Screenshot by Gamepur

Back 4 Blood Karlee guide – Tips, tactics, best cards

Use speed? You mean mission completion speed?

Karlee is one of the playable characters in Back 4 Blood. She can’t be chosen when you’ve only just started the game. Instead, you’ll need to finish Act 1 – The Devil’s Return, which will unlock several characters, including Karlee. Here’s our guide to help you with the best weapons, cards, and tactics for Karlee in Back 4 Blood.

Recommended Videos

Abilities and playstyle

Karlee has the following perks available by default if she’s chosen in your Back 4 Blood missions:

  • Danger Sense – Karlee can sense nearby hazards (i.e., mutations/special infected).
  • Dexterous – +50% team use speed.
  • Back of Tricks – +1 quick inventory.
  • Nimble Fingered – Starts with a tool kit.

Karlee doesn’t excel with any specific weaponry. Likewise, for reference, quick inventory items refer to tool kits, ammo pouches, defibrillators, and stun guns. These offer a lot of utility in most missions, especially the stun gun, which instantly frees you from the grasp of special infected. Speaking of special infected, Karlee’s Danger Sense also warns you if there are tough foes nearby. However, we think that Karlee’s most beneficial ability in Back 4 Blood is the Dexterous perk. The +50% faster use speed is no joke, as we’ll explain below.

Screenshot by Gamepur

Best cards for Karlee

Regarding the best cards for Karlee in Back 4 Blood, we’re actually going to focus on a few that will further increase use speed:

  • Combat Medic – +50% use speed; heals teammates for an additional 20 health when you revive them.
  • Screwdriver – +50% use speed; +10% stamina.
  • Multitool – +75% use speed; -5% damage resistance.
  • Headband Magnifier (extremely risky) – +125% use speed; chance to get blinded for one second when you take damage.
  • Utility Scavenger – Sense nearby quick accessories; more quick accessories spawn.
  • Marked For Death – Mutations you ping are highlighted, and your team deals +10% increased damage to them.
  • Other cards – All the remaining cards for Karlee are totally up to you. Choose whatever fits your playstyle or ideal weaponry.

Now, the reason why we want to stack cards that increase Karlee’s use speed is simple: use speed also applies to interactions with objects in missions. These include the howitzer in Act 1 – Blue Dog Hollow: The Sound of Thunder. By increasing the speed of this interaction, you can quickly complete that mission. It’s one of the fastest ways to farm Supply Points in Back 4 Blood. Lastly, even if you’re not farming that mission, Karlee’s abilities offer synergy with Doc’s and Mom’s own perks, especially when using items like medkits and defibrillators.


Gamepur is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more about our Affiliate Policy
Author
Image of Jason Rodriguez
Jason Rodriguez
Jason Rodriguez is a writer from the Philippines. He loves to do guides. He also has lots of games, lots of dad jokes, and lots of cats!