Amon the Forgeknight is one of the most versatile Vault Hunters in Borderlands 4. At first glance, he looks like a heavy tank — slow, bulky, and built for soaking damage. But with the right build, he can be transformed into a frontline brawler, a Cryo-infused tank, or even a drone-wielding ranged powerhouse.
This guide breaks down the best Amon builds in Borderlands 4, tailored for solo runs, co-op support, and boss fights. We’ll cover his skill trees, augments, and the gear that maximizes his potential.
What Makes Amon the Best Choice in Borderlands 4
- Tanky playstyle: Naturally absorbs punishment with shields and defensive skills.
- Flexible action skills: Onslaughter, Scourge, and Crucible each unlock unique offensive and defensive tools.
- Cryo mastery: Many of his best builds revolve around Cryo damage, offering excellent crowd control.
- Solo-friendly: A great choice if you prefer holding the line alone.
Skill Trees Overview
Amon has three distinct trees that define his playstyle:
- Vengeance (Blue): Shield and Cryo focus. Strong for campaign and defensive setups.
- Calamity (Red): Aggressive melee and Incendiary attacks. Perfect for solo chaos.
- Cybernetics (Green): Drone-based summons and elemental versatility. Best for multiplayer support.
Best Overall Amon Build: Ordnance & Melee Hybrid
This setup balances Amon’s defensive bulk with higher offensive output. By combining Vengeance and Calamity, you cover his weaker areas and maintain all-round strength.
Key Skills to Prioritize:
- Ancient Ways – Increases Cryo damage.
- Wrath of Nature – Boosts status effect application and doubles Cryo effect with action skills.
- Titanium Knuckles – Raises melee damage.
- Impetus – Faster shield regeneration and movement speed.
Recommended Gear:
- Capacity Shields for oversized protection.
- Maliwan shotguns with dual elemental modes to match his Cryo/Fire synergy.
- Ordnance with status-effect synergy.
This is a flexible build where you can experiment with weapons while staying tanky and dangerous.
Best Amon Onslaughter Build: The Hoarcleave
The Onslaughter action skill turns Amon into a melee juggernaut. With the right augments and capstone, this build thrives in close-quarters combat.
Augments:
- Pyroclast early on (restores shields and surrounds you with Forgestorm).
- Switch to Fellfrost later for a devastating Cryo melee wave that can outright kill non-boss enemies under 25% HP.
Capstone:
- Hoarcleave – Converts Molten Slam into a massive Forgeaxe swing, sending out a Cryo wave that freezes enemies and causes Cryo detonations.
Skill Picks:
- There Is Only Red – Extends Onslaughter duration on kills.
- Dragon’s Breath – Buffs firepower.
- Harbinger – Boosts melee damage and shields.
This is the go-to build if you enjoy chaining melee finishers and clearing mobs in a whirlwind of Cryo explosions.
Best Amon Scourge Build: Eternal Waves
Scourge emphasizes ranged Cryo dominance. This build excels at clearing groups while stacking Cryo affinity for gun damage.
Core Augment:
- Eternal Waves – Restores Firewall and extends skill duration, unleashing a massive third Forgewave for huge damage.
Skill Tree Focus:
- Vengeance and Calamity, prioritizing Cryo and status effect boosts.
Important Skills:
- Ice Rage (Vengeance): Stacks Cryo affinity after Cryo kills.
- Wield the Storm (Calamity): Increases status effect damage.
- Titanium Knuckles (Calamity): Melee damage boost for close encounters.
This build gives Amon the edge in both survival and ranged Cryo crowd control.
Best Amon Crucible Build: The Snowmaul
If you prefer ranged AoE and Forgedrone support, the Snowmaul build centered on Crucible is your best option.
Augments:
- Start with Axe and Stone for melee drones.
- Later unlock Hour of the Hammer for heavy Forgedrone scaling.
Capstone:
- Snowmaul – Transforms Dual-Edge into a twinned Forgehammer throw, dealing Cryo damage on impact and ricocheting up to three times (or detonating for extra damage).
Skill Picks (Cybernetics tree):
- Tempered Pyre – Spawns an incendiary Forgedrone.
- Twin Tempers – Adds a Cryo drone.
- Escalation & Tempered Lightning – Increase Forgedrone uptime and DPS.
Great for multiplayer runs, as you can flood the battlefield with elemental drones while supporting your team.
Bonus: Blastoid Build
One of the most explosive fan-made builds is the Blastoid Amon, focused on ordnance weapons like the Unobtainable Hailspike. With MIRV and High Caliber gear interactions, this setup unleashes massive AoE barrages that can shred bosses and mobs alike.
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Which Build Should You Choose?
- Solo players: Onslaughter (Hoarcleave) or Ordnance & Melee hybrid.
- Cryo lovers: Scourge (Eternal Waves).
- Multiplayer support: Crucible (Snowmaul drone build).
- Explosives fans: Blastoid Amon for chaos and heavy AoE.
Amon’s strength lies in his flexibility. Whether you want to freeze, burn, or crush your way through Borderlands 4, he has a build that fits your style. Play Now!
