KF2 Berserker Team Build After the 2021 Nerf (Russian Guide)

The author argues that the summer 2021 update changed Berserker balance so much that old builds no longer work. Passive resistance is now lower than the Survivalist's (15%), Vampire heals a laughable amount, and Parry now lasts 6 seconds (8 after complaints) instead of 10. Many players abandoned the class because of this, where before a game might have five Berserkers. The goal of this build is team play, with everything that implies. For comparison see another Berserker guide.

Team play: the build assumes a coordinated squad.

Skill choices (standard 10-wave Long game, Hell on Earth)

• Level 5. On wave 1 and at most wave 2, take the right skill (a little regeneration and mobility if you have to run). A Medic with a pistol on wave 1 will not heal 200 health. Once you have donated dosh to the Medic for grenades and weapons, switch to the left skill: Dreadnought gives you room for a parry mistake and lets you survive damage that would be fatal to others, such as a Husk self-detonation, while on the front line.
• Level 10. Vampire is not viable after the nerf. Always take the right skill for speed and damage.
• Level 15. For the first three waves Resistance makes sense: before the large ZEDs appear you one-shot Rioters with the shovel anyway. Husks are also vulnerable after an EMP grenade hit, someone else usually kills E.D.A.R. and Bloats, and if not, two hits on the weak point does it. Then Parry is everything: with some skill it is best never to change it. Remember to refresh it before it ends.
• Level 20. It depends on your setup. If your main weapon is the Katana, Ion Thruster or Hemoclobber, take the left skill; for everything else take the right one.
• Level 25. Do not go onto HoE with this class in this patch without Spartan. After the Vampire nerf nothing else lets you survive the late waves except by throwing your team to the wolves: restoring 100 health in ZED Time and stunning nearby enemies is what does it. Healing that much health otherwise needs the Medic to ignore everyone else and heal only you, which on some maps is fatal for the team.

Weapons

On the first three waves use the stock shovel without upgrades, since its damage is enough. Try to give dosh to the Medic; once they have saved enough for their medical weapons, ask for the spare back.

Right-branch weapons (the build's core)

• Abominator Axe. Huge damage, slow. The long reach of its alternate attack lets you keep your distance from large ZEDs and kill small ones fast. Block -40%, parry -50%.
• Bone Crusher. Medium damage, speed and reach, a high chance of stun when the alternate attack hits the head. Block and parry protection of 70%, including against ranged attacks. Good on bosses.
• Static Strikers. Medium damage, fast, short range. A convenient parry animation, and they do not pull large mutants out of a stunlock. Fast alternate attacks clear small ZEDs.
• Zweihander (the knight sword). Heavy, medium damage, a bit faster than the axe. A quick alternate attack. Block -40%, parry -60%.
• Fire Axe and Pulverizer. Medium speed, reach and damage (when upgraded). They stun and knock down large ZEDs, and the Pulverizer adds extra damage to Fleshpounds and fits by weight with your main weapon (unless that is the Abominator Axe).

Left-branch weapons (not part of the build)

• Katana. Fast, light, weak; good for builds that add Tesla guns, nailguns and so on. Used in Spartan builds. You can parry with a left-click strike. Block -40%, parry -50%.
• Ion Thruster. Medium speed, medium light-attack damage, big charged-attack damage. Playable on the left branch even though it only stacks 2% charge per hit (5% on the right button). Block -40%, parry -50%.
• Hemoclobber. Fast left attacks, light and weak. The only reason to take it on Berserker is as a second weapon for emergencies such as a health dip. It has the largest attack radius in the game. Block -40%, parry -50%.
• Road Redeemer. Light, low damage, fast. The author cannot think of a purpose for it.

Close combat against a large ZED: the Berserker's job.

Wave tactics

On early waves do not let yourself be surrounded and strike the head from above with a heavy hit: a plain shovel kills a Rioter in one hit and a Bloat in two. If a crowd piles in, swing low or sideways with a heavy strike; Crawlers can even be killed by light hits. If Crawlers surround you, jump on the spot to stun them, hit them and break out. Always leave a retreat route and room to maneuver.

The build is designed for a team: the Medic should be at least level 20, because without the resistance buff you may not survive a push of Fleshpounds and Scrakes.

Boss tactics

Patriarch: dangerous mainly in his final phase.

• Matriarch. Dangerous. Do not change the build or skills. Try to destroy her cannon first. While the shield is up, stun and slow effects do not work. To avoid cannon damage, get right up against her. The Bone Crusher does well thanks to its block resistance and the head stun. Parry her close attacks for the buff; the tentacle can be parried too. If your team cannot deal with the E.D.A.R. without involving you, that is probably a team wipe.
• Patriarch. Only dangerous in the last phase. You can dodge the minigun by standing right next to him, and it is better to dodge the rocket volley by moving around him. The easiest strategy is not to let him escape: at the right health mark surround him from every side and throw EMP grenades, while a Sharpshooter or Survivalist may even freeze him.
• Hans Volter. Fast and hits hard up close with his gas and a captured STG-44, but if you step back a little he will not even hit you. You take full damage from his red melee attacks even when parrying. While his shield is up, stun and slow do not work, but if he runs to drain health you can push him back with a charged Hemoclobber right-click, which makes him hesitate and stop running or switch target for a while.
• Abomination. The best friend of newbies and a disappointment for a coordinated team of experienced players, who kill it easily. If you know the boss you can take Resistance at 15 and forget about parrying.

Abomination, the fat boss and an easy target for an experienced team.

• King Fleshpound. Dangerous only to random parties and newbies, though he sometimes wipes experienced players if the Medic was not watched and got pinned by mini Fleshpounds. If Fleshpounds surround you, jump: it is the only way out. The Fire Axe with Pulverizer and the Static Strikers are the weapons of choice. Take a Pulverizer and not tank the King? Any class without mobility will be knocked away, even with healing.

King Fleshpound.

Summary

Pros: high survivability and high damage. Cons: it needs teamwork and constant upkeep of Parry. If the team is wiped, you are unlikely to survive solo without a Medic.