A tank build is an integral part of any squad in Payday 3. That’s because, within a few heists, you’ll quickly learn that only some people go over smoothly. You could argue that most heists turn into a shootout at one point or another. When that happens, it’s time for the tank build to take front and center stage.
Tank builds are fun and chaotic in every way because they allow you to both deal and soak as much damage as possible. That way, all the attention is focused on you, and your teammates are kept out of harm’s way. It’s a noble undertaking, and if you’re going to do it, it should be done right. Because utilizing the right skills, equipment, and weapons is essential for a successful tank build in Payday 3.
Best Skills For a Tank Build
To run a heavy-hitting tank build in Payday 3, invest points in the Enforcer, Ammo Specialist, Tank, and Mower skill trees. These skill trees and their underlying skills are all centered around the Edge and Grit effects. With Edge, your attacks deal 10% more damage, while Grit reduces all incoming damage by 10%. Two essential qualities for any tank build.
Skill Tree
Skill
Function
Enforcer
Enforcer
Whenever you kill 2 enemies within 4 seconds that are within 5 meters of you, you gain GRIT.
Face to Face
As long as you have both EDGE and GRIT, you deal 10% extra damage to targets within 5 meters of you.
Shock & Awe
Killing an enemy within 8 meters of you gives you a chance to stagger all non-special enemies within 5 meters of you.
Ammo Specialist
Ammo Specialist
Your reserve ammo capacity is increased by 20%. Ammo bags you deploy have 2 additional charges.
Plate Up
As long as you have GRIT, ammo drops will instantly regenerate your current armor chunk.
Tank
Tank (Aced)
Whenever one of your armor chunks breaks, gain or refresh GRIT.
Hardy
As long as you have at least one armor chunk, any flashbang, stagger, and stun effect duration you suffer is lowered by 50%.
Last Man Standing
If damage would normally down you, you can instead consume available GRIT to stay on your feet and become immune to damage for 10 seconds. After this effect has been applied, you can’t gain GRIT until you heal using a Medic Bag or First Aid Kit, or until you’re downed.
Mower
Mower
Every 35 bullets you shoot, gain EDGE.
If you use the above skills in Payday 3, your tank build will be a nonstop rolling ball of ammo, armor, and attacks. The key is to get as close to your opponents as possible. The Enforcer skill, for example, grants Grit for killing enemies within 5 meters of you. What’s more, when you kill an enemy up close, the Shock and Awe skill has a chance to stagger and stun nearby enemies. Lastly, with Face to Face, when fighting at 5 meters or less, the effects of Edge and Grit are multiplied. As a result, you will always want to close the gap on enemies with this tank build.
Thanks to your other skills, you will almost always have Edge or Grit active. Mower grants you Edge with every 35 bullets you shoot. Tank (Aced) gives you Grit whenever your armor breaks. On that note, other skills are mixed in to ensure that your ammo and armor are being replenished the best they can.
Best Gear For a Tank Build
Unlike a stealth build in Payday 3, tank builds come fully loaded. For armor, the obvious choice is the Heavy Ballistic Lining. However, it is locked until you reach level 34 Infamy, which means the Medium Ballistic Lining will have to suffice. For your deployable, you can go with your preference of ammo or armor bag. Lastly, a flashbang grenade is ideal to stun enemies with before you start an engagement.
Armor: Heavy Ballistic Lining (Or Medium) Deployable: Ammo Bag or Armor Bag Throwable: Flashbang Grenade Tool: Infrasonic Mine
The tool you choose will be determined by the heist you are doing. However, the Infrasonic Mine always pairs nicely with a tank build.
Best Guns For a Tank Build
You can use any Payday 3 character for this tank build, but the gun you use is important. You must use a fully automatic gun, such as an assault rifle or an SMG, over shotguns and rifles. That’s because you want to benefit from the Mower skill, which grants you Edge with every 35 bullets you shoot – shotguns and marksman rifles won’t get you there.
That leaves you with the Car-4, FIK PC9, KU-59, and Northwest B-9 for assault rifles. And for SMGs, you can choose between the ZIV Commando or SG Compact 7. Any of these six options is what you’re looking for, so go with your preference or what’s available at your Infamy level.
Completing the tank build is the Marcom Mamba MGL as your Overkill weapon.
Your secondary weapon in a tank build is pretty much irrelevant because you will almost always have ammo for your primary, so take your pick. With this tank build, you’ll be the beefiest burglar in all of Payday 3.
Platform(s): PC, Linux, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Epic Games Store, Steam
Released: 2023-09-21
Developer(s): Starbreeze Studios
Publisher(s): Deep Silver
Genre(s): First-Person Shooter, Stealth
ESRB: M
Prequel: Payday 2
