# Forum Community Poll on Core Experience Difficulty **URL:** \ **Category:** Gameplay Feedback\ **Created:** [September 22, 2026, 3:12pm UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/forum-community-poll-on-core-experience-difficulty/125799 "2026-09-22T15:12:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MadMartigan](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/forums.fatsharkgames.com/madmartigan/32/85568_2.png) [@MadMartigan](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/MadMartigan)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2026, 3:12pm UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/forum-community-poll-on-core-experience-difficulty/125799/1 "2026-09-22T15:12:44Z")
_Poll ([view on site](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/forum-community-poll-on-core-experience-difficulty/125799/1))_ The recent announcement on Balance changes has stirred a few debates so I am curious how the hive mind perceives the current difficulty format for the core experience. This is not a discussion on the Havoc game mode. Do not consider Havoc in your choice. This poll is purely for the vanilla mission board. It is also not a poll about whether Auric should be progression-locked or people should be forced into Havoc or whatever (though please feel free to comment any suggestions below). It is just your opinion on the difficulty of the core experience. Please let me know if there is an obvious option I have missed. ---
**Author:** ![brosgw](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/forums.fatsharkgames.com/brosgw/32/82643_2.png) [@brosgw](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/brosgw)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2026, 3:27pm UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/forum-community-poll-on-core-experience-difficulty/125799/2 "2026-09-22T15:27:31Z")
I think difficulty is “fine” if you have more balancing done, if you could quick play havoc games at whatever rank you want. ---
**Author:** ![temp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f04885/32.png) [@temp](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/temp)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2026, 3:28pm UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/forum-community-poll-on-core-experience-difficulty/125799/3 "2026-09-22T15:28:39Z")
I suspect there aren’t many players here who regularly run non-Maelstrom Auric missions. But if I’m wrong: post your stats! Mine: 11 losses and 11 wins across 22 recorded HISTG matches ---
**Author:** ![MadMartigan](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/forums.fatsharkgames.com/madmartigan/32/85568_2.png) [@MadMartigan](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/MadMartigan)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2026, 3:35pm UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/forum-community-poll-on-core-experience-difficulty/125799/4 "2026-09-22T15:35:00Z")
> [@brosgw](#): > > I think difficulty is “fine” if you have more balancing done, if you could quick play havoc games at whatever rank you want. The difficulty doesn’t sound fine if it needs more balancing done 😜 I too have thought about quickplay Havoc but decided against it. In the end it is a different beast and would just add yet more cogs to an already complicated machine…as well as further dilute the player base between all the millions of options. This is why I would like the core tiers to be balanced to be more inclusive for experienced players. ---
**Author:** ![Ryshek](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/forums.fatsharkgames.com/ryshek/32/92339_2.png) [@Ryshek](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/Ryshek)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2026, 3:35pm UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/forum-community-poll-on-core-experience-difficulty/125799/5 "2026-09-22T15:35:11Z")
Fatshark is in a difficult spot on difficulty. They’ve created auto targeting stuff like assail and advanced combat doctrines that if balanced for havoc will decimate on malice… How do you even balance something like that? ---
**Author:** ![Harridas](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/forums.fatsharkgames.com/harridas/32/25941_2.png) [@Harridas](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/Harridas)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2026, 3:45pm UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/forum-community-poll-on-core-experience-difficulty/125799/6 "2026-09-22T15:45:25Z")
> [@Ryshek](#): > > if balanced for havoc will decimate on malice **If**? It **is**. ---
**Author:** ![MadMartigan](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/forums.fatsharkgames.com/madmartigan/32/85568_2.png) [@MadMartigan](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/MadMartigan)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2026, 3:48pm UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/forum-community-poll-on-core-experience-difficulty/125799/7 "2026-09-22T15:48:07Z")
> [@Ryshek](#): > > Fatshark is in a difficult spot on difficulty. > > They’ve created auto targeting stuff like assail and advanced combat doctrines that if balanced for havoc will decimate on malice… > > How do you even balance something like that? They have indeed made a bit of mess with it all and should never have released Havoc IMO but here we are! They use unique values for both players and enemies in Havoc so it can just be treated as a standalone mode (which it is). So any balancing done for the core experience won’t affect Havoc and vice versa. In true FS fashion they have made twice the work for themselves and now need to balance 2 modes separately each time. > [@temp](#): > > I suspect there aren’t many players here who regularly run non-Maelstrom Auric missions. But if I’m wrong: post your stats! Mine: 11 losses and 11 wins across 22 recorded HISTG matches I don’t use mods so can’t give figures I am afraid but I do genuinely find Auric and AM too easy. Any wipes are almost exclusively from getting netted or yeeted off a ledge by a barrel etc. ---
**Author:** ![eatingsand](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/aca169/32.png) [@eatingsand](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/eatingsand)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2026, 3:58pm UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/forum-community-poll-on-core-experience-difficulty/125799/8 "2026-09-22T15:58:40Z")
i don’t have stats for you but i genuinely can’t remember the last time i lost one ---
**Author:** ![CH3DD4R\_G0B-L1N](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/forums.fatsharkgames.com/ch3dd4r_g0b-l1n/32/96421_2.png) [@CH3DD4R\_G0B-L1N](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/CH3DD4R_G0B-L1N)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2026, 4:07pm UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/forum-community-poll-on-core-experience-difficulty/125799/9 "2026-09-22T16:07:43Z")
Why no “revert mission board changes” option? I know balance has spiraled _more_ since then, but that did no favors to the game. Sure, leave sedition or whatever gone, but bring back A4/A5 split. I encountered a lot less people out of place back then and it was instrumental in my skill journey to have A4 as an option, let alone being a comfort place for lots of folks. ---
**Author:** ![MadMartigan](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/forums.fatsharkgames.com/madmartigan/32/85568_2.png) [@MadMartigan](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/MadMartigan)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2026, 4:13pm UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/forum-community-poll-on-core-experience-difficulty/125799/10 "2026-09-22T16:13:16Z")
I can certainly add that! I guess I thought the option for adding an additional tier above Auric would lead to a similar result, or rebalancing all tiers proportionately. Perhaps the difficulties in question were just too underused so they decided on those changes? Would be good to find out but I doubt we even will. How would you want the poll option worded (exactly)? ---
**Author:** ![temp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f04885/32.png) [@temp](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/temp)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2026, 4:36pm UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/forum-community-poll-on-core-experience-difficulty/125799/11 "2026-09-22T16:36:31Z")
> [@MadMartigan](#): > > Any wipes are almost exclusively from getting netted or yeeted off a ledge by a barrel etc That’s exactly the problem. Death is the end. Not that I have extensive stats on this, but it turns out that not a single recorded Auric HISTG match where I got killed ended in a victory. And I’ve never been killed instantly—before actually dying, I always end up downed, but I rarely get rescued. On top of that, getting downed is usually the result of getting netted first. You’d think it’s a pretty harmless situation in Maelstroms, but not in HISTG ---
**Author:** ![MadMartigan](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/forums.fatsharkgames.com/madmartigan/32/85568_2.png) [@MadMartigan](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/MadMartigan)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2026, 4:41pm UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/forum-community-poll-on-core-experience-difficulty/125799/12 "2026-09-22T16:41:08Z")
> [@temp](#): > > That’s exactly the problem. Death is the end. Not that I have extensive stats on this, but it turns out that not a single recorded Auric HISTG match where I got killed ended in a victory. And I’ve never been killed instantly—before actually dying, I always end up downed, but I rarely get rescued. On top of that, getting downed is usually the result of getting netted first. You’d think it’s a pretty harmless situation in Maelstroms, but not in HISTG It does raise the concern that Auric isn’t gated enough tbh. people should have to pass some sort of test in order to access. What that test is is another matter. I’ve previously suggested a certain amount of penance points must be gained, then at least we know that person has explored many of the penances (which do genuinely act as tutorials in their own way). I think this could be quite an elegant solution. ---
**Author:** ![temp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f04885/32.png) [@temp](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/temp)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2026, 4:48pm UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/forum-community-poll-on-core-experience-difficulty/125799/13 "2026-09-22T16:48:10Z")
> [@MadMartigan](#): > > It does raise the concern that Auric isn’t gated enough tbh Right now, to unlock Auric for the first time, you just need to win matches on Damnation: a win gives 10 points, and a loss deducts 5 points. But it’s a weak filter because regular Damnation campaign missions (excluding the DLC/extra campaign) are pretty easy. What if we make the filter stricter? For instance, you get 10 points only for winning Damnation HI, and only if you were in the match from the very start and successfully extracted alive. You’d lose 5 points if you leave, even if you disconnected due to technical issues. All other wins and losses would give zero rewards or penalties. Plus, if you end up dead in a winning run, you get zero points. Though I don’t know if this even makes sense. Personally, I have over 250 Auric missions completed, and I’m still not a hard carry ---
**Author:** ![Ryshek](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/forums.fatsharkgames.com/ryshek/32/92339_2.png) [@Ryshek](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/Ryshek)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2026, 4:55pm UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/forum-community-poll-on-core-experience-difficulty/125799/14 "2026-09-22T16:55:01Z")
> [@Harridas](#): > > **If**? It **is**. It’s been a minute, but last I remember then saying the target goal for balance was like damnation. But that was an age ago. It feels like right now the target goal for balance is more around auric, have they said it’s havoc? ---
**Author:** ![CH3DD4R\_G0B-L1N](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/forums.fatsharkgames.com/ch3dd4r_g0b-l1n/32/96421_2.png) [@CH3DD4R\_G0B-L1N](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/CH3DD4R_G0B-L1N)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2026, 5:06pm UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/forum-community-poll-on-core-experience-difficulty/125799/15 "2026-09-22T17:06:57Z")
Now I can see the “6 in one, half dozen in the other” perspective on your provided option. If it functions the same as A4/A5, sure. The main benefit was being able to get the game flow feel of Auric with Heresy enemy values (and, ideally, 500 weapons, but we know how that goes) to then work yourself into A5. No need to change the poll on my account, but if you must, just “revert to the old diff tiers pre mission board rework” along with the necessary overall balance of course. And, not captured in your poll but being discussed above: I am a personal advocate for gear score filters. Every game I’ve ever played with gear scores and score gated tiers has worked much more smoothly. Might as well continue to shoot for the moon since we’re playing “pretend like FS cares” in here already. ---
**Author:** ![MadMartigan](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/forums.fatsharkgames.com/madmartigan/32/85568_2.png) [@MadMartigan](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/MadMartigan)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2026, 5:12pm UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/forum-community-poll-on-core-experience-difficulty/125799/16 "2026-09-22T17:12:12Z")
> [@temp](#): > > Right now, to unlock Auric for the first time, you just need to win matches on Damnation: a win gives 10 points, and a loss deducts 5 points. But it’s a weak filter because regular Damnation campaign missions (excluding the DLC/extra campaign) are pretty easy. > > What if we make the filter stricter? For instance, you get 10 points only for winning Damnation HI, and only if you were in the match from the very start and successfully extracted alive. You’d lose 5 points if you leave, even if you disconnected due to technical issues. All other wins and losses would give zero rewards or penalties. Plus, if you end up dead in a winning run, you get zero points. > > Though I don’t know if this even makes sense. Personally, I have over 250 Auric missions completed, and I’m still not a hard carry trouble is that a player could gain access using a single build of a single class and wouldn’t know much about the roles or strengths/weaknesses of the classes or have any experience with them. With my suggestion of a penance point gate, at least the player will have been exposed to many aspects of the game that they might not have bothered with before. In essence they’re forced to learn the game. I think that is as tight as we can get an access gate within reason. It would make sense though right? I definitely learned a lot from going through the penances and it forced me to use skills/builds/classes I’d not have likely used otherwise. They do feel like tutorials in an organic kind of way. ---
**Author:** ![MadMartigan](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/forums.fatsharkgames.com/madmartigan/32/85568_2.png) [@MadMartigan](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/MadMartigan)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2026, 5:16pm UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/forum-community-poll-on-core-experience-difficulty/125799/17 "2026-09-22T17:16:21Z")
> [@CH3DD4R\_G0B-L1N](#): > > And, not captured in your poll but being discussed above: I am a personal advocate for gear score filters. Every game I’ve ever played with gear scores and score gated tiers has worked much more smoothly. Might as well continue to shoot for the moon since we’re playing “pretend like FS cares” in here already. I deliberately left out gating from the poll as I feel it would require a “but with better gating” duplicate of each question. I wanted it to be purely about the actual challenge posed by the tiers. Certainly open to discussion around gating in the comments though. I’ll try and add your missionboard rework option now 👍 EDit: added! ---
**Author:** ![Harridas](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/forums.fatsharkgames.com/harridas/32/25941_2.png) [@Harridas](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/Harridas)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2026, 11:26pm UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/forum-community-poll-on-core-experience-difficulty/125799/18 "2026-09-22T23:26:51Z")
The talent tree reworks, weapon buffs and the new additions since Havoc’s inception have all powercreeped the base game difficulties significantly, to the point that Sedition was removed from the game. The reworked talent trees have all the good talents next to each other so you don’t suffer from separated talents that cost more to get, an easy example is how all your toughness talents are super easy to grab at the very top of the tree right next to each other. Another easy example being ammo economies of many ranged weapons have been buffed significantly and the DLC weapons’ ammo economy is so huge that you needn’t even pick up ammo on Auric. ---
**Author:** ![Ryshek](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/forums.fatsharkgames.com/ryshek/32/92339_2.png) [@Ryshek](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/Ryshek)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2026, 12:22am UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/forum-community-poll-on-core-experience-difficulty/125799/19 "2026-09-23T00:22:28Z")
Yeah, i get all that and I don’t disagree, but has there been an actual statement from the devs as to what the game is balanced around, or is it just inference on your part? Last I recall the entire player base regarding balance was screeching about how balancing the game around havoc will destroy reality. ---
**Author:** ![Vertraxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a5b964/32.png) [@Vertraxxx](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/Vertraxxx)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2026, 3:50am UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/forum-community-poll-on-core-experience-difficulty/125799/20 "2026-09-23T03:50:32Z")
This is fundamentally an issue with the overall design philosophy of the game, but any system that effectively requires players to use something like a Party Finder just to be able to play is nothing but a hassle for 99.9% of the player base. It also creates opportunities for people to gatekeep certain builds and classes, which only serves to make the overall game experience worse. These kinds of requirements should simply be removed. As for the difficulty of normal missions, the difficulty itself isn’t really the problem. The problem is that the difficulty can fluctuate wildly depending on things like class and weapon balance, meaning the intended difficulty isn’t actually guaranteed. The difference between a party that is completely optimized around the meta and a party where all four players are using off-meta setups is genuinely enormous. I’d like to think that the removal of Gold Toughness this time will make things somewhat better, since it was one of the factors contributing to this problem. However, there are still plenty of things in the game that can break the balance, such as Smite, Inferno, and DoT damage. Unless those things are addressed, changing the difficulty of normal missions won’t really accomplish anything. When it comes specifically to Auric and Maelstrom, I’d like to see the extremely boring event spawns improved. Some of them are so predictable and uneventful that they practically put me to sleep. The assassination boss in Oubliette is another thing I’d like to see improved. It’s been a joke of a boss since release and feels like nothing more than a waste of time. Unfortunately, Fatshark doesn’t seem particularly interested in doing anything about it, so I don’t have very high expectations there either. [Next page](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/forum-community-poll-on-core-experience-difficulty/125799.md?page=2)