Payday 3: Best Skills for Loud Builds

One of the joys of Payday 3 is being able to create your own build. With over a hundred skills to choose from, but only a select amount of points to use, you need to get creative with what you make. To help those who prefer using all their ammo, we’ve narrowed down the best skills for loud builds in Payday 3.

Payday 3: Best Skills for Loud Builds

Feel free to use the below links to go directly to a skill. A lot of these provide a great foundation, but that doesn’t mean you need to use them all in your build. There is a maximum amount of skill points to earn. We do recommend trying them all out at one point though — you might as well experiment with those different loadout slots!

• Ammo Specialist
• Plate Up
• Top Up
• Mower
• Ammo Funnel
• Replenish
• Tank/Tank Aced
• Last Man Standing
• Sharpshooter
• Cutting Shot
• Extra Munitions
• Enforcer/Enforcer Aced
• Face to Face
• Combat Reload
• Menacing

Ammo Specialist

First is Ammo Specialist, which increases reserve ammo capacity by 20% and adds two additional ammo bag charges. Even if you don’t plan on bringing ammo bags, this is a worthy skill just for the first effect.

Plate Up

You’ll need Grit for this, but Plate Up makes it so that ammo drops regenerate your current armor chunk. This is a key skill for builds that revolve around armor regeneration, allowing you to stay in firefights longer.

Top Up

If you feel bad for hogging ammo bags, this is the skill for you. Top Up makes it so that ammo bags restore 20% more ammo and will also fully restock your throwables.

Mower

The Mower line is an essential part of most loud builds. The initial skill makes it so that you’ll gain Edge for every 35 bullets you shoot. This best works with Assault Rifles and Submachine Guns.

Ammo Funnel

As long as you have Edge, the Ammo Funnel skill adds any picked-up ammo to your weapon magazine first. Infinite ammo isn’t a thing in Payday 3, but this is the closest you’ll get to it.

Replenish

The Replenish skill makes it so that you automatically pick up ammo dropped by enemies you killed as long as you have Edge. Whether you’re guarding a drill or trying to grind infamy levels, you’ll want to make room in your build for this.

Tank/Tank Aced

Another essential skill line to many loud builds is those related to Tank. The initial Tank skill adds two more charges to armor bags, but it also increases the regeneration speed of armor chunks by 20%. The Aced version can also be helpful as it provides or refreshes Grit when your armor chunks break.

Last Man Standing

For those who love a good heroic moment, you’ll want this skill. Last Man Standing activates when you’ve been dealt damage that would down you and have Grit; it consumes the Grit and allows you to become immune to damage for 10 seconds. 

Sharpshooter

If you’re making a loud build, you’ll need to choose between the Sharpshooter or Gunslinger set of skills. Both are great and it admittedly all depends on your preference and weapon choice, but we do prefer Sharpshooter. The initial skill provides Edge for standing still aiming down sights for 1.5 seconds.

Cutting Shot

This is the skill that pushes the Sharpshooter line over for us. Cutting Shot increases your armor penetration as long as you have Edge. Due to how much armor stronger enemies have, this is an invaluable buff to have.

Extra Munitions

The Demolitionist line has some wonderful skills that grenade lovers will enjoy. If we had to pick just one that everyone would like, we have to go with its Master Node. Extra Munitions increases your throwing capacity by 2. It’s a benefit that any build can appreciate.

Enforcer/Enforcer Aced

Another immensely helpful skill line is Enforcer. The initial skill allows you to gain Grit when you kill two enemies within four seconds and five meters. The Aced version pairs well, as it also provides you with Edge if you already have Grit. This works in plenty of builds, but we’ve naturally had it activate the most when using a shotgun.

Related: Best Payday 3 Shotgun Builds

Face to Face

This skill acts as a great follow-up to the previous aced skill. Face to Face activates when you have Edge and Grit, providing a 10% damage buff toward enemies within five meters.

Combat Reload

Combat Reload refreshes your Edge and Grit whenever you reload a weapon that still has ammo. This is a great way to keep these buffs going, especially if you’re the type to reload often.

Menacing

This might require the Manipulator skill, but it’s definitely worth it to some. Menacing allows you to shout and force one guard, SWAT, or Heavy SWAT to surrender. If it all goes uninterrupted, they’ll then be converted into a hostage. This is an easy way to tie up a guard or stop a lonesome SWAT unit from shooting you.

That does it for our list of the best skills for loud builds in Payday 3. If you’re interested in seeing these used in full builds, check out our top ten builds guide. Any other heist content can be found with our PD3 guides.