Warhammer 40,000: Darktide has been unleashed, bringing a 40K approach and style to the successful four-player co-op formula built by classics like Left 4 Dead, and successfully applied by developer Fatshark’s previous release, Warhammer: Vermintide.
In Darktide, you and your allies serve the Inquisition and are tasked with taking back the Hive City of Tertium, and players will have to decide which class they want to use before they dive into the city’s depths.
At the Nov. 30 launch, there are four classes available, one for each Archetype, with more classes set to be released regularly over time. Let’s take a look at the classes currently available in Darktide, and help you decide which one’s for you.
The Veteran Sharpshooter
| Starting Gear | Standard-issue Munitorum Sapper Shovel and Kantrael Mk VII Lasgun |
| Psychic Ability | Frag Grenade |
| Class Ability | The Sharpshooter slows down their movement to take careful aim, increasing weak spot damage as well as accuracy and handling. |
| Passives | Increased weak spot damage and ammo capacity. |
| Coherency Bonus | Increased chance of not using any ammo. |
The Veteran Sharpshooter is a ranged specialist that pinpoints weak spots and exploits them with maximum efficiency. For accurate FPS veterans, the Veteran Sharpshooter is a wise choice.
The Zealot Preacher
| Starting Gear | Combat Axe and Autopistol |
| Tactical Action | Stumm Grenade (flash grenade) |
| Class Ability | Dashes forward, locking their target in melee. |
| Passives | Melee damage increased based on missing health, resist death after lethal damage, increased melee attack speed. |
| Coherency Bonus | Decreases Toughness damage taken. |
The Zealot Preacher is a front-facing pure melee damage dealer and thrill seeker, and only gets more dangerous with the more damage they take. Alternatively, the Zealot Preacher can also stick to the outside of major fights, picking off ranged opponents and tougher opponents, by stunning and dashing them.
The Ogryn Skullbreaker
| Starting Gear | Pipe Club and Thumper |
| Tactical Action | Box of Grenades |
| Class Ability | Bull Rush: Ogryn charges forward and knocks enemies back. Ogryn has increased movement and attack speed for a limited time after. |
| Passives | Increased melee heavy attack damage, increased toughness from melee kills, reduced damage taken, and increased revived and assist speed. |
| Coherency Bonus | Increased melee damage. |
Ogryn is a strong, bruising tank option that really enjoys the chaos of horde swarms. With his increased damage and superior damage reduction, he’s great for taking on hordes and only gets tougher the more damage he takes. Bull Rush will be a live saver for the whole squad, as Ogryn can push away an entire horde that’s antagonizing his team.
The Psyker Psykinetic
| Starting Gear | Combat Sword and Stub Revolver |
| Psychic Ability | Brain Burst: Target an enemy and charge the ability to deal high Damage |
| Class Ability | Psyker can discharge accumulated Warp Charges to knock enemies away. |
| Passives | Killing an enemy with Brain Burst stores Warp Charge, increases damage of smite ability. Peril generation is reduced proportionally to the number of Warp Charges. |
| Coherency Bonus | Increased damage against Elite enemies. |
The Psyker Psykinetic is probably the most advanced class of the launch classes. It’s a magic-wielding class with area-of-effect attacks and big knockout blasts, but you can’t just spam your attacks without risking your Peril meter going to high and killing yourself. You can also make heads explode. Fun choice for experienced DPS players.
