bounty extraction creates a gameplay loop that outperforms other options. Core gear like Mosin-Nagant M1891 Sniper, Caldwell Conversion Uppercut (for ammo sharing), First Aid Kit, Throwing Knives amplifies this further.
Pros:
- Highest overall performance
- Clear stat priority (Traits: Scopesmith, Steady Aim, Fanning (for Uppercut close-range backup)) makes gearing straightforward
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Popular pick, resources may be contested
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
S-Tier: Shotgun Rusher
Shotguns dominate inside compounds where most boss fights happen. The Caldwell Rival 78 fires two quick shots, and the Romero 77 has the longest one-hit-kill range of any shotgun. Rushing into a compound during a banish with a shotgun is one of the most effective aggressive plays.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Weapon | Caldwell Rival 78 | A double-barrel shotgun that fires two shots rapidly. |
| Core Gear | Romero 77, Caldwell Pax (or Officer Nagant for Fanning), Concertina Bomb, Choke Bombs | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Traits: Levering (for Winfield backup), Iron Repeater, Physician | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | dark sight | Dark Sight is activated by holding the world map button and highlights interactable objects, clues, and boss locations through walls in a blue-tinted vision mode. |
How to Play Shotgun Rusher
Push into compounds aggressively, hold doorways and tight angles, and use consumables to block enemy rotations.
Shotguns dominate inside compounds where most boss fights happen. The Caldwell Rival 78 fires two quick shots, and the Romero 77 has the longest one-hit-kill range of any shotgun. Rushing into a compound during a banish with a shotgun is one of the most effective aggressive plays.
What makes this role work: The synergy between Caldwell Rival 78 and dark sight creates a gameplay loop that offers reliable performance. Core gear like Romero 77, Caldwell Pax (or Officer Nagant for Fanning), Concertina Bomb, Choke Bombs amplifies this further.
Pros:
- Most versatile option
- Clear stat priority (Traits: Levering (for Winfield backup), Iron Repeater, Physician) makes gearing straightforward
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Lower peak damage than S-tier
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Dual Pistol
Dual-wielding revolvers with the Fanning trait creates a wall of bullets at close range. Dual Caldwell Conversions or Officer Nagants are budget-friendly and lethal inside 15 meters. The spread is unpredictable but the volume of fire overwhelms opponents in tight spaces.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Weapon | Sparks LRR | A single-shot long ammo rifle that deals 149 damage — leaving hunters at 1 HP after one body hit. |
| Core Gear | Dual Caldwell Conversion Pistols, or Dual Officer Nagants, Knuckle Knife, Vitality Shot | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Traits: Ambidextrous (faster dual-wield reload), Fanning, Physician | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | trait system | Hunters earn trait points from XP gained during matches. |
How to Play Dual Pistol
Get within 15 meters before engaging, spray both pistols simultaneously, and rely on volume of fire to secure kills.
Dual-wielding revolvers with the Fanning trait creates a wall of bullets at close range. Dual Caldwell Conversions or Officer Nagants are budget-friendly and lethal inside 15 meters. The spread is unpredictable but the volume of fire overwhelms opponents in tight spaces.
What makes this role work: The synergy between Sparks LRR and trait system creates a gameplay loop that offers reliable performance. Core gear like Dual Caldwell Conversion Pistols, or Dual Officer Nagants, Knuckle Knife, Vitality Shot amplifies this further.
Pros:
- Best survivability
- Clear stat priority (Traits: Ambidextrous (faster dual-wield reload), Fanning, Physician) makes gearing straightforward
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Slower clear speeds
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
B-Tier: Crossbow Stealth
The Crossbow is nearly silent and kills in one hit to the upper chest. Combined with silent movement and poison bolts for AI clearing, this build is a pure ambush playstyle. The downside is the long reload and single-shot nature making follow-up shots difficult.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Weapon | Winfield M1873C | A compact lever-action rifle that fits in a medium slot. |
| Core Gear | Hand Crossbow (with poison bolts for AI), Crossbow (regular bolts), Decoy Fuses, Knuckle Knife | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Traits: Lightfoot, Silent Killer, Bolt Thrower (faster crossbow reload) | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | permadeath | When a hunter dies and isn't revived by a teammate before the match ends, they are permanently lost along with all their equipment and traits. |
How to Play Crossbow Stealth
Move silently through the map, avoid sound traps, set up ambush positions, and one-shot unsuspecting hunters.
The Crossbow is nearly silent and kills in one hit to the upper chest. Combined with silent movement and poison bolts for AI clearing, this build is a pure ambush playstyle. The downside is the long reload and single-shot nature making follow-up shots difficult.
What makes this role work: The synergy between Winfield M1873C and permadeath creates a gameplay loop that provides a unique approach. Core gear like Hand Crossbow (with poison bolts for AI), Crossbow (regular bolts), Decoy Fuses, Knuckle Knife amplifies this further.
Pros:
- Strong in group/team content
- Clear stat priority (Traits: Lightfoot, Silent Killer, Bolt Thrower (faster crossbow reload)) makes gearing straightforward
- Excels in its niche
Cons:
- Weaker solo performance
- Requires deep game knowledge
A-Tier: Bomb Lance
The Bomb Lance is a melee weapon that also fires explosive harpoons. It kills most bosses in under 30 seconds and one-shots hunters on a direct stick. The playstyle is extremely aggressive — rush in, stick with an explosive, then swing the heavy blade. Works best in trios where teammates cover your approach.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Weapon | Romero 77 | The longest one-hit-kill range of any shotgun at about 15 meters. |
| Core Gear | Bomb Lance, Caldwell Conversion Uppercut (ranged backup), Stamina Shot, Choke Bombs | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Traits: Determination (stamina recovery), Bulwark (explosive resistance), Physician | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | sound traps | The map is littered with environmental sound triggers — crows that scatter when disturbed, dogs that bark in kennels, broken glass on floors, hanging chains, chickens, and horse stables. |
How to Play Bomb Lance
Sprint at enemies with abandon, stick them with an explosive harpoon, and finish with melee swings in the chaos.
The Bomb Lance is a melee weapon that also fires explosive harpoons. It kills most bosses in under 30 seconds and one-shots hunters on a direct stick. The playstyle is extremely aggressive — rush in, stick with an explosive, then swing the heavy blade. Works best in trios where teammates cover your approach.
What makes this role work: The synergy between Romero 77 and sound traps creates a gameplay loop that provides a unique approach. Core gear like Bomb Lance, Caldwell Conversion Uppercut (ranged backup), Stamina Shot, Choke Bombs amplifies this further.
Pros:
- Unique, rewarding playstyle
- Clear stat priority (Traits: Determination (stamina recovery), Bulwark (explosive resistance), Physician) makes gearing straightforward
- Excels in its niche
Cons:
- High skill floor, punishing when misplayed
- Requires deep game knowledge
Build Progression Path
- Start with Shotgun Rusher — the most forgiving option for learning the game
- Transition to Long Ammo Sniper once you understand core mechanics and have access to Mosin-Nagant
- Keep a Dual Pistol setup for content that keeps killing you
- Try Bomb Lance for a fresh experience once you've mastered the basics
Gearing Tips
- Invest in your primary weapon first — it gives the biggest power spike
- The Sparks + hand crossbow combo (known as 'Sparky') is one of the most lethal budget loadouts — Sparks body shot leaves 1 HP, then a quick hand crossbow bolt finishes the kill instantly.
- Burn downed hunters by throwing a Lantern or Fire Bomb on their body. This starts a 60-second burn timer that permanently removes health chunks. Enemies must use Choke Bombs to extinguish, revealing their position.
- Don't spread upgrade resources across multiple builds until endgame
See our tier list for current meta rankings, or the beginner's guide if you're just getting started.
