SNPR Bolter/Falchion Havoc 40 "Boss Destroyer"
 Veteran Build - Warhammer 40k: Darktide 

This build oneshots both Dreg and Scab Gunners on crit headshot, even Encroaching Garden ones, which are the enemies Vet should prioritize in Havoc 40 runs, since he's the best at killing them at range.

-

This is my highest winrate build on Havoc and I can go 3+ Havoc 40 games with random teams without losing, as long as my team can support me and RNG doesn't screw us with 2+ bosses and armored elite horde while one person is dead. Every game that I win with this build I top boss damage on my team.

-

This build can be played with Executioner's Stance in Havoc 40, but I don't recommend it, because Voice of Command protects your teammates as much as it helps you, allowing them to make more bold and risky plays. Unless you play with 4 people of equal skill that you know, Exe Stance remains sub-optimal.

-

• Field Improvisation not taking it in Havoc is a huge mistake. It clears corruption with medipacks if your Zealot doesn't run Beacon of Purity, you can also keep ammo crate and place it just for yourself to spam 10+ grenades against boss spam or elite spam of Havoc. This is the clutch talent in "shi- hits the fan" situations. 

• Placing medipack when Twins spawn with Field Improvisation , just to clear them more safely, is also the best decision you can make if you play with randoms, since Twins is the main threat of many Havoc 40 quickplay runs (them or Rotten/Garden Enemies).

  -

  Duck and Dive for better stamina management over the other two talents. 15% is only for close range and Reciprocity has low uptime in actual missions, where good Ogryn, Zealot or Arby players will prevent most melee enemies from targetting you.

WHY USE FALCHION?

• Good all-rounder with horde clear that can rivalAchlys Mk VI Power Sword, except for lower boss damage and elite burst damage.
• Very fun and easy to use, unlike Achlys Mk VI Power Sword which takes lots of games to master and can still be a slog to play with.
• Better dodges at 60% Mobility than Achlys Mk VI Power Sword, so way more survivability against packs of Ragers and Crushers in melee. Power Sword is only great against singular targets and weak against multiple Crushers in Havoc, because poor dodges can easily get you killed if they all target you at once.

FALCHION BASIC TIPS

• Use only Power Falchion MK1. The other mark has bad moveset with weird animations, despite having more damage on certain attacks.
• Wrath for horde clear on Power Falchion to plow through dense armored hordes. Cranial Grounding is absolute BIS for Power Falchion.
•  Carapace damage perk on Falchion to have a back up weapon against Crushers and Maulers if your Krak Grenade run out. You kill Mutants in two heavy attacks as long as you hit weakspot in powered mode on Havoc 40, even without +25% mutant perk.
• Desperado and Trench Fighter Drill are EXTREMELY important talents for Falchion to perform well at high level play. This weapon can feel very bad without that 10% attack speed and random crits against heavier targets. Skirmisher adds a lot to its viability too.

FALCHION MOVESET

• Light attack spam for horde clear. 
• Push attacks + light attack (poke attack similar to MK6 Power Sword) against specials, hounds and singular targets.
• For armored targets and mutants, Heavy attack -> Heavy attack -> Reset with push attack -> Repeat from step 1.
• Sweaty horde clear combo you don't really need to use: 2x Light attacks -> Heavy Attack -> Light attack -> Heavy Attack -> Light Attack (repeat Heavy Attack -> Light attack cycle until horde is dead). Block to reset the chain if you chose an incorrect attack.

BOLTER TIPS

• Puncture on Bolter finishes targets off if you miss headshots but still hit them. 
• Ideally, you should spray only monstrosities and Twins. Your goal with this build is to remove bosses as quickly as possible, and then fight everything else with your team.
• When you spray at bosses, you try your best to aim at the weakspot to maximize the damage!
• Under certain conditions (damage buffs active, Ogryn's 20% taunt, full Focus Target stacks) you can kill Rinda Karnak by yourself in 2 bolter clips sprayed point-blank into her head while she's stunned after shield break.
• IMPORTANT THING TO KNOW: Shattering Impact increases bleed damage of Puncture, thus giving you more BOSS DAMAGE. If you want to lose 1 crit shot breakpoint on both Gunners, but gain slightly more boss damage, swap Surgical for Shattering Impact. But to me personally, killing many targets in 1 crit headshot (so less ammo spent) is more important than extra 10k? 20k? more? boss damage from bleed.
• Bolter on Havoc 40 takes almost a full clip to kill just 1 Crusher with Shattering Impact , so Carapace perk on Bolter is a waste of a slot.
• 25% mutant perk is not worth it too. Both flamers and trapper die from one crit headshot with this build, and ragers die with 2 headshots. You use Bolter spray against ragers only defensively if they push you and teammates are not around to help.
• THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TIP: Always mark targets with Focus Target! before shooting them, even if you don't have full stacks ready. You only need use full stacks of Focus Target against bosses and elites if you fight them in melee (Crushers and Bulwarks). 

-

WHICH BOLTER MARK? 

This build is for the original Bolter, aka MKIIb. 

The newer bolter has more stagger AOE and is more accurate on hipfire. It also stacks Pinning Fire easier, making it a BIS blessing on the new bolter. You can play a similar Surgical/Pinning Fire build on newer MKIII bolter if you want.

New bolter is better against groups of enemies, old bolter is better against bosses and single target.

-

CURIOS:

Stamina regen for pushes/push attacks and combat ability regen are the staples for every single Darktide build. 

-

Revive speed for clutches, but you can replace it with something else that works for you.

-

Gunner Resistance is HUGELY OVERRATED and not worth it, you can dodge slide 1-2 Gunners, but multiple Gunners will still kill you if you try to push them without Psyker bubble, Voice of Command etc.

-

17% toughness, 17% toughness, 3 stamina (if you prioritize sniping)

OR

17% toughness, 21% health, 3 stamina (if you melee often, this will make sure you don't have below 100 HP on Havoc 40)