How perk decks, the graveyard and progression work

Four progression categories, not one

Progression is split into four categories, each with its own level track. Experience from matches and from the story mode feeds into them. Max out a category and you can prestige it, which resets it for extra rewards. The rewards and the objectives each prestige asks for are on the prestige page and the Prestige Challenges page.

Levelling unlocks more playable civilians, new Michael abilities, extra starting items for civilians, cosmetics, new tiers of challenges and new executions. It is also why five of the twelve civilians are locked at first: they unlock at player levels 5, 10, 25, 40 and 55.

The graveyard and the perk card system

Perks are unlocked in the graveyard with Perk Points earned from matches, then assembled into a custom deck. The cards are rollable, and the perks come into play as a match goes on.

Patch 1.0.4 gave players who were already playing when the patch arrived 10,000 Perk Points. If you have not spent them yet, head to the graveyard: it is the fastest way to fill out a deck.

Michael has no cards. He picks a starting weapon and unlocks special abilities (Detection Pulse, Blackout and Reality Tear among them) through player level. A civilian's power is assembled before the match; Michael's is earned across your account.

Building a deck that works for you

Your cards depend on your own graveyard unlocks, so a deck copied from someone else only works if you own the same cards. Start from what you have and fill gaps as you unlock more. Which roll to buy, and which cards don't get better with tier, is on the perk cards page.

Drunk perks are weaker than they were at launch. Patch 1.0.3 cut the melee damage boost civilians get while Drunk, so a deck built around a drunk brawler no longer downs Michael the way it used to. Plan decks around surviving and escaping, not around one big hit.

What is fixed per civilian is the four-stat line and the three signature traits. The Loadout Lab compares those side by side, which is the better starting point for choosing who to build around.

Match rewards also include tokens. They are not spent in a shop; players believe they raise your chance of being assigned Michael in matchmaking.