PAYDAY 3: OVERKILL Shotgun Build (2026)

Steam Community guide by Your Operator.

Video form

Video for the build guide!

Basic Overview

Throughout the sections it will show you how to make the build with the weapons, throwables, armor, and overkill weapons! (if anyone would like more builds for other weapons just lmk!)

Weapons

Everyone has their own preference on what weapon they want to use, so i made a build for EVERY shotgun!

Reinfeld 880: CQC Barrel and CQC Stock

FSA-12G: Ranged Barrel, Extended Mag, HQ Stock, Tagged Iron Sight, 12G Vent Compensator, Tac Grip, and the Quick Hold Grip

M7 Pursuivant: Ranged Barrel, Extended Mag, Bolstered Stock, Classic RDS, and the 12G Vent Compensator

Mosconi 12 Classic: CQC Barrel and the CQC Stock

SPAS 12: CQC Barrel, Coronet Muzle, Diamond Friction grip, and the Skeleton Folding Stock

and for the only shotgun secondary (for now)
The Justicar: Potshot Barrel, Bluewood Grip, and The Silent KIller Supressor

Locomotive 12G: Raised Grip, 12G Sediment Choke. and Biofit Vertical Grip

This is the only Overkill weapon i use, and its very good with this build! but any overkill weapon is fine!
Ammo: 84mm H.E.A.T Grenade, Perks: Devastator and Kill Zone
Devastator: If a grenade from an M606 directly impacts an enemy and kills them, its reload spead is increased by 60% and the next grenade fired deals 20% extra damage (does not stack)
Kill Zone: Grenade AOE increased by 25%

Smokes: Smokes are very essential to this build, helping with dodge!

Weapon Perks!

There are about 5 weapon perks you can use! i found the best one for your Primary and Secondary!
Primary: Resilient: You take 10% less incoming damage to your armor, but deal 15% less base damage from all sources. I've tested this out and there seems to be no issues with damage fall off

Secondary: Run & Gun: You can shoot and reload your weapons while sprinting and sliding. This works with your primary weapon too despite being in the secondary weapon slot!

Deployable & Tools

This (very) short section shows you what Deployable & Tools to use!

You HAVE to bring armor bags for this build, since the skills are armor related... self explanatory

Trip Lasers are very useful for seeing enemies through walls, you will be able to have two with this build instead of the normal one

Armor

For this build we will be using the Specialist Frame armor set (two plate armor)

For plate one, bring the resistant plate for some good protection, plate regen 1.2s

For plate two, bring the impact plate, fully regenerating as long as the armor plate doesn't break, helps protect the resistant plate!

Skills: Soldier

Alright, now lets get to the most important part of the build. The Skills! I'll walk you down with what skill you have to bring and what they do!

For the Juggernaut skill tree, bring in
Extra Protection Aced: For each point of Trauma on your current armor plate, gain 0.1% damage reduction for every skill equipped in the Juggernaut branch.
Damage reduction: 0.2%
Trauma is 'permanent' damage that cannot regenerate unless repaired or replaced by an Armor Bag.
Armored Up 1 Aced: Armor Bags Come with 1 Additional charge AND gains two more charges
Head Guarded Aced: For each point of Trauma on your current armor plate, gain 0.1% damage reduction for every skill equipped in the Juggernaut branch.
Damage reduction: 0.6%
Trauma is 'permanent' damage that cannot regenerate unless repaired or replaced by an Armor Bag
Armored Up 2 Aced: Deploying an Armor Bag fully restores armor for any heister within 10 meters and receive an additional armor bag
Beast of Burden: You can carry 2 bags at once. This will incur a movement penalty
Bastion: Automatically deflect the Dozer's melee and Bull Rush attacks.
You also face no movement penalty from the Nader's gas cloud.
We will also bring in Scavenger from the Grenadier Skill Tree!
Scavenger: Ammo pickups offer a 2% chance to restore 1 throwable.
Throwables can only be restored up to your maximum carrying capacity, which you may increase through other skills.

Skills: Ninja

This part of the build is in the Ninja skill tree! this is where you will get most of your dodge skills!

Dodge This Aced: For every skill equipped in the Ghost branch, gain a permanent 2% chance to Dodge incoming damage.
Dodge chance: 4%
Your maximum Dodge chance will cap at 80%. For each active armor plate, it will decrease by 20%. Standing still for 2 seconds increases your Dodge chance by 1.5% for every skill equipped in the Ghost branch.
Dodge chance: 3%
Once activated, this boost gradually drops back to 0%, over a period of 3 seconds.
Flow State Aced: Taking non-environmental damage increases your Dodge chance by 2% until you perform a successful Dodge. Raise your Dodge bonus from damaged suffered to 6%.
Judo Chop: Quick melee an unalerted guard to kill them instantly.
Under Pressure: Successfully dodging any damage restores 2 points of health.
Locksmith: It only takes 1 lockpick jiggle to successfully pick a lock.
On The Run: While sprinting or sliding, and for 2 seconds afterward, your Dodge chance increases by 15%.
We will also be taking the Smokescreen skill from the Fog Machine skill tree! this ones pretty important to the build as well!
Smokescreen: If you have any chance to Dodge, it doubles while you are standing in a Smoke Grenade's cloud.
If you have no chance to Dodge, you instead gain 25% Dodge.

Skills: Mechanic

These skill are mainly shotgun based!

Calling Shotgun Aced: For every skill equipped in the Shotgunner branch, Shotgun pellets receive a 2.5% reduction to damage falloff.
Damage falloff reduction: 5%
For every skill equipped in the Shotgunner branch, the spread of Shotgun pellets reduces by 3% while in ADS.
Reduced Spread: 6%
Stockpile Shotgun Aced: Raise your Shotgun ammo bonus to 80%.
Point Black Aced: Raise your Shotgun's close-range damage bonus to 50%.
Annihilation Aced: Increase your Shotgun's damage bonus from repeated hits to 10%.
Speedloader: For each Shotgun pellet that hits an enemy, your next Shotgun reload is 1% faster, up to a maximum of 70%.
Berserker: While reloading a Shotgun, and for 1 second afterward, you take 50% less damage from enemies within 8 meters.

Finale

and that's it! i hope you guys have fun with this build! Here's a showcase of the build!

My Other Guides!

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3759772176
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3768422578
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3797553262
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3803767830
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3814338055