Billhook Bounty Hunter guide for legend, or as I like to call it, the BHBH. Melee-ranged hybrid playstyle.

TLDR: https://www.ranalds.gift/build/80CudvErxEpjpZRlq4La/view

Currently, the meta bounty hunter build for legend is to build a crossbow with 20% skaven and 20% armoured for the ability to one shot body shot (OSBS) stormvermins, and a rapier for melee as the most defensive weapon. The rapier for the bounty hunter is meta duo its high dodge count and dodge distance, 1 stamina pushes, and a special attack which synergises with bounty hunter passive talent. https://www.ranalds.gift/heroes/11/112332/32-8-3-6/64-6-3-6/3-2-5/3-6-2/3-2-1

However, after the steel crescendo talent has been changed, some weapons which were considered too slow such as the billhook have become slightly more viable to use. For example, here are Jaysea's (our resident bounty hunter guru) thoughts on the weapon in his steam vermintide guide before the patch. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2457614039

In my experience, this is true. I only found the weapon enjoyable to use on zealot with his attack speed steroid. However, the Steel Crescendo talent now provides 15% attack speed after your magazine is empty. This allows you to gain a nice attack speed steroid before procc-ing swift slaying. The steel crescendo helps with maintaining swift slaying uptime.

Tithetaker: Billhook is better than rapier at cleave thp.

Steel Crescendo: Already explained.

Assassin: Enhanced power is not necessary for this build to hit all major breakpoints. Assassin is superior to smiter which is superior to mainstay then bulwark.

Blessed combat: Blessed combat is where the build differs significantly from the meta build. With blessed combat, you are able to OSBS stormvermin without investing into skaven and armoured on your charm. This allows you to take power against chaos and infantry to OSBS chaos specials as well with non-crit shots. The downside of this is that against a skaven patrol, you can only sit in the back and shoot six stormvermin dead before losing the breakpoints required. However, if there are any trash mobs around, you can easily farm six more shots.

Plus, not taking prize bounty means you don't have to fire off 2 shots for steel crescendo to be active. This means that if you notice that the steel crescendo buff has ended while fighting in a horde, you can make space by pushing with the billhook, firing a shot off with your xbow, then resuming your melee horde clearing with 15% melee power and attack speed.

Salvaged Ammunition: Taken to synergise with the steel crescendo and blessed combat talent.

Double-shotted: Not much point to not taking this and playing bounty hunter as Jaysea said. However, imo just reward is acceptable to clear chaos warriors and seeing 8 berserkers run in a roughly straight line at you. Personal choice.

For the billhook, I took stamina and BCR instead of the meta crit and BCR since the push block attack is important to start the horde clearing combo. Take crit and BCR if you don't think you need it. I recommend googling royalewithcheese optimal weapon combo if you're unfamiliar with the billhook.

Original/Meta Breakpoints: 20% Power vs Armoured + 20% Power vs Skaven (Taken from Jaysea's guide)
One-shot bodyshot Stormvermin/Hookrat/Ratling Gunner/Warpfire Thrower/Assassin.
Two-shot bodyshot Mauler/Berserkers/Lifeleech/Blightstormer/Globadier.

VS

THIS GUIDE BREAKPOINTS: 10% Power vs Armoured + 10% Power vs Skaven + 10% Power vs Chaos + 10% Power vs Infantry + Blessed combat
One-shot bodyshot Stormvermin/Hookrat/Ratling Gunner/Warpfire Thrower/Assassin/Lifeleech/Blightstormer/Globadier.
Two-shot bodyshot Mauler/Berserkers

PROs

Better THP generation and melee horde clear with billhook superior cleave.
Stronger melee elite killing power with billhook with right combos

Slightly better ranged breakpoints as a hybrid melee/ranged build. Yay for osbs on more specials(lifeleech, blightstormer, globadier)!

Cons:

Much less tanky with no Job Well Done (no more 30% DR)

Much less mobile/defensive with no rapier.

Somewhat less ranged focused playstyle with no prize bounty.

Overall, I believe Jaysea's build is easier to use but I wanted to try making a fresh build with the new talent after at least 200hrs of my playing time on bounty hunter playing older builds.