I’ve played Battle Brothers through every DLC, fine-tuning builds with each new weapon and perk. In this guide I’ll share my personal insights on all major roles – tanks, two-handed bruisers, nimble duelists, polearm specialists, ranged troops, and hybrids – across Warriors of the North, Blazing Deserts, Beasts & Exploration and Of Flesh and Faith. I’ll break down each build perk-by-perk, recommend ideal stats and gear thresholds (e.g. fatigue, resolve), suggest the best backgrounds, and explain positioning and party synergy.
Table of Contents
Best Battle Brothers Builds
Below I have listed the best and most recent Battle Brothers builds.
Tanks – The Indestructible Frontliners
Role: Hold the line, block enemy advances, anchor spear‑walls.
- Typical Builds: Sword‑and‑Shield Knights, Hedge‑Knight Bastions, Barbarian “Battletanks.”
- Armor: Full plate (layered under‑armor) plus a large shield.
| Focus | Key Details |
|---|---|
| Core perks | Battle Forged → Hardy → Vow of Honor → Shield Mastery → Indomitable → (Relentless or Colossus) |
| Stat goals | 60 Resolve, 50 Melee Defense, 120 raw Fatigue in heavy gear (≈ 70 effective) |
| Gear tips | High‑armor shields such as Aspis Scutum or Fortress Shield; kettle helm + brow attachment; 1‑hand sword, axe, or heavy mace against armor |
Build Example (Sword + Shield)
- Perks: Battle Forged → Hardy → Vow of Honor → Shield Mastery → Indomitable → Colossus (take Brawny early if fatigue is low).
- Position: Lead at chokepoints, open with Shield Wall, then block or counter every turn. Pair with a banner bearer for morale and archers behind.
Two‑Handed Damage Dealers
Role: Deliver massive single‑swing or sweeping blows.
| Focus | Key Details |
|---|---|
| Core perks | Berserker line plus weapon mastery (e.g., Cleaver Mastery for axes) → Colossus → Frenzy → Battle Flow/Relentless → Recover |
| Stat goals | High Strength & HP (100 +); 40 + Melee Skill; 50 + Defense; 100‑120 raw Fatigue |
| Weapons | Greataxe, Bardiche, Warhammer, Greatsword, 2‑H Flail/Mace, Polehammer |
| Armor | Heavy plate or chain with a sturdy helm; adjust weight to maintain fatigue |
Popular variants
- Barbarian Cleaver: Greataxe/Bardiche with Berserker, Frenzy, Cleaver Mastery, Adrenaline.
- Greatsword Slayer: Focus on Skullcracker, Cleave, and two‑hit sword skills.
- Polehammer Crusher: Two‑tile hammer strikes for shredding armor.
- Maul Stunner: 2‑H Mace line with Bone Crusher → Dazed → Skullcracker.
Position: Flank your shield wall or stand in the second row behind spear‑walls. Always run Recover to reset fatigue after burst turns.
Nimble Duelists (Daggers & Light Swords)
Role: High‑initiative flankers that dodge, surround, and finish priority targets.
| Focus | Key Details |
|---|---|
| Core perks | Quick Hands → Nimble (with Dodge) → Footwork → Riposte/Knife Mastery → Blade Dancer → Duelist → Battle Flow / Adrenaline |
| Stat goals | 100 + Initiative, strong Melee Skill, 80‑100 raw Fatigue; Resolve ~40 |
| Gear | Light armor/helm (to stay below 15 weight for Nimble), Fencing Sword, Qatal Dagger, rapier‑style weapons; nets or flash pots for setup |
Tactics: Circle wide, trap isolated units, and combo nets or stuns with Deathblow or Lunge. Keep a light head attachment for extra protection against big cleaves.
Polearm & Support Specialists
Role: Control space with reach weapons, provide stuns and spear‑walls.
| Focus | Key Details |
|---|---|
| Core perks | Polearm Mastery or Shield Mastery (for spear‑wall) → Berserker/Cull the Weak → Adrenaline; Swirling Strikes on sweep weapons |
| Stat goals | High Melee Defense, 40 + Resolve, plenty of Fatigue for spear‑wall |
| Weapons | Spetum, Warfork, Swordlance, Pike, Halberd; hybrids may swap javelins via Quick Hands |
| Support tools | Nets, warhorns, throwing axes to break shields before melee closes |
Use spear‑walls to pin beasts or raiders, letting your two‑handers clean up.
Ranged Specialists – Archers & Crossbows
Role: Pick off high‑value targets, soften enemy lines.
| Focus | Key Details |
|---|---|
| Core perks | Quick Hands, Focus; Deadeye & Bullseye (bows); Lightning Reload & Hail of Bolts (crossbows); Bags & Belts for ammo; Recover |
| Stat goals | 30 + Ranged Skill rolls every level; 90‑120 raw Fatigue to double‑fire; moderate Initiative |
| Weapons | Elven Longbow, Composite Bow, Repeater Crossbow, Distant Thunder, Heavy Javelins for hybrids |
Tips: Shoot from high ground or behind cover, prioritize enemy ranged or mages, and keep a tank or nimble skirmisher nearby for protection.
Hybrid & Niche Builds
- Paladin (1H + Shield): Brawny, Duelist, Indomitable; mixes offense and defense.
- Thrower‑Juggler: Throwing Mastery, Quick Hands, Deadeye; head‑shot bonuses from the Juggler trait.
- Beast Hunter: Spear + Boar Spear, Hamstring, and heavy cleavers to cripple beasts.
- Cultist/Oathkeeper gimmicks: Leverage unique weapons and faith bonuses for themed squads.
Company Composition & Formation
| Slot | Typical Count | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tanks | 2 | Center anchors; rotate when injured. |
| Two‑Handers | 2 – 3 | Flanks or second row; require fatigue support. |
| Nimble Duelist | 1 | Flanker/back‑line assassin. |
| Polearm/Support | 1 – 2 | Spear‑wall or crowd control from row two. |
| Ranged | 2 | Rear row; keep covered terrain. |
| Banner Bearer | 1 | Near tanks for resolve aura. |
Positioning tips
- Open with Shield Wall or Spear‑Wall to drain enemy fatigue.
- Use Rotation to pull wounded tanks back.
- Let high‑initiative duelists strike first, followed by heavy hitters.
- Manage fatigue every other turn with Recover or by staggering attacks.
Stat Benchmarks
| Build | Resolve | Melee Def | Raw Fatigue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tanks | 60 + | 50 + | 120 + |
| Front‑line DPS | 50 | 40 + | 100‑120 |
| Nimble Duelist | 40 | 30 + | 80‑100 |
| Polearm | 40 | 45 + | 100 + |
| Ranged | 35 – 45 | 20 + | 90‑120 |
There is no single “best” roster; success comes from combining complementary roles and adapting to crises. Use these templates as a starting point, tweak them to suit your preferred tactics, and don’t hesitate to experiment with the newest DLC items and perks. With smart fatigue management, solid resolve, and thoughtful positioning.
