As a Gears veteran, it's not enough to know the basics. Horde mode has its own nuances, The cards you acquire as you level up each class can make even the most challenging horde levels a walk in the park if used correctly. Here are the top 5 best builds that are excellent to play.

5. Brawler 

A Brumak taking a scorcher to the face.

Horde Class Guide: Brawler 

The Brawler’s scorcher build centers around stacked fire damage and active reloads. It swaps out the brawler's usual close-range strategy for a longer range and more crowd control.

highly effective against boss fights you can’t get too close to. This build is super fun and has safeties you can't get too close to. This build is super fun and safer. It melts through enemies in seconds with the added scorcher and fire damage. When in doubt, use the flamethrower.

Cards to use:

• Glow And Slow: Enemies who are on fire move X% slower. 
• Play With Fire: Active rounds have an X% chance to burn enemies. 
• Pyromaniacs: Burn damage is increased by X%. 
• Scorcher mastery: Deal X% additional damage with the Scorcher. 
• All the Glory Burning: Enemies explode when killed, dealing X% of their HP in damage to nearby enemies.

Perks to invest in:

• Damage
• Ammo
• Health
• Ultimate Cooldown

4. Blade Master

A Blade Master taking down a Warden.

Horde Class Guide: Blademaster

The Blade Master is made to be the ultimate melee build. It's concentrated on close combat, massive bleed damage, and maneuverability.

Getting up close and personal is what this build does best. evading enemies and shredding them to pieces before they know what hit them. This build is everything melee players and true crime fans could dream of.

Cards to use:

• Blade Dancer: Each melee or bleed kill gives +X% melee damage to Ys.
• Thrill of the Hunt: X% resistance and Y HP force healing within 2.5m of bleeding enemies
• Shock Chain: The ultimate ability affects X nearby enemies.
• Brawler: X% increased melee damage
• Ambush: Kills from behind, causing Ultimate Cooldown to be reduced by X.

Perks to invest in:

• Melee Bleeding
•  Movement Speed 
• Damage Resistance 
• Health Regeneration

3. Tactician

A Tactician lying in wait for their next victim.

Horde Class Guide: Tactician

The tactician has many variations, from specialized damage playstyles to passive support builds. This build, in particular, kicks the most ass. Utilizing the GL assault rifle and boom shot for continuous explosive damage

This build is the gift that keeps on giving. The constant ammo regeneration and raw destructive power almost make it seem like you're bullying the horde.

Cards to use:

• Resupply Heal Module: Your ultimate ability instantly heals friends X% faster and reduces damage received by Y%.
• Shredder: Explosive damage to enemies causes them to bleed for X% of the damage dealt.
• Disciplined: Consecutive hits with ballistic weapons increase damage by X% up to Y%.
• Resupply Duration: Ultimate Ability duration increased by X%
• Recharge Bounty: Anyone who kills your marked target gains an additional X seconds of ultimate cooldown.

Perks to invest in:

• Explosive Resupply
• Cool Down On Kill
• Assault Rifle Damage
• Max Health

2. Gunner

The Gunner is protected by their ultimate ability.
Horde Class Guide - Gunner

The Gunner has the potential to be the team’s reliable tank as well as their main damage dealer. In this build, we explore a more damage-centered gunner using every weapon at your disposal.

The torque bow and mulcher decimate enemies with added stun and bleed damage. while the cryo-cannon easily takes wardens and matriarchs out of play. Taking hits and giving them back double, this Gunner build is the type of carnage Gears is known for.

Cards to use:

• The torque bow deals X% bleeding damage.
• Enemies who hit you with explosives within 15 meters are stunned for X seconds.
• Practice Everyday: X% faster reload speed, Y% larger active reload window, and bypass reload when firing during Ultimate
• Flash Freeze: Freeze enemies with the Cryo Cannon X% faster.
• Mulcher Mastery: Deal X% extra damage with the Mulcher.

Perks to invest in:

• Max Damage
• Ability Duration 
• Max Health
• Max Ammo

1. Anchor

JD with his trusty bultok awaiting the first wave of the horde.

Horde Class Guide: Anchor

The Anchor’s boltok build focuses on bleed, damage, and critical hits. It's specialized for precision headshots and high survivability.

It's your typical run-and-gun playstyle, but on crack. The boltok is OP. Hattricks are easy to come by, and each headshot increases the damage of the next bullet. It's a lot like shooting fish in a barrel, except the fish keep trying to kill you.

Cards to use:

• Bullet Chain: Each headshot kill gives +X% extra damage, up to +Y% damage, for 15s.
• Barrier Battery: Ultimate Ability duration increased by X%
• Bloody Shot: Shooting an enemy with active pistol bullets and causing X% of the damage dealt to the enemy to bleed out.
• Bultok Bandolier: Maximum capacity for Boltok pistol increased by X%
• Barrier Feedback: When your ultimate ability is active, each kill extends its duration by X seconds.

Perks to invest in:

• Max damage
• Critical damage
• Ammo regen
• Damage resistance

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