Fully Optimized PVE Builds for Every Class

How to not get kicked for being an useless hunk of power armour.

Changelog

\Patch 4.0
Nothing changed. Even the full grenade replenishment bug is still present. Game just became a bit more tedious due to some of the nerfs/fixes, but that's it.
And yes, fencing weapons are still the best. Simply because they give you an actual parry button, and not some delayed abomination of a parry.
Also, unless you have masochistic tendencies, forget about using any "it's pretty bad, but still kinda playable on T4's" kind of weapons and perks on the new bullet sponge threat level.

Patch 4.1
Borderline no changes, again. Game is less tedious now, but bullet sponges are still quite bullet spongy. I guess they fixed the grenade launcher ammo generation, and now you only restore a small amount of nades, not all of them.
The bolt weapons buff is meaningless. They had to double their damage in order to make them strong enough to compete with plasma and/or melta.

Patch 4.5
SMG is a bit better now, Sniper Bolt too. Still not enough to compete with the actually decent guns tho. Volkite pistol is OP (which is lore accurate, I guess).
Auto Bolt Rifle buff is just straight up laughable.

Patch 6.1
A bunch of buffs, a bunch of nerfs, some fixes. Most of the changes are... Not particularly good... But at least devs didn't abandon their game and are actually trying to somehow fix the bugged/bad perks and weapons.

Patch 7.0
The new weapon perk trees are a bit better than the ones we had before.

Space Marine 2

Yes, this is a build for the game itself.
Step 1 - Download and install Astartes Overhaul from Nexus
Step 2 - Have fun.
If you'll do that, you won't need the rest of the guide, since the mod makers are, once again, fixed yet another game for the devs. And if everything is viable and fun, then there is no optimization or guides needed to play the game.

Tactical

Shoot your gun, scan the heretics.
Weapon Choices

Bolt Rifle With Grenade Launcher
LOOK HOW THEY MASSACRED MY BOY! x2
Alright, maybe it's not so bad, it has a grenade launcher after all, even tho it was nerfed, bugfixed, and indirectly nerfed by the fact that the ammo boxes now have limited ammo.
At this point, this is just an all-around worse plasma. You can still use it and have fun, but if you are trying to choose the best setup, plasma is just straight up better.
The non-grenade-launcher version of it is, still, not good. For it to become good, bolt weapons still require ~30% damage buff. Also, just use the heavy bolter instead.

Perk Tree:
It's even worse than before.
Take the Increased Capacity as your final perk.

Plasma Incinerator
A weapon for elite killing and boss DPS. Also good at contesting health, but you might need an auspex scan in order to contest your health against the single targets.
The plasma boost perk is mandatory, especially since it was buffed and now Plasma can rival Melta in power (they serve different purposes tho)

The best version is the one you like the most. All of the versions are good enough to use.
Perk Tree:
Take the Increased Capacity as your final perk.

Melta
Great at dealing with the hordes and pack of elites, can deal with some single target damage, but you are better off gun-striking the single target threats (nids and chaos demons). Sucks balls performs even worse against the chaos space marines and bosses.
The armor perks will grant you an almost infinite supply of armor while shooting into hordes. It is also very easy to contest your health by shooting at the grouped up enemies.
It's more of a niche weapon now, but it is still, one of the best weapons in the game.

The ammo version is the best due to ammo scarcity on the higher difficulties.
Perk Tree:

Stalker Bolt Rifle
Its damage is fine and you can deal with the ammo problems by using the ammo generation perk in your class perk tree and in the weapon tree. You do have some insta-heal potential since it has some decent damage, and you can clear hordes with it because of the ammo generating perk.
This is your best single target DPS choice if you are refusing to use Plasma.
Can it compete with Plasma? Not really. But you won't ruin the game for your teammates by picking it.

Ammo/Damage versions are both equally good, pick according to difficulty.
Perk Tree:
Take the Great Might as your final perk.

Heavy Bolt Rifle
It's been given a bunch of bonuses to headshot damage, so it's now a decent weapon that can compete with other weapons that were clearly better than the HBR before the patch.
Does absolutely NOTHING if you're not hitting your headshots.

You will be using the accuracy + ammo version of the gun.
Perk Tree:
And for the class perks, go for the 1-2-3-2-2-1/3-2-2
Take the Increased Capacity as your final perk.


Bolt Pistol
A ranged horde/trash clearing tool. If all of the perk conditions are met, can deal some decent(ish) single target damage. Unless you are in need of such tool, ignore this weapon's existence.

Damage version will make it more viable at killing elites (still not very good tho).
Perk Tree:

The Cooler Bolt Pistol
Worse than its lighter version at clearing the trash, better at everything else.

Both ammo and damage versions are good. Choose according to how often you are gonna use it.
Perk Tree:

Plasma Pistol
A good tool to kill some of the ranged elites. Good weapon to do some Gun-Strikes. Can interrupt the reinforcement calls in a single shot. Decent ammo capacity if you'll choose the ammo version of it. Just a very good all-around weapon.
Better than both HBP and a normal Bolt Pistol. But HBP may have some better DPS potential, given you can constantly proc all if its perks.

Version: Either ammo or damage. Depends on how ammo efficient you are.
Perk Tree:

Chainsword
Jack of all trades, master of none. Since you are a Tactical, and if you are forced into an actual melee combat, then it probably means that you have no ammo left on your gun, and a versatile melee weapon is exactly what you need. You won't be able to solo carry the game with it, but you will be able to hold your ground until finding some ammo.
The charged attack that you are getting from the tree can be quite strong, if you will be able to perform a fully charged version of it into a mini-boss or a boss that is.

Version: Fencing
Perk tree:
If you like the full-throttle, you can drop a single 5% damage node in its favor.

Combat Knife
Big coverage, low damage. Heavy attacks feel like mosquito bites. Actually pretty good on Tactical, since you have some more heavy weapons to deal with the elites.

Version: Fencing
Perk Tree:

Honorable Mention(s)

Bolt Carbine - Marksman Version
Something in between the Stalker Bolt Rifle and a Heavy Bolt Rifle. But if I can see the reason to use a Heavy Bolt Rifle, I really can't see the reason to use the Carbine instead of the Stalker Bolt Rifle.

The damage version is obviously the better one.
Perk Tree:
Take the Diving Might as your final perk.

Unmentioned

I simply don't understand why would you use a CQB Bolt Carbine . If you are in melee range, then you might as well just melee/parry the enemy, and take an actual range weapon with you. And the Auto Bolt Rifle is just a worse version of the CQB Carbine .


Class Perks
Column 1 - Not much of choice there. You can go for the bolt penetration perk if you're planning to use some bolters (not the grenade launcher one). If you are using Plasma, go for the Plasma related perk.
Column 2 - Middle perk is vastly better than the other two options.
Column 3 - Both middle and bottom perks are fine, If you have no ammo generator on your team, or if all of your teammates require a lot of ammo, then go for the bottom one. If you think that ammo won't be a problem, go for more damage.
Column 4 - Bottom perk is fine, but since most of the damage now is being blocked by armour, you don't really care about the contested HP
Column 5 - No different options
Column 6 - I still like the top perk the most. That said, both other options are perfectly fine picks. Bottom perk is good against bosses, and there will be a lot of them on the highest difficulty. Middle perk is just fine, since you'll probably have a lot of CDR coming from your teammates.
Column 7 - No different options
Column 8 - All of the perks are kinda meh. The top one can be, theoretically, decent. At least on the highest difficulty. But if you are auspexing something, this something should die in the next few seconds. So, there is not much of a reason to have them exploding from time to time (very rarely).

Assault

Initiate with your Jump Pack and kill hordes with it, do lots of Gun-Strikes.

Weapon Choices

Bolt Pistol
A ranged horde/trash clearing tool. If all of the perk conditions are met, can deal some decent(ish) single target damage. Unless you are in need of such tool, ignore this weapon's existence.

Damage version will make it more viable at killing elites (still not very good tho).
Perk Tree:

The Cooler Bolt Pistol
Worse than its lighter version at clearing the trash, better at everything else.

Both ammo and damage versions are good. Choose according to how often you are gonna use it.
Perk Tree:

Plasma Pistol
A good tool to kill some of the ranged elites. Good weapon to do some Gun-Strikes. Can interrupt the reinforcement calls in a single shot. Decent ammo capacity if you'll choose the ammo version of it. Just a very good all-around weapon.
Better than both HBP and a normal Bolt Pistol. But HBP may have some better DPS potential, given you can constantly proc all if its perks.

Version: Either ammo or damage. Depends on how ammo efficient you are.
Perk Tree:

Neo-Volkite Pistol
If you are using Astartes Overhaul, then it's great. But in the base game, it's quite annoying to use. The number aren't bad, but you have to stand and keep your laser on the same enemy for quite some time, which can be challenging at times. Challenging and annoying. This thing is like a ranged brother of the charged melee attacks. It's not particularly bad, but by using it on the highest difficulties you are basically doing your enemies a favor.
But it destroys the Spore Mines and Brambles, and since Absolute was named after how they are an absolute bane of your existence, this very fact turns Neo-Volkite Pistol into an decent choice.

Version: Both ammo and damage versions are equally usable. Pick one according to how ammo efficient you are.
Perk Tree:



Chainsword
It's just bad on Assault. Its base damage is bad enough not to use it with the Ground Pound build. Its versatility isn't good enough of a feat in order to use it with a dodge build. And his competitors are making the situation even worse.

Version: Fencing.
Perk Tree - The charged attack ain't gonna help you much, but at least this is something:
The final perk will be either Majoris Slayer or Chaos Slayer (depends on the map).

Thunder Hammer
Best melee that you can use as an Assault. Light attacks are perfect for clearing hordes or baiting the elites to attack you. Heavy attacks are usable, and this is already a progress. Usable, but still not good enough to actually justify actively using them. After all, you still have your gun-strikes and adrenaline hits. And your Ground Pound, yeah. Light spam is usually the way.

Version: I'd say that the fencing version is the best, but the block version will boost your Ground Pound damage by A LOT. You are also getting some decent stat increases that will result in your ability to compensate the lack of gun-strikes/stuns (mostly stuns), with the pure melee damage output.
Personally, I hate the blocking playstyle. This game (or at least the melee combat in this game) already feels like a prolonged quick time event. You are just doing the perfect dodges and parries at the right time, and then you are spamming your light attack. Picking a block weapon will force you into doing a three perfect parries instead of a single parry, and even tho the result of it will be a big AoE attack that will most likely kill everything in front of you, the game will feel even more like a quick time event than before.
Aaand you'll have to re-learn how to do this quick time event from the scratch.
If you are fine with all of it - go for the block version of a Thunder Hammer.
If not - keep using the fencing version.
Perk Tree:
Light attack build:
Heavy attack build:

Power Fist
The perk overhaul gave this weapon a bit more use. I still wouldn't use it over the Thunder Hammer, but it does seem like Power Fist is on the same power level as the Power Sword.
But you are still forced into the Charged/Heavy attack playstyle, which isn't particularly great.

Version: Fencing.
Perk Tree:
Take the Majoris Slayer as your final perk.

Power Sword
The Power Style is good against hordes. Also looks cool.
The Speed Style is a bit worse against the hordes, but can deal with the elites easier.
If we are looking at the raw numbers, the Speed Styles is overall better than the Power Style. Also, fast and speedy strikes > slow and heavy strikes.
That said, if you are using a Power Sword not with the Power Style, you are a tech-heretic and should be servitorized, so you could amend for your sins for all eternity.

Version: Fencing.
Perk Tree: Saber have absolutely botched the new Power Sword trees.
They are forcing you into a two different playstyles at the same time, thinking that you will be swapping the power mode accordingly... And yet, you only have enough perks to make one of them actually good? What...
Anyway... If you will using the Speed Style, drop the Kill Streak perk, and the perk that comes after it, and take the Speed Style combo perk, and an additional Minoris/Terminus perk.

Class Perks
Column 1 - Middle perk is decent, but the bottom one is too good.
Column 2 - no other options
Column 3 - You can use the top perk if you are really into the charged attacks. Middle perk is overshadowed by the bottom one. That said, if you are doing a solo run, the middle perk will be a better choice.
Column 4 - Man, imagine nerfing Assault. Like, you have a Heavy Melta in your game, and you are nerfing ASSAULT instead. Like, you have Neo-Volkite Pistol in your game, but instead of nerfing it, you are nerfing ASSAULT .
Anyway, they did nerf Assault. Middle perk is now also a competitive option, but the gun-strike perk is still the best choice.
Column 5 - Top perk for the horde clear (guess you'll be taking it only if you'll be using a Power Fist), bottom perk in any other scenario
Column 6 - Bottom perk for the Ground Pound build, top one for the dodge build.
Column 7 - Top perk for the Ground Pound build, bottom one for the dodge build.
Column 8 - Bottom perk for the dodge build, top perk for any other build.

Vanguard

Be... A Melta bot?...


Weapon... Choices?...

Melta
Great at dealing with the hordes and packs of elites, single target damage is not good enough to justify even trying to deal with such threats via Melta. Sucks balls performs even worse against the chaos space marines and bosses. But you can deal with them in other ways.
The armor perks will grant you an almost infinite supply of armor while shooting into hordes. It is also very easy to contest your health by shooting at the grouped up enemies.
It's more of a niche weapon now, but it is still, one of the best weapons in the game.

Version: Ammo.
Perk Tree:

Instigator Bolt Carbine
Do you need some ranged DPS? Well, this is pretty much your only way of getting it from the main weapon slot. Why would you want a Vanguard to deal ranged damage? Seriously, why?
But if you have a feeling that your melee is enough for you to do everything that Melta does (chaos missions, I guess), then you might as well pick this thing over the Melta.

Version: Damage.
Perk Tree:
The new tree is quite interesting, It contains many good perks, and you don't have enough points to even take all of them. Overall, there is a headshot build, and a utilitarian build.
And yeah, you are just going full top row, or full bottom row while taking the Penetration perk instead of the Honed Precision perk.

Bolt Carbine - Marksman Version
Another ranged damage option, but ultimately, a weaker one.

The damage version is obviously the better one.
Perk Tree:
Take the Diving Might as your final perk.

Bolt Carbine - SMG
Not particularly great, but you can deal some sick single target damage with it. Which means that you can use your melee to clear the trash, and have a decent single target. It's just that you can do the same thing via gun-strikes.

Version: Accuracy (for the headshots)
Perk Tree: Identical to the Marksman version.


Bolt Pistol
A ranged horde/trash clearing tool. If all of the perk conditions are met, can deal some decent(ish) single target damage. Unless you are in need of such tool, ignore this weapon's existence.

Damage version will make it more viable at killing elites (still not very good tho).
Perk Tree:

The Cooler Bolt Pistol
Worse than its lighter version at clearing the trash, better at everything else.

Both ammo and damage versions are good. Choose according to how often you are gonna use it.
Perk Tree:

Neo-Volkite Pistol
If you are using Astartes Overhaul, then it's great. But in the basegame, it's quite annoying to use. The number aren't bad, but you have to stand and keep your laser on the same enemy for quite some time, which can be challenging at times. Challenging and annoying. This thing is like a ranged brother of the charged melee attacks. It's not particularly bad, but by using it on the highest difficulties you are basically doing your enemies a favor.
Worth picking it over the Bolt Pistol just for the sake of having a way of dealing with the Neurothropes, Spore Mines, and Brambles.

Version: Either ammo or damage. Pick according to your ammo efficiency.
Perk Tree:

Chainsword
A versatile melee weapon (in a bad way) that has some weird punches and kicks in its move set.
Jack of all trades, master of none. Unless you want to use it for the style points or are eager to make a pure melee build, there is no reason to pick it over the Knife.
That said, it has an interesting charged attack. It can deal some insane damage if you'll manage to fully charge it AND hit something with it. Realistically speaking, this charged attack is only useful against some bosses and requires some skill (and luck) just to perform it on them.

Version: Fencing. But you can also make some use of the Balanced version, since you
have a Duelist perk.
Perk Tree:

Combat Knife
Big coverage, low damage. Heavy attacks feel like mosquito bites. That said, it's enough to clear the hordes, and killing elites purely with the melee damage is not a good idea to begin with. Shoulder Bash is still very good.
I guess it's a horde clearing weapon now, like a Thunder Hammer?... Just a decent weapon, there is not much I can say about it.

Version: Fencing. But you can also make some use of the Balanced version, since you have a Duelist perk.
Perk Tree:

Class Perks
Saber tried to make viable a health-DR build, and a grapnel build. Unfortunately, grapnel is still ♥♥♥♥, and you are not supposed to take health damage at all, which means that there is, still, no build diversity.

Column 1 - no other options
Column 2 - Take the top perk if you are old, or if you want to use a balanced weapon, instead of the fencing one. Otherwise - pick the middle perk.
Column 3 - no other options
Column 4 - CDR > everything else. Even if it's just for your teammates.
Column 5 - You are choosing between the middle perk and the bottom perk. Both of them are bad. Just pick your poison, I guess.
Column 6 - no other options
Column 7 - All of them are bad, so you'll be picking the unreliable damage boost for your Melta as the best option
Column 8 - Unfortunately, this is no Darktide, which means that there is no health bar mod, which means that the top perk is useless. Bottom perk is still the best.

Bulwark

Accept the gift of immortality. ..And the only viable and fun melee weapon in the game

Weapon choices

Plasma Pistol
Good tool to kill some of the ranged elites. Can interrupt the reinforcement calls in a single shot. Good weapon to do some Gun-Strikes. Decent ammo capacity if you'll choose the ammo version of it. Just a very good weapon overall.
DO NOT use the light attack for anything but the Spore Mines and Brambles..

Version: Ammo. But you can also pick the damage version, if you are ammo efficient enough.
Perk Tree:

Neo-Volkite Pistol
If you are using Astartes Overhaul, then it's great. But in the basegame, it's quite annoying to use. The number aren't bad, but you have to stand and keep your laser on the same enemy for quite some time, which can be challenging at times. Challenging and annoying. This thing is like a ranged brother of the charged melee attacks. It's not particularly bad, but by using it on the highest difficulties you are basically doing your enemies a favor.
Only good against the Spore Mines and Brambles. Can also be used to kill Neurothropes, but you can already deal with them via Plasma Pistol. Overall, it's overshadowed by the Plasma Pistol in every way possible.

Version: Ammo. But you can also pick the damage version, if you are ammo efficient enough.
Perk Tree:
Take Great Might as your final perk.

Bolt Pistol
A ranged horde/trash clearing tool. If all of the perk conditions are met, can deal some decent(ish) single target damage. Unless you are in need of such tool, ignore this weapon's existence.

Damage version will make it more viable at killing elites (still not very good tho).
Perk Tree:

The Cooler Bolt Pistol
Worse than its lighter version at clearing the trash, better at everything else.
Does have a bit more DPS potential than a Plasma Pistol, but overall, Plasma Pistol is a better, more versatile choice.

Both ammo and damage versions are good. Choose according to how often you are gonna use it.
Perk Tree:

Power Fist
The perk overhaul gave this weapon a bit more use. I still wouldn't use it over the Thunder Hammer, but it does seem like Power Fist is on the same power level as the Power Sword.
But you are still forced into the Charged/Heavy attack playstyle, which isn't particularly great.

Version: Fencing.
Perk Tree:
Take the Majoris Slayer as your final perk.

Power Sword
The Power Style is good against hordes. Also looks cool.
The Speed Style is a bit worse against the hordes, but can deal with the elites easier.
If we are looking at the raw numbers, the Speed Styles is overall better than the Power Style. Also, fast and speedy strikes > slow and heavy strikes.
That said, if you are using a Power Sword not with the Power Style, you are a tech-heretic and should be servitorized, so you could amend for your sins for all eternity.

Version: Fencing.
Perk Tree: Saber have absolutely botched the new Power Sword trees.
They are forcing you into a two different playstyles at the same time, thinking that you will be swapping the power mode accordingly... And yet, you only have enough perks to make one of them actually good? What...
Anyway... If you will using the Speed Style, drop the Kill Streak perk, and the perk that comes after it, and take the Speed Style combo perk, and an additional Minoris/Terminus perk.

Chainsword
A worse Speed Style Power Sword.
There is no reason to actually take it over the Power Sword, or any other melee weapon even. But the charged attack that you are getting from the tree can be quite strong, if you will be able to perform a fully charged version of it into a mini-boss or a boss that is.

Version: Fencing
Perk tree:
If you like the full-throttle, you can drop a single 5% damage node in its favor.


Class Perks
Bulwark's perks are very good. I'd even say, they are the best perks in the game. You can go your usual tanky build, or you can go for a build that relies on the Shock Fields. Both of them are good.
We can only hope that all of the other classes will get the same treatment as Bulwark in terms of perks. And now there is also an option to take some shield perks, in order to increase your overall melee damage.
Column 1 - Middle perk is overall the best option, but you can take the bottom perk if you don't like the middle one (there is another perk that will give you damage on a shield bash, making it quite useful).
Column 2 - Middle perk if you're going for the shock area build and/or planning to hog all of the shock grenades, bottom one if you're going for the standard tanky build. Honestly, middle perk is probably better in every situation, but I just like to be tanky.
Column 3 - Top perk for the shock area build, Middle perk for the standard build. Bottom perk for the standard build.
Column 4 - The middle perk is just better than the other two. The top perk could be decent, but 5 seconds isn't enough.
Column 5 - Middle perk gives you 10 second of borderline immortality, making it easy to heal the contested health your team get from your banner.
Column 6 - Not even a contest. Set up a few finishers and use your ulti. Boom. Your whole team is on full health. Now it also increases the recharge time, but let's be real, your health ain't being damage often enough for this change to affect you in any significant way.
Column 7 - all of the perks will give you a small boost in terms of utility. Just choose whatever you feel is needed for you/your team. The bottom one is usually better since gives you more damage, and more damage = more heals. But I'll never pass up on putting my stick into my fallen brother's arse by using the top perk.
Column 8 - top perk if you're going for the shock area build. Note - it deals damage to you, so jump away the second you see it drop. Middle perk for the standard build - easier setups for your ulti heal. Note: never use it with the shock area build, the shock area will finish off the enemy.

Walking Las-Fusil Sniper

You ARE a walking Las-Fusil. Deal with it.

Weapon Choices

Las-Fusil
An absolute beast of a weapon, no potions are too strong for it. Elites? Dead. Bosses? Dead. Hordes? Believe it or not, also dead.
Just try to line up your shots, so you could generate enough ammo.

Version: Damage. But you can pick the ammo version if you have problems with generation additional ammo.
Perk Tree:

Bolt Sniper Rifle
I am including it only because some people tend to really like it.
Let's put it that way - Las Fusil is so good, you can just spam with your shots at anything you see and deal still be the best damage dealer on your team. BSR is good enough to not feel bad about bringing it instead of a Las Fusil.
It has more viability now, since it deals more single target damage than Las Fusil does, but even with all of the changes and buffs, it is still worse than Las Fusil in almost any situation.

Version: If you can use the Reloaded Restoration perk optimally - use the damage version. Otherwise, use the ammo version.
Perk Tree:
Take... Something as you final perk. Idk, Saber made this weapon even worse than it was before.

Bolt Pistol
A ranged horde/trash clearing tool. If all of the perk conditions are met, can deal some decent(ish) single target damage. Unless you are in need of such tool, ignore this weapon's existence.

Damage version will make it more viable at killing elites (still not very good tho). But you can use the Ammo version, since as a Sniper, you can utilize this pistol's horde clearing capabilities quite well.
Perk Tree:

Cooler Bolt Pistol
Worse than its lighter version at clearing the trash, better at everything else.

Both ammo and damage versions are good. Choose according to how often you are gonna use it.
Perk Tree:

Combat Knife
Big coverage, low damage, annoying attack that will launch you forward which can be a problem cuz they can launch you straight into the spore mines. Unless you are building for them (not a particularly good idea) heavy attacks feel like mosquito bites. That said, it's enough to clear the hordes, and killing elites purely with the melee damage is not a good idea to begin with. Shoulder Bash is also very good.

Version: Fencing, but you can also use the balanced one, if you are fine with the more difficult parries.
Perk Tree:

You can use both Stalker Bolt Rifle and Bolt carbine the same way you're using them on your Tactical. Problem is, they ain't even close to the Las-Fusil's carry potential, so I am not gonna recommend them. And Instigator is even worse than the Stalker Bolt Rifle.

Class Perks
There is only one optimal option and the rest of the tree variations are obsolete in comparison.
So, how do you play with it? Go into the invis, shoot something in the head a few times, kill that something with a headshot, repeat. You have about 90% invis up-time. Do I even need to tell you how OP this ♥♥♥♥ is? The only one even more OP class is, most likely, Tactical. But looking at how OP Sniper is, it's debatable if Tactical is better or not.
Column 1 - The top perk is kinda meaningless, so you can pick the bottom one, if you really want to. Mid perk is decent on paper, but in reality, you will be shooting Majoris, not meleeing them.
Column 2 - 20% damage boost is the best
Column 3 - Pick the one that will work with your weapon, that's it.
Column 4 - The bottom perk is one of the best perks in the game
Column 5 - The bottom perks is way better than the other two
Column 6 - Middle perk is the best. Bottom on is... I've tried the knife build, and even for the knife build it's borderline useless. You're just not dealing enough with the heavy attack for it to be good. If only it was a 300% DMG increase...
Column 7 - No options. (Dakrtide rant incoming) Funny how the put Veteran's Infiltrate effect as a bottom perk. With the 30 seconds CD. Could be decent if it had no innate CD, like, you know, INFILTRATE.
Column 8 - You don't need the bottom perk. Out of the other two perks, pick your favorite and stick to it. Both are good defensive options.

CQB Sniper Build

Shadow Stab/SMG build
Weird ahh melee charged attack build that can deal a lot of single target damage, but requires good positioning skills and precise timings. The main gimmick of the build is performing the Shadow Stab right after you enter your invis.
This build is good against chaos, and sucks arse against the nids.
Chaos is self explanatory.Fatter and slower enemies - exactly what this build wants to fight.
But while fighting against the nids, not only you'll be camped by literally everything and everyone (especially spores, A LOT of spores), but you'll also have to deal with a lot of rapidly moving targets, And even tho it is totally possible to combatant nids with this build, this is not gonna be a fun experience. An example;
You are going into invis to kill an elite, but you was chased by some spore mines. Now they are camping your position and you have to run away and shoot them, wasting your invis' charge. But ypu also have to somehow deal with an elite that stands nearby, but your invis is on a cooldown.

Realistically speaking, this build isn't completely obsolete to the Las-Fusil build only in terms of the non-flying boss damage

Class Perk Tree - 2-3-2-3-1-3-2-2
Block Knife Perk Tree:
SMG (Accuracy Version) Perk Tree:
Take Diving Might as the final perk.

Heavy

Ranged DPS powerhouse

Weapon Choices

Heavy Bolter
Embrace the turret playstyle! Until you'll get knocked back because one of your weapon perks, for some reason, does not provide you with the knock back resist. Seriously, you have enough DPS to smash left click and never let it go, you'll OUTHEAL your enemies. Just stand in one place and destroy everyone.
BUT you can take the Strategic Stand on your Class Tree, it'll provide you with everything you need - this is what you might had in mind after looking at this perk. But in reality, you are still gonna be interrupted by the enemies from time to time. Idk why, but it is what it its. Still a viable perk, but I wouldn't pick it if I were you. Not being able to move is too much of a downside.
To be honest, just pick the Plasma Incinerator. The Heavy Bolter just ain't worth the trouble.

Version: All of them can be used. But the accuracy on this weapon is so abysmally bad, you'll feel kinda forced into the accuracy version of it.
Perk Tree - the main question is; should you use the Heavy Immunity perk, or can you pick something more useful instead? Considering that you will be interrupted even if you'll have the Strategic Stand perk, I wouldn't even bother taking the Heavy Immunity perk. You are either taking the class perk and dealing with the fact that you will be interrupted, or you are trying to not get hit at all:
Take the Perpetual Cooling as your final perk.

Heavy Plasma Incinerator
This weapon can deal with almost any threat. It destroys the elites, can deal some good boss damage, and you can even shoot into hordes with it, because of its big AoE. I am talking about the charged shots, obviously. The light shots are basically useless.
But your shots are quite slow, which means that flying enemies can become a problem. You can pick a range version of this weapon in order to have a better plasma velocity, you'll have to sacrifice fire rate version for it. And this is not a good idea, considering how slow base charge time is.

Version: Up to you. All of them are strong in their own ways.
Perk Tree:
Take the Heavy Velocity as your final perk. That said, other two perks are also decent.

Multi-Melta
This ♥♥♥♥ is more unfair than your life.

Version: Fire rate.
Perk Tree:

Heavy Bolt Rifle
Uhmm... Well.. You can use it in the same way you are using it on your Tactical, but when it comes to Heavy, the weapon competition is way more... Heavy... Sorry.
Just use something else instead, or just play Tactical.

Plasma Pistol
A good tool to kill some of the ranged elites. Good weapon to do some Gun-Strikes. Can interrupt the reinforcement calls in a single shot. Decent ammo capacity if you'll choose the ammo version of it. Just a very good weapon overall.

Version: Either ammo or damage. Depends on how ammo efficient you are.
Perk Tree:
Take Charge Speed as your final perk.

Bolt Pistol
A ranged horde/trash clearing tool. If all of the perk conditions are met, can deal some decent(ish) single target damage. Unless you are in need of such tool, ignore this weapon's existence.

Damage version will make it more viable at killing elites (still not very good tho).
Perk Tree:

The Cooler Bolt Pistol
Worse than its lighter version at clearing the trash, better at everything else.

Both ammo and damage versions are good. Choose according to how often you are gonna use it.
Perk Tree:

Plasma Pistol
A good tool to kill some of the ranged elites. Good weapon to do some Gun-Strikes. Can interrupt the reinforcement calls in a single shot. Decent ammo capacity if you'll choose the ammo version of it. Just a very good all-around weapon.
Better than both HBP and a normal Bolt Pistol. But HBP may have some better DPS potential, given you can constantly proc all if its perks.

Version: Either ammo or damage. Depends on how ammo efficient you are.
Perk Tree:

Class Perks
Column 1 - middle perk to make your Multi-Melta even more of a sleeping pill, otherwise the top perk.
Column 2 - bottom perk for the Heavy Bolter/Melta, top one for the Plasma
Column 3 - The top perk is now only affects the melee attacks. You know, melee attacks that deal no damage. Great undocumented change, Saber. Now only the middle perk isn't completely useless, all according to plan.
Column 4 - the top perk is kinda usable, but ammo is, most of the time, more important.
Column 5 - all 3 perks are rather bad. The bottom one, at the very least, will give you a bit more armour regen. Top perk, in theory, can be used with the Heavy Bolter.
Column 6 - top and bottom perks are equally meaningless viable. Middle perk is the best if you want to spam your ulti for the signature CDR.
Column 7 - more damage, no other options
Column 8 - bottom perk for the CDR ulti spam. But pick it even if you have no intention to spam it, other perks are just worse.

[Menteroth]

It's not really super grindy, IMO. A little grindy, sure. You can easily play on Ruthless and gain several levels early on from one mission. If you have some troubles there just go Substantial.

[idiot 3 alt (7)]

https://youtu.be/DdmNYNkcwKE

[Rakurs]

I'll add the prestige perks and the inferno pistol later. The perks are insanely grindy tho, and you have to play a severely weakened class to unlock them, which is the most anti-fun way of unlocking the new perks. Which is weird, because devs have so many other games as an examples, it's practically impossible to make a mistake at this point.

And regarding the Vanguard's equipment recharge perk, I am kinda influenced by the fact that I usually play solos and I have all of the nades to myself. I'll add it as an option soon enough.

[Grubenhower]

Great guides, thank you.

Do you have any thoughts on the new prestige perks for each class?

[TardyTech]

How the hell are you supposed to be able to take majoris slayer as your final perk with power fist? That would total to 11 perks while max perk points for it is 10

[morte]

What about prestige perks?

[FuturEvolution]

I think there are some wrong images for like plasma pistol or chainsword in bulwark section

[IronEleven]

Thoughts on the inferno pistol?

[Vectored]

Vanguards column 3 perk doesn't make sense to me, because your gonna take a fencing melee anyway which helps a lot imo and isn't really required, I think that the second perk is better because with it you can just spam melta bombs and meltas are great in higher difficulties when there can be groups of 4-6 majoris enemies and can one shot most extremis enemies. Otherwise this is a great guide and helps a lot when starting with the builds

[Mr.No]

Need update