Mastering the Borderlands 2 Krieg skill tree is essential for turning this relentless Psycho into the ultimate killing machine. As the first playable Vault Hunter designed around the brutal Bloodborne-inspired gameplay of Commander Lilith, Krieg relies entirely on a complex interplay of his Madness meter, his iconic Buzz Axe, and a build focused on pure, unadulterated damage. This guide breaks down the entire skill tree, providing a clear path to optimizing your melee powerhouse for any challenge Sanctuary throws your way.
Understanding Krieg's Core Mechanics: Madness and The Buzz Axe
The foundation of any effective Krieg build is understanding his unique resource system. Unlike other Vault Hunters, Krieg's abilities are fueled by Madness, a bar that fills as he takes damage or deals damage in melee. This Madness fuels his signature Bloodlust skill, which massively increases his damage output, and is also consumed by his powerful Blood Drill action. His primary weapon, The Buzz Axe, is more than just a tool; it is an extension of his kit, used to generate stacks for his Rampage skill and to trigger the powerful execute ability, Annihilation. Grasping this cycle of taking hits, building Madness, and unleashing carnage is the first step toward optimizing your playstyle.
The Melee and Bloodlust Core
The center of Krieg's universe is the Melee and Bloodlust tree. This is where you will spend the vast majority of your skill points, especially in a pure melee build. Key skills here include Bloodthirst, which grants healing for each kill, and the powerful tier 5 abilities that define the build. You will want to max out Annihilation for its game-changing execute potential, Blood Drill for its crowd control and damage, and Bloodborne for its critical hit and movement speed bonuses. Investing heavily here ensures you can sustain yourself in the thick of combat and maintain your devastating Bloodlust frenzy.
Optimizing Your Build: The Pure Melee Path
For players who want to feel like a true berserker, the Pure Melee build is the gold standard. This build focuses exclusively on close-quarters combat, turning Krieg into a nigh-unstoppable force that can dismantle entire groups of enemies with terrifying speed. The goal is to hit the maximum tier in Annihilation as quickly as possible, as this skill provides the most significant damage and survivability spike. From there, you funnel points into Bloodthirst for sustainability, Blood Drill for utility, and the supporting skills that enhance your damage and mobility, creating a character who laughs in the face of danger.
Supporting Skills and Action Trees
While the Melee and Bloodlust tree is your priority, neglecting the other action trees would be a disservice to your character. The Cunning tree is a vital source of utility, providing skills like Faster Axe (reducing your cooldown for Blood Drill and Annihilation), Chain Axe (for clearing adds), and Blood Ritual (a powerful group heal). The Offense tree is equally important for maximizing your damage output, with skills like Relentless providing critical hit bonuses and Concentrated Fire ensuring your shots are always landing critical hits. A balanced investment here ensures you are always at peak performance.
Action Tree | Key Skills for a Melee Build | Purpose
Melee & Bloodlust | Annihilation, Bloodthirst, Blood Drill, Bloodborne | Core damage, sustain, and main mobility
Cunning | Faster Axe, Chain Axe, Blood Ritual | Cooldown reduction, AoE damage, healing
Offense | Relentless, Concentrated Fire, Ambush | Critical hit chance and bonus damage
