Tbh the damage distribution is just inflated numbers due to the fact that all the enemies are healing the damage you have dealt over and over again. Doesn’t mean it’s balanced but playing psyker like that means a lot of damage inefficiency.

I think an absolutely amazing way to balance Purgatus Staff out would be to keep it as strong as it or maybe make it stronger…. b u t ….have it deal Friendly-Fire Damage above xy Difficulty like in Vermintide Siennas Flamethrower Staff does. Or have it generate Peril way more quickly. And the primary Attacks short burst Stagger should be reduced. But all else i think the DMG, Debuff with Soulblaze Combination etc is fine, just make it more riskier to use instead of just carelessly spam it the entire time. Usually i do have to admit to not be on the Nerf Side and more on the Fun Side but even i see Purgatus Staff is kinda busted because it has zero risk to it as well. Imagine Zealots Flamer but without the time to brace it, no Ammo to consider and Talent Perks alongside it making it even stronger.

But all the other Staffs i think are fine and don’t need a nerf. Voidstrikes could even need some Buff imo. Voidblast i don’t have an Opinion on because i barely played it. Electrokinetic Staff seems fine as it is for me. And also either Voidstrike or Voidblast need a new Staff Model. Both are (almost) 1:1 identical.

Electokinetic is the weakest of the lot, and it’s auto-aim is abysmal.

I find the staff way to random. Its auto aim usually picks the least threating thing… Rager coming at you? Not a problem, it will target some trash a mile away picking it’s nose.

[image] DeathGuard75: I find the staff way to random. Its auto aim usually picks the least threating thing… it should receive the Brain Burst targeting mechanic with a similar visual cue indicating the current target, but an electric flair to differentiate between the two. [image] How can a psyker survive from havoc 40 if FS nerf smite and inferno staff? General Discussion We agree, Electrokinetic should be a single target focused staff. The issue with Electrokinetic just gaining damage on attack is it’s high rate of fire, very strong stagger and strong aim assist (though the aim assist is inconsistent). Balancing To compensate for a buff like the one suggested below, stagger on hit should be reduced dramatically against Ogryns. After being staggered once, Ogryns should receive stagger immunity against Electrokinetic for a period of time. Also, base charge tim…

it’s not inefficient if you’re focusing the purples in the group with the fire stream, once they die, the rest of the enemies with high soulblaze will quickly die without the heals and it’s often easier to just burn away rather than switch to melee unless it’s crushers. Doesn’t make it any more balanced

It’s inefficient because there are better builds that oneshot enemies or kill much faster than they heal, and with perilous combustion by the time you’ve wiped out the healers you’ll have enough stacks on crushers with uncanny strike that you’ll be doing much more damage than just purgatus would be doing. It just doesn’t matter because usually you have 3 other players holding everything back for you or you have room to kite, either way you will eventually win.

I think this where things go wrong, nothing should be one shotting crushers or any really tough stuff, unless it is specialized equipment. Which should be highly restricted and slow to use.

Psyker has been incredibly busted even before patch 13, and the power level has only risen, and every class has been slowly upgraded to their power since patch 13. It’s probably an entirely new discussion from this one, focused on staves, to turn it into another “Psyker has completely ruined darktide and its future due to dev’s inability to balance the game” discussion, but with the context of staves, it should be mentioned that despite how overpowered and broken and braindead staves are, it’s also on the class that has the strongest melee options in the game available to it with blessings that make armor inert and boosts power globally. This class needs a huge rework. It has very few actual, realistic restrictions in gameplay, compared to any other class.

I wonder whether Fatshark will ever have the balls to nerf staves into the ground

Warhammer 40,000: Darktide General Discussion

anon63448941 October 31, 2025, 1:45am 35

it should receive the Brain Burst targeting mechanic with a similar visual cue indicating the current target, but an electric flair to differentiate between the two.

Topic		Replies	Views
Nerf Staff Psyker General Discussion	120	1568	May 17, 2025
Psyker Nerf Community Poll General Discussion	71	1309	January 28, 2026
Psyker Rework and Nerf Opinions? General Discussion	70	1310	October 22, 2026
Additional In-Depth Psyker Feedback (Force Staves) Gameplay Feedback	7	742	November 29, 2022
Psyker balance, when? General Discussion	22	339	March 22, 2026

I wonder whether Fatshark will ever have the balls to nerf staves into the ground

Related topics