Outriders melee build wipes out end-game content and redeems Devastators

Outriders
(Image credit: Square Enix)

Some Outriders players are punching their way through the hardest parts of the game with melee-specific builds.

The melee skill can be incredibly helpful in tight situations - I used it constantly while working on my Outriders review, as it helped me handle enemies when I was either low on ammo or had a skill on cooldown. As Eurogamer observed, some Outriders players are specifically building classes based on meleeing, and funnily enough, most of these builds are for the Devastator class - the one getting kicked from lobbies due to the popular belief that they have lower damage output than the other classes. 

Determined to redeem the class in the eyes of Outriders players, Devastator mains are making melee guide videos teaching others how to set up an absolutely devastating build that can punch its way through most firefights (like this video from YouTuber SwingPoynt). In short, you want to focus on the bottom skill tree which will help boost your melee power, and use mods like one that will reduce your melee skill cooldown by 50%. You'll also want to make sure to focus on armor stats that will tap into and enable that skill.

The reason you want to use a Devastator for your melee build is because the class adds a damaging bleed effect to both melees - both the basic punch and the one where your character sprints and slams down in front of them. On builds like SwingPoynt's, you can quite literally punch your way through the entire Outriders campaign and put out some serious damage in even the toughest Expeditions. Looks like the Devastator redemption arc has begun.

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Alyssa Mercante

Alyssa Mercante is an editor and features writer at GamesRadar based out of Brooklyn, NY. Prior to entering the industry, she got her Masters's degree in Modern and Contemporary Literature at Newcastle University with a dissertation focusing on contemporary indie games. She spends most of her time playing competitive shooters and in-depth RPGs and was recently on a PAX Panel about the best bars in video games. In her spare time Alyssa rescues cats, practices her Italian, and plays soccer.