There’s a long list of available skills inPayday 3. They’re organized through skill trees, and the majority of skills require you to invest a skill point into the base skill of the tree to access the rest. You’ll also need to earn experience points to research and unlock your desired skills.
Knowing what skills you’re aiming for will save you time in creating your ideal build for robbing the rich. While each skill holds its respective place in the game, there are some that are a cut above the rest. The best skills in the game are capable of shaping how entire heists play out while tipping the scales in your favor. Andthey’ll get you filthy rich.
10Cutting Shot
Cutting Shot increases armor penetration if you have Edge, the temporary buff that gives ten percent extra damage. It’s available under the Sharpshooter skill tree, which gives Edge after one and a half seconds of aiming down sights with its base skill.
Armor penetration is the best stat for taking down enemies late into a heist. Cutting Shot greatly increases damage output and the Edge requirement is simple thanks to the Sharpshooter base skill. If you’re looking for more firepower, Cutting Shot is a great skill for the job.
9Enforcer
Close range combat will be your bread and butter with Enforcer. This base skill of the Enforcer tree grants Grit, the temporary buff that reduces incoming damage by ten percent, whenever you kill two enemies in four seconds that are within five meters of you.
If you put a second point into the skill to ace it, you’ll gain Edge whenever you kill an enemy within five meters if you already have Grit. The Enforcer base skill perfectly pairs with a shotgun. Grit and Edge will constantly activate during assault waves if you stick to holding entryways.
8Misdirect
Cloakers and Zapperswill learn to fear you with the Misdirect skill. When you have Rush, the temporary buff that gives increased movement speed, Misdirect will heavily stagger any marked Cloaker or Zapper that attempts to disable you. This skill is under the Strategist skill tree.
Misdirect is one of the best options available for special enemy defense. Staggering a Cloaker or Zapper is a death sentence for them as they often rely on quick movements and the element of surprise. The only tricky part of this skill is meeting the requirements to have it activate. Rush isn’t available in the Strategist skill tree, so you’ll need to find an alternative source such as the Escapist base skill. Then it’s just a matter of you and your team marking the enemies before they reach you.
7Walk The Walk
The best skill for stealth, Walk the Walk makes cameras unable to detect you trespassing in private areas if you’re unmasked and have Rush. Cameras are your biggest opponent in stealth, and this skill greatly nullifies their threat, though they’ll still see you perform illegal actions.
The skill is available under the Grifter skill tree, whose base skill grants Rush whenever you’re unmasked and within a meter of a civilian or employee. If you have any intention of stealth, Walk The Walk is one of the best pickups you may get.
6Armor Up
A simple yet effective skill, Armor Up restores an additional armor chunk whenever you interact with an armor bag. Armor is your leading defense against enemy attacks and is a necessity in surviving hordes of police assaults. The increased value in armor bag usages helps keep you and your allies healthy throughout a heist.
This skill is under the Tank skill tree. The base Tank skill increases armor regeneration and adds two additional charges to your armor bag, making Armor up one of the best skills to take for extra durability.
5Dual Sentries
Two guns are better than one, and that’s exactly what Dual Sentries provides. This skill allows you to place a second sentry turret during a heist to fully lockdown areas with supporting fire. Sentries pump out damage and are well-worth taking if you have a skill like Dual Sentries equipped.
Dual Sentries does have the drawback of the sentries overheating 50 percent quicker than a standard one, but this isn’t an issue if you’re mindful about resetting them. Any of the other perks in the Engineer skill tree will apply to both sentries to create dangerous, automatic allies.
4Expose
Flashbangs are effective tools that’ll severally weaken the police with Expose. Available under the Tactician skill tree, Expose makes damage against enemies stunned by your flashbangs ignore armor.
Enemies will have greater armor the longer a heist goes on, making armor penetration increasingly more valuable. Expose excels at clearing out swarming law enforcement to give you and your team breathing room amidst assault waves.
3Heavy Hipfire
Under the Gunslinger skill tree lies Heavy Hipfire, the skill that makes all shots from the hip cause heavy staggers against enemies so long as you have Edge. Inflicting stagger briefly leaves enemies defenseless and unable to attack. This skill halts police pushes in their tracks and is a great pick for close range supremacy.
The downside to this skill comes from the base Gunslinger skill. It grants Edge whenever you switch weapons, but aiming down sights will end any Edge you have. Committing to a close-range build is worth the cost for Heavy Hipfire.
2Ammo Funnel
Available under the Mower skill tree, Ammo Funnel places any ammo picked up directly into your weapon’s magazine if you have Edge active. It’ll place ammo in your reserves like usual if your magazine is full.
The direct funnel into your magazine is incredibly helpful during an assault wave as it reduces how often you’ll need to reload, which is when you’re most vulnerable. While strong on its own, Ammo Funnel truly shines when paired with Replenish.
1Replenish
Ammo consumption is difficult to manage when fending off assault waves, but Replenish does a fantastic job at satisfying your ammo needs. The skill allows you to automatically pick up ammo dropped by enemies that you’ve killed if you have Edge. If you’re consistently hitting headshots, you’ll often pick up more ammo than you’re expending.
This skill is under the Mower skill tree, but it’s easier to activate Edge with the Sharpshooter base skill which grants the buff after aiming down sights for one and a half seconds. The unseen value of Replenish is that it alleviates your need for an ammo bag, allowing you to take a different deployable to round out the team. Pairing Replenish with Ammo Funnel will make youa weapon of unending firepower.
