Krieg the Psycho may not be gracing Borderlands 2 until next week, but we've got the inside scoop on some of the best builds for the self-destructive maniac. Warning: if you're not into a high-risk, high-reward style of gameplay, you had might as well steer clear of this brawny brawler right off the bat. No matter the build, almost all of them will be ravaging Krieg's body as much as those of his enemies.

Read on to uncover the best Krieg builds in Borderlands 2...

Stacking

This build focuses primarily on Krieg's Bloodbath tree, which allows him to build up Stacks of Bloodlust in order to increase his damage output. We'll supplement that with health gains from the Mania tree and elemental bonuses from the Hellborn tree.

This build is the least "Krieg" of Krieg's builds, and allows players to tackle enemies and challenges at range while mostly ignoring all of the melee and fight-for-your-life stuff that makes his other builds so risky. You'll still be doing a decent amount of setting yourself on fire, though, so be warned.

You'll want to max out the following skills:

• Buzz Axe Rampage
• Blood Twitch
• Blood-Filled Guns
• Bloody Revival
• Taste of Blood
• Bloodbath
• Boiling Blood
• Nervous Blood
• Bloodsplosion
• Feed the Meat
• Embrace the Pain
• Thrill of the Kill
• Fuel the Fire
• Pain is Power (4/5)

Melee Mania

This builds, on the other hand, combines the powerful Mania tree with the elemental effects and damage and health bonuses of the Hellborn tree to make the ultimate self-sacrificing melee master. Because Krieg will spend the vast majority of his time with this build closing the distance between himself and his enemies, there is no need to incorporate the Stacking mechanics of the Bloodlust tree.

Max out the following skills:

• Buzz Axe Rampage
• Empty the Rage
• Pull the Pin
• Fuel the Rampage
• Light the Fuse
• Redeem the Soul
• Salt the Wound
• Silence the Voices
• Release the Beast
• Fuel the Fire
• Pain is Power (4/5)
• Numbed Nerves (1/5)
• Fire Fiend
• Flame Flare

Flamethrower

This build is similar to the last in that it focuses on elemental damage and putting Krieg himself at great risk, but unlike the last build this one will convert his melee attack into a flamethrower to maximize elemental damage. A combination of all three trees sees to it that Krieg's elemental potential is met.

Get the following skills:

• Buzz Axe Rampage
• Burn Baby Burn
• Fuel the Fire
• Numbed Nerves
• Elemental Elation
• Delusional Damage (2/5)
• Fire Fiend (3/5)
• Hellfire Halitosis
• Flame Flare
• Elemental Empathy
• Raving Retribution
• Feed the Meat (4/5)
• Pull the Pin
• Embrace the Pain
• Thrill of the Kill