PAYDAY 2 Perk Deck Tier List
Our payday 2 perk deck tier list ranks all perk decks based on their performance on Death Sentence/One Down (DS/OD), the highest difficulty. Rankings consider survivability, damage output, team utility, and ease of use.
| Tier | Perk Deck | Playstyle | Why This Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| S | Anarchist | Armor / Loud | Best all-around deck. Constant armor regen, high damage output, works with any weapon. The meta standard for DS/OD loud. |
| S | Kingpin | Armor / Tank | Injector gives 6 seconds of near-invulnerability. Incredible for holding positions and reviving teammates. Pair with armor skills. |
| S | Stoic | Armor / DoT | Flask delays and reduces damage. Excellent survivability with practice. Strong on DW and DS/OD. |
| A | Sicario | Dodge / Loud | Smoke bomb gives 100% dodge. Great for aggressive play, but requires positioning. Strong dodge deck. |
| A | Hacker | Dodge / Stealth | Pocket ECMs for stealth, dodge boost in loud. The best stealth deck that also works in loud. |
| A | Muscle | Health / Dodge | Huge health pool, passive health regen, and intimidation. Simple and effective for beginners. |
| A | Rogue | Dodge / Crit | High dodge chance and crit chance. Classic dodge deck, good with high-concealment weapons. |
| B | Armorer | Armor / Beginner | Solid armor regen and damage reduction. Great for learning the game, but outclassed by Anarchist at high difficulty. |
| B | Burglar | Stealth | Dedicated stealth deck with faster pager answers and bag movement. Pure stealth, weak in loud. |
| B | Yakuza | Dodge / Speed | Speed and dodge boost at low health. High risk, high reward. Fun but inconsistent. |
| B | Ex-President | Health / Hybrid | Health regen based on kills. Flexible hybrid deck, works with both armor and dodge. |
| C | Hitman | Armor / Akimbo | Built for akimbo pistols but the armor gating is too conditional. Outclassed by other armor decks. |
| C | Gambler | Health / Team | Team health regen based on ammo pickups. Nice concept but unreliable. Better for support. |
| C | Grinder | Health / Melee | Melee-focused health regen. Fun gimmick but not viable at high difficulty. |
| C | Infiltrator | Health / Melee | Melee damage and lifesteal. Niche build, not recommended for general play. |
| C | Sociopath | Health / Melee | Melee-focused with panic. Similar to Infiltrator, niche use only. |
| C | Maniac | Team / DoT | Applies bleed to enemies. Team support deck, but damage is underwhelming. |
This tier list assumes Death Sentence/One Down difficulty with all DLC unlocked. Lower difficulties (Mayhem, Death Wish) are more forgiving — B and C tier decks can be perfectly viable there. Always choose a deck that matches your playstyle.
Anarchist Build (Meta Loud)
The payday 2 anarchist build is the gold standard for loud heists on DS/OD. It provides constant armor regeneration, high damage, and works with virtually any weapon. This is the build we recommend for players learning high-difficulty loud play.
Core Skills
| Skill Tree | Key Skills | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Mastermind | Endurance Aced, Quick Fix Aced, Inspire Aced | 22 |
| Enforcer | Die Hard Aced, Transporter Aced, Bulletproof Aced | 20 |
| Technician | Hardware Expert, Combat Engineering Aced, Jack of All Trades | 12 |
| Ghost | Sprinter Aced, Duck and Cover Aced | 10 |
| Fugitive | Nine Lives Aced, Swan Song Aced | 10 |
Recommended Weapons
- Primary: AK.762 / Union 5.56 / Galant 21G (high damage rifles)
- Secondary: Deagle / 5/7 AP / STRYK 18c (depending on need)
- Melee: Any (Utility Knife for speed, or Baton for knockdown)
- Throwable: Frag Grenades / Molotovs
Armor & Deployable
- Armor: ICTV (Improved Combined Tactical Vest) — max armor for Anarchist
- Deployable: Ammo Bag (for sustained fire) or First Aid Kit
With Anarchist, your armor regenerates every 2 seconds regardless of whether you're taking damage. The key is to break line of sight briefly between pushes. Don't facetank — use cover and let your armor tick back up.
Sniper Build (Long-Range DPS)
The payday 2 sniper build focuses on high single-target damage from range. Snipers can one-shot most special enemies on DS/OD with the right build, making them invaluable for crowd control and taking down dangerous units like Tan SWAT and Captain Winters.
Best Sniper Weapons
| Weapon | Damage | Best For | DLC Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reinfeld 880 | Very High | One-shotting specials, general use | Base game |
| Rattlesnake | High | Semi-auto, faster follow-up shots | Sniper DLC |
| De Lisle | Medium | Silent sniping, stealth-loud hybrid | Shadow Raid |
| Thanatos .50 cal | Extreme | One-shotting dozers, maximum damage | Sniper DLC |
| Contractor .308 | High | Balanced, good concealment | Base game |
Sniper Build Skills
- Enforcer: Die Hard Aced, Bulletproof Aced, Ammo Specialist
- Technician: Sharpshooter Aced (sniper damage boost), Body Expertise Aced
- Ghost: Sprinter Aced, Duck and Cover Aced, Optical Illusions
- Perk Deck: Anarchist or Rogue (dodge sniper)
Snipers are vulnerable at close range. Always carry a strong secondary (like the 5/7 AP pistol or a shotgun) and position yourself with escape routes. Communicate with your team to cover flanks.
Best Akimbo Pistols in PAYDAY 2
Akimbo pistols (dual-wielded) are a popular secondary choice in PAYDAY 2, offering high fire rate and good damage when built correctly. The best akimbo pistols payday 2 depends on your build and difficulty, but here are the top options.
| Pistol | Damage | Fire Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| STRYK 18c (Glock 18) | Medium | Very High | General use, high DPS, easy to control |
| Deagle (Desert Eagle) | Very High | Low | One-shotting specials, high concealment |
| 5/7 AP Pistol | High | Medium | Armor-piercing, anti-dozer, shield penetration |
| Chimano Custom (M9) | Low-Med | High | Budget option, good for crit builds |
| White Streak (M1911) | Medium | Medium | Balanced, good accuracy, popular choice |
| Parabellum (Luger) | Medium | High | High concealment, dodge/crit builds |
Akimbo Build Essentials
- Required Skill: Akimbo (Fugitive tier 4) — unlocks dual-wielding pistols
- Key Skills: Gun Nut Aced (pistol damage), Lock 'n Load Aced (reload speed), Steady Grip Aced (accuracy)
- Best Perk Deck: Hitman (built for akimbo) or Anarchist (more survivability)
- Mods: Suppressor (for concealment), Extended Magazine, Accuracy boosts
Akimbo pistols burn through ammo quickly. Always take Ammo Specialist and/or use an Ammo Bag deployable. The STRYK 18c with full auto is the most forgiving choice for new akimbo users.
Beginner-Friendly Builds
If you're new to PAYDAY 2 builds, start with these forgiving loadouts that work well on Normal through Death Wish difficulty.
Build 1: Armorer Rifleman (Easiest)
- Perk Deck: Armorer
- Armor: Heavy Ballistic Vest
- Primary: CAR-4 / AMR-16 (assault rifle)
- Secondary: Chimano 88 / Deagle
- Focus Skills: Die Hard, Ammo Specialist, Steady Grip, Inspire
Build 2: Muscle Dodge (Fun & Tanky)
- Perk Deck: Muscle
- Armor: Lightweight Ballistic Vest (for dodge)
- Primary: AK.762 / Clarion
- Secondary: Any pistol
- Focus Skills: Sprinter, Duck and Cover, Nine Lives, Inspire
Build 3: Hacker Stealth (For Stealth Heists)
- Perk Deck: Hacker
- Armor: Two-Piece Suit (max concealment)
- Primary: Any high-concealment weapon (Contractor, CMP)
- Secondary: Silenced pistol (De Lisle / Chimano Custom)
- Focus Skills: Cleaner, ECM Overdrive, Sprinter, Duck and Cover
PAYDAY 2 Stealth Build
A dedicated payday 2 stealth build prioritizes concealment, mobility, and ECM utility. This build is optimized for stealthing heists on Death Sentence difficulty and works for both solo and coordinated team play.
Stealth Build Loadout
| Slot | Recommendation | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Perk Deck | Hacker (best) or Burglar | Hacker gives 2 pocket ECMs + dodge; Burglar gives faster pager answers |
| Armor | Two-Piece Suit | Maximum concealment (30 detection risk) and mobility |
| Primary | Contractor .308 / CMP / Mark 10 | High concealment, suppressed, enough damage for guards |
| Secondary | De Lisle / Chimano Custom / White Streak | Suppressed pistol for quiet takedowns |
| Melee | Weapon Butt / Utility Knife | Fast melee for knocking out guards without killing |
| Throwable | ECM Jammer x2 | Essential for camera jamming and pager delays |
| Deployable | ECM Jammer or Body Bag Case | Extra ECM for tough areas, or body bags for multi-kill heists |
Essential Stealth Skills
- Ghost: ECM Overdrive Aced, Cleaner Aced, Sprinter Aced, Duck and Cover Aced, Optical Illusions Aced
- Mastermind: Endurance Aced (stamina), Dominator (for controlling guards)
- Enforcer: Transporter Aced (faster bag movement)
- Fugitive: Nine Lives Aced (extra down if things go wrong)
Your detection risk determines how quickly guards and cameras detect you. Aim for 3 detection risk (minimum) by using the Two-Piece Suit, suppressed weapons, and concealment mods. Lower detection risk = more time to escape before the alarm triggers. See our complete stealth guide for more details.
Best Weapons in PAYDAY 2
Looking for the payday 2 best weapons? Here are the top weapons by category, based on damage, fire rate, concealment, and meta viability for DS/OD difficulty.
Assault Rifles (Loud Meta)
| Weapon | Damage | Fire Rate | Best For | DLC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union 5.56 | High | High | All-around meta rifle | Gage Spec Ops |
| AK.762 | Very High | Medium | High damage, accuracy | Gage Weapon Pack #01 |
| Clarion | Medium | Very High | Close quarters, high DPS | Gage Weapon Pack #02 |
| AMR-16 | High | High | Balanced, base game option | Base game |
| Galant 21G | Very High | Medium | Semi-auto precision, high damage | Base game |
Shotguns
| Weapon | Best For | DLC |
|---|---|---|
| Reinfeld 880 | One-shotting specials, high damage | Gage Shotgun Pack |
| Locomotive 12G | Secondary shotgun, close quarters | Gage Weapon Pack #01 |
| Raven | High capacity, sustained fire | Gage Shotgun Pack |
| Breaker 12G | High damage, fast reload | Biker Heist |
Pistols (Akimbo & Single)
| Weapon | Best For | DLC |
|---|---|---|
| STRYK 18c | Best akimbo, high fire rate | Gage Weapon Pack #01 |
| 5/7 AP Pistol | Armor piercing, anti-dozer | Base game |
| Deagle | High damage, one-shot specials | Base game |
| White Streak | Balanced, good accuracy | Base game |
| Contractor Pistol | High concealment, stealth | John Weapon Pack |
SMGs & Special Weapons
- Mark 10 — Best SMG, high fire rate, good concealment (Gage Ninja Pack)
- CMP — High concealment SMG, great for stealth (Base game)
- Kobus 90 — High capacity, sustained fire (Gage Weapon Pack #02)
- Thanatos .50 cal — Highest damage sniper, one-shots dozers (Gage Sniper Pack)
- Rattlesnake — Semi-auto sniper, fast follow-up (Gage Sniper Pack)
Damage Breakpoints Explained
Payday 2 damage breakpoints are specific damage values where your weapon crosses a threshold to kill enemies in fewer shots. Understanding breakpoints helps you choose the right weapon mods and skills to maximize efficiency.
Key Enemy Health Values (DS/OD)
| Enemy | Health (DS/OD) | Breakpoint Notes |
|---|---|---|
| SWAT (normal) | ~240 HP | Most rifles 1-shot with headshot |
| Heavy SWAT (tan) | ~480 HP | Need ~40 damage for 2-shot body, 1-shot head |
| Shield | ~480 HP (face), ~240 (back) | Must shoot around shield or use AP rounds |
| Taser | ~480 HP | Prioritize — they can stunlock you |
| Cloaker | ~480 HP | Very fast, melee knockdown — kill on sight |
| Bulldozer (basic) | ~3000 HP (faceplate) | Need high DPS or AP rounds to break faceplate |
| Bulldozer (minigun) | ~4500 HP | Death Wish+ — use 5/7 AP or sniper |
| Captain Winters | ~6000 HP | Buff surrounding enemies — must break his shield formation |
How to Use Breakpoints
- Check your weapon's damage in the inventory modding screen
- Add damage skills — Rifleman, Shotgun Impact, Pistol Messiah, etc. increase damage
- Use damage mods — barrels, boosts, and weapon mods that add damage
- Target the breakpoint — e.g., if Heavy SWAT has 480 HP, aim for 240 damage per shot = 2-shot kill (body), or 480 for 1-shot (head)
- Headshots deal 2x damage — always aim for head to reach breakpoints faster
On DS/OD, a common breakpoint is 40 damage per shot for rifles. With 40 damage and headshots (2x = 80), plus skills like Rifleman (+damage), you can 2-shot most enemies. Weapons like the AK.762 and Union 5.56 easily reach this breakpoint. Below 40 damage, you'll need 3+ shots per enemy, significantly reducing your DPS.