There are many characters to choose from in Back 4 Blood, and you're never locked into playing a run as the one character. Each cleaner has their own perks that'll aid you and your team in defeating all the Ridden and making it to the end of the level in one piece.
The difficulty you're playing on and which stages you're playing through will all chime in to which characters are best to use, but some cleaners will be better suited for all types of stages (and modes). So bring together your team, set out your tactics, and choose your cards wisely.
Updated February 26, 2023, By Nico Dagny: Back 4 Blood has three DLCs to accompany the base game, and each DLC introduces new cleaners into the fold. These four additional cleaners also came with new mechanics implemented into levels, new cards, and weapons, changing much of how Back 4 Blood can be played. Get to know the best character for your style of play.
12 Jim
- Optimal play style - Ranged sniper who specializes in reconnaissance.
The thing about Back 4 Blood is, while damage is vital to take out all the Ridden on your path, time and patience will be a lot more practical since damage won't mean a whole lot if you're downed and can't move around to defeat your enemies. However, if damage dealt is at the top of your checklist, Jim is an excellent choice.
He also awards you +25 percent reload speed, which will be a fantastic perk for preparing for the next wave of Ridden quickly. +10 percent team weakspot damage for when you're trying to take down those pesky Tallboys isn't bad either.
11 Heng
- Optimal play style - A support player who works best with a shotgun at medium and close range.
Heng’s traits are a grand idea on paper, but unfortunately, he doesn’t stand up next to most of the other cleaners. His individual skills revolve around food or detection, which you’ll be using quite often. Heng can sense nearby cards and food in the environment, similar to how Karlee can sense when there’s danger, and he can also detect Hive entrances.
Heng has a Hatchet and RPK as his starter weapons, with his team effect recovering one health and stamina for each food consumed. He is part of the Tunnels of Terror DLC.
10 Hoffman
- Optimal play style - Offensive player who is fantastic with dealing damage to the Ridden.
When the stage seems unbeatable, and you're convinced this is the end of the line for your character, playing as Hoffman will provide you with the extra offensive inventory spot needed to hold an additional offensive item. When the need for another Molotov or frag grenade is in your mind, this is less of a worry while playing Hoffman. It's a pretty underrated tool that will help with the hordes of Ridden.
Hoffman also increases the max team ammo capacity by 15 percent and has a chance of finding ammo whenever he kills a Ridden.
9 Karlee
- Optimal play style - A stamina-based player who works well in a team or alone.
Karlee is a fantastic addition to the team because she can sense nearby mutations and hazards your team needs to be aware of. This is only sometimes necessary since enemies aren't easily missed, especially the more dangerous ones. But when playing through the later stages where everything is faster paced, and you already have multiple things to keep in check, this can be a vital tool that saves your team.
Karlee also receives one extra quick inventory slot and a +50 percent use speed for the entire team.
8 Dan
- Optimal play style - A support player focusing on revival who isn't afraid to take risks and leave most of the shooting to the other teammates.
Included in the Children of the Worm DLC, Dan has the most distinctive traits out of the cleaners. Instead of buffs to health, stamina, and attack power, his traits only help out once someone is knocked down. Dan works with the Divine Intervention Effects, a system where a random effect from this power plays every time a cleaner is revived.
These include an effect where live grenades will appear, your full health is restored, and someone gains an extra life. The only thing that brings this down is that these traits will only activate under specific circumstances.
7 Sharice
- Optimal play style - A tank-type player who isn't afraid to run into the line of fire.
Sharice works best as a melee support character who, when coupled up with Doc, will provide your team with as much defense as you need. Her team trait adds a 25 percent bolstered health to your health bar, and Sharice herself has a +25 percent resistance to trauma.
She also can use armor that’s been knocked off Ridden to create Makeshift Armor that blocks all damage from the next heavy hit, and begins a match with a Fire Axe, a UMP45 (submachine), and a flashbang for offense purposes.
6 Walker
- Optimal play style - A damage-centered player who is also the best character to start with for new players.
Walker is great for precision and improving team health (which is +10 team health). Playing as Walker grants him +20 percent accuracy for five seconds after a precision kill, and he also inflicts +10 percent damage against all enemies.
Walker's perks are great all-around for the game as a whole, as his perks improve upon many different parts of your stats and strengthen Walker in various areas. He's also just a remarkably entertaining character to control, with a knack for accurate shots.
5 Holly
- Optimal play style - A player where agility is the most important thing to them, and melee is a must.
Running and being chased by incredibly creepy enemies seems almost like a running gag in horror games; there's hardly a game out there that doesn't include some chase sequence, and in Back 4 Blood, these happen quite a lot. You'll be on the move constantly, so stamina is crucial to keep your eye on.
Holly receives 25 additional stamina, +5 percent damage resistance for the entire team, and will recover one health after killing a Ridden.
4 Mom
- Optimal play style - A support player who looks out for the entire team's wellbeing.
While playing as Mom can feel like you're a little slower than the other Cleaners, she's a great member to have on your team with the buffs she provides. All teammates revive 100 percent faster, making reviving much quicker than usual, and their temporary health decays 20 percent slower.
If you play as Mom, you'll get one extra support inventory for holding things like bandages or first aid kits. So Mom is a good choice for when health will be a significant part of the stage you're about to begin.
3 Tala
- Optimal play style - An all-rounder comfortable with ranged and close-up combat.
Tala is the best of the DLC characters because of her unique ability to control the Ridden when someone on the team picks up a whistle. When used, this whistle calls forth a Ridden called Jeff, who will fight alongside the team for up to thirty seconds, where there is then a 60-second cool-down before it can be used again.
Tala’s team effect ensures one warped chest and one whistle spawn in every map, and her attacks inflict bleed onto enemies. Her beginner weapons are the Vector (submachine) and a Bow.
2 Doc
- Optimal play style - A player who enjoys playing the medic but also wants someone with weapon experience.
Doc is an excellent character for the extra damage resistance and healing teammates. Playing as Doc will grant you +15 percent healing efficiency, and all teammates gain +20 percent trauma resistance. Doc can also heal every teammate for 25 health once per level.
As long as you don't become locked into a chain of attacks and keep your distance, health isn't as easily lost as it seems. Being healed by 25 health by a Doc on your team could be the boost needed to push you through the finish line.
1 Evangelo
- Optimal play style - Someone who wants a durable, agile character who can tackle Ridden Hordes with trusty melee weapons.
In the opening cutscene of Back 4 Blood, Evangelo is revealed to be a new member of the cleaners, but he's overall the best to play as. Speed will be vital for nearly every level of the game, whether for aiming at zombies, dodging enemy attacks, or just running away from Ridden. Playing as Evangelo gives you +25 percent stamina regen and increases the team's movement speed by 5 percent.
Evangelo can also quickly break out of grabs every 60 seconds, which is especially useful for when the Ridden decides to drag you away. His primary weapon is a machete, which only adds to the character's usefulness since melee weapons are essential when multiple enemies are rushing at you.