Auric Taskmaster
 Veteran Build - Warhammer 40k: Darktide 

Auric Taskmaster - Melee-focused build that has an answer to every situation.

The goal of this build is to be the backbone of a team that lacks proper coordination. (Public Auric Matches)

Your main priorities are SAVES, OBJECTIVES, AMMOLESS ELITE-CLEAR and HORDE CLEAR in that order.

The tools at your disposal can handle anything the game decides to throw at you, by either brute strength or buying time.

This build does require some skill, as you wont be using VoC to constantly create breathing room.  Chainaxe has a somewhat short reach, but high killing power once the blessings get stacked.

Loadout

• Chainaxe Mk IV - STUNLOCKS ELITES - Ragers become a non-issue and require no ammo expended
  • Light attack spam on Elites or individual targets, (Target the TORSO of Maulers for faster TTK) do not be afraid to attack Crushers, as this weapons can definitely mulch them without issue.
  • Push Attack into Heavy Attack is your best horde clear, will be able to take out Bruisers in a single hit once your buffs are active. If you keep dodging attacks you will have infinite stamina for Push Attacks.
  • Revv'd Attacks are almost exclusively for Bosses or Ogryn enemies, try to only use this against isolated targets or while under the effects of Low Profile so you dont get punished.  Revv'd Weakspot hits will do MASSIVE damage against Bosses, try to swing for those when possible.
• Columnus IAG - Ol' Reliable - Strong ranged multi-tool for taking out priority targets
  • Stripped Down is an insanely powerful blessing that allows you to ignore Shooters and Snipers as long as you have Stamina to spend.
  • Your priority targets are Disablers and Ranged Elites, but you will have plenty of ammo to deal with other enemies if you choose.  
  • Be mindful that one of the goals of this build is to not be ammo-hungry, as you want your allies to be well-supplied.
• Curios - Simple Stat Boosts
  • +3 Stamina for Push Attacks and utilizing Stripped Down
  • 1 Toughness & Health with 3 HP & 3 Toughness perks to make you as tanky as possible.
  • 3 Stamina Regen perks to replenish lost stamina in a pinch, as the Chainaxe has a very high Push cost if you get a bad roll.

Talents

Starting from the top, not gonna mention a few self-explanitory talents.

• Confirmed Kill & Out for Blood gives you very high toughness regeneration while in combat.
  • Take the right path for +5% movespeed, as the +1 Stamina isnt as useful.
• Smoke Grenade allows you to trivialize some situations like Poxhound Swarm, Gunner/Sniper Squads and multiple incoming disablers.
  • Throwing it on an objective area will prevent the team from taking ranged chip damage while they are preoccupied.
  • Disablers CANNOT shoot/pounce on targets inside the smoke if they arent also in the cloud.  This can prevent situations where Trappers/Hounds would attack from long range or through a crowd of enemies.
  • If you want you can swap this out for Krak Grenades, but the Chainaxe is reasonably suited to take care of armored targets on it's own.
• Agile Engagement gives you a MASSIVE damage boost if you can remember to swap weapons often, the Columnus' quick deploy and Weapons Specialist Keystone help facilitate this buff.
• Leave No One Behind allows you to run like a bat out of hell to save your teammates, and gives an assist speed bonus that is quite noticable.
  • Unlike the +Revive Speed curio the +20% interaction speed bonus applies to Cliff assists, Freeing from nets and Rescues
  • While not always reccomended, it allows you to sprint at mach FUCK through the level if there is an ally that needs rescued in the next sector.  You can use this to "skip" areas if you are last alive or the run is about to fail.
• Ability - Infiltrate - Break contact and Redeploy, use this to go for rescues/objectives or allow yourself to attack a target without fear of getting swarmed.
  • Overwatch allows you to keep a spare use in your back pocket for emergencies, very high value.
  • Low Profile makes it so your invisibilty is effectively 10 seconds longer against targets you arent currently attacking, although this effect is severely diminished if you are far from your allies.
  • While not reccomended, Hunter's Resolve gives better survivability when alone, and Surprise Attack can give a decent boost of damage for a short time.
• Duck and Dive is a very strong tool that will constantly replenish Stamina if you are dodging attacks, allows Infinite Stripped Down Sprinting
• Precision Strikes greatly increases the lethality of your rifle and allows your chainaxe to more easily one-shot Bruisers.
• Reciprocity & Desperado gives a massive boost in critical chance and weakspot/critical damage, which allows weapons that arent even suited to criticals like the Chainaxe to deal considerably more damage.
• Demolition Team will usually replenish any spent grenades and allow you to leave any found in the field for your allies.
  • You shouldnt be spamming smokes anyways, so the low proc rate shouldnt be an issue.
• Keystone - Weapons Specialist gives you on-demand criticals for your rifle to take out specialists and other threats, while also giving you a nice attackspeed and dodge buffs when swapping back to your chainaxe.