Who clears, who bursts, who heals—plug‑and‑play comps for every difficulty and map.
Read this first (quick context)
- Team size: KF3 is tuned for six‑player co‑op, though four‑stacks can clear content with disciplined roles.
- Specialists at launch: Commando, Engineer, Ninja, Sharpshooter, Firebug, Medic—six distinct roles with deep skill trees.
- Difficulties available right now: Normal, Hard, Hell on Earth (HoE); HoE spawns more (and nastier) zeds and can push medium zeds in hordes.
- Zed categories (what we mean by “trash” and “elites”):
- Trash (small): Clots, Cysts, Crawlers, Crawler Larva
- Medium/specials: Gorefast, Bloat, Siren, Husk
- Large/“elites”: Scrake and Fleshpound
Know the weaknesses: e.g., Scrakes are soft to ballistic; Fleshpounds to force; Sirens hate heat.
TL;DR Role gridTrash control / space-making: Firebug, Commando, EngineerElite/boss burst: Sharpshooter, Ninja (frontline slayer), Engineer (flex)Sustain (healing + buffs): Medic (always one), Engineer (armor/CC as secondary sustain)
At‑a‑Glance Team Comps
Default 6‑player baseline (works on any map and difficulty):
Firebug (trash/denial) · Sharpshooter (big‑zed) · Engineer (flex CC/utility) · Ninja (frontline interrupt) · Medic (sustain/buffs) · Flex (Engineer or Commando or 2nd Sharpshooter)
This aligns to current meta thinking: you need a horde clearer, a big‑zed killer, a Medic, and at least one utility flex; the Engineer and Ninja can plug multiple holes.
If you’re only 4 players:
- Normal: Firebug · Sharpshooter · Medic · Engineer
- Hard: Firebug · Sharpshooter · Medic · Ninja (or Engineer if your Sharpshooter is newer)
- HoE: Firebug · Sharpshooter · Medic · Engineer (swap Engineer→Ninja once your slayer is confident on Scrake/FP windows)
Difficulty by Difficulty
NORMAL — “Learn, level, experiment”
Goal: Build habits, read waves, and practice role hand‑offs.
Recommended 6‑stack:
Firebug (primary trash) · Commando (secondary trash + stumbles) · Engineer (CC/utility) · Sharpshooter (large‑zed headshots) · Medic (sustain) · Flex (Ninja for melee practice or 2nd Engineer)
Why this works
- Firebug erases clumps of clots/crawlers and can panic enemies; on Normal you’re allowed to be generous with ground fire to keep lanes clean. (Sirens are notably weak to heat—Firebug deletes them.)
- Commando adds safe trash control and stumbles; with the right skill picks (e.g., knockdown/stumble grenades and acid cloud sustain), they keep space for your Sharpshooter.
- Engineer lays Bouncing Betty and uses Sonic Storm for crowd control; armor‑repair and knockdown traits forgive positioning mistakes while teams learn maps.
- Sharpshooter rehearses weak‑spot discipline on Scrakes/Fleshpounds (ballistic/cold tools fit their weaknesses). Practice calling your shots; don’t waste the big‑zed’s first enrage window.
- Medic keeps everyone topped and speeds recoveries; skills that buff damage reduction and weapon damage after heals teach squads to play around sanctum/biotic gas.
Loadout notes & habits
- Don’t overburn Husks. They resist heat; let Sharpshooter/Engineer pop tanks/heads.
- Stand in the good stuff. Many builds convert acid clouds (Commando) or ground fire (Firebug) into regen/buffs; leverage those safe zones between waves.
- Map learning: Hold near sentry interactables and lane chokepoints—your Engineer/Medic multi‑tool value jumps on these setups. (KF3 supports map devices via multi‑tool.)
If you’re 4‑stacking on Normal: Firebug · Sharpshooter · Medic · Engineer. Keep it simple: fire clears, sharps kills, medic sustains, engineer catches mistakes.
HARD — “The first real check”
What changes: More zeds, bigger hits, and nastier mixes—your mediums (Gorefasts, Sirens, Husks, Bloats) start punishing greed.
Recommended 6‑stack:
Firebug (primary trash) · Sharpshooter (big‑zed) · Engineer (CC/utility) · Ninja (frontline peel + medium deletes) · Medic (sustain/buffs) · Flex (Commando if your trash is struggling or 2nd Sharpshooter for confident teams)
Why this works
- Firebug still clears hordes, but must control panic—accidentally ticking a Scrake/FP into rage at the wrong moment wipes teams on Hard. (Communicate when the Sharpshooter is lining up.)
- Sharpshooter becomes your win condition on mixed waves. Big Game Hunter/Giant Slayer‑type picks let you erase Scrakes/Fleshpounds quickly, aligning with their known weak‑spots.
- Engineer excels at stagger lines, armor, and “oops” coverage. Knockdown Betty + Sonic Storm buys your Sniper space and lets Firebug burn safely.
- Ninja begins to shine as a frontline interrupter: perfect parries → stumbles, controlled grapples, and high single‑target melee for finishing big zeds once the Sharpshooter breaks armor.
- Medic switches from “top‑offs” to proactive buffing (damage‑reduction on heal, sanctum damage bonus, revive tools). Position sanctum where your Sharpshooter can peek safely.
Execution cues
- Call out large zeds early and build a bubble: Engineer sets trapline, Ninja pins or parries, Firebug clears flankers, Medic drops sanctum, Sharpshooter deletes.
- Target priority: Siren (heat‑weak) → Gorefast → Husk (assign to Sharpshooter/Engineer) → Bloat → Big zeds. Don’t let Siren screams ruin your lining up.
Alt hard‑mode comp (experienced squad): Firebug · Sharpshooter · Sharpshooter · Engineer · Medic · Ninja
Double hitting power on large zeds compresses danger windows; Firebug/Engineer must be diligent about not enraging prematurely.
HELL ON EARTH — “Tight windows, crisp comms”
What changes: Highest aggression and damage. Mediums can spawn in true hordes, so space control matters as much as raw DPS. Expect more Scrakes/FPs per wave and need layered CC to survive pushes.
Recommended 6‑stack (The “Layer Cake”)
Firebug (trash denial) · Sharpshooter (primary big‑zed) · Engineer (lane control/armor/CC) · Ninja (frontline peel & finisher) · Medic (sustain/buffs) · Flex (2nd Engineer or 2nd Sharpshooter)
Why this works on HoE
- Firebug is still the best trash controller on most maps; controlled ground‑fire and panic windows keep lanes breathable without popping Scrake/FP at bad timings. (Also hard‑counters Sirens.)
- Sharpshooter must land consistent headshots and manage armor‑break states; cryo tools also slow mediums and add force/stumble to stabilize pushes.
- Engineer builds the safety net: knockdowns, soundwave stagger, and armor sustain. On HoE, this CC is the difference between a clean kill window and a wipe.
- Ninja is your interceptor—parry the first swing on a raging Scrake, peel for Medic, and finish after the Sharpshooter cracks armor. (Perfect‑parry AOE stumbles are priceless in chokepoints.)
- Medic upgrades from healer to tempo engine: DR on heal, damage buffs post‑heal, sanctum placement that lets your DPS greed an angle without dying. Instant revives and longer gas clouds are clutch on boss phases.
- Flex slot:
- 2nd Engineer if your lanes are chaotic or the map is tight/corridor‑heavy.
- 2nd Sharpshooter if your Firebug/Engineer pairing already controls space and you want shorter rage windows on multiple big zeds.
HoE execution checklist
- Hold a defensible lane with escape route. Engineer lays trapline before the wave spawns. (HoE spawns come hot; pre‑stage.)
- Call “freeze/break”: Engineer/Ninja create the window, Sharpshooter headshots, Firebug holds fire on the target until after the break—then cleans adds.
- Assign mediums: Husks to Sharpshooter/Engineer; Sirens to Firebug; Bloats to anyone not committing your slayer’s scope time.
- Medic anchors sightlines—sanctum on the corner you peek from, not in the middle of the lane.
- Boss prep: Carry extra syringes/biotics, keep one gadget charge to “save” a downed ally (Resuscitator‑style play).
Two HoE alternates that also work
- Double‑Sharpshooter variant: Firebug · Sharpshooter · Sharpshooter · Engineer · Medic · Ninja
Pros: deletes double‑FP spawns fast. Cons: Trash discipline must be immaculate. - Control‑heavy variant: Firebug · Engineer · Engineer · Sharpshooter · Medic · Ninja
Pros: safest lanes on tight maps; Bettys everywhere. Cons: Slightly slower boss burn; communicate ammo economy.
Per‑Specialist Micro (role‑focused)
These are role‑relevant picks/behaviors derived from current skill recommendations. Adjust for your build paths and comfort.
Firebug (Trash/Area Denial)
- Lean into burn duration, panic, and ground‑fire economy.
- HoE tip: feather the trigger around Scrake/FP engages; panic at the wrong moment = early rage.
Sharpshooter (Large‑Zed Slayer)
- Talent into weak‑spot multipliers, anti‑large bonuses, and cryo control.
- HoE tip: pre‑aim head paths and ask for silence—friendly fire ticks can ruin a perfect rage window.
Engineer (Utility/CC/Armor)
- Prioritize knockdowns, soundwave size/penetration, and armor integrity.
- HoE tip: two traplines > one nuke. Stagger your Bettys so you always have one up during a push.
Ninja (Frontline/Finisher)
- Build around perfect parry → AOE stumble, grapple mobility, and melee sustain.
- HoE tip: be the first contact—parry the opener, then back‑dash to reset the lane for Sharpshooter.
Commando (Secondary Trash / Stumbles / Acid utility)
- Take grenade knockdown, stumble on high‑mag, and any acid cloud sustain to help your Medic.
- Where Commando fits: Normal/Hard, or as the 6th slot on HoE for teams that value extra stumbles over a second Engineer. (Note: some tier lists rate Commando highly; others find them outclassed by Firebug/Engineer for trash.)
Medic (Sustain/Buffs/Tempo)
- Favor on‑heal DR, damage‑buff after heal, sanctum regen/damage field, and the revive burst.
- HoE tip: announce “green light” after topping DPS so they know they have DR for a peek.
Role Assignment by Difficulty (cheat sheet)
Normal
- Trash: Firebug → Commando → Engineer
- Elites: Sharpshooter primary; Ninja practices finishing blows
- Sustain: Medic (one is plenty); Engineer contributes armor/CC
Hard
- Trash: Firebug (primary), Engineer (secondary)
- Elites: Sharpshooter primary; Ninja engages on parries; Engineer supports with stumbles
- Sustain: Medic central; Commando/Engineer provide extra regen/armor
Hell on Earth
- Trash: Firebug mandatory; Engineer handles overflow and keeps medium hordes controlled
- Elites: Sharpshooter mandatory; Ninja finishes; 2nd Sharpshooter or Engineer based on squad comfort
- Sustain: Medic + disciplined use of safe ground effects (acid/ground‑fire) for micro‑heals
Meta notes (July–August 2025)
Tier lists are still in flux post‑launch. Many agree Firebug/Engineer/Sharpshooter are core; some elevate Commando to S‑tier; others rank Medic lower on raw killing power but essential in co‑op. Expect shifts as patches land; build around your lobby’s strengths.
Common mistakes (and quick fixes)
- Premature rages: Firebug/Commando DOTs enraging Scrakes/FPs during a Sharpshooter setup. Fix: call “quiet” on the lane until the first headshot lands.
- Medic overextension: chasing reds in front of the trapline. Fix: sanctum behind cover; let Ninja/Engineer peel.
- Trapline clumping: stacking Bettys in one spot. Fix: stagger placements to refresh control.
- Wrong target assignments: burning Husks or ignoring Sirens. Fix: Husk → Sharpshooter/Engineer; Siren → Firebug; keep weaknesses in mind.
Boss rounds (very brief)
- Save cryo/stumbles for punish windows; keep one syringe/gadget banked for emergency resets (Medic).
- Engineer/Ninja peel adds so Sharpshooter gets clean sightlines.
- Firebug burns add waves and zones boss charges; avoid bathing the boss in DOT right before your slayer commits.
Final word
The best comps aren’t rigid; they’re role complete: trash control + elite burst + sustain + utility. Build that backbone, then tailor your sixth slot to the map and your squad’s specialties.
