Knife (Maelstrom C-I-VI)
 Zealot Build - Warhammer 40k: Darktide 

Unoptimized Pure melee-focused knife build (+ throwing knives) used for Damnation Auric Maelstrom C-I-VI (AKA Melee Madness).

This is NOT focused on teamplay. It's meant as a challenge and test of patience. Regardless, this build can still be taken into public matches, and your ranged weapon can finally see some action.

I've used this build on Consignment Yard HL-17-36 and Enclavum Baross. Two wins on Consignment Yard, zero on Enclavum (as the power cell event spawns an infinite horde that I'm not skilled enough to handle).

So what's the strategy with this melee/throwing knife build? Hit-and-run tactics. Though, hit-and-run is applicable for most strategies for true solos. Using Lacerate or Flesh Tearer with Uncanny Strike assists with melting Scab elites. The main strength of the combat knife (Mk III and Mk VI) is its speed and mobility. If you're able to position yourself correctly, you'll live in most scenarios. Considering how fast you run with the knife, it'll ease most of the tension on the true solo run. But this is ultimately dependent on which map you're playing on, what sort of events exist on said map, and how comfortable you are with abusing/cheesing the environment to control the pace of the abominable heretics.

As for weapons, the Mk III combat knife slightly struggles with hordes in return for excellent single-target damage. Mk VI, in my opinion, is quite strong on hordes by using it's first two heavy attacks, then a reset (just block or throw in a push attack to continue the slaughter).

The ranged weapon can be swapped out for just about anything else, as the challenge here is to NOT use any guns. However, if you're going to swap out the combat knives for anything else, such as tactical axes or thunder hammers, I recommend using the laspistol as your ranged weapon since it has nearly the same sprinting speed as the combat knives. Positioning is key to winning.

As for talents, Anoint in Blood can be swapped out for any other skill (though I'm unsure if this affects throwing knife damage). Inexorable Judgment can be swapped for Blazing Piety; I use IJ since I enjoy faster swing speeds. Swift Certainty might be a better alternative for Pious Cut-Throat. Thy Wrath be Swift would be a nice talent to have, but it's better to maneuver out of the heretic's way (and especially the Bulwark shield bash, as it will delete your stamina if you blocked it).

As for curios, I used one +3 stamina curio and a +2 stamina curio along with a 16% toughness curio. Reason being is that there's some info going around that stamina regenerates more quickly when there are less stamina bars. I wanted a middle ground between some toughness and quicker stamina regen, so I kept a toughness curio. The gunner damage resistance is excellent to have even in Maelstrom C-I-VI, as reaper packs and gunner patrols sometimes spawn. The last thing I want is to be deleted by such foes.