As the title says, It would be a great feature to add knock-back mechanics to shotguns at close-range for actual crowd-control. Very similar to an Ogryn shield bash, a shotgun blast to a man-sized enemy within 2-3 meters would knock them off their feet. It breaks immersion to shoot a Poxwalker at point-blank range and see them still standing and coming back for more.
Shotguns (especially in 40k) should feel more like this
I see that as being way too broken. Not gonna happen.
Only If I can halo rocket-jump and knock myself back/up if shot at the ground.
Kruberās shotgun does it in Vermintide 2, besides the damage isnāt that great on shotguns to begin with. This mechanic would primarily be for horde-clearing, as hordes can quickly overwhelm you with the current shotgun. Maybe having it as a blessing would work (ex. Increased knock-back/stagger at close range) which would pair nicely with Full-bore
Yeahā¦ more likely if they do, they have to nerf them to compensate. And being a huge fan of shotguns, I really donāt want that.
I mean a poxwalker canāt survive a shotgun blast. 
But depending on shotgun they usually have pretty massive stagger. Especially the specials on each. One of the things that makes Agri fun is headshotting crushers to knock em down, and my favorite zelly build routinely uses the Kantrael special to stop whatever Iām shooting at in their tracks (and usually knock em down) for easy Blades of Faith picks. Lawbringer special does like idk 200+ stagger or something, put Man-Stopper on a crit build on that and go bowling.
Iāve never liked shotguns, games always do them so weird. Itās always like ākill everything in melee range and then do no dmg to anything 10m awayā. Darktide does a fantastic job of making them unique and strong imo. 
I hate seeing this trope all over Hollywood because folks like yourself get it into your mind that this is how shotguns should work. Iām going to be the bearer of bad news: shotguns donāt āknock backā. Thereās not enough mass in a slug or the shot in shells to do that.
Shotguns remain an effective way in game to maim fairly large groups of enemies. Theyāre fine without the Hollywood theatrics.
Yeah, but hollywood theatrics are fun, and shotguns are pretty meh overall. Itād be nice for them to have something to really differentiate them.
Thereās already something that differentiates them: the ability to engage multiple targets in a single shot and specialized ammunition. Is the latter part poorly implemented so that using the alternate fire is largely pointless and only noticeable on the Kantrael (because it lights enemies on fire not because itās effective)? Yes. Should that maybe be updated? Absolutely.
But generalized āknockbackā when they already stagger does not seem like a good change.
Concussive ammunition to stagger multiple enemies for (slightly) longer might be a cool option for an alternate ammo, though.
sounds cool
but also this
Basically every ranged weapon that isnāt a lasgun can engage multiple enemies in a single shot. Thatās what penetration does.
Thereās like one braced autogun that cleaves, Stubbers and Lucius las guns. Goober cleave from the Zarona revolver/Kickback/plasma is not āevery range gunā even if that is most every range youāre likely to see these daysā¦
The point still stands. Being able to hit multiple things does not make a shotgun stand out. Nothing makes a shotgun stand out. Itās not even the only gun with clunky reload mechanics. Giving them some actual crowd control capability would give them a purpose.
Uh yeah they have a huge list of advantages that just so happen to be shared by the silly handgun and plasma. They disrupt enemies in all attack animations except bosses. Burst damage good enough to instantly kill most specialists and gunners. Instant draw, 5 dodges.
Its just that when you play so much Darktide with turbo training wheels, it should not impact your view of the weapons that are like half a toss away from being top performers. Like the shotguns that have a useless special shot holding them back besides 1 example.
Yeah, no sh*t. This isnāt reality, its fantasy. More accurately 40k. But please, enlighten me as to how a plasma gun works in real life.
Thank you. I have 700+ hours in game and have been running shotgun for a while. A dreg/scab bruiser on Damnation can easily take 3 slugs to the chest before going down. Now face a crowd of 6 or 7 of them while using a shotgun and youāre toast. Thatās why it needs knock-back, so at least you can manage them while whittling down their health.
The stagger only lasts for a fraction of a second, although for some reason, hitting a scab flamer will completely knock them off their feet. But only scab flamers. If this were to work for all man-sized enemies, that would be great. The shotgun barely cleaves and isnāt too useful in crowds
So what youāre saying is that they donāt stand out? Like, lots of weapons will oneshot trash and low-hp elites and specials. Lots of weapons can hit more than one thing. Multiple weapons have clunky reload mechanics.
As they are, shotguns are just bad revolvers and you know it.
Yeah the extremely limited list of things that one shot even the flamer? Iāll wait for you to come back with that one. You seriously need to start playing above Heresy to appreciate the nuance of some of these weapons.
And yes, everything is a bad revolver. The gameplay is literally worse for the revolver being so completely stupid, but here you are complaining that a weapon isnāt as good as it. OK, hereās a realistic perspective. Shotguns are way, way better at difficult content than the plethora of useless human weapons with either no range or only hitting flak effectively.
Be calm. Youāre being pedantic and emotional about stupid things.
Thereās just no reason other than personal preference to use them. They donāt bring anything to the table that other weapons donāt.
Listing things about the game is pedantic now? You guys really need to keep your therapy lessons to yourselves and not on the forums. No one is out to get you.
You just make wildly wrong assumptions, get challenged with information regarding the game and just back down to āwell it isnāt a revolver so thereā. What I am saying is not an uncommon convention among people who play the game. The shotguns work.
Unfortunately mag dumping shooters is a terrible way to use them so continue to skill issue not working them to combo into melee like the devs intended. Where they have a huge niche.