For context: I’ve spent about 50 hours recently revisiting Vermintide 2. I’ve got a month off work, and figured it was time to pick something else up before I burn out on Darktide.

Stormvermin. Why them? A few reasons: there is no “standard” elite in the game currently, (I’ll get to why that’s important later), they make melee combat more engaging, and we need a new sink for the horde director.

Alright, now for the “standard” elite part. I’m really just talking melee here. We’ve got ragers, maulers, crushers, and bulwarks. Ragers are designed as high-threat targets meant to kill or be killed in a quick manner. Maulers are slow, heavy-hitters. Bulwarks are just karking annoying. Crushers are tanks. We don’t have anything that exists in the interim. No lightly armored, medium-speed, average elites. Stormvermin fill that role in VT2. The horde director can throw groups of them at the group without creating a wall of armor (bulwarks/crushers) or a frenzy of attack speed (ragers). It’s an enemy type that leads into my next point: engagement.

Everything we’ve got currently (besides mauler my beloved) is extremely one-dimensional. Ragers are blow up instantly at range or suffer. Bulwarks are just karking annoying. Crushers are the problem child, and have seen a lot of nerfs recently due to the “armor wall” problem. Maulers are in a really good spot in my opinion. Flak armor allows every build to deal with them. Not a huge amount of health. High-damage, but slow to offset that.

Stormvermin would be the step between a rager and a mauler. They’re not going to curb-stomp you with overheads every second, but they’re also not going to just dead-sprint and swing until you or they are dead. It’s an enemy type that can actually be dealt with in melee comfortably, while providing enough resistance to be satisfying. You can shoot them from range, wait for their attacks to open them up for punishment, or stagger through their guard. There’s options that just don’t currently exist with other elites. Ragers are just shoot or block and hope your teammates can help. Maulers (as much as I enjoy them) is just swing and avoid an overhead every now and then. Having an enemy with a block, light (flak) armor, and without the immediate oppressive impact of a constant overhead or 15 attacks a second creates a space where they’re not going to be instantly evaporated and aren’t an immediate threat in most cases.

Finally, the real reason why we need a Darktide counterpart: having a new horde director sink. As stands, every engagement is either “whoops, all gunners” or 37 karking ragers. Neither is particularly fun. I’ve played a couple Havoc 40 matches since the crusher update, and it was insufferable. Wading through what feels like endless hordes of shooters only for melee combat to result in wave after wave of ragers. The 20s are a bit better, but it’s much the same. I don’t play below havoc, so I can’t really speak for the state of the game in the base difficulties. Now, having a new point sink takes away from the shooters that the horde director can spawn, and would (hopefully) bring the fights back to being more melee-focused. It would also help prevent scenarios that are just a billion ragers or maulers. Small packs of them are fun to fight as an occasional threat, but not a constant stream.

Anyways, big ramble. I’d just like to go back to an era of Darktide where I didn’t have to stop every fifteen feet to wipe out 100 gunners. Let me melee big fish!

Edit: for those that seem to think I’m asking for the rats. Although I’d love to see them in Darktide however the devs would need to justify that. We’re talking about an appropriately reskinned Stormvermin. Same as half the enemies currently in Darktide.

Up till now I've been a bolt pistol special sniper. Couldn't figure out the plasma gun, it seemed so clunky to use.

Then I killed an entire gigantic pack of ragers in like, two shots.

I now understand, I'm sorry plasma gun, I was not familiar with your game.

Do you go for the funniest name you can think of or do you follow a specific naming convention? Do you try to be lore accurate as possible? I've seen some amazing names and some that makes me bust a lung but what mindset do you all usually have when naming your reject?

And yes - I can still see the Loyalists

I right clicked the Sale for the Gold Edition on the launcher, and one of the Mordian Iron Guard Cosmetic Portraits appeared

Like the title says. Vanguards are really bringing the game down imo. There are just too many of them. Horde clear isn't the same as it was before. They're a good enemy that I'm glad were added, just wish there were a bit less. Edit: forgot to add, i think the best fix would be to give them a regular health pool

At what point is this considered Heresy?

For context. JGWentworth is the name of an American loan company. Call-877-CASH-NOW is their increadibly catchy jingle. The greatest thing about this was that it was completely random.

After maxing out every character, trying dozens of builds on them, I just keep coming back to good old lightning strike because quite frankly it makes other character feel weak despite being poo poo against bosses.

It kinda doesn't fit the game where you have to play smart, target prioritize, be on your toes, aim, dodge and block. With Smite you just hold 2 buttons and hit ability every 20 seconds to keep the enemies Infront, behind, in the next room and in the room behind that room and beyond the curvature of the earth indefinitely stunned and doomed to die.

The enemy count just stops mattering, you can solo like 50 crushers in a minute without an ounce of effort.

Bosses will of course slap your booty but there's 3 team mates able to full focus on them.

I have spoken

There seems to be a misconception that because damage resistance perks are multiplicative instead of additive that each additional perk is less valuable than the last.

This is incorrect. When considering how much a player's effective hp increases, each identical damage resistance perk on curios is more valuable than the last.

A single 20% Gunner DR perk gives you 125% ehp. This is found by dividing 100% by (1 - 0.2), and is +25% compared to your base hp.

The second brings you to 156.25% ehp.

• 100% / ((1 - 0.2) * (1 - 0.2))
• +31.25% from one perk

The third brings you up to 195.3125% ehp.

• 100% / ((1 - 0.2) * (1 - 0.2) * (1 - 0.2))
• +39.0625% from two perks

There's no reduction in value from multiple of the same DR perks. Every duplicate DR perk will add more ehp than the previous one. The only downside is the opportunity cost of other valuable curio perks.

I currently have all maxed characters except hive scum (lvl 20) and Arbites( lvl 0) and I’ve been dancing between Damnation and Auric.
I feel like when I play any class, other then psyker, I simply don’t help the team that much. Even when I’m chorus Zealot or Shout Vet I just don’t have fun with them or feel like I’m helping my team in any meaningful way.
I also take so much unnecessary damage, I feel ashamed I’m not as good as I feel like I could be after 400 hours in.
This, however, is not a problem on Ogryn. My beautiful boy is so easy to play. Maniacs, walls of armor, bosses, hordes, daemon hosts etc. are all trivial to Ogryn. I’ve launched from barely having played Auric to playing it without a sweat and even beat Havoc 16 a few times. He’s amazing, he’s beautiful, he’s huge and I love my rock. But why am I so much better at the game as Ogryn? Is he easier to play? Am I just finding my main? Is there something inside the base kit of Ogryn that makes parts of the game easier? Whatever Ogryn brings to the table of my personal gameplay it helps a lot with the weaknesses I currently possess with Darktide.

Ps5 btw

Edit: some insane comments, I appreciate the feedback and support.

https://www.nexusmods.com/warhammer40kdarktide/mods/1094
Really just looking to advertise so people start posting cool npcl look codes

After 1000 hrs I can play the game now

I see a lot of discussions about whether adding Sisters of Battle as a DLC would be a good idea. Aside from obvious conflicts with the existing Zealot class, a lot of people have lore reasons to be hesitant about adding them to Darktide. We are penal squads, regular Sisters of Battle would not operate alongside us.

But the Sisters Repentia could. They're as the name sounds, Sisters of Battle who have somehow disgraced themselves and are seeking penance on the battlefield. They operate separate from normal Sisters and wear rags instead of their usual armor. Its unprecedented but it would only take a minor twisting of existing lore to add them to our penal squads.

Its also worth mentioning that the Inquisitorial Ordo Hereticus has a history of working with the Sisters. Rannick's little varlet experiment could be seen as an ideal spot for the Sisters Repentia.

Plus they're gooner-coded so you know it'll sell like hotcakes, perhaps even better than regular Sisters of Battle would.

If the God-Emperor really loved us, he could grant us a Mistress of Repentance as a new lobby character with new penances.

Edit: Wow this post triggered a lot of people who hate gooners. I could write a bit about how I really just wanted to satisfy some popular lore concerns from this Subreddit. I could regale you all with the tale of how I sought more info about the sisters for my cosplaying Zealot's naming conventions. Or about how Hive Scum is already scantily clad but hasn't ruined the game for anyone.

But instead I'll just say this: GOON FOR SLANEESH, GOON FOR SLANEESH, GOON FOR SLANEESH!

The Adavanced Combat Doctorines hit hard af with the infantry autogun

okay so like , i'm finally back into the game , i want cool looking rejects , but i cant cause 95% of the cosmetics are not available , just let us choose what we want.

I KNOW it's FOMO , and yet like i dont fell the fomo , only the annoyance that i can't get what i want

OBESEFISH TAKE MY MONEY FFS

I've been playing for a few months and gotten very comfortable playing, but there was always one thing I see players do a lot that really makes me wish nurgle upon them. So this is a bit of a rant and a tip for others.

For new players or veterans, please don't abandon your teammates just so you can get your kill count higher. I've noticed quite a lot of players not covering the Psyker, hive scum, arbitrator, etc while they fix the Data interrogator as players who are with a melee tend to get knocked out of the fix and have to start all over. If you don't have a Skitarii on your team its what you have to deal with. Came across the issue while doing the mission 'Rolling Steel' which is literally a ticking time bomb that you need to rush and complete before it blows, if you allow your teammate to get hit out of the fix, you're only allowing the time to take go longer.

Players who complain because they got downed while everyone was way behind need to understand the whole thing of "Hey, you rushed ahead of us all into that deamonhost." Literally when you make your class and build it, even from the start Sefoni even teaches you about COHERENCY use with your toughness and it goes towards some talent buffs, too. So if I have to put it out there for you to understand then here. You are STRONGER as a damn TEAM, you are not the leader, you are not the MVP, you are not the main character. You my good friend are a filthy reject like all of us. If you're running a glass cannon or just a casual player, don't rush your way ahead of everyone as that will only get you killed, stick with the team, use the buffs they give you and actually work together.

TL;DR, Darktide heavily relies on teamwork and wits.

I think this game would benefit from a commendations system at the end of the match. Every player gets one vote, and can vote for anyone but themselves.

If you receive a commendation, you receive 10% increased rewards in terms of XP, Gold and Resources for every vote collected.

Only those who receive a commendation get notified that a commendation was handed out.

There is no penalty for not handing out a commendation.

Fatshark could include some Penances attached to this system along the lines of "Get 100 Commendations as an Ogryn". These penances would unlock Portraits and Titles. Maybe an Insignia.

It'd be a long time thing. Sure, it can be exploited by players with pre-made player groups, but i think it wouldnt matter here. The spirit of the system is in my opinion more valuable than making it artificially exploit-proof.

Something which is motivating enough to matter, gives a small dopamine boost at the end of the match, and promotes being a good and considerate teammate.

Something which isnt divisive because its just that innocent, yet rewards community spirit.

I think it'd be healthy for the game and for its players. A way to acknowledge that one Ogryn who always walks back and looks after the straggler, or the one lad who keeps stimming his buddies.

Opinions?

+++ EDIT +++

There have been a great deal of good arguments against the system as described in the body. I like all of them, and i agree with most of them.

Considering those very valid concerns, i think Titles are a no-go and shouldnt be included in the system at all as a reward. Portraits? Maybe. I like the idea of more portraits being added which focus on teamplay and being a great lad to play with. Portraits are low-key and not as eye catching as a title. I think having those as a reward would be fine. But i dont mind having no reward at all.

Someone has raised the concern that a 10% reward bonus is worthless to anyone who plays the game long enough to be likely to be good at it, and hence the most likely ones to receive the commendation. New players would benefit more from those rewards, and they're unlikely to get them. I agree. It a good point. But i think having the option to reward someone who did good and was a good sport, and a chance for a new player to get a boost they can actually make use of - even if unlikely - is better than not having that chance at all.

However, i am not invested in the premise of rewarding commendations. I am invested in the premise of just saying to your fellow rejects "I saw you, and i love you!". A thumbs up. A gesture of human appreciation. The kind of feeling you get when a stranger gives a genuine smile and greets you good morning on the street. That's what i want to incentivize and normalize.

Now, there are some concerns about abuse and exploitation by those who play in premade groups. Valid concerns. I think denying participation of premade players in this system is against the systems spirit. They're not harming anyone by commending their fellow friends. In fact, i think denying friends to commend one another is kind of the opposite of what this system is supposed to be.

Someone asked me if this is actually worth it, and compared to other QOL changes and development capacity a worthwhile undertaking. This is by far the best argument i heard against it. I think its worth it. System which incentivize healthy community interactions promote a tight knit and friendly community within the game. In my humble opinion, nothing is more valuable to a games longevity than a good community. This system is QOL - merely of a more subtle kind than bug fixes.

I am not saying a commendation system is going to revolutionize the community and how they interact with one another. I am merely hoping to see a low friction option available through which everyone can appreciate their fellow players. Chat exists, but we all know we dont use it. "Shout for the Emperor" and "gg" exist, but they're not as intimate or valuable as a form of appreciation as something more targeted like a humble commendation.

Someone raised a point that this system might become meaningless and people wouldnt engage with it on a large scale. I agree. And i dont mind. This system isnt meant to be a chore or part of checklist. its meant to be a low-friction available option to you, as a player, so sometimes when you think someone did something nice to just say "You did great and i appreciate you!", and hopefully bring that player a tiny smile on their face.

I am not trying to change the community. I am merely trying to promote the small things in life which make a community a joy to be around.

But I genuinely love all the interactions i had in this thread, and i know this community deserves some warmth in the game. Darktide is a great game, but its not great at making you see your fellow players as humans.

I have been loving the Skitarii, and since I already made an arc rifle, why not make the entire Skitarii arsenal?

I made the big blade first. That handguard gave me a karking headache, but it will work. The second, tiny blade should be fast enough to finish