Back 4 Blood Jim, Another Ulitmate Core Deck Building Guide

Jim's Silent Hell

Just because you score half a tick higher than everyone else in the round of bootcamp, you get shipped off to train as a sniper. Looking back, wishing I had an off day, or lied on my psyche eval.

Now I just see their faces, all of them, when I close my eyes, or every time I pop a ridden. I relive a piece of that nightmare. Hoping each kill will be a bit different. And it helps.

I still remember the ridden, as disgusting and deformed as they are. But as I kill each one, for a little while I forget the others. And out of exhaustion and shame I just look to kill each one a bit nastier, with better aim, or hitting and practicing how to make their brains explode out more, just to calm my nerves and make me forget the real victims back in Iraq.

The nastier the kill, the longer I forget the others. But sometimes I get carried away, like a junkie, and need to pinch myself and come back to reality. Or sometimes one of them sneaks by and gets me. Either way it breaks me out of it for awhile. Not a healthy way to be, but the only way I can make the nightmares, and "day" - mares, stop.

I always say it will be the last time, but each time I look down a scope, I just have to. And I find myself eager, in a hurry to look down a scope, and with motor memory and a few personal tricks from years of practice; in the army, as a sheriff always on the range to stave off boredom, a recreational hunter and a reenactment trick shooter; I can get a bead down those sights faster than anyone I know.

Plus? Anger and guilt are an amazing motivator. ( Precision Kills Grant a 2.5% Stacking Damage Boost Until Jim Takes Damage)

(+25% Aim Down Sights Speed)

At least these new bloods I met, what Phillips like's to call Cleaners, ( I just think usually they act more like Jag Offs...) listen to me.

Like when I tell them I served with Phillips back in Storm when he was a lowly L.T. And he only made general recently because everyone else died...

And they never remember when I'm not there; but at least when I go babysit on a run; they listen when I tell them were to fire or hit, or how to move so I can get a better shot in, or coral those suckers directly into their line of sight.

(+10% Team Weakspot Damage)

Jim's Annoyance

Yes I Know General Phillips, yes we served briefly on one mission in Desert Storm. No I don't want to talk about it.

Suffice it to say, I learned a few tricks. Now stop yapping like a jag off, before I give you something to yap about.

Like if you run out of front of me when I line up a shot...

Now listen to me, watch how the ridden bleed, memorize it. It just takes patience, and like when you are hunting, only they fight back.

Learn the difference between each one, and how they move. Take notes if you have to. There is no pop quiz , only life and death. Just follow my lead and listen to me when we are out there, and not only will you hit harder, you'll learn the difference between when they are fresh and strong, still half full of steam, or just about done bleeding out.

Patient Hunter Every 0.75 Seconds You Aim Down Sights, Gain 10% Bullet Damage. Stacks Up to 3 Times

Knowledge is Power +10% Weakspot Damage, Allows Players to See the Damage They Deal, and Enemy Health Bars

Jim's OCD

I don't give a pheasant's ASS how "good" you all say the quartermaster here is.

I check all my bullets powder, make sure they are dry, extra packed, and the casings on the bullets are tight to stay dry and break up inside soft parts right, or pass through the harder parts. I'm only going to use the bullets that can do both, because honestly, that's what you need against ridden.

I'll leave the chaff for the green hornss or reckless.

And I'm sure mommy taught them how to properly tighten a scope or sight. But everyone fires differently, and has different optical needs. I'll adjust all my own sights and scopes, thankyou very much.

It's my ass out there, not their's. Carry my own tools,casings and powder anyway...

Large Caliber Rounds +7.5% Bullet Damage, +200% Bullet Penetration

Optics Enthusiast +30% Accuracy

Jim's Wisdom

My Pappi always said, fight smarter, not harder. And I'll bet you minnows for chum, you'll be better for it.

Hunker down, or get a lower base before each shot. You'll get better stability for the shot, and present less of a target for your enemies.

And for heaven's sake, squeeze the trigger, don't pull it. Your hands will thank you. So will your chronic arthritis when you get closer to my age. Last thing you want is a cramp in the middle for a fire fight.

Trigger control counts, not just for your hands. But for your fire arm.

It may be the exact same model as another, but it has it's own quirks and personality. The more you use it, and practice trigger control, the better you will get in time, hitting your targets.

Assuming you live that long... And you won't, if you don't listen to me!

Hunker Down +10% Damage Resistance, +40% Accuracy

Trigger Control Precision Kills with Guns give +0.5% Accuracy Until the End of Level.

Finishing Touches

The deck given here is based on an imagining of how Jim's life was like, and changed by the collapse, using various sources. The first is the first time you see him in action in an in game movie sequence. As well as some outifts made available.

Also his base starting abilities even before a deck is made, and even some artwok on different cards give clues to who Jim really is.

All of these came together to create a narrative so when using this deck build, you actually FEEL like Jim as you battle the ridden and fight for the survival of humanity. All while being an effective teammate that packs a wallop with any gun; as Jim has mastered the essence of all fire arms for maximum weakspot damage. Tactics , shared wisdom, and smart fighting make him more of a threat on the field with an effective team, than any other weapon in the hands of another Cleaner ever could be.

But staying true to the Ultimate Core Deck Building Guide as the baseline, there are other ways to make Jim shine in other areas without losing the essence of who he is. Feel free to use any, or all, of these suggestions to tweak to your build preference, while still keeping the core of Jim overall.

1. Jim might just be feeling anti-social over all, and not wanting to share tips and tricks with his team, or lead them to better drop enemies as much. Instead taking that time to rest when the nightmares stop so not as exhausted, (though never truly Well Rested, so never use that card if you are trying to capture the essence of Jim!) and spending more time alone with what he loves most, GUNS! And everyone mistakes him for a Sniper Rifle Lover because he is so good with one, but that's the SOURCE of his issues and deep down loathes them. And handy with a revolver, years as a Deputy and Reenactment Trick Shooter, also not his favorite weapon as it lacks the power for what he wants to do overall.

Of all weapons, Shotgun is the weapon he is best at. Some Reenactment Trick Shooting involved some old style shotties,(where you have low ammo capacity and need to still take out quite a few targets quickly!) and even quite a bit of training with the standard issue shotguns locked up in Sheriff's Cruiser in case of emergencies.

But the real practice comes from grouse, pheasant or duck hunting where you got a graze and you need to reload and fire before they fly too far!

And there is one thing can distract from the addiction of needing to watch a head explode in a scope.

Get up in a ridden's face and blow their head off!

There is enough damage in any shotgun to take most things down once you are close enough, the problem is, getting the shells in after you are out. So the focus should be on how fast you can reload. Besides, if you already know the best places to hit them, their weakspots, they are already likely dead once you pull the trigger.

Walk up, empty all shells, and get in more to finish the job or start a new one. Facing those fears and taking it directly to their face. The adrenaline will keep you going when a lesser man would crumble form the pain of his injuries! When you are hurting, you aren't thinking about the lives you took, only to survive, that's all that matters and the only time the voices from the past quiet down!

Replace Knowledge is Power and Patient Hunter with

Face Your Fears Kills Within 2.5 Yards Heal 1 Temporary Health

Scattergun Skills +40% Reload Speed With Shotguns

2. The other direction Jim could go is instead of his trauma induced mild OCD about using some of his own tools, adjusting his own sights before every mission, he could go so far as COMPLETE OCD by bringing his portable upgrade station with top notch tools and supplies, so anyone can use on the run. That way, all guns are perfectly calibrated to the individuals need. He can only carry so much so if other Cleaners volunteer to bring more tools or supplies, it reduces the cost and time for ALL Cleaners.

Replace Optics Enthusiast with Weaponsmith Players Can Unbolt Attachements Outside of Saferooms. Unbolting Costs 400 Copper. The Cost is Reduced 100 Copper Per Player With This Card

*Note The Base cost to Unbolt in Saferooms WITHOUT this card is 500 Copper. The wording makes it seem like if everyone has this card it's free. But the card takes into account the Base is 500, and reduced by 100 per Cleaner with the card to a minimum of 100

Jim will always have the baseline of being able to penetrates enemies that are heavily armored, to line up shots. But he might go one step further, and instead of worrying about his accuracy with sights by just relying on his own ability to adjust firing as needed once he gets used to a fire arm. He may instead hyper focus on even higher quality materials for better bullet casings and gun powder ratios for more kick in damage dealt and distance it can travel. Sometimes effective range is just as, or more, important than basic accuracy. Especially with Shotguns.

Replace Optics Enthusiast with Silver Bullets +10% Bullet Damage, +15% Effective Bullet Range.

*Note Effective Bullet Range is completely different than Accuracy. Accuracy is how likely your bullet will hit a target you fire at WITHIN a guns effective range. For a Sniper Rifle this is very far, for a pistol not too far, and for a shotgun, only very close. Accuracy tends to halve the chance to hit your target accurately every couple of meters past the maximum effective range.

Bullet Penetration is so important to Jim because most bullets stick when they hit. And most cases eat 100% per basic ridden hit, more if they are armored, like 150%. Low caliber guns, like Pistols come with minimal penetration(10% Barretta or SMG's, while a Magnum has 50% and a Desert Eagle 100% typically), while sniper rifles usually come with 200 or 300% Penetration. And some attachments will add penetration to the gun as it fires.

Penetration resistance is heavily reduced when hitting a weakspot. Usually by the damage dealt to the weakspot, allowing for a bullet that hits a weakspot to keep going alot farther, losing less penetration as it hits other ridden behind the original target.

Hitting Weakspots, and dealing more weakspot damage is what Jim excels at. Add effective range and you are mowing down more than just a couple ridden with a well lined up shot. Or dropping ridden behind armored enemies. And unlike other shotgun builds, getting more pellets through enemies to hit the hordes behind, better.

3. Of course Jim could always just choose to fight harder, than smarter. To give in all the way into his addiction to pop those ridden heads to stave off the nightmares and "day"-mares.And just really super focus on the ways he knows best to kill, and improve and find better ways to kill more than one at a time, and make a game of it. And what the hell , double pack those bullets and ruin the casings past salvage to get that extra 'oomph' to do it...

Replace Hunker Down and Trigger Control with

Hyper-Focused +50% Weakspot Damage-40% Move Speed While Firing or Melee Attacking

Line 'Em Up +10% Effective Bullet Range, +15% Recoil Control, +25% Bullet Penetration, +25% Aim Speed

Disclaimers

1. It has been brought to my attention some players are ignoring the Ultimate Core Deck Building Guide suggestion of 9 base cards, and using the six cards I originally give. And instead of replacing with the other cards I suggest, adding them to the base 6 cards and making a 12 card deck.

This actually could work, but without the personal defense and team damage dealing and mitigation cards offered in the Ultimate Core Guide, there will be a struggle without economy upgrades. Ways to get more healing and copper to help make up for this fact. So with the remaining 3 cards do the following. Any choice given here for 3 cards of your Choice.

Any 1 weapon or attachment card, and/or any 1 Copper card at start of level and/or any 1 party wide affecting copper card, and/or any 1 Scavenger Card.

2. As always these are suggestions and the player is encouraged to build decks they have the most fun playing. However input is always welcome if you have found a build using this core formula, and the parent Ultimate Core Deck Building Guide, that works for you or is an improvement, please leave the formula in comments, and you might get a shout out or added as part of the guide with contributor credits!

3. The views and opinions of this Steam User do not reflect Steam, all Steam affiliates, or Turtle Rock or Warner Bros Games and affiliates. All images and likeness are property of Turtle Rock, and any sharing on other media must have express permission form this guides Creator, while being fully credited.

Guide Links

1.Karlee https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2862916758

2.Holly https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2863345403

3.Walker https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2863413257

4. Heng https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2863686632

5. Jim https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2864247205

6. Total Apocalypse https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2865197388

7. Hoffman https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2864390802

8. Little Death https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2872492384

Source: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2864247205

Jim, Another Ulitmate Core Deck Building Guide