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The Firebug Perk, played by Devlin, is the Specialist in Killing Floor 3 (KF3) who can burn down hordes of ZEDs with ease. See the Firebug's best builds, weapons, bonus ability priority, tools, skills, how to play them, and additional character info here!
List of Contents
Firebug
|
Primary | |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sidearm | |||||||||||
| Tool | |||||||||||
| Passive | Throwable | Gadget | |||||||||
|
Too Hot to Handle Level Requirement: 2
Base Effect: Retaliate with a small burst of flame that applies Burn and 150 Heat damage against enemy melee attacks. This skill has a 16 second cooldown between triggers. ・Burn afflicts enemies with heat damage over time. Lvl 2 |
Boom Out Level Requirement: 4
Base Effect: Increased Molotov explosion radius by 25%. Lvl 4 |
Ready for Action Level Requirement: 6
Base Effect: Using Wildfire reloads weapon and increases weapon damage by 10% for 10 seconds. Lvl 6 |
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Focus Fire Level Requirement: 8
Base Effect: Deal 10% increased direct weapon damage with Heat weapons. Lvl 8 |
Capacity Increase Level Requirement: 10
Base Effect: Throwable carrying capacity is increased by 1. Lvl 10 |
Footlights Level Requirement: 12
Base Effect: Ground fires created by Wildfire have 25% increased radius and deal 15% increased damage. Lvl 12 |
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Fuel to Burn Level Requirement: 14
Base Effect: Max ammo capacity is increased by 30%. Lvl 14 |
Out With a Bang Level Requirement: 16
Base Effect: Molotov explosion damage is increased by 100%. Lvl 16 |
Red Carpet Level Requirement: 18
Base Effect: Ground fire created by Wildfire last for an additional 3 seconds. Standing in ground fire created by Wildfire grants 20% increased heat weapon damage. Lvl 18 |
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Hotfoot Level Requirement: 20
Base Effect: Ground fire effects caused by weapons heal you for 2 health per second while standing in them. Lvl 20 |
Capacity Increase Level Requirement: 22
Base Effect: Throwable carrying capacity is increased by 1. Lvl 22 |
Hot Streak Level Requirement: 24
Base Effect: Killing nearby enemies grants 3 gadget activation energy. Gadget kills do not count towards this. Lvl 24 |
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Extinguisher Level Requirement: 26
Base Effect: Weapon reload speed is increased by 10%. Reloading weapon damages nearby enemies applying Panic and 75 heat damage. Burning enemies take triple damage, but are extinguished. ・Burn afflicts enemies with Heat damage over time. ・Panic interrupts enemies, causing them to helplessly writhe in place Lvl 26 |
Hot Mess Level Requirement: 28
Base Effect: Molotov secondary projectiles explode and when they land, dealing 150 Heat damage in additional to spawning ground fire. Lvl 28 |
From the Ashes Level Requirement: 30
Base Effect: Once per match, while downed you may activate Wildfire to get back up, repair 20 Armor intergrity, and become invulnerable for 4 seconds. Lvl 30 |
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| Tier List Evaluations | |||||||||||
| Solo | |||||||||||
| Squad | |||||||||||
✘ Click on an equipment category to jump to their selection explanation.
Purchase the Dragon's Breath shotgun early for a reliable weapon that handles medium to lower-tier ZEDs with ease. Use it with your starting gear until you can afford the Vulcan TA, your main damage dealer capable of bursting down any ZED in its single-fire mode.
The Pyre .357 pistol is also highly effective, even at medium to long range. Early on, it excels at taking out Husks by one-shotting their gas tanks, headshotting fire-resistant Bloats, and it boasts the highest Ballistic damage among all sidearms.
Since the Firebug burns through ammo quickly, the Ammo Bag is a great investment to keep your supplies up at a low Dosh cost.
| Jump to a Weapon Slot! | |
|---|---|
| Primary | Secondary |
| Primary | |
|---|---|
| Recommended Mods |
Stable Synth-Plasma ・+5% Accuracy
・-15 Ammo Cost (Primary) ・-2 Ammo Cost (Secondary) ・-30% AOE Scale ・+5% Fire Rate (Primary) Heat Sink ・+15% Accuracy
・+5% Fire Rate (Primary) ・+10% Fire Rate (Secondary) ・-50% Recoil Pressurized Tank ・-15 Ammo Cost (Primary)
・-2 Ammo Cost (Secondary) Pneumatic Plasma Cooler ・-25 Ammo Cost (Primary)
・-7% Damage (Primary) |
The Vulcan TA is one of the strongest weapons in the game. Its Primary single-fire mode can burst down hordes of small and medium ZEDs with high direct hit damage with solid AoE. You can also charge shots to eliminate Husks, Bloats, and Sirens from a distance, and even help bring down large ZEDs when needed.
We recommend prioritizing the Mods listed above that enhance the Primary firing mode. These mods improve single-fire accuracy, reduce ammo consumption, and further boost its overall DPS.
| Primary | |
|---|---|
| Recommended Mods |
White Phosphorous Shells ・+20 Burn Affliction
・+4% Damage ・+30 Panic Affliction Compensator ・-8% Recoil
Enhanced Foregrip ・+2% Accuracy
・-5% Recoil Drum Mag ・+20 Mag Size
・-25% Handling ・-4% Recoil ・-12% Reload Speed High-Velocity Receiver ・+3% Accuracy
・+7 Penetration Power |
The Dragon's Breath shotgun is a strong early-game weapon for Waves 2–3, handling most ZEDs with ease before Scrakes and Fleshpounds appear. It offers great crowd control while having respectable range for a shotgun.
Use Mods that boost damage, accuracy, and handling with minimal drawbacks, and equip a Drum Mag for more sustained fire in the preferred Secondary burst firing mode.
| 1 |
Ifrit
|
Primary DMG: 110 Primary Fire Mode: Heat DMG Secondary DMG: 400 Secondary Fire Mode: Electrical DMG Base Cost: 4,500 |
|---|---|---|
| 2 |
Incinerator M7
|
Primary DMG: 60 Primary Fire Mode: Heat DMG Base Cost: 3,500 |
| 3 |
IR-50 Brimstone
|
Primary DMG: 100 Primary Fire Mode: Heat DMG Base Cost: 1,400 |
The Ifrit Engineer weapon is a decent alternative for Firebugs. Its primary fire deals Heat damage and functions like an auto-shotgun, making it effective at close range.
If you prefer a more classic, flamethrower spraying playstyle over direct-hit weapons, consider using the Incinerator M7 or the Vulcan TA's secondary fire mode, focusing on AoE and skills that boost ground fires.
| Sidearm | |
|---|---|
| Recommended Mods |
Acidic Ammo ・+2% Accuracy
・+35 Corrosive Affliction ・+3% Damage-Over-Time ・4 Seconds - Damage-Over-Time Duration Reflex Sight (Pistol) ・+2% Accuracy
・+35% Handling ・-4% Recoil ・+1% Zoom Critical Damage |
The Pyre .357 has the highest base Ballistic damage among sidearms and is perfect for taking out ranged ZEDs like Husks, Sirens, and Bloats early on. These mid-tier ZEDs are more resistant to Heat damage, so a few well-placed shots to their weak spots with the revolver will take them down quickly.
| 1 |
KH-380
|
Primary DMG: 60 Primary Fire Mode: Ballistic DMG Secondary Fire Mode: Biological DMG Base Cost: 800 |
|---|---|---|
| 2 |
Krait
|
Primary DMG: 55 Primary Fire Mode: Ballistic DMG Base Cost: 900 |
The KH-380 is a good substitute if your team lacks a Medic and needs extra healing support. If you prefer spraying over precision, the Krait automatic pistol is great for dealing with ZEDs up close, though it lacks the stopping power, accuracy, and range of the Pyre .357 for picking off Husks and Bloats.
| Tool | Effect |
|---|---|
Ammo Bag
|
Supply drop that allows the team to refill their ammunication midbattle. • 1 deployable bag • Each bag grants ammo for current weapons and 1 grenade |
The Firebug burns through ammo quickly due to dealing with large groups of small and medium ZEDs, along with high ammo consumption weapons. Carrying extra Ammo Bags helps keep you stocked at a low cost.
| Tool | Effect | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Multi-Tool
|
Multi-function tool with 3 charges. • Activates and allows remote enabling of Traps. • Enables Ziplines • Unlocks Armor Lockers and certain Doors • Repairs damaged Explosive Locks |
| 2 |
Pulse Lure
|
Ultrasonic device which acts as a distracting lure for enemies, drawing them to its location. • 3 lures Nearby enemies are Confused, causing them to attack other nearby enemies |
The Multi-Tool is a versatile pick for any class and provides strong team support. It lets you access Ziplines and Armor Containers for mobility and defense. You can also use it to unlock special doors and access Turrets, giving you flexible options for strategizing and surviving waves.
The Pulse Lure is another strong option, helping you group up large numbers of ZEDs for easier crowd control and maximizing your AoE damage.
| Ability and Priority | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Teammates with the lowest Health within 10m gains 1 Health after killing an enemy. ★★★★★ |
The Firebug itself is not lacking in the damage department, but she has the clear weakness when it comes to support. With this bonus ability, you can use the Firebug's already solid clear to burst heal the ally with the lowest health. |
| Add 10 Panic Power. ★★★☆☆ |
The additional Panic power will increase the likelihood of your flames to cause ZEDs to panic, allowing you and your team more space! |
| Damage from Bosses is reduced by 5%. ★☆☆☆☆ |
The Firebug, while having self-healing, can be quickly dealt with by Bosses as their mobility can get the best of them. This ability allows you to make a few more mistakes before biting the dust! |
For the Firebug, it would be best to prioritize the following Bonus Abilities to allow its already high damage and clear to further support allies by providing auxiliary heals and generating crowd control with Panic.
List of Bonus Abilities for Mods
| Jump to a Skill Type! | ||
|---|---|---|
| Passive | Throwable | Gadget |
| Skill | |
|---|---|
| Level 2 |
Base Effect: Retaliate with a small burst of flame that applies Burn and 150 Heat damage against enemy melee attacks. ┗ This skill has a 16 second cooldown between triggers. ┗Burn afflicts enemies with heat damage over time. |
| Level 8 |
Base Effect: Deal 10% increased direct weapon damage with Heat weapons. |
| Level 14 |
Base Effect: Max ammo capacity is increased by 30%. |
| Level 20 |
Base Effect: Ground fire effects caused by weapons heal you for 2 health per second while standing in them. |
| Level 26 |
Base Effect: Weapon reload speed is increased by 10%. ┗ Reloading weapon damages nearby enemies applying Panic and 75 heat damage. Burning enemies take triple damage, but are extinguished. ┗Burn afflicts enemies with Heat damage over time. ・Panic interrupts enemies, causing them to helplessly writhe in place |
This build focuses on making the Firebug a powerhouse with direct hits and explosive AoE. With weapons like the Vulcan TA and Dragon's Breath, Focus Fire boosts direct hit damage to melt through hordes more efficiently.
Too Hot to Handle provides a defensive buffer for enemies that get too close, while Fuel to Burn increases ammo capacity, which is crucial for a class that consumes a lot of it.
Though this setup doesn't rely heavily on ground fire mechanic for damage, Hotfoot makes it incredibly useful for healing when needed. Finish with Extinguisher for a reload speed boost that increases DPS and damages nearby enemies even while reloading.
| Skill | |
|---|---|
| Level 4 |
Base Effect: Increased Molotov explosion radius by 25%. |
| Level 10 |
Base Effect: Throwable carrying capacity is increased by 1. |
| Level 16 |
Base Effect: Molotov explosion damage is increased by 100%. |
| Level 22 |
Base Effect: Throwable carrying capacity is increased by 1. |
| Level 28 |
Base Effect: Molotov secondary projectiles explode and when they land, dealing 150 Heat damage in additional to spawning ground fire. |
This skill setup emphasizes the explosive power of the Molotovs, boosting direct explosion damage and blast radius over lingering fire effects. Hot Mess also adds some ground fire coverage, which pairs well with Hotfoot for emergency healing.
| Skill | |
|---|---|
| Level 6 |
Base Effect: Using Wildfire reloads weapon and increases weapon damage by 10% for 10 seconds. |
| Level 12 |
Base Effect: Ground fires created by Wildfire have 25% increased radius and deal 15% increased damage. |
| Level 18 |
Base Effect: Ground fire created by Wildfire last for an additional 3 seconds. ┗ Standing in ground fire created by Wildfire grants 20% increased heat weapon damage. |
| Level 24 |
Base Effect: Killing nearby enemies grants 3 gadget activation energy. ┗ Gadget kills do not count towards this. |
| Level 30 |
Base Effect: Once per match, while downed you may activate Wildfire to get back up, repair 20 Armor intergrity, and become invulnerable for 4 seconds. |
These skills make Wildfire more than just a powerful AoE blast and grant you powerful buffs. Ready for Action increases your damage post-activation, while Footlights boosts it further when standing in the ground fire it creates.
Red Carpet extends the duration of ground fire and further increases your damage while standing in it. Take Hot Streak to build Wildfire energy faster with each kill, and From the Ashes as a valuable self-revival tool, especially useful on higher difficulties.
| Skill | Priority | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
Focus Fire Focus Fire Base Effect:
Deal 10% increased direct weapon damage with Heat weapons. |
★★★★★ | Focus Fire is the top priority, as this build emphasizes direct hits over lingering burn damage. It directly boosts the impact of your primary weapons, the Vulcan TA and Dragon's Breath. |
Too Hot to Handle Too Hot to Handle Base Effect:
Retaliate with a small burst of flame that applies Burn and 150 Heat damage against enemy melee attacks. This skill has a 16 second cooldown between triggers. ・Burn afflicts enemies with heat damage over time. |
★★★★☆ | Too Hot to Handle allows for a good riposte mechanism, allowing you to harm enemies that get too close, and grant a possible window for repositioning. |
Hotfoot Hotfoot Base Effect:
Ground fire effects caused by weapons heal you for 2 health per second while standing in them. |
★★★☆☆ | For extra healing, Hotfoot is an easy way to boost your survivability simply by standing in the ground flames you create. Upgrade this to boost the heals greatly. |
Red Carpet Red Carpet Base Effect:
Ground fire created by Wildfire last for an additional 3 seconds. Standing in ground fire created by Wildfire grants 20% increased heat weapon damage. |
★★☆☆☆ | Red Carpet is good to level simultaneously as Footlights, for upgrading the former increases the duration of Wildfire's ground flames. |
Footlights Footlights Base Effect:
Ground fires created by Wildfire have 25% increased radius and deal 15% increased damage. |
★★☆☆☆ | Upgrading Footlights increases your overall damage when standing in the Wildfire ground flames, pairing perfectly with Red Carpet. |
Focus Fire is the priority in this build, maximizing the powerful direct-hit Heat damage of your main weapons, the Vulcan TA and Dragon's Breath.
For added survivability, upgrading Too Hot to Handle lowers the cooldown of its defensive utility, while upgrading Hotfoot increases the passive healing received when standing in ground fire.
To top it off, upgrade Red Carpet and Footlights together to further boost your damage and increase the duration of ground fires after using the Wildfire gadget.
| Firebug Playstyle Tips |
|---|
|
|
We recommend focusing on direct hits over AoE burn effects, as they deal significantly more damage overall. This is especially effective in boss fights, where you're targeting a single, fast-moving enemy. Direct hits provide much higher burst damage in these situations.
To conserve ammo and maximize damage, aim to line up multiple ZEDs with each shot rather than targeting them one by one. Clusters can be wiped out efficiently with the Vulcan TA’s explosive shots and Dragon's Breath shotgun blasts.
When a Scrake or Fleshpound is lurking, be careful not to accidentally set them on fire and trigger their rage before your team is ready to take them down. Burning them too early can make the fight much harder.
| Level 2 |
Firewall Base Effect: Take 10% less damage from BURNING enemies. ・Burn afflicts enemies with Heat damage over time. Too Hot to Handle Base Effect: Retaliate with a small burst of flame that applies Burn and 150 Heat damage against enemy melee attacks. This skill has a 16 second cooldown between triggers. ・Burn afflicts enemies with heat damage over time. |
|---|---|
| Level 8 |
Heat Exposure Base Effect: Heat weapons apply 60% increased Burn affliction and cause enemy to Burn for 100% longer. ・Burn afflicts enemies with Heat damage over time. Focus Fire Base Effect: Deal 10% increased direct weapon damage with Heat weapons. Scorched Earth Base Effect: Ground fire effects caused by weapons deal 100% increased damage. |
| Level 14 |
Fuel to Burn Base Effect: Max ammo capacity is increased by 30%. Slow Cook Base Effect: Ground fire effects caused by weapons are 15% bigger and apply 15 Enfeeble affliction per tick. ・Enfeeble weakens enemies, causing them to move and attack more slowly |
| Level 20 |
Red Zone Base Effect: Killing nearby enemies grants stacks of RED ZONE, granting more stacks for larger enemies. RED ZONE at 5 stacks, all stacks can be consumed to repair 3 armor integrity. Hotfoot Base Effect: Ground fire effects caused by weapons heal you for 2 health per second while standing in them. |
| Level 26 |
Extinguisher Base Effect: Weapon reload speed is increased by 10%. Reloading weapon damages nearby enemies applying Panic and 75 heat damage. Burning enemies take triple damage, but are extinguished. ・Burn afflicts enemies with Heat damage over time. ・Panic interrupts enemies, causing them to helplessly writhe in place Barbecue Bash Base Effect: Bashes deal 100 bonus damage. This bonus is double against Burning enemies. ・Burn afflicts enemies with heat damage over time Explosive Reaction Base Effect: Enemies killed by Heat weapons have a 20% chance to explode, dealing 250 Heat damage and creating a ground fire. |
| Level 4 |
Cocktail Party Base Effect: Enemies hit by the initial Molotov explosion will Panic for 30% longer. ・Panic interrupts enemies, causing them to helplessly writhe in place. Boom Out Base Effect: Increased Molotov explosion radius by 25%. Firecracker Base Effect: Hitting an enemy directly with Molotov applies Panic and deals 200% Heat damage. ・Panic interrupts enemies, causing them to helplessly writhe in place. |
|---|---|
| Level 10 |
Capacity Increase Base Effect: Throwable carrying capacity is increased by 1. |
| Level 16 |
Extended Edition Base Effect: Molotov ground fire duration is extended by 3 seconds. Out With a Bang Base Effect: Molotov explosion damage is increased by 100%. |
| Level 22 |
Capacity Increase Base Effect: Throwable carrying capacity is increased by 1. |
| Level 28 |
Asphyxiate Base Effect: Molotov ground fires apply 50 enfeeble affliction per second. ・Enfeeble weakens enemies, causing them to move and attack more slowly. Hot Mess Base Effect: Molotov secondary projectiles explode and when they land, dealing 150 Heat damage in additional to spawning ground fire. Up in Flames Base Effect: Increase number of secondary molotov projectiles spawned by 3. Secondary Molotov projectiles are now launched upwards. |
| Level 6 |
Front Row Seats Base Effect: Nearby enemies take 15% increased damage from Wildfire's blast wave. Ready for Action Base Effect: Using Wildfire reloads weapon and increases weapon damage by 10% for 10 seconds. Heat Therapy Base Effect: using wildfire heals you for 25 health. |
|---|---|
| Level 12 |
Footlights Base Effect: Ground fires created by Wildfire have 25% increased radius and deal 15% increased damage. Speedy Exit Base Effect: Using Wildfire grants 25% increased movement speed for 10 seconds. |
| Level 18 |
Triple Play Base Effect: Using Wildfire sends out a cone of 3 fireballs in target direction. Fireballs apply Burn affliction, Panic affliction and 350 Heat damage to enemies they hit. ・Burn afflicts enemies with Heat damage over time. ・Panic interrupts enemies, causing them to helplessly writhe in place Red Carpet Base Effect: Ground fire created by Wildfire last for an additional 3 seconds. Standing in ground fire created by Wildfire grants 20% increased heat weapon damage. In the Public Eye Base Effect: Firing Wildfire cause all nearby enemies to concentrate on you and cause you to take 15% reduced damage for 10 seconds. |
| Level 24 |
Hot Streak Base Effect: Killing nearby enemies grants 3 gadget activation energy. Gadget kills do not count towards this. Blast Zone Base Effect: Wildfire's blast wave radius is increased by 30%. |
| Level 30 |
Double Feature Base Effect: After discharging, Wildfire will discharge a second time after a short delay. Wildfire's blast wave damage is increased by 30% Flammable Material Base Effect: Using Wildfire causes you to ignite for 8 seconds. While on fire, apply burn affliction, Panic affliction, and 25 heat damage for second to all enemies close to you. ・Burn afflicts enemies with Heat damage over time. ・Panic interrupts enemies, causing them to helplessly writhe in place From the Ashes Base Effect: Once per match, while downed you may activate Wildfire to get back up, repair 20 Armor intergrity, and become invulnerable for 4 seconds. |
| Firebug Stats | |
|---|---|
| Damage | 4 |
| Survivability | 4 |
| Support | 4 |
Devlin is a Firebug Specialist with an overall score of 4 Damage, 4 Survivability, and 4 Support. They will also start with 2,953 loaded into their Operation Budget at Level 1, which will gradually increase as their Perk is leveled up.
| Primary | Sidearm |
|---|---|
IR-50 Brimstone
|
Pyre .357
|
| Devlin Basic Information | |
|---|---|
![]() |
|
| Perk Archetype | Starting Gadget |
| Firebug | Wildfire |
| English VA | TBD |
|---|---|
| French VA | TBD |
| German VA | TBD |
| Spanish VA | TBD |

List of All Specialist Characters
| All Nightfall Specialists | ||
|---|---|---|
FosterCommando |
DevlinFirebug |
ImranEngineer |
LunaSharpshooter |
ObiMedic |
NakataNinja |
| Other Guides |
|---|
| Upcoming Specialists and Perks |
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