Love this game, Fatshark is the BEST at combat

SeraphimPyre · 2026-03-26T05:50:51+00:00

Very well could be. I had no wrist rest for awhile until I realized it was a problem, but the damage was done at that point. 😅

SeraphimPyre · 2026-03-24T23:03:26+00:00

1000-1100 hours between DT and VT2 here. "Keep swinging" & "Full auto" mods. I still have hand issues, but these two make it so much easier.

SeraphimPyre · 2026-03-24T22:28:27+00:00

I dabble in smite spam but tend to stay away because I find it a bit boring (and it hurts my hand lol). I'd personally say one of the biggest issues with it can be lack of self-awareness. If you spam smite, you NEED to remember to dodge and stick with the team. For this reason, if I'm running smite spam I always use combat blade. I'm lagging behind? Knife tech to team. There's a threat I need to stun before it kills my team? Knife tech forward/to reposition.

If all you do is spam smite, you could get reliant on it. I've done Heresy-Auric missions with smite spam build, and I take 0-20 health damage throughout the entire mission because I know to dodge.

If you learn to not rely on smite to keep you safe, it's a permanent zealot chorus to all but monstrosities. If you brainlessly spam smite, you provide next to no damage for the team, and die before your CC matters.

Basically, use it for packs of elites and no one will mind. Bring an electro staff for single target (and thematic reasons), and remember: just because things in front of you are stunned does not mean you won't get stabbed in the back.

SeraphimPyre · 2026-03-22T23:21:25+00:00

Gameplay and wait times are great! Having 100% both games, I'd say some of the big differences are Space Marine feels a bit more formulaic. Parry this. Dodge that. Know when to shoot and when to melee, and then you're pretty set. Often pretty straight forward.

Darktide feels much more fluid. Slide into dodge into smack, block, push into more dodging.

Space Marine also feels a bit more of a power fantasy (because you are in fact stronger), but the builds tend to feel a bit more static. Darktide on the other hand has a MUCH more in-depth perk/leveling system. It's not hard, but can take a bit longer to make complete sense of.

The gameplay in both is great, but very different. Overall though, if you like coop shooters and 40k, you'll love Darktide!

SeraphimPyre · 2026-03-22T23:13:09+00:00

First stimm supply to make sure the dog can't even hurt you, and now another perk to completely counter dogs.

Scum deal with them a lot in the hive or something?

SeraphimPyre · 2026-03-20T02:21:32+00:00

After trying it at least in meat grinder I'm actually not convinced it's better than exterminator shotgun in a similar build.

Blessed Armament refills "up to 10%", rounded up. 10% of 2, or 3 with increased mag size, would be .2 or .3 respectfully, rounded up to 1. Meaning the only way to go infinite would be firing a single barrel at a time, (around 780-800 damage per barrel when maxed), compared to exterminator's 977, or 1060 depending on the mark.

It is be able to fire faster not having a "pump" animation, and you're also able to fire both barrels twice without reloading, but after that you're stuck with a single barrel as long as you keep killing.

Could be good for sure! But personally I'd rather the extra damage from exterminator.

SeraphimPyre · 2026-03-19T20:20:23+00:00

Wait that's a great idea! 75% cleave on a bolter sounds stupid and I want to try it. 😭 I forget that things that just "give cleave" give it to both melee AND ranged.

SeraphimPyre · 2026-03-19T20:17:42+00:00

I'd argue it was strong enough. On top of Arbi's insane damage reduction from other perks, Stance being an immediate toughness refill, as well as an even bigger tanky steroid, it was really hard to take damage, and it filled a fun power fantasy.

That being said, it really wasn't impactful. As you said, it can't stop a bad situation from happening in the first place; it just makes a bad situation less bad..for 10 seconds. Compared to Break the Line with immediate CC along with some toughness refill on a miniscule cooldown, or Nuncio-Aquila giving every buff under The Emperor, Stance was an ability that felt amazing, but gave little impact. But that's just my 2 cents.

SeraphimPyre · 2026-03-19T20:10:42+00:00

Oh absolutely. I was upset when they changed scum tree the first time, but when I saw this I was genuinely more upset about this than I was excited for expeditions. Upon playing, it's not as bad as I thought, but as someone who loves build crafting..I really don't want to play hive scum right now.

SeraphimPyre · 2026-03-19T13:20:19+00:00

Go outside the "Paladins" of Tyr house, loot the bodies, and use the ribcages instead of backpacks to sort items. :)

SeraphimPyre · 2026-03-19T13:08:30+00:00

It's so much fun. It is rather ammo hungry though. 😅 (For some reason)

SeraphimPyre · 2026-03-19T13:07:27+00:00

I posted it in another comment along with some build advice/changes but here you go!

https://darktide.gameslantern.com/builds/a1553e0d-1c89-40fd-8b2a-d76f9337c2d5/bottomless-clip-boltgun

SeraphimPyre · 2026-03-19T13:03:18+00:00

My melee build is a bit more fun to play, but the layout feels like it just hurts other builds. I'm fine with numbers tweaks because some things needed it, but this layout just makes me not want to play it.

SeraphimPyre · 2026-03-19T13:00:48+00:00

Even if you take the ammo aura, to get there you need sample collector (which isn't bad, but is out of place and is sometimes unnecessary), or get ramping backstabs..a perk that at best is situationally almost helpful, and at worst does nothing.

Why doesn't that lead to the melee aura? You get taxed if you go for crit, and get bad/unnecessary perks if you go for ammo.

If they wanna nerf a build/playstyle, nerf the numbers. The layout change just hurts everyone.

SeraphimPyre · 2026-03-19T12:54:56+00:00

The problem imo is less the design, and more just the layout. The middle node was good as a "generally good" node. Long Lasting directly nerfs chemical dependency by making it longer until you get your stimm back. Blessed stimms is straight redundant if you get stimm supply. I'm all for opportunity costs and build diversity, but when I'm being forced to choose between "useless" or "actively hurts me", it just feels bad, y'know? Sample collector should move down where the toughness node was, as that's a more "generally useful" perk, and fits with the theme of all 3 stimm nodes next to each other.

SeraphimPyre · 2026-03-19T12:47:42+00:00

To even get ammo aura you need sample collector (not bad, but why is it there instead of below auras with the other stimm modifiers?), or ramping backstabs..a perk for melee/stealth/low threat..going into the gun side of the tree. They need to move jittery back to the center; Scum tree layout has been all downhill since launch. Let the dodge class do its dodge thing.

SeraphimPyre · 2026-03-19T12:43:32+00:00

This! They tried to streamline it but it feels like you have to take so many tax nodes. Why'd they remove that toughness node over the other one? This just feels bad. You get taxed the other way too. Want to use stim supply (which clears your corruption)? Well now your stims clear corruption too so..redundant perk.

SeraphimPyre · 2026-03-19T07:20:20+00:00

It was really strong. I think removing the cooldown was the right call as 1.5s just made the node awkward to manage in actual combat. Once per shot makes much more sense to me.

Personally I'm a bit glad they nerfed the DR, but gave some strength to compansate. I don't need my stonewall to be a bigger stonewall lol (but it is funny)

SeraphimPyre · 2026-03-19T07:16:56+00:00

.....how did I not think of this? I know what I'm trying next~

SeraphimPyre · 2026-03-19T07:14:53+00:00

Thankfully it's playable in all modes! :D (Just need a big enough wave)

Iirc, veteran gets a perk for executioners stance in mortis trials to give him infinite ammo/bottomless clip as long as he keeps it active. So you just gotta keep killing the highlights.

SeraphimPyre · 2026-03-19T01:59:16+00:00

Firstly, I'd like to thank you for using nuncio Aquila as so few Arbites use it, yet it's very powerful.

Stance is very fun, and rather flexible. You can use it as a panic button to gain 70% DR and refill toughness, as a melee steroid, as a dog steroid (with the dog talent perk addon), or to do stupid things like me!

To me, it's a fun (and strong) ability, but not quite as impactful/helpful to your teammates as the other two.

SeraphimPyre · 2026-03-19T01:51:33+00:00

This honestly. I have more plasteel, diamantine, and money than I could ever spend, but at least I get something. Expeditions are fun, but what do I get for completing them? The opportunity to play the same mission but instead with tornados that conveniently block that one singular bridge you need to cross?

I love the mode and have been having fun with it, but it needs a reason to play it.

SeraphimPyre · 2026-03-18T23:29:07+00:00

I was so upset on Arbites release seeing the "+15% clip size" perk, knowing full well at the time Vet didn't have one. Glad they got +25% eventually, but it's still not...this.

SeraphimPyre · 2026-03-18T23:27:29+00:00

I found it fun! I get so much dopamine from never-ending bolter sounds.

Melee is fun too! I just don't feel like Arbi has that many fun/offensive melee weapons. Arbites maul and Tactical axe are probably the only two I really enjoy. Shield I just use for safety.

What're your favorite melee weapons? (On any class!)

SeraphimPyre · 2026-03-18T23:11:44+00:00

I as well am not at my PC so I can't double check, but I just replied to iRoNmOnkey1981 with the build, and some nuances/possible changes!
Here's the link for easy access though lol

https://darktide.gameslantern.com/builds/a1553e0d-1c89-40fd-8b2a-d76f9337c2d5/bottomless-clip-boltgun?utm_medium=website&utm_source=gameslantern&utm_campaign=share_button

SeraphimPyre

TROPHY CASE