Unveiling the Exceptional: Warhammer 40,000 Darktide's Top 10 Extraordinary Curios

Highlights

Curios in Warhammer 40,000: Darktide modify the player's abilities and buffs, similar to rings or pendants in other games.

The Toughness and Toughness Regeneration Speed Perks or Blessings greatly benefit Zealots and Ogryns, while having less impact on Psykers. The Max Health Perks and Blessings hold significant importance for all classes, particularly for Psykers who have only one Wound before being captured in more challenging missions.

In Warhammer 40,000: Darktide, Curios play a vital role. They refer to rare or unique objects, often associated with ancient relics, artifacts, or mysterious items in other media. However, in Darktide, Curios are used by players to enhance themselves, similar to rings or pendants in other games. Unlike weapon blessings and perks that modify weapons, Curios modify the player wearing them. There is a wide range of Curio Perks available, with the highest rarity allowing for up to 3 Perks and 1 Blessing.

Once players reach the maximum level in Warhammer 40k: Darktide, they can simultaneously equip up to 3 Curios of any rarity, including Common, Rare, Epic, and Legendary. While this won't suddenly make players as strong as a Primarch, it will certainly have a significant impact. Therefore, it is essential for players to be aware of the Curio Effects, both blessings and perks, that they should always be on the lookout for.

10 Toughness & Toughness Regenerations Speed Perks Or Blessings

Warhammer 40k Darktide has undergone significant developments since its release on October 8th, 2023, by Jacob Buchalter. Initially, the game received substantial criticism for various factors, primarily due to the simplicity of its classes in comparison to Fatshark's previous title, Warhammer Vermintide 2. However, the dedicated development team persisted and worked tirelessly for almost a year to implement a substantial class overhaul update. With the update now live, the game is witnessing player numbers that are on par with, and at times even surpassing, its initial release. Therefore, as players return or embark on their first journey with Xbox Game Pass, let's delve into some of the top Curio effects to look forward to.

Perk Name	Tier 1 Effect	Tier 2 Effect	Tier 3 Effect	Tier 4 Effect	Blessing Effect
Toughness	2 Percent	3 Percent	4 Percent	5 Percent	Between 10 to 20 Percent
Toughness Regeneration Speed	7.5 Percent	15 Percent	22.5 Percent	30 Percent	N/A

To clarify from the outset, certain recommendations mentioned here are more applicable to specific classes in Darktide than others. For instance, while the bonus Toughness percentage and Toughness Regeneration Speed Curios are highly beneficial for Zealots and Ogryns, they may not be the optimal choice for Psykers. Many Psyker players might find that their Toughness still diminishes significantly after just one hit.

Ogryns and Zealots possess numerous passive bonuses and Talent Tree bonuses that revolve around Toughness. Moreover, even though the impact may be more pronounced on other classes, both of these Toughness-related Perks and Blessings are exceptional for all four classes. The overall bonus to Toughness is also a rare instance where a Curio Effect offers both a Perk and Blessing effect, granting players access to a substantial increase in Toughness.

9 Max Health Perks & Blessings

Perk Name	Tier 1 Effect	Tier 2 Effect	Tier 3 Effect	Tier 4 Effect	Blessing Effect
Max Health	2 Percent	3 Percent	4 Percent	5 Percent	Between 10 and 25 Percent

This Curio effect is more suited for Psyker and Sharpshooter builds, aligning with their playstyle. However, the effectiveness of this effect ultimately relies on the user's personal preference. The recent Class Overhaul update enhanced the Psyker's abilities to decrease Peril and swiftly regenerate Toughness, especially when utilizing a Soulfire build. Nonetheless, it should be noted that Psykers suffer more significant consequences when they do sustain damage compared to other classes.

Additionally, with a default of only having a single Wound, Psykers in higher-difficulty missions (Heresy and above) benefit greatly from the +25 percent increase in Max HP. This boost allows them to endure an extra hit or two before succumbing. While this may appear insignificant, it often proves to be the pivotal factor between life and death. It's worth noting that this advantage is exclusive to Psykers. However, every other playable class in Darktide also reaps significant rewards from the additional Max Health, particularly the Ogryn and Zealot. Remarkably, this Curio effect stands out as one of the few that offers both a Blessing and Perk option. Consequently, players have the opportunity to accumulate a significant amount of Max HP through stacking.

8 Chance Of Curio As Mission Reward & Experience Perks

Perk Name	Tier 1 Effect	Tier 2 Effect	Tier 3 Effect	Tier 4 Effect
Chance of Curio as Mission Reward (Instead of Weapon)	5 Percent	10 Percent	15 Percent	20 Percent
Experience	2 Percent	4 Percent	6 Percent	10 Percent

The following Perk effect is a unique inclusion, primarily used while leveling up to 30, and then no longer necessary. In Darktide, once players reach level 30 (or even level 25+), any Curio with these effects is typically rerolled at Hadron. The Bonus Experience effect is self-explanatory, as there is no need to retain it once players have reached the maximum level. However, there is more rationale behind reconsidering the Curio Chance effect.

While it may seem valuable to use when striving for the 'perfect' Curio, Fatshark has made significant changes to Hadron's area over time, allowing players to easily obtain the desired effects on their Curio. Hence, while this effect may have been occasionally worthwhile in previous patches, it is currently not worth the effort. Nonetheless, for players still in the process of leveling up, they are encouraged to continually utilize either of these effects and ensure the highest 'tier' is applied to the Curio at Hadron. Once these players reach the maximum level, it is advisable to reroll any Curios containing these effects.

7 Damage Resistance (Snipers) Perk

Perk Name	Tier 1 Effect	Tier 2 Effect	Tier 3 Effect	Tier 4 Effect
Damage Resistance (Snipers)	5 Percent	10 Percent	15 Percent	20 Percent

This following suggestion may seem unusual as it refers to 'Snipers' in its title, but it is essentially a suggestion for players to effectively increase their Damage Resistance against any Elite enemy they are having difficulties with.

6 Block Efficiency Perk

Snipers are the most obvious choice due to their ability to inflict massive bursts of instant damage and frequently get a shot off before being eliminated. However, it's worth considering selecting Damage Resistance against any other Elite enemy (excluding Bombers or Pox Hounds). Therefore, for players who often find themselves elated at being fully healed, only to have a significant portion of their health depleted by a sudden Sniper attack, this Perk Effect should be considered.

Perk Name	Tier 1 Effect	Tier 2 Effect	Tier 3 Effect	Tier 4 Effect
Block Efficiency	6 Percent	8 Percent	10 Percent	12 Percent

Block Efficiency may not initially appear significant while players are leveling their characters. However, as they progress in the game and face increasing difficulty, they will soon realize the importance of Stamina and Block Efficiency. This aspect was crucial in Vermintide 2 and remains just as crucial, if not more so, in Darktide. Higher Block Efficiency results in less average Stamina loss while blocking attacks.

Experienced players who have successfully completed Malice-level missions might question the benefits of Block Efficiency, considering that Dodging and Pushing are generally more advantageous at that difficulty. Nevertheless, when they advance to Heresy and Damnation, these players must swiftly adapt to blocking in order to survive. Now, with classes like the Ogryn, Zealot, and even the Psyker (when using Peril) being able to withstand Monstrocities more effortlessly, investing in Block Efficiency gains an additional layer of reasoning for its worth.

5 Additional Wound(s) Blessing

Blessing Name	Blessing Effect
Wound(s)	+1 Wound

Initial impression on Darktide suggests that Wounds are primarily tailored for those preparing for their imminent demise. The challenges of Sedition and Uprising become relatively effortless to overcome even for inexperienced players with a few levels under their belt, while Malice only truly poses a significant threat when confronted with an inept team. However, as players progress towards the more demanding difficulties of Heresy and Damnation, they will soon realize the profound impact that employing appropriate Perks and Blessings on Curios can have.

Sure, it may appear that a player is developing their character in anticipation of failure, which may not be the most efficient utilization of their limited Curio slots. However, particularly in the new Maelstrom missions, there may be a higher number of Elite and Monstrocity-type enemies overwhelming the outcasts compared to basic Scabs. Moreover, in these scenarios, it proves highly advantageous to acquire an additional Wound or two before becoming fully "captured." This is because rescuing teammates in these immensely challenging missions also presents significant difficulties. Fortunately, these +1 Wound Blessings Stack effectively, further enhancing the resilience of already durable classes.

4 Stamina Regeneration Perk & Max Stamina Blessing

Perk Name	Tier 1 Effect	Tier 2 Effect	Tier 3 Effect	Tier 4 Effect
Stamina Regeneration	6 Percent	8 Percent	10 Percent	12 Percent
Perk Name	Blessing Effect
Max Stamina	Between +1 to +3 Max Stamina

If a player possesses excess Block Efficiency through Curio Perks but only has three Stamina pips available for blocking, it becomes insignificant. The presence of Curios that provide additional Max Stamina (limited to Blessings, not Perks) and Stamina Regeneration Perks is vital in mastering Darktide's highly strategic melee combat. Even Psykers utilizing the Kinetic Deflection Talent Tree passive (which enables blocking with Peril instead of Stamina) must consider this as their block will transition to using Stamina once Peril reaches 98 percent. Generally, Zealots and Ogryns primarily seek out this Perk effect (especially the Max Stamina Blessing) to easily control an area of enemies through blocks and shoves, allowing their squad to focus on clearing the path ahead or eliminating Elite enemies.

3 Combat Ability Regeneration Perk

Perk Name	Tier 1 Effect	Tier 2 Effect	Tier 3 Effect	Tier 4 Effect
Combat Ability Regeneration	1 Percent	2 Percent	3 Percent	4 Percent

Originally, investing in Combat Ability Regeneration was somewhat misleading when Darktide was first released. Despite the appeal of being able to use Combat Abilities more frequently, the actual impact it had, even at its highest potential level, was fairly insignificant. In recent times, however, Fatshark has made some adjustments that have made a noticeable difference. Moreover, the Class Overhaul now enables players to customize their Talent Points to prioritize either Cooldown Reduction or 'Regeneration', further enhancing the benefits of Combat Ability Regeneration.

2 Damage Resistance (Gunners) Perk

Nevertheless, this remains one of the less desirable Perks to be vigilant about. It is undeniably superior to bonus Experience Perks or Curio Reward Chance Perks, but nobody would trade their Bonus Health Perk for a +4 Percent Combat Ability Regeneration one.

Perk Name	Tier 1 Effect	Tier 2 Effect	Tier 3 Effect	Tier 4 Effect
Damage Resistance (Gunners)	5 Percent	10 Percent	15 Percent	20 Percent

Gunners in Darktide are often considered more terrifying than Elite enemies, Specialists, or even the Monstrocities. These adversaries, including Specialist Enemies armed with guns, can swiftly deplete a player's Toughness and HP if the player is exposed. The Suppression mechanic in Darktide's tutorial is more intricate than it initially appears, and even after months of updates, players still struggle with certain gun-wielding enemies not being Suppressed on higher difficulties.

While there are strategies that groups of players can employ to counter this (such as using a Deflector Sword on a Psyker, a Slab Shield on an Ogryn, or utilizing cover and corners), nothing is more effective than overall damage reduction. Curios offer Damage Resistance Perks for nearly every enemy type, from Poxwalkers to Elites, but the Perks for Gunners have the greatest impact overall, on average. Some classes may benefit more from specific Damage Resistance Perks for particular enemy types, but, as a whole, the player base relies heavily on Gunner Damage Resistance. It's essential to note that while these Resistances can be stacked across multiple Curios, the math behind it is somewhat complex, and three Curios with a +20 Percent Resistance will not exactly add up to a total of +60 Percent Damage Resistance.

1 Revive Speed (Ally) Perk

Perk Name	Tier 1 Effect	Tier 2 Effect	Tier 3 Effect	Tier 4 Effect
Revive Speed (Ally)	4 Percent	6 Percent	8 Percent	10 Percent

In the past, Ogryn's were known for being the best teammates when it came to reviving others due to their Loyal Protector ability. However, with the recent Class Overhaul, reviving allies, especially new Psykers, has become a collective responsibility rather than solely the Ogryn's duty. They are now typically occupied with eliminating enemies or drawing their attention. Therefore, it is advantageous to seek out Perks that enhance Ally Revive Speed, even though it may not be as exciting as abilities that boost damage output. In this manner, experienced players can ensure the survival of Game Pass players throughout each mission, which is a reward in itself.

Players can easily revive their allies in the midst of a swarm of 'too human' Scabs in Warhammer 40,000: Darktide. By blocking before initiating the revive process, players can automatically block while reviving, provided they have learned or remembered this tactic from their time in Vermintide. Although this Perk is not particularly valuable before Tier 3, increasing the Tier is now relatively easy due to the updated mechanics in the 'Entreat Hadron' hub area.

Franchise Warhammer 40KPlatform(s) PC, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series SReleased November 30, 2022Developer(s) FatsharkPublisher(s) Fatshark