# How would you make Dregs and Scabs feel distinct? **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [August 3, 2026, 8:34pm UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/how-would-you-make-dregs-and-scabs-feel-distinct/124635 "2026-08-03T20:34:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hammer\_hold](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/forums.fatsharkgames.com/hammer_hold/32/103503_2.png) [@Hammer\_hold](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/Hammer_hold)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2026, 8:34pm UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/how-would-you-make-dregs-and-scabs-feel-distinct/124635/1 "2026-08-03T20:34:18Z")
I’m talking about the enemies that exist in both factions. Trash melee, trash shooters, Elites, those guys. What would you tinker with? Specific animations? Specific behavior? Just some changes in the health, damage, and speed department? How would you make both factions **feel** different and not like literally the same baddies in different clothes? ---
**Author:** ![MarxistDictator](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/forums.fatsharkgames.com/marxistdictator/32/106716_2.png) [@MarxistDictator](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/MarxistDictator)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2026, 8:50pm UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/how-would-you-make-dregs-and-scabs-feel-distinct/124635/2 "2026-08-03T20:50:44Z")
Their idle animations could be different, scabs should be in military drills checking weapons while dregs should be praying or raving. Kinda like how rotblood savages would occasionally clang their weapons together while idle, while plague monks would be T-posing in prayer. Maybe they could make it look like units are communicating some kind of orders to each other when they spawn next to each other, using some of the animations for emotes. I also miss the patrol chants that would be faction-specific in VT2. The rat shanty of patrolling stormvermin was peak. But there should be something like a ‘hut-hut-hut’ for the scabs since they’re soldiers, and maybe a loud prayer or moaning for a dreg patrol. But mostly dregs need more units, specifically an ‘executioner’ style elite in the manner of a mauler wearing unarmored and some wizards. The game needs sorcerers in the dreg roster. ---
**Author:** ![Hammer\_hold](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/forums.fatsharkgames.com/hammer_hold/32/103503_2.png) [@Hammer\_hold](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/Hammer_hold)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2026, 9:12pm UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/how-would-you-make-dregs-and-scabs-feel-distinct/124635/3 "2026-08-03T21:12:34Z")
> [@MarxistDictator](#): > > The game needs sorcerers in the dreg roster. Someone like this Apostate Preacher of Nurgle, perhaps? ![obraz](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/uploads/fatshark/original/3X/c/b/cbe0008af844ad8430d7c0b14a130d4e0e0f04ab.jpeg) I heard that people spotted the devs making concept art of him in the Skittarii preview or something. ---
**Author:** ![ZoroDaOtter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/f475e1/32.png) [@ZoroDaOtter](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/ZoroDaOtter)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2026, 9:35pm UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/how-would-you-make-dregs-and-scabs-feel-distinct/124635/4 "2026-08-03T21:35:28Z")
Behaviour. Dreg behaviour should reflect crazed berserkers. All horde units should have decent melee and should be fast: high movement speed, fast attack speed, and should look like they’re just swinging wildly. They should feel “unescapable” and “endless” to fight. The faction should be resistant to ranged in general to encourage melee. Horde units should be more numerous, harder to swing thru, but die quickly to melee. Higher teir units should be more tanky. The ranged should be spray and pray with the ability to stun for longer or even push players back when getting hit. Scab behaviour should reflect an army of trained elite guardsmen, and they kind of already do. Scab Shooters prefer to take cover and throw down mass accurate volleys, to the point that they can be more dangerous than one or two gunners with enough mass. The problem is the nature of the game. Against large ranged threats players can always pull back to deal with the melee then return to deal with the ranged. Thus for scabs spawn behaviour should be changed. Scab patrols composed of light elites/horde units should be spawned from behind the player team and flank during horde events or if the team is sitting in one place for too long. This would make it seem like you’re fighting a group using actual tactics. The best way would be to add more elite units to Dregs that behave differently from Crushers/Maulers. ---
**Author:** ![Ralendil](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/forums.fatsharkgames.com/ralendil/32/108313_2.png) [@Ralendil](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/Ralendil)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2026, 9:46pm UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/how-would-you-make-dregs-and-scabs-feel-distinct/124635/5 "2026-08-03T21:46:12Z")
> [@Hammer\_hold](#): > > Specific behavior this HP, design etc. that’s ok… but behavior is the only point that would make the difference interesting Like what we see in HD2. When you increase the difficulty, the enemies have a different behavior. ---
**Author:** ![Hammer\_hold](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/forums.fatsharkgames.com/hammer_hold/32/103503_2.png) [@Hammer\_hold](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/Hammer_hold)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2026, 9:48pm UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/how-would-you-make-dregs-and-scabs-feel-distinct/124635/6 "2026-08-03T21:48:11Z")
> [@Ralendil](#): > > Like what we see in HD2. When you increase the difficulty, the enemies have a different behavior. They do? How so? ---
**Author:** ![Ralendil](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/forums.fatsharkgames.com/ralendil/32/108313_2.png) [@Ralendil](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/Ralendil)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2026, 9:55pm UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/how-would-you-make-dregs-and-scabs-feel-distinct/124635/7 "2026-08-03T21:55:57Z")
Yes the enemies are more dangerous when you increase the difficulty. This is not just more dangerous enemies. The enemies HP are the same (EDIT: not sure about this… several sources say the contrary), but behavior changes. ![image](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/uploads/fatshark/original/3X/d/4/d434b26f407e595bcb6fcb4dca86edf54ac22f58.jpeg) This enemy, at lowest difficulty where you meet him, just try to come close to you and vomit on you At higher difficulty, they start to bombard you and vomit on you if you come closer ![Capture d'écran_20260804_000457](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/uploads/fatshark/original/3X/a/6/a6b8d73cde6367208e59e12e8a73d70a321d1582.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Enclave](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/forums.fatsharkgames.com/enclave/32/73043_2.png) [@Enclave](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/Enclave)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2026, 12:29am UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/how-would-you-make-dregs-and-scabs-feel-distinct/124635/8 "2026-08-04T00:29:15Z")
Give the cultists some psykers ---
**Author:** ![Vror](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/forums.fatsharkgames.com/vror/32/97172_2.png) [@Vror](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/Vror)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2026, 12:33am UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/how-would-you-make-dregs-and-scabs-feel-distinct/124635/9 "2026-08-04T00:33:22Z")
I… require… Dreg… MAULERS!!! ---
**Author:** ![MarxistDictator](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/forums.fatsharkgames.com/marxistdictator/32/106716_2.png) [@MarxistDictator](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/MarxistDictator)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2026, 5:30am UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/how-would-you-make-dregs-and-scabs-feel-distinct/124635/10 "2026-08-04T05:30:45Z")
Definitely but I think life leech has huge potential for this game, like a dreg version of the trapper. Maybe have it use Nurgle tentacles to trap a player and require another to hack them away. ![17858213387584365085093804360552](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/uploads/fatshark/original/3X/8/c/8c0ee37e24f302c9104ed8c9cb1a857877d3c51e.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Riku](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/forums.fatsharkgames.com/riku/32/118330_2.png) [@Riku](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/Riku)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2026, 5:56am UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/how-would-you-make-dregs-and-scabs-feel-distinct/124635/11 "2026-08-04T05:56:57Z")
dregs, melee focus, send in lots of trash, with ranged support that ignores the wellbeing of allies (give them friendly fire) skaven-esque Scabs, Ranged focus with melee primarily focused on elites more hesitant to engage players ---
**Author:** ![goatstealer](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/forums.fatsharkgames.com/goatstealer/32/111315_2.png) [@goatstealer](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/goatstealer)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2026, 11:39am UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/how-would-you-make-dregs-and-scabs-feel-distinct/124635/12 "2026-08-04T11:39:41Z")
Big thing would be tweaking their behavior as others have stated. Dregs bum-rushing us along with the Pox-walkers hordes or firing at us from fairly close range completely tracks given their zealous dedication to Nurgle, it might not be a bad idea to consider having Dreg melee units be able to inflict corruption damage to drive home the whole disease-aspect. Scabs meanwhile are supposed to be an elite traitor guard regiment with a greater degree of autonomy from their cultist allies, so their ranged units should almost exclusively use cover when firing at us while their melee units should either dart from one piece of cover to another as they approach or maybe have them be more likely to appear out of a monster closet closest to players as a means of ambushing. As far as new additions go: I’d have Scabs get more ranged enemies that feature other bits of hardware like Grenade Launchers or shield/pistol combos, Dregs meanwhile would not only get more melee enemies but have them take first crack at warp/sorcery stuff like rogue psykers. What’d also be neat is if Dregs also get Beastmen/Pestigores as larger elites and relegate the traitor Ogryns to spawn exclusively alongside Scab enemies. ---
**Author:** ![Hammer\_hold](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/forums.fatsharkgames.com/hammer_hold/32/103503_2.png) [@Hammer\_hold](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/Hammer_hold)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2026, 2:20pm UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/how-would-you-make-dregs-and-scabs-feel-distinct/124635/13 "2026-08-04T14:20:20Z")
> [@Riku](#): > > dregs, melee focus, send in lots of trash, **with ranged support that ignores the wellbeing of allies (give them friendly fire) skaven-esque** Funny that you mention it. The Dreg Gunner actually has lines berating and screaming at his fellow heretics if they get hit with his Machine Gun. Unfortunately, I never heard these lines in the game, so I guess it was never implemented. But maybe it could be now? Better late than never, eh, FatShark? [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Y3PJSVf7wwY/maxresdefault.jpg "Warhammer 40,000: Darktide - Dreg Gunner - Voice Lines") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3PJSVf7wwY) ---
**Author:** ![Downer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Downer](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/Downer)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2026, 2:40pm UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/how-would-you-make-dregs-and-scabs-feel-distinct/124635/14 "2026-08-04T14:40:13Z")
Dreg ragers already faster and overall i think they are distinctive enough at this point from scabs. Bombers also different enough. No idea how to make most others different. Dreg enemies lack enemy variety, i would add demons to them already, unyielding or infested armor with their own unique skills. Every time when It is dreg seeding it’s nothing but hordes of ragers, heavy gunners and little shooters. ---
**Author:** ![JimLaheySexian](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/forums.fatsharkgames.com/jimlaheysexian/32/117252_2.png) [@JimLaheySexian](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/JimLaheySexian)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2026, 6:50pm UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/how-would-you-make-dregs-and-scabs-feel-distinct/124635/15 "2026-08-04T18:50:49Z")
I really wish there was an option to turn up the enemy voiceline volume. I think this does happen, there’s just so much other chaos going on its hard to hear it. ---
**Author:** ![kqgee](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/forums.fatsharkgames.com/kqgee/32/28555_2.png) [@kqgee](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/kqgee)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2026, 7:24pm UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/how-would-you-make-dregs-and-scabs-feel-distinct/124635/16 "2026-08-04T19:24:02Z")
![image](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/uploads/fatshark/original/3X/d/9/d955c56aa4541b7d60da9dfa82f5a577ccdf3048.jpeg) The standout unit between the two factions were always the Ragers. Both visually and how you fight them, despite the same move set. So where are the Admonition Ogryns? Where are the Admon Bulwark and Crushers? This is why we see Admon ragers so much more often than the armored 6th version. The Reapers are what is visually confusing to me, adding to the grey scale. They’re Mobien-6 but they look like Admonition. ![image](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/uploads/fatshark/original/3X/e/5/e5487199c40900d6eb10c787d847c7112f873268.png) ---
**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:** [August 4, 2026, 7:42pm UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/how-would-you-make-dregs-and-scabs-feel-distinct/124635/17 "2026-08-04T19:42:42Z")
Like others have mentioned. Scabs: disciplined military unit with better equipment. Better armor and weapons, better tactics. Act strategic. Dregs: Survivalists from the desert. Natives to Atoma. Crazed, poor, no training, starved and numerous. ---
**Author:** ![PedroPoz](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/forums.fatsharkgames.com/pedropoz/32/118427_2.png) [@PedroPoz](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/PedroPoz)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2026, 11:04am UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/how-would-you-make-dregs-and-scabs-feel-distinct/124635/18 "2026-08-05T11:04:33Z")
Dude are you insane? We don’t need another disabler in the game, that is bugged this much. It’s enough already that we have missing audio cues, nets teleporting through solid obstacles or hounds pouncing on you standing few m away from their jump destination… ---
**Author:** ![Ralendil](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/forums.fatsharkgames.com/ralendil/32/108313_2.png) [@Ralendil](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/Ralendil)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2026, 12:22pm UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/how-would-you-make-dregs-and-scabs-feel-distinct/124635/19 "2026-08-05T12:22:45Z")
of course we need an other. Net should not go through horde / crusher, that’s a fact. However, I really would like to see parts of the map with only dreg, and parts with only scab. The game populates the mission parts with dregs, scabs or mixed. However, when it is only dregs, we see these scab trappers coming. A dreg trapper would be great. And I would love, for this dreg trapper, the same trapper behavior than the VT2 trapper. A trapper that caught you and carry you away of your team! ---
**Author:** ![PedroPoz](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/forums.fatsharkgames.com/pedropoz/32/118427_2.png) [@PedroPoz](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/PedroPoz)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2026, 12:34pm UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/how-would-you-make-dregs-and-scabs-feel-distinct/124635/20 "2026-08-05T12:34:19Z")
It would be disaster though. Ppl in Vermintide usually play more like a team. In darktide there are many “main character” selfish players that even have problem to save you from the net as it is now ;] [Next page](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/how-would-you-make-dregs-and-scabs-feel-distinct/124635.md?page=2)