Warhammer 40,000: Darktide News

[p][/p][p]Earn the Protector of Tertium cosmetics by watching eligible Twitch streams! Make your stay in Tertium a stylish, if deadly, fight for survival.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Watch eligible Twitch streamers while they're live up until July 20 to earn the rewards.[/p][p][/p][h2]Click here, sign up (or log in) and follow the instructions to unlock the cosmetics![/h2][p][/p][p][/p]

[p]The Adeptus Arbites have arrived – Darktide’s first Class DLC. Get the Arbites Class on all platforms today, you can choose between the Standard Edition and the Deluxe Edition. [/p][p][/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p]
[/p][p][/p][p]The Adeptus Arbites enforce the Lex Imperialis – the Imperial Law. The institution’s most visible officers, known as Arbitrators, are utterly unforgiving of those who dare transgress the Law. They are swift to unleash brutal punishment upon those guilty of threatening the Imperium’s working, and no one is beyond their long reach.[/p][p]
They have been present on Tertium for at least as long as Inquisitor Grendyl’s forces, investigating anomalies in the planet’s Tithe offerings.[/p][p]
The situation has grown so grave that Marshall Vortern has decided that the long arm of the Imperial Lex needs to take a firmer grasp of the situation.[/p][p][/p][p]It is worth noting that the Arbites’ arrival takes place after the events of the Battle for Tertium, so while you can absolutely play as an Arbites through the new campaign, some of the story scenes will not be addressed to your type of character. For this reason, we suggest playing the Battle for Tertium for the first time with one of the core characters.[/p][p][/p][h2]Cyber-Mastiff[/h2][p]The Arbitrator's loyal companion and best friend will join you in the slaying of lawbreakers and other scum. After you’re finished with customizing its name and looks, you’ll soon have it fighting alongside you. The Cyber-Mastiff has its own Passive target selection, which it will use to help you against anything that comes too close. You can also command it to attack a specific target, which will override any behaviour of its own. To command your Mastiff, you simply double-tap your Tag Input on any enemy that is eligible to be Tagged.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]When the Cyber-Mastiff attacks a Human-Sized enemy, it will pounce on it, knocking it down and keeping it that way until it kills the enemy, or you order it to attack something else. When attacking any larger enemy the Mastiff will do a jump attack, staggering and dealing damage to the enemy.[/p][p][/p][p]Note: You can change the Command from Double-Tap to Single-Tap in your Input Settings. You can also enable and disable Outlines as well as Names, for your and other Arbitrator’s Companions.[/p][p][/p][h2]Talent Tree[/h2][p]As an Arbitrator you have plenty of options when it comes to how you wish to play. Going from left to right in the Tree we will find a few prominent themes. From Elite killing and Cyber-Mastiff handling, to Hybrid Combat and Supportive Utility, and lastly Crowd Control and Melee. While the Cyber-Mastiff is iconic to the Arbites, if you prefer to play without it, take a look at the Lone Wolf Talent![/p][p]
Let us quickly go through the more impactful choices you can make in the Talent Tree.[/p][h3]
Blitz Abilities [/h3][p]Arbites Grenade[/p][p]Your base Blitz is an Impact Grenade that deals high damage and stagger to anything struck by it.[/p][p]Charges: 3
The upgraded variant increases the maximum number of grenades you can carry to 4.[/p][p][/p][p]Voltaic Shock Mine[/p][p]Throw a Voltaic Shock Mine onto the floor that lies dormant until an enemy comes near. Upon activation the Mine shocks enemies within 3m, electrocuting them for up to 15s.[/p][p]Charges: 2.[/p][p][/p][p]Remote Detonation[/p][p]Cause an electric Explosion around your Cyber-Mastiff's position. This deals Damage, Electrocutes, and Staggers nearby enemies.[/p][p]Charges: 3. You replenish one charge every 60s.[/p][p][/p][h3]Combat Abilities[/h3][p]Nuncio-Aquila[/p][p]Iconic to the Arbites, is the Nuncio-Aquila. Deploy it to create a 7.5m area where allies regenerate 7.5% Toughness per second.  Additionally, Enemies in the area have +15% Damage Taken. Lasts 20s.[/p][p]60s Cooldown.[/p][p]The upgraded variant also grants allies 30% Suppression Dealt, -25% Recoil, 30% Impact, as well as makes them Slowdown Immune, Suppression Immune, and Immune to interruption of Alternate Fire (i.e. Braced attacks and ADS attacks).[/p][p][/p][p]Castigator's Stance[/p][p]Instantly replenish your Toughness and enter the Castigator's Stance for 10s. During the stance you have +15% Movement Speed, 80% Reduced Damage Taken, 100% Reduced Movement Speed Penalties from Actions (e.g. attacking, bracing, aiming, interacting or charging heavy attacks), but you cannot Sprint.[/p][p]45s Cooldown.[/p][p][/p][p]Break the Line[/p][p]Step forward and Bash, causing high Stagger to enemies in front of you, and gain +25% Damage, +50% Impact, for 6s.[/p][p]20s Cooldown.[/p][p][/p][h3]Auras[/h3][p]Part of the Squad[/p][p]Your Cyber-Mastiff is more than just a pet, it is a crucial member of your Team. Your Cyber-Mastiff now counts towards your Coherency count and acts as its own coherency source, increasing the potential distance of your Auras.[/p][p]The upgraded variant also reduces the Toughness Damage Taken by any ally in coherency by 7.5%.[/p][p][/p][p]Ruthless Efficiency[/p][p]You and Allies in Coherency gain additional 7.5% Reload Speed.[/p][p][/p][p]Breaking  Dissent[/p][p]You and Allies in Coherency deal additional +10% Damage vs Staggered Enemies.[/p][p][/p][h3]Keystones[/h3][p]Execution Order[/p][p]Periodically mark Elites, Specialists, and Bosses for Mercy Sanction. Killing a marked enemy replenishes 15% Toughness. Your Cyber Mastiff gains 150% Damage for 8s after attacking a marked enemy. You gain +15% Damage and +10% Attack Speed for 8s after killing a Marked Enemy.[/p][p][/p][p]Terminus Warrant[/p][p]Ranged Attacks grant stacks of Melee Justice for each Enemy Hit (max 30). Melee Hits remove 1 stack(s). While you have stacks of Melee Justice, gain +15% Melee Damage and +25% Melee Impact.[/p][p]Melee Hits grant stacks of Ranged Justice (max 30). Ranged Attacks remove 1 stack(s) for each Enemy Hit. While you have stacks of Ranged Justice, gain +15% Ranged Damage, +50% Ranged Cleave and +50% Suppression.[/p][p][/p][p]Forceful[/p][p]Staggering Hits and Blocked Attacks grant Stacks of Forceful. Lasting 5s and stacking 10 times. Each stack gives +5% Impact and +2.5% Damage Resistance. Remove one stack on damage taken.[/p][h3]
Cyber-Mastiff Iconics[/h3][p]In addition, there are three Talents that affect the Behaviour of your Cyber-Mastiff.[/p][p][/p][p]Unleashed Brutallity[/p][p]Your Cyber-Mastiff prioritises Elite and Specialist Enemies, and deals +25% Damage to them.[/p][p][/p][p]Go Get ‘Em![/p][p]Your Cyber-Mastiff prioritises Ranged Enemies, and deals +50% Damage to them.[/p][p][/p][p]Lone Wolf[/p][p]You are no longer accompanied by your Cyber-Mastiff. Gain +15% Toughness Damage Reduction, +10% Attack Speed, +10% Damage, +1 increased Charges on your Blitz Abilities, and you replenish a charge of your Blitz Ability every 60s. This Iconic cannot be taken with any other Cyber-Mastiff related talent.[/p][p][/p][p][/p]

• [p]To read more about the Adeptus Arbites Talent Tree, you can read our dev blog on our website.[/p]
• [p]You can begin playing around with builds using the Build Simulator on GamesLantern. [/p]
• [p]To read more about the Cyber Mastiff, you can read our dev blog on our website. [/p]
• [p]To read about the unique weapons coming to Adeptus Arbites, read below![/p]

[p][/p][p]The Arbites Class comes with a unique set of new weapons, exclusive to the Arbites![/p][p][/p][h3]Shock Maul and Suppression Shield[/h3][p]Overview[/p][p]The combination of empowered Suppression Shield and Shock Maul gives the Adeptus Arbites unparalleled ability in repressing any kind of uprising, be it disgruntled Lexbreakers from Imperial manufactorums or Chaos-tainted heretics. [/p][p]While its mobility is not impressive, the Shield grants this weapon superior defensive and control properties: in addition to great Stamina and Block Cost values, it has top-tier Push range and strength. [/p][p]Furthermore, the Shield is capable of Blocking ranged fire coming from a frontal angle, but also normally unblockable attacks (like Crusher overhead smashes or Sniper longlas shots). [/p][p]Staggering enemies with either the Maul or the Shield will also inflict the Electrocuted status, which can be used to enable additional effects like the ‘High Voltage’ Blessing. [/p][p]Weapon Special[/p][p]The shield's Special action unleashes a powerful shockwave, staggering and suppressing enemies within a wide frontal cone. This action consumes a portion of the Special charge meter, visible diegetically on the inside of the shield.[/p][p][/p][p]The Special meter regenerates by blocking attacks and slowly over time, with larger enemies granting additional meter. Initiating the Special action requires at least a partial meter.[/p][p] Hold the Special input to precisely time the shockwave; block properties are maintained throughout the action for maximum safety. Use this Special to shift the tide of battle, either by attacking disoriented enemies or executing a tactical reposition.[/p][p] Branx Mk VI Arbites Shock Maul and Suppression Shield[/p][p]This mark is especially easy to use, with immediate access to simple Strikedown attack chains but also Relentless and Vanguard strikes, all with high Impact values.[/p][p]Attacks[/p][p]Light 1: Moderately fast, vertical Strikedown attack with good Damage against all armour types.[/p][p]Light 2: Moderately fast, diagonal Vanguard attack with good Cleave.[/p][p]Light 3: Fast bash Strikedown attack performed with the shield. This attack can easily interrupt enemies.[/p][p]Light 4: Fast poke Strikedown attack, with very good Damage against all armour types.[/p][p]Push-attack: Horizontal Relentless attack with good Impact and Cleave properties. Chains into Light 2 and Heavy 2.[/p][p]Heavy 1: Slow, horizontal Relentless attack performed with the shield, with great Impact and Cleave. This attack can easily inflict Stagger on enemies.[/p][p]Heavy 2: Slow, vertical Strikedown attack with great Damage, Finesse multiplier and armour penetration.[/p][p][/p][p]Suggested Horde combos[/p][p]H1 > L2 > H1 > …[/p][p]Push-attack > L2 > H1 > …[/p][p]H1 >  Block cancel > …[/p][p][/p][p]Suggested Single Target combos[/p][p]L1 > H2 > L3 > L4 > L1 > …[/p][p]L1 > H2 > L3 > H2 > …[/p][p]H1 > H2 > …[/p][p][/p][p]Branx Mk XI Arbites Shock Maul and Suppression Shield[/p][p]This mark does not have immediate access to Strikedown attacks, but makes up for it by granting powerful combo chains which can be easily looped. However, the fastest way of reaching the Strikedown strikes requires some Stamina expenditure.[/p][p]Attacks[/p][p]Light 1: Fast, horizontal Relentless attack with good Impact and Cleave properties.[/p][p]Light 2: Fast, horizontal Relentless attack with good Impact and Cleave properties. Chains into Light 3 and Heavy 1.[/p][p]Light 3: Fast, diagonal uppercut Strikedown attack with good Damage and Finesse multiplier. Chains into Light 4 and Heavy 2.[/p][p]Light 4: Fast vertical Strikedown attack with very good Damage against all armour types. Useful to complete a quick single target combo.[/p][p]Push-attack: Fast, diagonal uppercut Strikedown attack with similar properties as Light 3. Chains into Light 4 and Heavy 2.[/p][p]Heavy 1: Slow, slightly diagonal Relentless attack with great Impact and Cleave.[/p][p]Heavy 2: Slow bash Strikedown attack performed with the shield, with good Damage and Impact. This attack can easily interrupt enemies.[/p][p]Heavy 3: Slow, vertical Strikedown attack with great Damage, Finesse multiplier and armour penetration. Chains into Light 3 and Heavy 2.[/p][p][/p][p]Suggested Horde combos[/p][p]H1 > L2 > H1 > …[/p][p]L1 > L2 > H1 > …[/p][p]H1 >  Block cancel > …[/p][p]L1 > L2 > Block cancel > …[/p][p][/p][p]Suggested Single Target combos[/p][p]Push-Attack > H2 > H3 > H2 > …[/p][p]Push-Attack > H2 > L3 > H2 > …[/p][p]Push-Attack > H2 > L3 > L4 > …[/p][p]Push-Attack > H2 > H3 > L3 > …[/p][p]Push-Attack > L4 > …[/p][p]H1 > H2 > …[/p][p][/p][h3]Arbites Shock Maul[/h3][p]“You fool! Now that I have accepted Grandfather’s gifts, I can never die! – [/p][p][/p][p]Good.”[/p][p][/p][p]Overview[/p][p]When an Arbitrator is in need of maximum brutality, no other weapon comes close to the Arbites Shock Maul: this huge plasteel rod crackling with electrical power can dispatch any foe, sometimes in just one hit if they are lucky.[/p][p][/p][p]With generous Stamina and high Impact on every swing, it can handle itself in all kinds of engagements.[/p][p][/p][p]Staggering enemies will also inflict the Electrocuted status, which can be used to trigger additional effects like the Stun from the Special attacks.[/p][p][/p][p]Weapon Special[/p][p]The Arbites Shock Maul's Special attack is an electrically charged strike capable of controlling and Stunning enemies.[/p][p][/p][p]Pressing the Special input will perform the next attack in the Light chain with modified properties: while the base Damage, Speed and Cleave of the attack will be lowered, the Impact value will be increased and the attack will briefly Stun most enemies.[/p][p][/p][p]Additionally, enemies which are already Electrocuted will be Stunned for multiple seconds, while also receiving significant damage over time.[/p][p]This damage is particularly effective against enemies clad in Flak or Carapace armour. [/p][p]Since the Special attack does not require any activation or recharge period, it can be weaved into combos at any opportune time.[/p][p] Branx Mk III Arbites Shock Maul[/p][p]Thanks to its multiple vertical Strikedown attacks, this weapon mark can easily dispatch foes of any size.[/p][p]The attack chain from Push-attack allows to combo directly in other Relentless strikes, allowing for great crowd control at the cost of some Stamina.[/p][p][/p][p]Attacks[/p][p]Light 1 / Light 2: Moderately fast, vertical Strikedown attacks with good Damage against all armour types.[/p][p]Light 3: Fast diagonal uppercut Relentless attack with good Impact and Cleave properties.[/p][p]Light 4: Moderately fast diagonal Vanguard attack with good Damage and Cleave properties.[/p][p]Push-attack: Horizontal Relentless attack with similar properties as Light 3. Chains into Light 3 and a unique Heavy follow-up.[/p][p]Heavy 1: Slow, vertical Strikedown attack with great Damage, Finesse multiplier and armour penetration.[/p][p]Heavy 2: Slow, horizontal Relentless attack with great Impact and Cleave.[/p][p]Heavy follow-up from Push-attack: Slow, horizontal Relentless attack with similar properties as Heavy 2. Chains into Light 4 and Heavy 2.[/p][p][/p][p]Suggested Horde combos[/p][p]Push-attack > L3 > H2 > L3 > ...[/p][p]Push-attack > L3 > L4 > Block cancel > ...[/p][p]Push-attack > Hfollow-up > H2 > L3 > …[/p][p]Push-attack > Hfollow-up > L4 > Block cancel > …[/p][p](Light attacks can be swapped out for Special attacks for more control at the cost of Damage and Cleave.)[/p][p][/p][p]Suggested Single Target combos[/p][p]H1 > L2 > H1 > …[/p][p]L1 > L2 > H1 > …[/p][p]L1 > L2 > Block cancel > …[/p][p]H1 > H2 > H1 > …[/p][p](Light attacks can be swapped out for Special attacks for more control at the cost of Damage and Cleave.)[/p][p] [/p][h3]Subductor Shotpistol and Riot Shield[/h3][p]Judgment Mk IV Subductor Shotpistol and Riot Shield[/p][p]Overview[/p][p]Introducing Darktide’s first ranged weapon with shield. The Arbites Shotpistol combines a heavy, shell-shooting revolver with the protective capabilities of a Riot Shield.[/p][p][/p][p]The weapon trades mobility for defense, fielding a large Stamina amount and top-tier Block cost values.[/p][p] Very effective at shorter ranges, with a limited 5-shot cylinder magazine and a speedloader reload system.[/p][p] Primary Fire[/p][p]Fire justice-dispensing shells towards anyone that defies the Lex, without sacrificing mobility.[/p][p][/p][p]Secondary Fire[/p][p]Secondary fire braces the shield for blocking, whilst still allowing the shotpistol to shoot. The Riot Shield can block all kinds of melee and ranged attacks, but mobility will be reduced.[/p][p][/p][p]Weapon Special[/p][p]The specials on these weapons are both shield related.[/p][p]Utilize a quick push attack for when enemies get too close by pressing and immediately releasing the Special input.[/p][p]Alternatively, keep the Special input pressed to strike with a heavy shield swipe and deal significant damage and stagger, lining enemies up for an easy follow up shot.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]Exterminator Shotgun [/h3][p]Overview[/p][p]A large, powerful Will of the Lex dispensing shotgun![/p][p][/p][p]While its fire rate is not the fastest, each shot packs a punch with exceptional damage and a good amount of cleave.[/p][p][/p][p]It’s got quick handling that makes it suitable for close combat, but it remains very competent at medium or even long ranges when in secondary aimed fire mode.[/p][p][/p][p]Exaction Mk III Exterminator Shotgun[/p][p]The Mk III has a dynamic choke: shoot in hipfire mode into large groups with a large horizontal spread or aim for improved precision and tighter group of pellets in secondary braced fire mode.[/p][p][/p][p]Exaction Mk VIII Exterminator Shotgun[/p][p]While still being a large pump-action shotgun, the Mk VIII comes with an extended barrel and is a standard spread, heavy-hitter variant with good damage into armoured enemies.[/p][p][/p][p]The amount of shells that can be loaded is lower compared to the Mk III version, but the tighter spread makes this mark very capable against priority targets also at longer ranges.[/p][p][/p][p]The pellet spread becomes even more accurate in secondary braced fire mode.[/p][p] Weapon Special[/p][p]With the Arbites shotgun, we are introducing a new type of special ammo.[/p][p]The design intent for this is for them to be an active choice to use, but to have a larger impact on tough engagements.[/p][p][/p][p]The number of special shells are limited and visible on the weapon's top rack, for a maximum of 6 special shells on both marks; only one special shell can be loaded at once. [/p][p][/p][p]Special shells are replenished when picking up ammunition.[/p][p][/p][p]Both shotgun variants' special shells retain their (high) regular damage output, plus special properties:[/p]

• [p]Mk III: Electric Shells - Stun enemies upon impact and give Electrocution debuff with Damage over time. [/p]
• [p]Mk VIII: Armor-breaking Shells - Gives a significant Brittleness debuff to enemies hit for several seconds, helping both the player and the other teammates to focus fire on impervious threats.[/p]

[p][/p][p]This is the will of the Lex.[/p][p][/p][p]We’ll see you on the Mourningstar. [/p][p][/p][p]– The Darktide Team[/p]

[p]New In-Game Event: Inferno[/p][p]The streets of Tertium are aflame. Whether by heretic plot or over-zealous Imperial enforcement makes no real difference. Missions must still run, so be careful down there. You're literally dropping into a hot zone.[/p][p][/p][p]To make progress in the event, complete missions with the Inferno condition.[/p][p][/p][p]This event will start on Monday, June 23. The rewards will be Ordo dockets, Plasteel and Diamantine. Those who complete the last tier of the event will receive a cosmetic portrait frame.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p]

[p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p][p] [/p][h2]The Battle for Tertium[/h2][p]The core player experience has been reworked to provide a new clearer narrative focus, following the conflict of the Battle for Tertium. Players will now experience a linear campaign with new mission debriefs and embedded cinematics. This new progression path is designed to ease in new players and gradually unlock features that were previously gated by character level.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]While previously each new player’s experience was completely random, the Battle for Tertium narrative presents maps, enemies and characters in a specific order, allowing players to discover all aspects of the game at a much better pace.[/p][p][/p][p]The story missions play the same as regular missions, except that these missions have a more tight control over which enemies spawn. You might also hear some new VO lines during missions, and some brand new mission debrief cinematics when completing each mission.[/p][p][/p][p]Existing players with characters at level 10 or higher can choose to skip the story or play it from the beginning. Players who change their minds about playing the campaign can opt out by using the Personality Scourge at the Barber-Chirurgeon. Note: If you decide to skip the story when you first log-in with this update, you cannot revert this decision. The only way to play the story after choosing to skip it is to create a new character. Additional note: The option to replay story missions at any time is still in progress. [/p][p][/p][p]It is worth noting that the Arbites’ arrival takes place after the events of the Battle for Tertium, so while you can absolutely play as an Arbites through the new campaign (once the class releases, later today!), some of the story scenes will not be addressed to your type of character. For this reason, we suggest playing the Battle for Tertium for the first time with one of the core characters.[/p][p][/p][h3]Mission Board Rework[/h3][p]A new mission board system will be bringing several changes to how you engage with missions and difficulties. Missions are no longer tied to a specific difficulty, allowing you to select a mission and then choose the difficulty you want. This will effectively increase the amount of mission options available for players of all difficulty levels. While most circumstances remain consistent across difficulty levels, some are disabled on lower difficulties. Notably, Maelstrom missions are exclusive to the Heresy and Auric difficulties.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Additionally, the difficulty system has also been overhauled. You now unlock new difficulties by completing missions rather than leveling up your characters. You must prove your skills at your current maximum difficulty to unlock access to the next one. We intend to create a motivation for new players to master the game step by step, and for veteran players to feel assured that their teammates have earned the right to be there.[/p][p]You will make progress by playing missions at your current maximum difficulty. Completing missions advances your progress. Mission Failures reduce your progress slightly but you will never be demoted to a lower difficulty. Higher difficulties will require you to complete more missions to unlock them.[/p][p][/p][p]For existing characters, your difficulty progression will be migrated based on their character level and completed missions.[/p][p][/p][p]Auric is now a standalone difficulty tier, placed above Damnation. We felt that Auric Heresy fell in an awkward spot compared to Damnation, with the increased mission options per difficulty, we decided it was best to turn Auric into its own difficulty level. Additionally, we have removed Sedition difficulty and made a few minor changes to Uprising to take its place, as we felt there was too much downtime with too few enemies between hordes. These changes aim to keep you in the action more often.[/p][p][/p][h2]The Secrets of the Shipmistress[/h2][p]Sefoni’s indiscretions are getting worse! During Mortis Trials, keen-eared Rejects now have the opportunity to sift pieces of Shipmistress Brahms’ past from the psychic chatter. How did she inherit the Mourningstar? What is she hiding? Is she really on the same side as Grendyl, let alone his irksome busybodies? Delve deeper into all these and more across dozens of new memory echoes, unlockable by claiming victory in the Mortis Trials![/p][p]Dev Note: If you've ever wanted to relisten to the memory echoes you've unlocked in the Mortis Trials, you should take a look behind the pillars in the Meat Grinder.[/p][p][/p][h2]New difficulty for Mortis Trials[/h2][p]Since the release of Mortis Trials we have noticed people requesting a higher challenge in Mortis Trials! So, we are adding a new difficulty, Auric, as well as some other small changes.[/p]

• [p]There will now be a shorter time in between waves.[/p]
• [p]Waves will now have more enemies and enemy types increasing variety.[/p]
• [p]We are changing the base difficulty to match an Auric difficulty mission.[/p]

[p][/p][p]The streets of Tertium are aflame. Whether by heretic plot or over-zealous Imperial enforcement makes no real difference. Missions must still run, so be careful down there. You're literally dropping into a hot zone.[/p][p][/p][p]To make progress in the event, complete missions with the Inferno condition.[/p][p][/p][p]This event will start on Monday, June 23. The rewards will be Ordo dockets, Plasteel and Diamantine. Those who complete the last tier of the event will receive a cosmetic portrait frame.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Havoc Maintenance: With the upcoming release of this update, Havoc will be unavailable from June 23, 2025 from 00:00 to approximately 12:00 UTC.[/p][h2]New Mission Pool[/h2]

• [p]Power Matrix HL-17-36[/p]
• [p]Magistrati Oubliette TM8-707[/p]
• [p]Archivum Sycorax[/p]
• [p]Dark Communion[/p]
• [p]Refinery Delta-17[/p]
• [p]Smelter Complex HL17-36[/p]
• [p]Chasm Station HL-16-11[/p]
• [p]Excise Vault Spireside-13[/p]
• [p]Consignment Yard HL17-36[/p]
• [p]Chasm Logistratum[/p]

[h2]Mutators[/h2]

• [p]Pus-Hardened Skin[/p]
• [p]The Final Toll[/p]
• [p]Heinous Rituals[/p]
• [p]The Encroaching Garden[/p]
• [p]Rampaging Enemies [/p]

[p]The in-game event condition, Inferno, will temporarily be available during the first rotation in this campaign, as well.[/p][p][/p]

• [p]Increased maximum number of operatives to 8.[/p]
• [p]Increased maximum number of weapon loadouts to 8.[/p]
• [p]Added a total of ~900 new banter conversations, both between the original cast and Arbites.[/p]

[p] [/p][h2]Catachan "Devil's Claw" Swords[/h2][p]This batch of changes for the Devil’s Claw swords aims at further reinforcing the crowd control and reliability of the family.[/p][p][/p][p]We increased the offensive properties of the Light attack profiles, while also significantly increasing the armour damage modifiers (“adm” from now on) of the Heavy Strikedown and Special Riposte profiles against specific armour types.[/p][p] We improved the base Stamina statistic, reduced the minimum Block time (the amount of time that the Block stance must be maintained after performing the input) and allowed for most attacks and attack starts to be performed while sprinting. This will make the weapon snappier and more responsive in different situations.[/p][p][/p][p]Finally, we took a pass on all attacks to tweak active windows, ranges and hitboxes to be better aligned with their animations. [/p][p]For the Mk I, we added a new Heavy Strikedown attack, only reached from Light 3. In turn, the Light 3 attack is now reachable also from the Push action, and has an increased baseline power multiplier.  [/p][p]These additions will grant additional options to a mark which was lacking in single target attacks. [/p][p]For the Mk IV, we raised the power level multiplier of the Light 4 attack as it was very far into the attack chain and not particularly enticing. [/p][p]For the Mk VII, we increased the power level multiplier of the Pushfollow and Light 3 attacks while also changing the possible combos after a Riposte attack. [/p][p]Now after a successful Special Parry, the combo will chain into the Pushfollow attack instead of Light 3; as the Pushfollow attack still chains into Light 3, this will give the mark a new unique chain. [/p][h3]Detailed Changes - Catachan "Devil's Claw" Swords[/h3][p]Damage profiles[/p]

• [p]Light Vanguard[/p]
  • [p]1st target damage from {40, 80} to {60, 100}.[/p]

[p]Dev Note: The change will also affect the Turtolsky Heavy Swords Special followup Light attacks.[/p]

• [p]Light Strikedown / Light Strikedown Stab[/p]
  • [p]1st target adm vs Maniac from 1 to 1.25.[/p]
  • [p]1st target damage from {100, 200} to {115, 230}.[/p]
  • [p]2nd target damage from {25,60} to {40,80}.[/p]

[p]Dev Note: The changes will also affect the Turtolsky Heavy Swords Pushfollow attacks and the Maccabian Mk V Duelling Sword Light 3 attack.[/p]

• [p]Heavy Strikedown[/p]
  • [p]1st target adm vs Unarmoured from 1 to 1.1.[/p]
  • [p]1st target adm vs Unyielding from 0.75 to 1.25.[/p]
• [p]Riposte[/p]
  • [p]1st target adm vs Unarmoured from 1 to 1.25.[/p]
  • [p]1st target adm vs Unyielding from 1 to 1.25.[/p]
  • [p]1st target adm vs Carapace armour from 0.25 to 0.5.[/p]

[p]All marks[/p]

• [p]Added Allowed during sprint to most attacks and attack starts.[/p]
• [p]Block minimum time from 0.3 to 0.225.[/p]
• [p]Stamina template update:[/p]
  • [p]Base Stamina from 4 to 4.5.[/p]
• [p]Tweaked damage windows, hitboxes and ranges for several attacks.[/p]
• [p]Updated Inspect screen to correct some attack gestalt icons (visual only change).[/p]

[p]Mk I[/p]

• [p]Added a new Heavy Strikedown attack with 540 power level multiplier .[/p]
  • [p]This attack will chain only from Light 3.[/p]
• [p]Light 3 chains now to Light 2 / new Heavy Strikedown instead of Light 1 / Heavy 1.[/p]
• [p]Push chains now to Light 3 / Heavy 1 instead of Light 1 / Heavy 1.[/p]
• [p]Heavy 2 chain time to Start attack from 0.55 to 0.5.[/p]
• [p]Push chain time to Start attack from 0.35 to 0.3.[/p]
• [p]Added 545 power level multiplier to Light 3 (from default 500).[/p]
• [p]Added 535 power level multiplier to Pushfollow attack (from default 500).[/p]

[p]Mk IV[/p]

• [p]Heavy 1 windup from secondary start from 0.56 to 0.46.[/p]
• [p]Added 550 power level multiplier to Light 4 (from default 500).[/p]

[p]Mk VII[/p]

• [p]Pushfollow damage profile from Light Strikedown to Light Strikedown Stab.[/p]
• [p]Riposte chains now to Pushfollow / Heavy 1 instead of Light 3 / Heavy 1.[/p]
• [p]Added 535 power level multiplier to Light 3 (from default 500).[/p]
• [p]Added 525 power level multiplier to Pushfollow attack (from default 500).[/p]

[h2]Atrox Tactical Axes[/h2][p]While sporting overall good mobility, the Tactical Axes had only average Sprint values. [/p][p]We significantly improved their Sprint profile, while also allowing for most attacks and attack starts to be performed while sprinting. [/p][p]We also significantly raised the damage of the Special attacks and added a new profile for the Heavy Strikedowns with a vertical or uppercut direction, with increased damage and Carapace armour modifier. [/p][p]Finally, we took a pass on all attacks to tweak active windows, ranges and hitboxes to be better aligned with their animations. [/p][p]For the Mk II, we added a power level boost to the Light 3 attack, as it is further into the attack chain, and to both Special attacks, as they are slower compared to the other two marks. [/p][p]For the Mk IV, we upgraded the damage profile for both Heavy attacks and slightly lowered their chain timings, as they are both performed in a vertical or uppercut direction. [/p][p]For the Mk VII, we added a power level boost to all Light attacks, as they inflict a higher movement speed penalty compared to the Lights of the other marks, and changed the Heavy 2 profile to the new Heavy Strikedown. [/p][h3]Detailed Changes - Atrox Tactical Axes[/h3][p]Damage profiles[/p]

• [p]Light Assassin[/p]
  • [p]Added 3rd target.[/p]
• [p]Heavy Strikedown (diagonal)[/p]
  • [p]Adm vs Carapace armour from 0.25 to 0.3.[/p]
• [p]Added a new Heavy Strikedown profile for vertical and uppercut attacks, with the same. properties as Heavy Strikedown (diagonal) aside from:[/p]
  • [p]1st target damage from {100,200} to {115,230}.[/p]
  • [p]1st target adm vs Carapace armour from 0.3 to 0.5.[/p]
• [p]Special Stab[/p]
  • [p]1st target damage from {25,50} to {70,140}.[/p]
  • [p]Removed Crit Chance bonus.[/p]
• [p]Special Strikedown[/p]
  • [p]1st target damage from {25,50} to {60,120}.[/p]
  • [p]1st target impact from {8,16} to {10,20}.[/p]
  • [p]Removed Crit Chance bonus.[/p]

[p]All marks[/p]

• [p]Sprint template from “default” to “assault”.[/p]
  • [p]Forward acceleration from {0.15, 0.4} to {0.4, 0.8}.[/p]
  • [p]Forward deceleration from 1.25 to 2.1.[/p]
  • [p]Sprint speed modifier from {-0.5, 0.5} to {-0.25, 0.85}.[/p]
• [p]Increased action total time for most Heavy attacks.[/p]
  • [p]This will make continuing the combo chain after the attacks more forgiving.[/p]
• [p]Added Allowed during sprint to most attacks and attack starts.[/p]
• [p]Tweaked damage windows, hitboxes and ranges for most attacks.[/p]
• [p]Buffer time for the Special input from 0.2 to 0.4.[/p]

[p]Mk II[/p]

• [p]Added power level multiplier 515 to Light 3 (from default 500).[/p]
• [p]Added power level multiplier 550 to Special 1 and Special 2 (from default 500).[/p]

[p]Mk IV[/p]

• [p]Changed damage profile of Heavy 1 and Heavy 2 from Heavy Strikedown (diagonal) to the new Heavy Strikedown (vertical/uppercut).[/p]
• [p]Lowered chain times to Start Attack and Special Attack from Heavy 1 and Heavy 2 from 0.5 to 0.4.[/p]
• [p]Added power level multiplier 515 to Heavy 2 (from default 500).[/p]

[p]Mk VII[/p]

• [p]Changed damage profile of Heavy 2 from Heavy Strikedown (diagonal) to the new Heavy Strikedown (vertical/uppercut).[/p]
• [p]Added power level multiplier 550 to Light 1,  Light 2,  Light 3 (from default 500).[/p]

[h2]Shock Mauls[/h2][p]The Shock Mauls, while being dependable in inflicting stagger, were also below average in damage output and overall not very exciting. [/p][p]We increased the damage against the 1st target on most profiles, with a particularly large bonus to the Heavy Strikedown and Special attacks. [/p][p]We also enhanced the base Stamina and Dodge templates, and tweaked hitboxes and active windows of some attacks to better align with their animations. [/p][p]For the attacks with an uppercut direction (Light 3 on the Mk Ia / Light 4 on the Mk III) we slightly delayed the start of the attack active window to make it easier to connect with weakspots. [/p][p]Finally, for the Mk Ia, we added power level multipliers to the Light 3 and Light 4 attacks, to make them a more enticing combo alternative to just returning to Heavy 1. [/p][h3]Detailed Changes - Shock Mauls[/h3][p]Damage profiles[/p]

• [p]Light Strikedown[/p]
  • [p]1st target damage from {100,200} to {115,210}.[/p]
• [p]Light Vanguard[/p]
  • [p]Cleave from “light” to “medium”.[/p]
    • [p]From {3.0,6.0} to {4.0,9.0}.[/p]
  • [p]1st target damage from {100,150} to {110,165}.[/p]
• [p]Heavy Relentless[/p]
  • [p]1st target damage from {110,260} to {120,270}.[/p]
• [p]Heavy Strikedown[/p]
  • [p]Cleave from “big” to “light”.[/p]
    • [p]From {8.5,12.5} to {3.0,6.0}.[/p]
  • [p]1st target damage from {140,350} to {160,390}.[/p]
  • [p]4th target damage override removed (from 0 to {30,50}).[/p]
• [p]Light Relentless[/p]
  • [p]adm vs Maniac from 0.8 to 0.75.[/p]
  • [p]adm vs Carapace armour from 0.75 to 0.4.[/p]
  • [p]1st target damage from {80,150} to {90,165}.[/p]
• [p]Special attack[/p]
  • [p]Sticky damage tick from {10,70} to {30,80}.[/p]
  • [p]Stun damage tick from {40,50} to {50,65}.[/p]

[p]All marks[/p]

• [p]Stamina template update:[/p]
  • [p]Base Stamina from 4 to 4.5.[/p]
  • [p]Sprint cost per second from {1.5, 0.5} to {1.25, 0.75}.[/p]
  • [p]Inner angle Block cost from {1.5, 0.5} to {1.0, 0.5}.[/p]
• [p]Dodge template update:[/p]
  • [p]Effective dodges limit from {3, 4}, to {3, 5}.[/p]
    • [p]From 4 to 5 maximum effective dodges at high Mobility stat.[/p]
  • [p]Dodge distance from {0.85, 1.0} to {0.9, 1.1}.[/p]
  • [p]Dodge speed from {1.0, 1.2} to 1.0.[/p]

[p]Mk Ia[/p]

• [p]Light 1 damage profile from Light Relentless to Light Vanguard.[/p]
• [p]Added power level multiplier 530 to Light 3 (from default 500).[/p]
• [p]Added power level multiplier 550 to Light 4 (from default 500).[/p]
• [p]Tweaked hitboxes for Light 3 and Light 4.[/p]
• [p]Tweaked damage windows for Light 4 to make it easier to connect with weak spots.[/p]

[p]Mk III[/p]

• [p]Tweaked hitboxes and damage windows for Light 1 and Light 2.[/p]
• [p]Tweaked damage windows for Light 3 to make it easier to connect with weakspots.[/p]

[p][/p][h2]Tigrus Heavy Eviscerators[/h2][p]The Eviscerator’s thunder was in part stolen by the Relic Blades, which have overall better cleave properties while also being no slouch in the single target department. [/p][p]To give these iconic Zealot weapons a deserved bump, we tweaked most of the attack profiles: we removed the damage caps on secondary targets for the sweeping Vanguard/Relentless attacks, but also increased several armour modifier values, significantly improved the damage on the Heavy profiles and normalised most of the Special active profiles. [/p][p]For the Mk III, we changed the chain times to key actions after the Heavy 1 attack to make it more responsive but less spammable with swap cancelling, slightly increased the speed of the Light 2 attack and added a power level multiplier to the Light 3 and Heavy 2 attacks. [/p][h3]Detailed Changes - Tigrus Heavy Eviscerators[/h3][p]Damage profiles[/p]

• [p]Light Strikedown[/p]
  • [p]adm vs Maniac from 0.5 to 0.9.[/p]
  • [p]adm vs Infested from 0.75 to 1.[/p]
  • [p]Removed adm reduction on 1st target vs Carapace armour; from 0.1 to 0.25.[/p]
• [p]Light Vanguard/Relentless[/p]
  • [p]Upped damage on secondary targets.[/p]
  • [p]Removed damage cap after 4th target.[/p]
• [p]Heavy Vanguard[/p]
  • [p]1st target damage from {150,300} to {165,345}.[/p]
  • [p]1st target finesse multiplier from 0.5 to {0.4,1.0}.[/p]
  • [p]Upped damage on secondary targets.[/p]
• [p]Heavy Strikedown[/p]
  • [p]1st target damage from {150,300} to {175,350}.[/p]
  • [p]1st target adm vs Carapace armour from 0.25 to 0.5.[/p]
  • [p]1st target finesse multiplier from 0.5 to {0.5, 1.0}.[/p]
• [p]Light Strikedown (Special active)[/p]
  • [p]Removed damage overrides.[/p]
  • [p]Removed finesse multiplier override.[/p]
• [p]Light Vanguard/Heavy Strikedown/Pushfollow (Special active)[/p]
  • [p]Removed damage overrides.[/p]

[p]All marks[/p]

• [p]Added 0.4s buffer time to the Unwield input.[/p]

[p] Mk III[/p]

• [p]Heavy 1 chain to Unwield from 0 to 0.45.[/p]
• [p]Heavy 1 chain to Start attack from 0.6 to 0.45.[/p]
• [p]Heavy 1 chain to Block from 0.7 to 0.6.[/p]
• [p]Light 2 time scale from 0.85 to 0.9 (sped up).[/p]
• [p]Added power level multiplier 525 to Heavy 2 and Light 3 (from default 500).[/p]
• [p]Updated Heavy 2 and Pushfollow attack damage profiles on Special abort.[/p]

[p]Mk XV[/p]

• [p]Updated Pushfollow attack damage profiles on Special active and Special abort.[/p]

[h2]Lucius Helbore Lasguns[/h2][p]The Helbore Lasguns suffered from a very long Wield action duration, making it hard to quickly swap to priority targets (especially accounting also for the charging shots).[/p][p]While this behaviour was intended, it also became increasingly punishing as the enemy numbers grew in higher difficulties. [/p][p]In this balancing pass we sped up the Wield action, walking the line of maintaining the cumbersome feeling while also allowing for the weapons to be easier to swap into. [/p][p]Alongside this change, we improved some of the armour and Finesse modifiers for ranged shots, and extended the hitscan radius of the las projectiles*, to make it easier for the weapon to shine as a marksman tool.[/p][p]* This will make the hitscan detection more generous and allow for shots that would have slightly missed the target to still be considered a hit. [/p][p]For the Mk V, we slightly increased the camera zoom in ADS mode. [/p][p]For the Mk IV, we increased the camera zoom in ADS mode to be equivalent as the Mk IIIa. [/p][p]We also improved the speed and offensive properties of the Special Slash attack, to be more in line with the Special Stab used in the other marks. [/p][h3]Detailed Changes - Lucius Helbore Lasguns[/h3][p]Damage profiles[/p]

• [p]Near charged shot [/p]
  • [p]adm vs Unarmoured from 1 to 1.1.[/p]
  • [p]adm vs Maniac from 1 to 1.25.[/p]
  • [p]adm vs Infested from 1 to 1.1.[/p]
• [p]Far charged shot[/p]
  • [p]adm vs Unarmoured from 1 to 1.25.[/p]
  • [p]adm vs Infested from 1 to 1.25.[/p]
• [p]All shots Finesse Boost[/p]
  • [p]vs Carapace armour from 0.1 to 0.2.[/p]
  • [p]vs Maniac from 0.25 to 0.35.[/p]
  • [p]vs Unyielding from 0.25 to 0.3.[/p]
• [p]Special Slash[/p]
  • [p]Added Ignore stagger reduction.[/p]
  • [p]1st target finesse multiplier from 0.75 to 1.[/p]

[p]All Marks[/p]

• [p]Added time scale 1.5 to Wield action (sped up).[/p]
• [p]Added 0.05 radius to hitscan templates.[/p]
• [p]Buffer time for the Special input from 0.2 to 0.4.[/p]

[p]Mk V[/p]

• [p]ADS Vertical Field of View from 65 to 55.[/p]

[p]Mk IV[/p]

• [p]Chain from Special start to Special attack from 0.3 to 0.25.[/p]
• [p]Chain from Special attack to Special start from 0.7 to 0.645.[/p]
• [p]Tweaked Special attack hitbox and damage window.[/p]
• [p]ADS Vertical Field of View from 65 to 45.[/p]

[p][/p][h2]Combat Shotguns[/h2][p]The Combat Shotguns have been in a spot where they are mostly used for their Special shells, while the normal shots felt underwhelming in most circumstances. They also suffered from long reload times relative to other weapons.[/p][p]With this update we are trying to improve the overall usability without relying solely on the Special mechanic.[/p][p]Along with increased base damage and reload speed, the Combat Shotgun family gets updated Sprint and Stamina templates, to enable a more mobile, close-range playstyle and not rely only on precision weak-spot shots.[/p][p]We also significantly increased the ammo reserves for all marks. [/p][p]Finally, we slightly increased the Cleave and Impact values to allow it to punch through lesser enemies. [/p][p]For the Mk VII, we aligned the Finesse boost curve between hipfire and ADS modes. [/p][p]For the Mk IX, we slightly extended the Near and Far effective ranges. [/p][h3]Detailed Changes - Combat Shotguns[/h3][p]All Marks[/p]

• [p]Sprint template from “killshot” to “assault”.[/p]
  • [p]Sprint forward acceleration from {0.15, 0.4} to {0.4, 0.8}.[/p]
  • [p]Sprint forward deceleration from 1.25 to 2.1.[/p]
  • [p]Sprint sideway acceleration/deceleration from 5 to 7.[/p]
  • [p]Sprint speed modifier from {0.5, 0.5} to {0.25, 0.85}.[/p]
• [p]Updated Stamina template [/p]
  • [p]Stamina modifier from 2 to 4.[/p]
  • [p]Sprint cost per second from {2, 1.5} to {1.5, 0.5}.[/p]
• [p]Increased Reload speed by around 10%[/p]
  • [p]Affecting both regular and special shells.[/p]

[p]Damage profiles[/p]

• [p]Zarona MK VI[/p]
  • [p]Damage from {250, 500} to {300, 600}.[/p]
  • [p]Cleave[/p]
    • [p]Cleave attack From 0.01 to {2, 4}.[/p]
    • [p]Cleave impact from 0.01 to {2, 4}.[/p]
  • [p]Ammo reserve from {60, 80} to {70, 95}.[/p]
• [p]Agripinaa Mk VII[/p]
  • [p]Damage from {200, 400} to {250, 480}.[/p]
  • [p]Cleave[/p]
    • [p]Cleave attack From 1.3 to 2.5.[/p]
    • [p]Cleave impact from 1.3 to 2.5.[/p]
  • [p]Ammo reserve from {75, 95} to {80, 105}.[/p]
  • [p]Finesse boost curve shooting from HipFire increased to match ADS.[/p]
    • [p]{0.6,1.2} to {1.25,2.5}.[/p]
• [p]Accatran Mk IX[/p]
  • [p]Damage from {450, 700} to {550, 740}.[/p]
  • [p]Cleave[/p]
    • [p]Cleave attack From 2 to 3.5.[/p]
    • [p]Cleave impact from 1 to 3.[/p]
  • [p]Ranges[/p]
    • [p]Close range from {6, 8} to {6, 11}.[/p]
    • [p]Long range from {12, 16}  to {12, 17}.[/p]
  • [p]Ammo reserve from {45, 65} to {55, 85}.[/p]

[h2]Double-barreled Shotgun[/h2][p]To increase the reliability of the weapon against bigger targets, we increased the armour damage modifier against the Unyielding type at both Near and Far ranges. [/p][p]Additionally, we slightly raised the ammo reserves to allow for more aggressive approaches. [/p][h3]Detailed Changes - Double-barreled Shotgun[/h3][p]Damage profiles[/p]

• [p]adm vs Unyielding[/p]
  • [p]Near from 1.0 to 1.1.[/p]
  • [p]Far from 0.5 to 0.65.[/p]

• [p]Ammo reserve increased from {40, 80} to {50, 90}. [/p]

[p][/p][h2]Weapons and Blessings[/h2]

• [p]Fixed an issue where the description for the 'Run n Gun' blessing was displaying incorrect prefixes.[/p]

[p][/p][h2]Classes[/h2][h3]Psyker[/h3]

• [p]Fixed an issue where the Disrupt Destiny keystone sometimes failed to show stacks in the HUD.[/p]

[p][/p][h2]Missions[/h2][h3]Inter-Zone Void Sector Omega-12[/h3][p]Clandestium Gloriana[/p]

• [p]Fixed several places in Clandestium Gloriana where players could get out of bounds.[/p]
• [p]Rotated the door after the mid event in Clandestium Gloriana to avoid players getting trapped behind it when it opens. [/p]

[p][/p][h2]UI/UX and Animation [/h2]

• [p]Fixed an issue where an “additional objectives” string in the Penance menu would not localize correctly.  [/p]

[p][/p][h2]Miscellaneous [/h2]

• [p]Deadzone options now apply to both sticks when playing on controller.[/p]

[p][/p][h2]Cosmetics[/h2]

• [p]Fixed clipping issue on the Zealot “Stygian Kantrael MK IVG Flak Helm” headgear.  [/p]
• [p]Fixed clipping issue behind the arms on the Veteran “Stygian MK lll Flak vest” upper body.  [/p]
• [p]Fixed longer hairstyles clipping issue with the Psyker “Stygian MK IV Psykana Collar with Rebreather” headgear.  [/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue where the Psyker “Illius Pattern Battleshoud with Psykana Collar (Burn Sulphur)” headgear would remove the operative's eyebrows.  [/p]
• [p]Fixed issues with the Veteran “Militarum Field Jacket” upper body clipping with “Militarum Type 47” lower body.  [/p]
• [p]Fixed issues where the following Veteran headgear cosmetics would clip certain hairstyles  [/p]
  • [p]Ock's Blood Goggles[/p]
  • [p]Tinker Zard's Superior High-vis Goggles[/p]
  • [p]Chasm Railer Goggles[/p]
• [p]Fixed corrupted texture on Veteran “Vostroyan Hat with Tox Guard Face Mask (Mountain Snow)” headgear.  [/p]
• [p]Fixed clipping issue on the Veteran “Stygian Mk I Armoured Fatigues” lowerbody. [/p]

[p][/p][h2]Earn the Protector of Tertium Cosmetics[/h2][p][/p][p]Earn the Protector of Tertium cosmetics by watching eligible Twitch streams! Make your stay in Tertium a stylish, if deadly, fight for survival.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Watch eligible Twitch streamers while they're live up until July 20 to earn the rewards.[/p][p][/p][h2]Click here, sign up (or log in) and follow the instructions to unlock the cosmetics![/h2][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]This is the will of the Lex.[/p][p][/p][p]We’ll see you on the Mourningstar. [/p][p][/p][p]– The Darktide Team[/p]

[p][/p][p]Today we’re showcasing the new tools of justice coming your way just for Arbites. In addition to the arsenal already at your disposal in the game (five melee and nine ranged weapons), four new unique weapons have been crafted to bring swift judgment to lexbreakers. We’ll also take you behind the scenes, sharing how these righteous implements were forged.[/p][p]Here’s what’s hitting the field with the Arbites DLC:[/p]

• [p]Exterminator Shotgun: Unleash righteous fury with Special Issue shells.[/p]
• [p]Subductor Shotpistol and Riot Shield: Darktide’s first hybrid ranged/defense combo.[/p]
• [p]Arbites Shock Maul: Crush dissent with every electrified swing…[/p]
• [p]Shock Maul and Suppression Shield: …And if that’s not enough, bring the bash too.[/p]

[p][/p][h2]Design[/h2][p]For the design direction of these weapons we spoke to Matteo and Erik, Designers on Darktide who helped bring these weapons to life.[/p][p][/p][p]How does the Arbites shotgun special shell work?
With the Arbites shotgun, we are introducing a new type of limited specials.[/p][p]New Functionality:[/p]

• [p]Limited Special Shells[/p]
  • [p]The number of special shells are limited and visible on the weapon’s top rack.[/p]
  • [p]Special shells are replenished when picking up ammunition.[/p]
  • [p]Both shotgun variants’ special shells retain their (high) regular damage output, plus special properties.[/p]

[p]Specific Shell Variants:[/p]

• [p]Mk III: Electric Shells - Stun enemies upon impact and give Electrocution debuff with Damage over time.[/p]
• [p]Mk VIII: Rending Shells - Gives armor-breaking debuff.[/p]

[p]Notes: The design intent for this is to give room for them to have a high impact. To be powerful with utility but scarce, so that you should consider saving it for difficult encounters.[/p][p][/p][p]Are there synergies planned between the weapons and the rest of the Arbites’ Talent Tree?[/p][p]The Arbites talent tree has several nodes which enhance and/or are triggered by Blocking, which the Shock Maul & Suppression Shield and the Shotpistol & Riot Shield can easily utilize due to their strong block properties.[/p][p]The Arbites Shock Maul can benefit from any source of Electrocution to trigger its powerful Special Stun, while also having the ability to slot in the High Voltage weapon blessing.[/p][p][/p][p]How does the special work on the Shock Maul & Suppression Shield?[/p][p]Upon blocking attacks, the absorbed energy is converted into the Special gauge, indicated diegetically from a display in the inner side of the shield. The Special gauge also slowly refills passively over time.[/p][p]When the gauge is at least half full, performing the Special input consumes half of the gauge and then triggers a high intensity shockwave in a cone in front of the shield, staggering nearby enemies and inflicting a high amount of Suppression in a large area.[/p][p]The Block properties of the shield are active while performing the Special, meaning it can be used as a safe way to turn the tempo of an engagement from defensive to offensive, but also to disorient ranged enemies before closing in for the kill.[/p][p][/p][p]What were the influences for these weapons?
The inspiration for the shotgun was actually the Kill Team: Exaction Squad miniatures. A large Will of the Lex dispensing shotgun![/p][p]Arbites shotgun Mk III:
To elaborate. We imagined a large pump-action shotgun. Mk III comes with a duckbill muzzle (Horizontal spread with dynamic choke).[/p][p]The intent for it is to be great at clearing large hordes with hipfire, and competent elite single-target Aim Down Sights. Excelling at close to mid range. This should make for a versatile gun with interesting second-to-second gameplay.[/p][p]Arbites shotgun Mk VIII:
While still being a large pump-action shotgun, the Mk VIII comes with an extended barrel and is a standard spread heavy-hitter variant. Intended for mid range, with armor piercing capabilities - it serves better as a single target focus weapon.[/p][p]Shotpistol & Riot Shield:
Introducing the first ranged weapon with a shield in Darktide.[/p][p]We wanted to create what you would expect from an Arbites hand-cannon and shield, offering a unique playstyle that blends offense and defense.[/p][p]The Shotpistol unleashes devastating pellets and allows blocking while firing. This is a different weapon compared to existing revolvers. For close encounters and melee combat, use the special to push attack or heavy shield swipe.[/p][p]Shock Maul + Suppression Shield:
The idea for this weapon was to use the shield to promote blocking as a useful tool alongside the other damage-avoiding mechanics, whilst also giving it a Special which can be activated to turn the tide from defense to offense.[/p][p]We also added some attacks using the shield itself, giving it a dual-wielding feel.[/p][p]Arbites Shock Maul:
The Adeptus Arbites field a large amount of mauls, so we wanted to explore the niche further by playing on their shock/stun repressive properties.[/p][p]This weapon employs a primer mechanic, where the Stun from the Special attacks is triggered only if hitting an already Electrocuted enemy.[/p][p]Since staggering with any attack triggers Electrocution, this creates a two-stage combo structure where players want to be looking at sources of bonus Impact and Electrocution to be able to follow-up immediately with a Special attack.[/p][p][/p][p]Do the shield weapons have any unique blocking properties?
The Shock Maul & Suppression Shield can block Ranged attacks coming from a frontal angle, while also being able to block normally unblockable attacks (e.g. Crushers’ overhead slams).[/p][p]The weapon also has a high base Stamina value and a stronger than usual Push.[/p][p]Arbites Shotpistol + Riot Shield can be used to block both ranged and melee attacks, while maintaining the ability to shoot when blocking.[/p][p]
[/p][h2]Animations[/h2][p]To round this dev blog out, we’re going to talk about the animations with some of our animators, Jonas and Julia.[/p][p][/p][p]What was it like animating these new weapons?
A different experience than usual for sure! There was quite a lot of going back and forth, adjusting the size and shape of the weapons to make sure that it fit well with the feeling of the combat loop of Darktide. The general feel that I wanted to go for with the Arbites weapons was heavy, methodical and relentless. I also looked up at some reference material of Arbites figurines and lore to get an idea of their behavior.[/p][p]This time around I didn’t have any matching props for an assault shield, so I posed around using a cardboard cut-out to test and feel how to animate certain motions and actions. The Shotpistol reload actually came to be through me testing around with holding a prop gun in different unconventional ways. As usual, I probably looked like a reject finding out what guns are for the first time.[/p][p]At first with the Shock Maul & Suppression Shield, I animated the shield much slower and heavier, but at some point it felt too similar to the Ogryn slabshield and I made it a bit faster and lighter in motion. This decision made it a bit easier to incorporate the shield into the light attack chains.[/p][p]Instead of making the shield feel slow and sluggish, I tried to mix it up a bit by making the
Shock maul feel a bit more top-heavy instead. In the end I animated the Shock maul together
with the shield to have a bit more anticipation and windups in the animations and having the
impact feel a bit more like a baton. - Jonas[/p][p][/p][p]Were there any challenges in the development of the Arbites’ weapons?
In general I think there was a fun challenge in animating weapons with shields. Especially ranged weapons that kinda require you to use both hands when reloading or for a similar action. As an animator on Darktide I really want to highlight reloads or any other unique weapon interactions as much as possible.[/p][p]I think Shotpistol and Shield have been the most challenging weapon overall because of how
you can cancel reload to go into a block. That is, since this weapon has a third state that allows
you to block when you run out of ammo in-clip, it creates a lot of unexpected interactions for when going to reload and from reload or to any other disrupting action. - Jonas[/p][p][/p][p]Which is your favourite weapon that you’ve worked on for Arbites?
Hard to say to be completely honest. I think I like the Shotpistol and Shield most because of
how different it is in comparison to other weapons. But I also really like how the new Shock Maul feels. - Jonas[/p][p]My favorite is the Shotgun, I think the model itself is really cool with its chunkyness and with the special ammo casings visible on top, and the designers did a great job with how it plays. I feel like the law! - Julia[/p][p][/p][p]Are there any unique animations associated with them?
The Shotgun’s special ammo reload received a bit of a different animation than usual. There is special ammo attached to the top of the Shotgun model, which provided an opportunity to make an animation where you pick the ammo off one by one from the model itself instead of having the ammo arrive from out-of-frame. - Julia[/p][p][/p][p]How long do animations for these take?
It depends on the weapon and how it is going to work, but it can definitely take a while! Which was the case for the Arbites weapon family. Since we didn’t have any weapon family in Darktide that has a shield (Except for you Ogryn, you lovely brute), we chose to animate almost everything from scratch. Using Ogryn animations for this wouldn’t have worked because of rig and size differences.[/p][p]There are about 220~ different animations for each weapon family/pattern that needs to work well together in a lot of different ways due to how fast-paced and high-action Darktide is. Around 50% of my time is spent on putting everything together in the state-machine, making sure that all the animations blend well. - Jonas[/p][p][/p][p]What is your creative process?
First I figure out how the weapon I’m going to animate actually functions, and try to find solid references for how they’re used. Then, for first person animations, I’m a big fan of using a GoPro as a sketching tool to showcase my early ideas and choreography. I attach it to my face (Yes, face! It looks ridiculous!) or chest, find a suitable weapon prop and then do some first person recording. It enables shaping and showcasing early ideas without having to spend any time in animation software or the game engine.[/p][p]But even without a GoPro, I like to act out the movement for more complex animations, like reloads for example. For me, it enables my first blockout pass to have passable motions and pacing, and having that to begin with makes it easier for me to push and exaggerate the timing within the movements to a speed that I myself am not able to do, but will be smooth and believable in the game context. - Julia[/p][p]The process I have is that I usually look up references for different weapons that I start working on, and learn more about the what, why and how on functionalities. Using those references on stances/poses/handlings I go further with the process of testing out motions myself with props and see what feels and looks convincing and good. After brainstorming ideas and testing around I start animating and tweaking so that it works for first-person view. - Jonas[/p][p][/p][p]Any fun bits of trivia?
When recording motion capture for the Shock Mine, we used a duct tape roll as our prop! - Julia[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Thank you for reading our dev blog on the making of your new weapons in your new Arbites Class, releasing on June 23, 2025 on all platforms. We’ll be looking out for any questions over the weekend and we’ll do our best to answer them.[/p][p]This is the Will of the Lex.[/p][p]We’ll see you on the Mourningstar.[/p][p]Wishlist the Arbites Class today![/p][p][/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p]– The Darktide Team[/p]