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
tip
Hold your Action Skill button to activate Forgeskills. These abilities often provide crucial crowd control when your main Action Skill is on cooldown.
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:
important
Focus on survivability and basic damage improvements before specializing into specific Action Skill synergies.
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

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
warning
Avoid slow-firing weapons when using Onslaughter builds, as they interrupt your Rocket Punch rhythm and reduce overall effectiveness.
Elemental Damage Strategy
Match your weapon elements to enemy weaknesses:
Amon's elemental bonuses from skills like Wrath of Nature and Ancient Ways make elemental weapons significantly more effective than on other Vault Hunters.

Advanced Combat Techniques
Forgeskill Timing and Combos
Master these advanced techniques for maximum effectiveness:
Onslaughter Combos:
- Rocket Punch → Molten Slam → Weapon burst
- Use Thermal Diffusion to alternate Fire/Cryo punches
- Activate Pyroclast in groups for maximum Forgestorm value
Scourge Strategies:
- Build Vengeance by absorbing damage
- Time Forgewaves through Firewall for bonus damage
- Use Eternal Winter to maintain near-permanent Action Skill uptime
Crucible Mastery:
- Throw Cryo axe first to freeze enemies
- Follow with Fire axe for massive damage to frozen targets
- 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
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

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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.

