Guts Blackpowder Endless Mode Build Guide

Endless mode is Guts & Blackpowder's pure survival test. No capstan to turn, no boat to catch �?only waves of zombies that grow tougher until every player falls. Dead teammates respawn when a wave clears; survivors heal ten health and regain one utility charge (Tar Bottles replenish two). Francs drip every five waves, making Endless the fastest currency farm for shop upgrades. This guide defines the optimal team composition, explains class ratios for lobbies up to twenty players, and ties equipment choices to wave breakpoints so your squad survives past the Zapper wall at wave fourteen.

Core Team Composition

Think of an Endless roster as three layers: structure, sustain, and damage. Structures buy time, sustain keeps players alive through chip damage and grabs, damage deletes priority threats before they breach. The baseline composition that handles Hougoumont, La Haye Sainte, Tyrolean Village, and Vardøhus Fortress Endless variants:

Two Sappers (Essential)

Dual engineers alternate building and repairing Barricades during wave downtime. One constructs forward funnels; the other maintains a fallback line and heals structures with the Hammer. See Sapper barricade tactics for spacing against Bombers. Both should own Water Buckets and at least one should run Siege Engineer Armour for emergency melee when a Runner slips through.

One to Two Surgeons (Essential)

Ten health per wave is not enough at high waves �?Shamblers chip constantly and Runners cause grab infections. Surgeons heal during calm seconds between waves and rescue downed players. Bandage boxes replenish every three waves. One Surgeon suffices for small groups; two for twelve-plus player lobbies.

One Officer (Strongly Recommended)

Charge buffs multiply team speed and swing rate. Sappers become terrifying melee machines during charges �?second only to bayonet Infantry. Time charges when Zappers approach or when rebuilding a breached line. Officers also carry pistols effective against Bombers at range.

One Musician �?Fife (Strongly Recommended)

The Fife's twenty percent reload buff helps Infantry and Seamen, but critically accelerates Sapper Hammer placement. A Fife stationed near builders shortens vulnerable rebuild windows between waves. Drums help melee swing speed if your Sappers brawl often; Bugle provides temporary double damage for twenty seconds after buildup.

Remaining Slots: Infantry and Seaman DPS

Fill all open slots with Infantry Muskets or Seaman Blunderbusses for crowd control. Seamen excel against Shamblers; Infantry handles Zappers and Cuirassiers with penetration. Avoid stacking more than one Chaplain unless infection runs rampant �?one infection specialist usually suffices.

Composition by Lobby Size

Never run zero Sappers above wave ten. Never run zero Surgeons above wave fifteen. Three Sappers only on the largest maps where build caps strain coverage.

Wave Breakpoints and Preparation

Waves 1�?: Foundation

Shamblers only. Sappers establish primary and secondary barricade lines. Musicians begin buff rotations. Save grenades �?no Bombers yet. Equipment loadout changes take three waves to apply; set your shop picks before wave four if you bought new gear.

Wave 7+: Runners and Bombers

Priority targeting becomes mandatory. Infantry and Officers delete Runners before they reach builders. Bombers explode on death �?kite them into open lanes away from wood structures. Separate barricade clusters per Sapper doctrine.

Wave 14+: Zappers

Zapper health scales every wave via formula: sixty times one plus wave divided by ten in Standard mode, one hundred times that in Hardcore. Focus fire Zappers from behind barricades; Sapper Axe braces can parry Zapper swings if timing is perfect.

Wave 16+: Cuirassiers

Armored cavalry zombies demand coordinated musket fire. Officer charges help but do not rely on melee alone. Hold them in stakes until the team unloads.

Wave 20+: Igniters

Fire hazards threaten Barricades and clustered players. Water Buckets at fifty Francs pay for themselves here. Vardøhus Endless doubles Igniter spawns �?extra buckets recommended on that map.

Equipment Priorities for Endless

Before pushing high waves, ensure these shop unlocks spread across your roster:

• Water Bucket (50 Francs) �?every player if possible
• Grenades (250 Francs) �?DPS and Sappers for emergencies
• Siege Engineer Armour (75 Francs) �?frontline Sappers
• Musket defaults �?avoid Carbine unless you never melee

Francs farming guide: survive five waves minimum, push toward wave twenty for meaningful payouts, run Hardcore for faster scaling rewards if your team handles doubled health.

Map-Specific Notes

Compact maps like La ferme d'En-Haut concentrate spawns �?tight barricades work. Hougoumont and La Haye Sainte offer varied elevation; build at chokepoints between buildings. Vardøhus Endless confines players to the fortress compound with no Runners or Cuirassiers but double Igniters �?fire management dominates. Objective map knowledge from our walkthrough guides still helps because several Endless arenas share geometry with campaign versions.

Coordination Habits

Call Bombers and Runners vocally. Rebuild during the post-wave window �?zombies spawn immediately after it closes. Dead players respawn on wave clear, so intentional sacrifice plays rarely help unlike San Sebastian's winch objective. Rotate healing duty so Surgeons never stand in open lanes during spawn ticks. Keep one grenade in reserve past wave seven at all times.

Frequently Asked Questions