Beginner's Guide to Warhammer 40,000: Darktide

Whether you’re new to the grimdark universe or just to Darktide’s gameplay, this guide provides everything you need to survive and thrive as a reject fighting for the Emperor.

1. Understanding the Basics

Core Gameplay Loop

Darktide is a cooperative FPS with melee and ranged combat. Teams of four complete missions by battling hordes of enemies, collecting resources, and defeating powerful elites.

• Objective Focus: Stay on task. Missions often include objectives like carrying items or defending locations while under attack.
• Enemy Awareness: Poxwalkers are cannon fodder, while specials and elites require focused coordination.

2. Choose the Right Class

Each class has unique roles and abilities that influence playstyle. Here’s a breakdown:

Veteran Sharpshooter

• Strengths: Excellent at ranged combat. Specializes in eliminating snipers and elites.
• Abilities:
  • Volley Fire: Boosts ranged damage and highlights high-priority enemies.
• Beginner Tips:
  • Focus on headshots for high-value targets.
  • Stay at mid to long range for safety.

Zealot Preacher

• Strengths: Melee-focused with high survivability.
• Abilities:
  • Chastise the Wicked: Gain toughness and perform high-damage melee attacks.
• Beginner Tips:
  • Use your ability to close gaps on ranged enemies.
  • Prioritize toughness and cleave weapons for horde control.

Psyker Psykinetic

• Strengths: Crowd control and burst damage with brain burst mechanics.
• Abilities:
  • Psykinetic’s Wrath: Pushes back enemies and restores warp charges.
• Beginner Tips:
  • Focus on taking out elites like Crushers or Gunners.
  • Manage Peril carefully to avoid overheating.

Ogryn Skullbreaker

• Strengths: A tanky, melee powerhouse that excels in controlling chokepoints.
• Abilities:
  • Bull Rush: Knock down enemies while boosting movement.
• Beginner Tips:
  • Protect squishier teammates by drawing aggro.
  • Use high-cleave weapons to manage hordes.

3. Learn the Maps

Map Exploration

• Familiarize yourself with layouts during missions. Key features to note:
  • Med-Stations: Healing points shared by the team.
  • Ammo Crates: Scarce, so plan usage carefully.
  • Choke Points: Use these to manage hordes effectively.

Environmental Hazards

• Avoid traps like exploding barrels or electrified zones.
• Use high ground to gain an advantage in ranged combat.

4. Gear Up Effectively

Weapons

• Balanced Loadouts: Start with versatile weapons that handle both hordes and elites.
  • Example: A Veteran with a lasgun for sniping and a combat axe for melee.
• Experimentation: Test different weapon types to find what suits your playstyle.

Curios

• Equip curios to enhance survivability:
  • Toughness: Reduces damage taken.
  • Health: Increases your total health pool.
  • Stamina: Allows for more blocks and dodges.

5. Combat Strategies

Teamwork

• Stay Together: Lone players are vulnerable to specials like Trappers or Pox Hounds.
• Communicate: Use pings and voice chat to call out threats.

Engaging Enemies

• Prioritize Targets: Take out specials and elites before focusing on hordes.
• Control the Flow: Use choke points and AoE abilities to manage waves.

Melee vs. Ranged

• Use ranged weapons for snipers and elites.
• Switch to melee for hordes to conserve ammo.

6. Resource Management

Ammo

• Share ammo pickups with teammates who rely on ranged weapons.
• Use melee weapons to conserve ammo whenever possible.

Healing

• Medkits heal the entire team; save them for critical moments.
• Use med-stations strategically, especially before major fights.

7. Leveling and Progression

Skill Upgrades

• As you level up, unlock talents that complement your playstyle.
  • Example: Veterans can enhance damage against weak spots, while Ogryns can boost toughness regeneration.

Weapons and Modifications

• Upgrade weapons with blessings (modifiers) that enhance performance.
• Experiment with different blessings to find what works best for your build.

8. Advanced Tips for Beginners

• Dodge and Block: Perfect your timing to avoid damage and control crowds.
• Ping Everything: Always mark specials, ammo, and objectives to help teammates.
• Practice Peril Management (Psyker): Keep it below 80% to avoid warp instability.
• Stay Calm: Panicking during overwhelming situations leads to mistakes.

Closing Notes

Darktide rewards teamwork, adaptability, and mastery of class mechanics. Take time to experiment with different builds, learn enemy patterns, and communicate with your team. With practice, you'll not only survive the hive-infested streets but dominate them in the name of the Emperor!