Unveiling the Ultimate Ranking of Warhammer 40,000: Darktide Operatives
Warhammer 40,000: Darktide's beta phase has witnessed the relentless pursuit of balance among its classes While some operatives excel, others falter Discover the standout performers in this intense co-op shooter: the indomitable Veteran, the formidable Ogryn, the enigmatic Psyker, and the zealous Zealot
Highlights
Diversity is key in Warhammer 40,000: Darktide to overcome the weaknesses of individual operatives and take advantage of auras that allow them to support each other.
Although Patch #13 brought substantial overhauls for all operatives, there are still certain classes that outperform others, consistently ranking highest in terms of damage.
The Zealot, Psyker, Ogryn, and Veteran each possess distinct traits and abilities that shape their individual playstyles. Notably, the Psyker has the chance to transform a single-target attack into a powerful area-of-effect ability. On the other hand, the Veteran did not receive any significant new talents and remains primarily focused on dealing damage, possibly providing minimal support.
The best teams in Warhammer 40,000: Darktide benefit greatly from having one of each unique operative, as their auras allow for mutual assistance. Maintaining a balance is crucial to this game, as the diverse composition can overcome individual weaknesses.
However, it is worth noting that certain operatives consistently rank at the top of the damage charts, while some classes seem nearly invincible. Although Warhammer 40,000: Darktide claims to have treated all operatives equally, there are a few who lack the strength that others possess.
4 Veteran
Patch #13: A Game-Changing Update for Operative ClassesThe latest update, officially known as Patch #13, has completely transformed the gameplay experience for all operative classes. In fact, it feels more like a monumental Patch 2.0 rather than a regular update. This significant overhaul brings substantial changes to the operative classes, as well as gameplay, combat, and leveling mechanics.
One of the standout features of Patch #13 is the introduction of new talent trees for each class. This addition allows players to explore various builds and playstyles, adding a layer of complexity to ranking operatives. With the abundance of competent builds available for each class, determining the best one has become more challenging than ever before.
Nevertheless, it is worth noting that certain classes seem to excel regardless of the build choice, while others require more strategic thinking and team cooperation to maximize their potential at the highest level. This creates an exciting dynamic, as players must carefully consider their class selection and build to effectively support their teams.
With its game-changing updates and innovative talent trees, Patch #13 has truly redefined the operative classes and injected fresh life into the core gameplay experience. Prepare yourself for an exhilarating journey as you explore the myriad of possibilities this update has to offer.
| Unique Trait | Name | Description |
| Ability | Volley Fire | Enter a ranged stance for 5 seconds. When in Ranged Stance, the Veteran instantly equips a ranged weapon and deals +25% Ranged Damage and +25% Weakspot Damage. The Veteran's Spread and Recoil are also greatly reduced. Cooldown: 25 seconds. |
| Ability | Executioner's Stance | Enter a ranged stance for 5 seconds. When in Ranged Stance, the Veteran instantly equips a ranged weapon and deals +25% Ranged Damage and +25% Weakspot Damage. The Veteran's Spread and Recoil are also greatly reduced. Elite Enemies and Specialist Enemies are highlighted for 5 seconds. Cooldown: 25 seconds. |
| Ability | Voice of Command | Replenishes the Veteran's Toughness and Staggers all Enemies within 9 meters. Cooldown: 45 seconds. |
| Ability | Infiltrate | Replenish all Toughness and enter Stealth for 6 seconds, gaining +25% Movement Speed. Leaving Stealth Suppresses nearby enemies. Attacking makes the Veteran leave Stealth. Cooldown: 60 seconds. |
| Blitz | Frag Grenade | Fragmentation grenade that explodes after a short fuse timer. |
| Blitz | Shredder Frag Grenade | Throw a frag grenade that explodes after a short delay. Applies 6 Stacks of Bleed to all Enemies Hit, causing Damage over time. |
| Blitz | Krak Grenade | Throw a grenade that deals devastating Damage. Sticks to Flak Armoured, Carapace Armoured, and Unyielding Enemies. |
| Blitz | Smoke Grenade | Throw a grenade that creates a lingering smoke cloud for 10 seconds. The cloud blocks line of sight for most enemies and reduces the sight range of enemies inside it. |
| Aura | Scavenger Hunt | Replenish 0.75% Ammo for the Veteran and Allies in Coherency whenever anyone kills an Elite or Specialist Enemy. |
| Aura | Survivalist | Replenish 1% Ammo for the Veteran and Allies in Coherency whenever anyone kills an Elite or Specialist Enemy. |
| Aura | Fire Team | +3% Damage for the Veteran and Allies in Coherency. |
| Aura | Close and Kill | +5% Movement Speed for the Veteran and Allies in Coherency. |
The Veteran, the unparalleled leader in the rankings since its inception, excels in almost every aspect. Nevertheless, this operative stands apart by not having been endowed with keystone talents, placing it in the position of primarily dealing damage, with a possible touch of support. Despite this discrepancy, the class remains highly proficient; it simply did not receive the same enhancement as the other operatives.
3 Ogryn
| Unique Trait | Name | Description |
| Ability | Bull Rush | Charge forward with great force, knocking back Enemies and gaining 25% Attack Speed and 25% Movement Speed for 5 seconds. Charge is stopped on collision with Carapace Armoured Enemies, Unyielding Enemies, and Monstrosities. Cooldown: 30 seconds. |
| Ability | Indomitable | Charge forward with great force, knocking back Enemies and staggering them. Gain 25% Attack Speed and 25% Movement Speed for 5 seconds. Charge is stopped on collision with Monstrosities. Cooldown: 30 seconds. +100% distance of Bull Rush. |
| Ability | Point-Blank Barrage | Swaps to and reloads the Pgryn's Ranged Weapon. The Pgryn has a +25% Rate of Fire and +70% Reload Speed for the next 10 seconds. Cooldown: 80 seconds. |
| Ability | Thick Skin | +20% toughness damage reduction and a +20% health damage reduction. |
| Blitz | Big Box of Hurt | Throw a box of grenades with great strength and enthusiasm for high Damage against a Single Enemy. |
| Blitz | Big Friendly Rock | Toss a big rock or hunk of junk at a Single Enemy. Reduced effectiveness against Carapace Armoured Enemies and Unyielding Enemies. The Ogryn picks up a new rock every 60 seconds and can hold up to 4 rocks at a time. |
| Blitz | Bombs Away! | Throw a box of grenades with great strength and enthusiasm for high Damage against a Single Enemy. Hitting an Enemy causes the box to break open, releasing 6 grenades around the target. |
| Blitz | Frag Bomb | Throw an Ogryn-sized (the only proper kind!) frag grenade with a 16-meter blast radius, dealing increased Damage at the center. |
| Aura | Intimidating Presence | +7.5% Heavy Melee Attack Damage for the Ogryn and Allies in Coherency. |
| Aura | Bonebreaker's Aura | +10% Heavy Melee Attack Damage for the Ogryn and Allies in Coherency. |
| Aura | Stay Close! | +20% Toughness Replenishment for the Ogryn and Allies in Coherency. |
| Aura | Coward Culling | +20% Damage against Suppressed Enemies for the Ogryn and Allies in Coherency. |
| Keystone | Heavy Hitter | +5% Damage for 7.5 seconds on Heavy Attack Hit. Stacks 5 times. |
| Keystone | Feel No Pain | The Ogryn is blessed with 10 Stacks of Feel No Pain. Each Stack grants +2.5% Toughness Replenishment and +2.5% Damage Reduction. Taking Health Damage removes one stack. Stacks are restored every 6 seconds. |
| Keystone | Burst Limiter Override | 5% chance of triggering Lucky Bullet and not consuming Ammo when making Ranged Attacks. |
The Ogryn has further improved its tanking abilities and can now easily withstand significant damage.
The most noteworthy upgrade is that the character now possesses a reasonable level of proficiency in handling the class's top-tier ranged weapons.
2 Psyker
| Unique Trait | Name | Description |
| Ability | Psykinetic's Wrath | Unleashes a wave of warp energy that Staggers Enemies in front of the Psyker. Cooldown: 30 seconds. |
| Ability | Venting Shark | Unleashes a wave of warp energy that Staggers Enemies in front of the Psyker. Quells 50% Peril. Cooldown: 30 seconds. |
| Ability | Telekine Shield | Spawns a psychic shield in front of the Psyker for 15 seconds. The shield blocks Enemy Ranged Attacks, while the Psyker and Allies can still shoot through. Cooldown: 40 seconds. |
| Ability | Scrier's Gaze | Triggers Scrier's Gaze. When entering Scrier's Gaze, the Psyker gains 10% Damage and 20% Critical Chance. For every second in Scrier's Gaze, the Psyker gains 1% Damage up to a maximum of 30%. This effect lingers for 10 seconds after leaving Scrier's Gaze. While in Scrier's Gaze, the Psyker builds up Peril. Build up is temporarily slowed down by enemy Kills. At 100% Peril, Scrier's Gaze ends. Cooldown: 30 seconds. |
| Blitz | Brain Burst | Charge up the Psyker's Psychic Power and release it to deal high Damage to a Single Enemy. Effective against Flak and Carapace Armoured Enemies. |
| Blitz | Force Swords | Charge up the Psyker's Psychic Power and release it to deal immense Damage to a Single Enemy. Effective against Flak and Carapace Armoured Enemies. +50% Damage over Brain Burst. |
| Blitz | Smite | Unleash a torrent of Bio-Lightning. Charge to deal high Damage and high Impact to an Enemy on release, or channel a continuous stream that deals low Damage but high Impact over time, spreading between multiple Enemies. |
| Blitz | Assail | Throw swift, homing projectiles formed of psychic energy. Less effective versus Carapace Armoured Enemies. |
| Aura | The Quickening | +7.5% Ability Cooldown Reduction for the Psyker and Allies in Coherency. |
| Aura | Kinetic Presence | +10% Damage (Elite and Specialist Enemies) for the Psyker and Allies in Coherency. |
| Aura | Seer's Presence | +10% Cooldown Reduction on Abilities for the Psyker and Allies in Coherency. |
| Aura | Prescience | The Psyker and Allies in Coherency gain a 4% Critical Hit Chance. |
| Keystone | Warp Siphon | Killing an Elite or Specialist Enemy gains the Psyker a Warp Charge for 25 seconds, stacking 4 times. The Psyker's next Combat Ability spends all available Warp Charges to reduce the Cooldown of that Combat Ability by 7.5% per Warp Charge. |
| Keystone | Empowered Psionics | Kills have a 7.5% chance to Empower the Psyker's next Blitz. Empowered Brain Rupture: 100% Peril Cost Reduction, 50% Cast Time Reduction, +50% Damage. Empowered Smite: +30% Damage, 25% faster Enemy spread. Empowered Assail: 100% Peril Cost Reduction, +50 Base Damage, does not consume charges. |
| Keystone | Disrupt Destiny | Every second, Enemies within 25 meters have a chance of being Marked. Killing a Marked Enemy Replenishes 10% Toughness, grants +20% Movement Speed for 2.5 seconds, and adds a Precision Bonus for 15 seconds. Each Precision Bonus grants +1% Damage, +2% Critical Damage, and +2.5% Weakspot Damage. Precision Bonus Stacks 15 times. |
Perhaps the most notable difference for the Psyker is the opportunity to take that single-target strike Brain Burst and turn it into a group damage ability.
The Soulfire Psyker build is quite popular and this is one of the most rewarding operatives to play and master.
1 Zealot
| Unique Traits | Name | Description |
| Ability | Chastise the Wicked | Dashes forward, Replenishing 50% Toughness. The Zealot's next Melee Hit gains +25% damage and is guaranteed to be a Critical Hit. Base cooldown 30 seconds. |
| Ability | Fury of the Faithful | Dash forward, Replenishing 50% Toughness & gaining 20% Attack Speed for 10 seconds. The Zealot's next Melee Hit gains 25% damage and is guaranteed to be a Critical Hit. Base cooldown 30 seconds. |
| Ability | Chorus of Spiritual Fortitude | Wield a holy relic that releases pulses of energy every 0.8 seconds. While channeling, Allies in Coherency have Stun immunity and Invulnerability. Each pulse Replenishes 45% Toughness to Allies in Coherency. If the Ally is at full Toughness they instead gain 20 Max Toughness up to a total of 100. Base cooldown 60 seconds. |
| Ability | Shroudfield | Enter Stealth for 3 seconds. While in Stealth gain 20% Movement Speed, 100% Backstab Damage, 100% Finesse Damage, and 100% Critical Chance. Base cooldown 30 seconds. |
| Blitz | Stun Grenade | Throw a stun grenade that electrocutes and stuns all enemies within its blast radius. |
| Blitz | Stunstorm Grenade | Throw a grenade that stuns all Enemies within its blast radius. |
| Blitz | Immolation Grenade | Throw a grenade that leaves a layer of flaming liquid, Burning and Staggering enemies, and barring their path. Most effective against Unarmoured Enemies. |
| Blitz | Blades of Faith | Throw a consecrated knife to deal high Damage to a Single Enemy. Very effective against most Enemies; less effective versus Carapace Armour. Quick Throw, killing Elite and Special Enemies in Melee replenishes one knife, and ammo boxes replenish knives. |
| Aura | The Emperor's Will | +7.5% Toughness Damage Reduction for the Zealot and Allies in Coherency. |
| Aura | Benediction | +15% Toughness Damage Reduction for the Zealot and Allies in Coherency. |
| Aura | Beacon of Purity | Heal 1.5 Corruption from the current Wound for the Zealot and Allies in Coherency every 1 second. |
| Aura | Loner | The Zealor always counts as being in at least two Coherency. |
| Keystone | Blazing Piety | +15% Critical Hit Chance for 8 seconds when in Fury. Fury is triggered when 25 Enemies have died within 25 meters. |
| Keystone | Martyrdom | Each missing Wound grants +8% Melee Damage, up to 9 missing Wounds. |
| Keystone | Inexorable Justice | Moving grants the Zealot Momentum (Stacks 20 times). When the Zealot hits an Enemy, spend all Momentum, gaining 1% Melee Attack Speed, 1% Ranged Attack Speed, and 1% Damage per Stack. Lasts 8 seconds. |
The Zealot possesses top-tier melee weapons, granting them enhanced capabilities in tanking and support. The healing effect of Beacon of Purity, although modest, offers a passive team-wide recovery, which makes it highly valuable for various character builds. Warhammer 40,000: Darktide is currently accessible on PC and Xbox Series X/S.
