I need a build that lets me objectively evaluate my own skill. I own the DLC classes and have leveled all weapon types to mastery level 20. I plan to play at least 50 matches with this build on Auric HISTG (evenings only) and collect statistics.
It should not be a meta OP build (i.e., not including elements considered “broken” by the community), but also not a trash build that trolls teammates with its uselessness. Essentially, I’m looking for something well-balanced in terms of damage, survivability, and team contribution for Auric HISTG
Laspistol is pretty strong vs Bosses, but ammo reserve is fairly limited if used against Gunners/Specs so it’s pretty easy to run out. No One With the Warp or Gaze to provide TDR, means Psyker gets pretty squishy in certain situations.
If you are earnestly looking to measure your own personal skill the answer is Solo runs.
Get SoloPlay and TrueSoloQOL mods and go play a few challenge runs. If you can beat damnation solo, that’s good. If you can beat auric HiSTG solo that’s very good. If you can beat 1-2VEG solo that’s very close to best in the game.
Havoc 40 Duos are also very challenging and IMO way more FUN than solo runs. I’d say in some ways they are harder and in some ways they are easier than 3veg solos (you can survive a disabler).
Solo H40 is literally top tier.
No speed running allowed. Play the game. Don’t break spawns.
Pure crit Heavy Sword + Bolter Zealot I used to solo the stimms event. Yes, Heavy Sword is bad for Havoc due to carapace spam, but on Auric/Mael Crushers are more managable. It has insane clear (spam light melee for horde clear), very high crit chance (up to 70% by killing enemies in weakspots) and oneshots most elites and specials with heavy attack. Don’t use IX mark though. Bolter is self-explanatory for high DPS against carapace and unyelding.
Edit: I made a mistake and for some reason can no longer edit the build. If you don’t want to share crit chance with your teammates, you can use Enemies Within, Enemies Without instead.
Sure, isn’t this CD turnin’ far too slow? And why wouldn’t ye give the left branch a go, the one that lowers the CD and the damage, like? Then ye could be usin’ the blastin’ staff in yer off-hand for the AoE and the crowd control. After that, ye could put all the little talents into Lightning Strike to speed up the takedown of them specialists, so ye could.
Any build that forces you to rely on system mechanics to defend yourself is a pretty good start. To that end, I’d recommend SG Melee Psyker or FotF Zealot.
If you can clear rounds doing melee without taking much damage or downs, you’re pretty solid.
Well now, ye could also go down the right branch and stack them layers—high damage and high crit rate’ll get ye even more output, so they will. And if it’s testin’ yer own skill ye’re after, then why wouldn’t ye take the Gaze ability? That one truly puts yer timin’ and yer heat management to the test, sure it does—for there’s no shield to be havin’ for yer mistakes, so there isn’t.
Horizontal heavies are bad and not very effective against elites. Veritcal/diagonal heavies for other marks have surprisingly generous hitboxes and with Deathblow it is possible to decapitate 2-3 elites in one crit hit. You only use heavies to kill elites/specials and light attacks for chaff to keep the high crit up.
I don’t think there is much variety when it comes to Zealot curios, either 3 toughness or 2 toughness and one stamina. Perks are toughness and CD reduction and anything of your liking.
You mean the no ammo melee only Maelstrom? Yeah, it’s Crusher spam. I mostly take Ogryn when I see one.
If ye truly want to be honin’ yer skills, ye could give the upper-half Psyker a go—that’s puttin’ all yer points into the top section and leavin’ the purple keystones in the bottom half alone entirely. That way, ye’ll not be relyin’ on any build at all, and ye can focus on gettin’ better at the game—like learnin’ the spawn points of the enemies, their paths, practisin’ the attack patterns of yer own weapon, and tryin’ to understand how the boss attacks. It might be a painful affair now, don’t get me wrong. But when ye can get through ten runs in a row on Auric difficulty without goin’ down once, yer skill will’ve already surpassed nine out of ten random Psykers in Havoc difficulty, so it will.
I’ve a feelin’ ye’re sayin’ in a roundabout way that the middle keystone is weak compared to the other two and needs a bit of a buff—though I could be misunderstandin’ ye entirely, so I could.
Ogryn is less forgiving on fundamentals than zoom zoom zealot, so you could try that, just stay away from the rumbler, paul, pickaxe and bully club 3b/confident strike spam, and shield ofc. I might come up with a more specific build if anyone fancies this idea.
