Borderlands 4 Amon Forgeknight Mastery and Levelling Guide
Intermediate

Borderlands 4 Amon Forgeknight Mastery and Levelling Guide

Master Amons three action skills, optimal skill trees, and weapon synergies to dominate as the ultimate Forgeknight tank in Borderlands 4.

Ready to unleash righteous fury as Amon the Forgeknight? This warrior-poet brings unmatched versatility to Borderlands 4, wielding elemental forge weapons and drone companions that adapt to any battlefield situation. Whether you're crushing enemies with Rocket Punches, freezing crowds with Cryo axes, or tanking damage with protective shields, Amon transforms every encounter into a spectacular display of elemental mastery.

Understanding Amon's Core Mechanics

The Forgeskill System

Amon's defining trait revolves around his Forgeskill abilities, which change based on your equipped Action Skill. These powerful secondary abilities add tactical depth to every build:

  • Molten Slam (Onslaughter equipped): Devastating ground pound dealing massive Incendiary damage
  • Firewall (Scourge equipped): Protective barrier that absorbs projectiles and boosts ally shots
  • Double-Edge (Crucible equipped): Dual-element axe throw combining Cryo and Incendiary damage

Borderlands 4 Amon Forgeknight Mastery and Levelling Guide

Action Skill Breakdown and Synergies

Onslaughter - The Aggressive Berserker

Onslaughter transforms you into a mobile fortress of destruction. This Action Skill provides constant shield regeneration, movement speed, and Incendiary gun damage while active.

Key Features:

  • Press Action Skill or Melee for Rocket Punch attacks
  • Dash directly to enemies with explosive impact
  • Causes Stagger on most enemies (Badasses have reduced chance)
  • Synergizes perfectly with close-range weapons

Best Augments:

  • Pyroclast: Fully restores health/shields and creates damaging Forgestorm
  • Thermal Diffusion: Adds dual-element Rocket Punches (Fire/Cryo)
  • Force of Nature: Creates explosive Prime effects on enemies

Scourge - The Protective Tank

Scourge deploys a Forgeshield that absorbs incoming damage, converting it into Vengeance resource for powerful counterattacks.

Tactical Applications:

  • Absorb enemy fire to build Vengeance stacks
  • Launch Forgewaves using accumulated damage
  • Perfect for team protection and area control
  • Excels in prolonged firefights

Recommended Augments:

  • Eternal Winter: Extends Action Skill duration with successful Forgewave hits
  • Cryonic Thrum: Provides team healing and enemy taunting
  • Blastchill: Adds explosive Cryo damage to Forgewaves

Crucible - The Elemental Specialist

Crucible summons dual Forgeaxes (Fire and Cryo) that can be thrown to Prime and freeze enemies instantly.

Combat Strategy:

  • Throw axes to apply elemental effects
  • Prime enemies for explosive detonations
  • Instant freeze capability with Searing Cold augment
  • Exceptional single-target burst damage

Best Borderlands 4 Amon build - Dexerto

Optimal Skill Tree Progressions

Early Game Foundation (Levels 1-15)

Start with these essential skills regardless of your chosen Action Skill:

PrioritySkillTreeEffect
1stGet The Lead OutCyberneticsIncreased reload speed
2ndImpetusCalamityMovement speed and shield regen
3rdScorched KairosVengeanceOrdnance damage and magazine size
4thThe ThrillVengeanceHealth regeneration scaling

Mid-Game Specialization (Levels 16-30)

For Onslaughter Builds:

  • Max Into the Fray for close-range damage bonuses
  • Invest in Gut Punch for Weakness application
  • Take Forged in Steel for damage immunity during Forgeskills

For Scourge Builds:

  • Prioritize Wrath of Nature for enhanced Cryo effectiveness
  • Build toward Eternal Winter augment
  • Focus on Vengeance tree skills for shield synergy

For Crucible Builds:

  • Rush Endless War and Searing Cold augments
  • Invest in Blast Furnace for critical hit stacking
  • Take Lightning Rod for additional elemental damage
Amon Forgeknight.jpg

Late Game Mastery (Levels 31-50)

Capstone Priorities:

Molten Roil (Calamity Branch 2): Enhances Molten Slam with area damage and Pyre eruptions

  • Best for: Onslaughter builds focused on crowd control
  • Synergy: Pairs excellently with Pyroclast augment

Glacial Rapture (Vengeance Branch 2): Transforms Firewall into devastating Forgewhips

  • Best for: Scourge builds emphasizing Cryo damage
  • Synergy: Creates persistent Cryo hazards for area denial

Storm Surge (Cybernetics Branch 2): Converts Double-Edge into area Shock damage

  • Best for: Crucible builds maximizing elemental variety
  • Synergy: Creates lasting Forgestorms for sustained damage

Weapon Selection and Synergies

Primary Weapon Categories

Shotguns excel across all Amon builds due to close-range combat preferences:

  • Maliwan shotguns for elemental status effects
  • Jakobs variants for raw damage and critical hits
  • Look for Spread Launcher underbarrels for burst damage

SMGs provide excellent sustained damage:

  • Vladof models with Taser underbarrels for shield breaking
  • Hyperion accuracy for precise critical hits
  • Dahl burst fire for controlled damage output

Elemental Damage Strategy

Match your weapon elements to enemy weaknesses:

Enemy TypeRecommended ElementAlternative
FleshIncendiaryRadiation
ShieldsShockRadiation
ArmorCorrosiveCryo

Amon's elemental bonuses from skills like Wrath of Nature and Ancient Ways make elemental weapons significantly more effective than on other Vault Hunters.

Amon Forgeknight art.webp

Advanced Combat Techniques

Forgeskill Timing and Combos

Master these advanced techniques for maximum effectiveness:

Onslaughter Combos:

  1. Rocket Punch → Molten Slam → Weapon burst
  2. Use Thermal Diffusion to alternate Fire/Cryo punches
  3. Activate Pyroclast in groups for maximum Forgestorm value

Scourge Strategies:

  1. Build Vengeance by absorbing damage
  2. Time Forgewaves through Firewall for bonus damage
  3. Use Eternal Winter to maintain near-permanent Action Skill uptime

Crucible Mastery:

  1. Throw Cryo axe first to freeze enemies
  2. Follow with Fire axe for massive damage to frozen targets
  3. Use Searing Cold for instant crowd control

Resource Management

Action Skill Cooldown Optimization:

  • Metal Urge reduces cooldowns through gun damage
  • Machinist provides ordnance cooldown on kills
  • Cast Iron improves Forgeskill cooldown rates

Health and Shield Synergy:

  • The Thrill scales healing with damage taken
  • Primal Surge restores shields through status effects
  • The Best Defense grants Overshields from melee damage
Quote icon

Pro Tip: Use Accelerator mod Repkits to cut Action Skill cooldowns in half. Pop them immediately after your Action Skill ends for maximum efficiency.

Gear Recommendations and Farming

Shield Priorities

Capacity is king for Amon builds:

  • Turtle shields: +40% capacity, -10% health
  • Adaptive shields: Elemental resistance and health boost
  • Armored shields: Damage reduction while active

Onslaughter builds benefit from Armor shields that regenerate segments over time, while Scourge builds prefer maximum capacity for Vengeance generation.

Class Mod Selection

Look for Class Mods that boost your most important skills:

  • Into the Fray bonuses for Onslaughter builds
  • Wrath of Nature enhancements for Cryo specialists
  • Blast Furnace improvements for critical hit builds

Early Farming Targets

Sidney Pointylegs (Hungering Plain - The Prospects):

  • Excellent for testing Onslaughter builds
  • Drops quality shields and class mods
  • Respawns via Moxxi's Encore machine

Hot Slugger (Terminus Range - Directive-0):

  • Legendary shotgun perfect for mobbing
  • Fast reload synergizes with Get The Lead Out
  • Available from early game boss

Borderlands 4 Preview – Less Borders ...

Build Variations and Specializations

The Pyroclast Berserker

Focus: Maximum Onslaughter uptime with Pyroclast healing Key Skills: Into the Fray, Molten Roil, Force of Nature Playstyle: Aggressive close-range combat with constant health/shield recovery

The Glacial Tank

Focus: Scourge shield absorption with Cryo counterattacks Key Skills: Glacial Rapture, Eternal Winter, Age of Ice Playstyle: Defensive positioning with devastating Forgewhip retaliation

The Elemental Assassin

Focus: Crucible burst damage with instant freeze capability Key Skills: Searing Cold, Endless War, Lightning Rod Playstyle: Hit-and-run tactics with precise elemental application

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Low Damage Output:

  • Ensure weapon elements match enemy weaknesses
  • Invest in damage-boosting skills like Executioner
  • Use Underbarrel attachments for burst damage

Survivability Problems:

  • Prioritize The Thrill and shield capacity skills
  • Use Forged in Steel for emergency immunity
  • Maintain proper distance with Into the Fray bonuses

Action Skill Management:

  • Take cooldown reduction skills early
  • Use Repkits strategically for cooldown resets
  • Master Forgeskill timing for gap coverage

Amon the Forgeknight offers unparalleled versatility in Borderlands 4, capable of adapting to any combat scenario through his diverse Action Skills and Forgeskill system. Whether you prefer the relentless aggression of Onslaughter, the tactical defense of Scourge, or the elemental precision of Crucible, mastering this warrior-poet's abilities will make you an unstoppable force on Kairos. Experiment with different skill combinations, weapon loadouts, and combat approaches to discover your perfect Forgeknight playstyle.

If you want to dive deeper into the other Vault Hunters, be sure to check out our full Vault Hunter Guide for detailed builds and playstyle breakdowns. You might also check our list of games since there could be something there that sparks your interest.  

Guides

Updated:

September 12th 2025

Posted:

September 12th 2025

Leaderboard

View All

Streaming