Guts & Blackpowder Guide: The three game modes
About
OverviewGuts & Blackpowder drops you into the Napoleonic Wars as the undead overrun Europe. You and up to nineteen other survivors fight off waves of zombies using muskets, sabres, and whatever your class brings to the table. This guide covers the classes, the three game modes, how to spend your Francs wisely, and what the badge system unlocks for you.
What is on this page
Contents
The three game modes
Table
Every public match runs in one of three modes, and each one demands a different approach. Objective maps have checkpoints and a clear finish line; Endless keeps going until everyone is dead; Holdout locks you to one area but does have a definite end.
| Objective | complete a series of tasks across the map to reach the exit; respawn points appear at certain stages so a single death does not end your run |
| Endless | survive wave after wave with no finish line; dead players return at the start of each new wave, and you can change your loadout between waves |
| Holdout | defend a fixed position until the final wave is cleared; dead players respawn and survivors are healed after each wave |
The seven classes and what each one does
Table
Five classes sit under the Infantry category and two sit under Specialist. All are available from the start except Chaplain, which requires the Soldier's Grace badge. Open the class selection menu with N on PC, the down button on a console controller, or its equivalent on mobile, and you can swap freely at any time. If a class-related problem occurs the game falls back to Infantry by default.
| Infantry | the most weapon variety of any class, well-rounded with no major weaknesses, and comes with a bayonet for melee; the Lancer subclass trades the firearm for a long-reach lance |
| Officer | a short-range fighter whose pistol reloads faster than any other class's gun; attacking and saving teammates builds a Charge meter that boosts nearby allies' swing speed and movement, and during Charge the bayonet and lance deal instant kills |
| Seaman | a crowd-control specialist; the Blunderbuss fires fifteen pellets in a wide spread, making it excellent for keeping large groups of Shamblers in check |
| Musician | pure support; each instrument provides a different buff to nearby teammates, so what you bring depends entirely on what you equip |
| Sapper | the defensive anchor; can build fortifications to block and protect, shove zombies to stun them, and the axe deals five times normal headshot damage |
| Surgeon | heals teammates directly with medical supplies or by dropping a bandage crate; healing restores health but does not clear infection |
| Chaplain | counters infection through Blessings and stuns most zombie types with the Crucifix; requires the Soldier's Grace badge to unlock |
Spending Francs in the shop
CheckOpen the shop from the main menu with M on PC or the down button on a D-pad. The left side sells weapons bought with Francs earned in-game; use the class icons in the bottom right to filter items to your preferred class. The right side sells cosmetics for Robux. Unlocking a weapon makes it permanently available across every class that can use it, and newly bought weapons do not appear mid-match — they arrive on your next respawn or, in Endless, after the next two waves have passed.
- Confirm you want an item before you click buy there are no refunds for weapon purchases made in a normal server
- Use a private server to test expensive items before committing; those purchases do not save and your Francs are refunded when you rejoin
- Browse by class using the icons in the bottom right so you only see weapons your chosen class can actually equip
- The Rifle deals high damage at extreme range but has a long reload and a slower walk speed while reloading
- The Air Rifle is the most expensive item in the game at 10,000 Francs
- Check the cosmetics tab for regiment packs, cosmetic packs, blemish packs, and UGC hats these are Robux purchases and affect appearance only, not gameplay
Badges that unlock something useful
Step
Most badges are pure achievements, but a handful unlock content you cannot get any other way. All badges must be earned in public servers; private servers do not count toward them.
- Soldier's Grace unlocks the Chaplain class, the Cross Necklace, the Orthodox Cross Necklace, and the Tonsure hair; requires saving 150 grabbed teammates, killing 75 Runners attacking a teammate, healing 50 teammates as Surgeon, and earning the Vos Enterrement badge
- Vos Enterrement required for Soldier's Grace; earned by operating the winch on San Sebastián to lower the platform for your team
- Dur à Cuire unlocks two regiments under France and Warsaw; requires ten hours of playtime, 2,000 total kills, and 20 completed campaign maps
- Soldats de ma Vieille Garde unlocks the 1er Régiment de Grenadiers de la Garde regiment and the Veteran face; requires a KDR of 10 or above, saving 51 grabbed teammates, surviving 35 Endless waves without dying, winning 30 campaigns, and earning Old Yeller, Cold Front, Explosive Retreat, and Deliverance from the Catacombs
- Glory to the Survivors unlocks the Battle Scar blemish; complete any objective map except Vardøhus Fortress with at least half the server on their first life, and at least ten players must be in the server
- GIVE 'EM STEEL earned by killing ten zombies while the Officer's Charge ability is active; also works with the Lance, Heavy Sabre, Spontoon, and Sword Bayonet
Things that will get you banned
Warn
The game enforces its rules strictly and bans can be permanent.
Glossary
Glossary- Francs
- The in-game currency used to buy weapons from the shop.
- Charge meter
- An Officer-specific meter that fills when the Officer attacks or performs actions like saving teammates; when full and active, it boosts swing speed and movement for nearby allies.
- Holdfast
- A powerful temporary bonus the Officer can trigger, fuelled by active participation in combat.
- Shambler
- A slow undead enemy type that the Seaman's Blunderbuss is particularly effective at controlling in groups.
- Runner
- A fast-moving zombie that can pin teammates; killing Runners that are attacking allies counts toward the Soldier's Grace badge.
- Endless
- A game mode where waves continue until no players remain alive; newly purchased tools become available after every two waves in this mode.
- Soldier's Grace
- A badge players must earn before the Chaplain class becomes available; it also rewards two cross necklace accessories and the Tonsure hair.
- Bayonet
- A blade attached to certain firearms that enables melee attacks and deals instant kills while the Officer's Charge is active.
- Lance
- The weapon used by the Lancer subclass of Infantry in place of a firearm; it has long melee reach and deals instant kills during Charge.
- KDR
- Kill-to-death ratio; the Soldats de ma Vieille Garde badge requires a KDR of 10 or above.
- Blight
- The in-game infection that spread across Europe and caused the undead outbreak the survivors are fighting against.
- Supplies
- A resource unique to the Surgeon class that is consumed when healing teammates or placing a bandage crate.
Common questions
FAQHow do I unlock the Chaplain class?
You need to earn the Soldier's Grace badge first. That requires saving 150 grabbed teammates, killing 75 Runners who are attacking a teammate, healing 50 teammates as Surgeon, and earning the Vos Enterrement badge. Every other class is available from the moment you start playing.
I just bought a weapon — why don't I have it yet?
Purchased weapons are not handed to you mid-match. You will receive the item when you next respawn or, if you are playing Endless, after the next two waves have passed.
Can I get a refund if I buy the wrong weapon?
Weapons bought in a normal server cannot be refunded. The only exception is purchases made inside a private server — those do not save, and your Francs come back when you rejoin.
Can I earn badges in a private server?
No. Badges can only be earned in public servers. If you are working toward any badge — including Soldier's Grace or Soldats de ma Vieille Garde — you need to be in a public match.
What happens if I switch to a class I haven't used before mid-session?
You can swap classes freely through the class selection menu at any time. If a class-related problem occurs — for example if you somehow end up in a class you have not unlocked — the game falls back to Infantry by default.
How many maps can I play in public servers?
There are 15 maps available in public play, split across ten Objective maps, six Endless maps, and three Holdout maps. Three additional Halloween event maps are available only during the annual event, and a further set of maps is accessible only in private servers.
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