“Ink, Faith, and Fire: Exploring Support-Class Potential in Darktide”

[PSI2007]

I started out thinking about Scribes as a possible class in Darktide,
and the more I developed the idea,
the more it highlighted something the game is still missing:

true support classes.

This topic isn’t just about the Scribe
— he’s only an example to spark discussion
about all possible support-style classes that could fit into Darktide’s lore and gameplay.

The Scribe shows how even unlikely Imperial personnel could fill unique roles:
buffing allies, debuffing enemies, and bringing new team-oriented mechanics to the game.

I’m hoping this thread becomes a place to brainstorm other support concepts

— whether Administratum, Mechanicus, Ecclesiarchy, military,
or something entirely different.

I want to provide everything I gathered thus far to spark you imagnination:

LORE JUSTIFICATION

Why a Scribe Would Be Recruited

• Administratum personnel are routinely pressed into service during crises, especially in hive worlds like Tertium where manpower shortages and mass casualties are constant.

• Scribes work directly inside scriptoriums, which cultists frequently infiltrate to corrupt records, logistics, and supply lines.

• Historical precedent:

  • Vigilus / Neo-Vellum shows scribes literally chained to desks and then suddenly exposed to GSC infestations.

  • Administratum staff have shown to panic, flee, fight, or be press-ganged into emergency PDF units.

• The Inquisition and Moebian authorities may declare a Total Penitent Levy, forcing every noncombatant into front-line work.

• Scribes are walking data vaults, carrying knowledge of logistics routes, cult infiltration patterns, supply catalogues, and Adeptus Terra codes—making them valuable (and exploitable).

• Some scribes, through indoctrination and zealous upbringing, are surprisingly devoted to the Emperor and may be eager—but physically frail—participants.

How a Scribe Ends Up in a Strike Team

• Wrong place, wrong time (assigned to process penals, requisitions, or field reports).

• Survived a cultist raid in their scriptorum and was “volunteered.”

• Detected inconsistencies or cultist activity in records, reported it, and the Inquisition “rewarded” them by conscripting them.

• Was part of a mass Administratum levy on Tertium.

• The squad needs logistical expertise, tactical recordings, and battlefield documentation.

Scribe Class — Summary

1. LORE JUSTIFICATION

Why a Scribe Would Be Recruited

• Administratum personnel are routinely pressed into service during crises, especially in hive worlds like Tertium where manpower shortages and mass casualties are constant.

• Scribes work directly inside scriptoriums, which cultists frequently infiltrate to corrupt records, logistics, and supply lines.

• Historical precedent:

  • Vigilus / Neo-Vellum shows scribes literally chained to desks and then suddenly exposed to GSC infestations.

  • Administratum staff have shown to panic, flee, fight, or be press-ganged into emergency PDF units.

• The Inquisition and Moebian authorities may declare a Total Penitent Levy, forcing every noncombatant into front-line work.

• Scribes are walking data vaults, carrying knowledge of logistics routes, cult infiltration patterns, supply catalogues, and Adeptus Terra codes—making them valuable (and exploitable).

• Some scribes, through indoctrination and zealous upbringing, are surprisingly devoted to the Emperor and may be eager—but physically frail—participants.

How a Scribe Ends Up in a Strike Team

• Wrong place, wrong time (assigned to process penals, requisitions, or field reports).

• Survived a cultist raid in their scriptorum and was “volunteered.”

• Detected inconsistencies or cultist activity in records, reported it, and the Inquisition “rewarded” them by conscripting them.

• Was part of a mass Administratum levy on Tertium.

• The squad needs logistical expertise, tactical recordings, and battlefield documentation.

Role on the Team

• A frail but zealous support operative.

• Keeps records, “motivates” allies through ritual chants, shames enemies with proclamations, and boosts team coherence.

• Represents the support role missing in Darktide’s class roster.

---

2. LORE-FRIENDLY WEAPONS FOR SCRIBES

Imperial-Issued (Press-ganged)

• Las-Mark II “Civil Pattern” Laspistol
  (low-power, used by PDF clerks and bean-counters)

• Laspistol + Ledger (off-hand)

• Civilian Autopistol

• Improvised Shock Baton (Security Reject version)

• Truncheon / Administratum Baton

• Civil Defence Shotgun (very basic)

• Short Lascarbine (PDF surplus)

Administratum / Scriptorium Tools Turned Weapons

• Heavy Brass Stylus (counts as a knife)

• Iron-Bound Ledger (club / blunt weapon)

• Stamp-Hammer (a stamping device repurposed as a blunt maul)

• Autoquill Stiletto (thin powered pen acting like a stinger)

• Data-Slate Shield (small buckler-like slab, heavy and reinforced)

Relic / Thematic Weapons

• Scribe’s Quill of Office (unique pen-blade relic)

• Archivist’s Staff (doubles as a pointer and melee weapon)

• Censer-Smoke Baton (for buffs/debuffs)

---

3. CLASS OVERVIEW (Darktide-Style)

Class Fantasy

A frail, bewildered, often terrified bureaucrat dragged into war—yet essential to the squad.
A master of:

• buffs

• debuffs

• team coherence

• battlefield “documentation”

• Emperor-approved motivational shouting

“The pen is mightier than the sword—provided the pen is large, blessed, and swung with enough desperation.”

Core Gameplay Role

• Support / Buffer / Debuffer

• Mild crowd disruption

• Team cohesion enhancer

• “Morale Manipulation” specialist

Survival Theme

• Avoid direct combat

• Stay near team

• Use mental focus, inscriptions, proclamations

• Uses “Record Keeping” resource to empower abilities

---

4. ABILITIES (PROTOTYPE DARKTIDE SET)

Primary Ability (Orange): “Edict of the Golden Quill”

The Scribe slams a rune-stamped edict into the air, releasing a wave of administrative authority.

• Allies in coherency gain: +toughness regen + stamina

• Enemies hit become “Condemned”, taking increased damage

Blitz (Green) Options

1. “Ink Bomb”
   Throws an ink-saturated parchment that bursts into choking fumes.

   • Enemy accuracy reduced

   • Allies see outlines of enemies briefly

2. “Record Spike”
   Autoquill projectile that marks a target.

   • Team gets bonus damage vs marked target

   • Killing it refunds cooldown

3. “Seal of Rejection”
   A parchment seal that sticks to an enemy and causes a loud shockwave “stamp” on detonation.

Aura (Yellow): “Coherency Ledger”

The Scribe’s presence encourages order:

• Allies in coherency gain +toughness on elite kill

• OR +damage when fighting near another ally

• OR +stamina regen

Keystones (Purple)

1. “Master of Archives”
   Maintaining coherency builds “Record Stacks.”
   At 10 Stacks → unleash a shockwave that buffs allies and staggers enemies.

2. “Judicial Scribe”
   Successfully debuffing enemies applies “Condemnation.”
   Condemned enemies take stacking holy damage from ally hits.

3. “Ink-Bound Fanatic”
   Using Support skills rapidly builds Zeal.
   At max Zeal → next melee attack becomes a devastating “Quill Strike.”

Passives (Blue)

• Gain toughness when staying near allies

• Bonus damage to “Condemned” targets

• Reduced toughness damage from ranged hits

• Faster stamina recovery while holding books, ledgers, or quills

• Allies revive faster when the Scribe is alive

Additional Blitz Variants

“Ink Suppression Spray”

Short cone AoE cloud that blinds and slows enemies.

“Sancroscript Spike”

Throws a burning holy-edict nail.

• Impales target

• Emits a fear aura

• Reduces enemy movement speed

“Codex Flash”

Snap open a macro-illuminated tome.

• Brief flash of blinding light

• Minor stagger

• Reveals elites for the entire team

---

More Aura Variants

“Bureaucratic Momentum”

Allies gain toughness on elite appearance, not kill.

“Efficient Formation”

Coherency increases the team’s stamina recovery and weapon swap speed.

“Paperwall Protocol”

While in coherency, allies receive a small flat ranged damage reduction.

Possible Skill-Trees:

Inspirational pictures:

I hope this topic is of some interested to some of you to expand on my idea
or to come up with your own.

[PSI2007]

Other classes I thought about:

• Medicae
• Anything Mechanicus
  (TechPriest - unlickely/Skitarii - Not support/too combat focused/maybe: rogue TechAdept)
• Heavy weapons team (very much combat focused, but clearly support/needs setup)

Any other ideas?

[Durandal94]

@PSI2007

Any other ideas?

Nothing as good as scribe

[PSI2007]

Medicae – Support Combat Medic Class (Warhammer 40K: Darktide)

Summary:
The Medicae is a frontline support class designed to keep squads alive in the heat of battle. Equipped with medical tools and combat gear, they can patch up allies, remove status effects, and provide tactical buffs while still holding their own in combat. The Medicae is perfect for players who want to actively support their team without sacrificing survivability or the ability to contribute to offense.

Weapons:

• Primary: Stub Carbine / Bolt Pistol (accurate, short-to-medium range)

• Secondary: Surgical Laspistol / Plasma Cutter (for emergency damage)

• Melee: Combat Scalpel / Power Knife (fast strikes, minor bleed effects)

Blitzes (Short-term combat boosts):

1. Stim Shot: Temporarily increases fire rate and movement speed of self and nearby allies.

2. Adrenaline Boost: Grants temporary damage resistance and faster healing effects for a short duration.

3. Revive Rush: Allows instant revival of a downed ally if activated in melee range.

Abilities:

1. Field Medkit: Deploy a portable medkit that heals over time for allies within radius.

2. Purity Injection: Removes poison, toxin, and other negative status effects from allies.

3. Defibrillator Strike: Stuns enemies briefly and can revive or stabilize a critically wounded teammate.

Keystones (Passive enhancements):

1. Rapid Response: Healing actions are 20% faster and consume fewer resources.

2. Battlefield Awareness: Nearby ally deaths trigger a brief buff to movement and attack speed.

3. Medic’s Precision: Melee and ranged attacks against downed or wounded enemies deal bonus damage.

[PSI2007]

TechAdept Support Class Concept – Darktide

Role Summary:
The TechAdept is a frontline-support specialist, blending battlefield ingenuity with rapid mechanical assistance. Using techno-arcane tools, they repair allies, enhance weapons, and deploy drones to control the flow of battle. Perfect for squads that need survivability and tactical edge, the TechAdept thrives on keeping the team operational under pressure.

---

Weapon Options:

• Primary:

  • Arc Wrench – melee weapon for close-range damage and repair applications.

  • Plasma Cutter – medium-range energy weapon that can disrupt enemies and overcharge devices.

• Secondary:

  • Autopistol – rapid-fire sidearm for emergencies.

  • Shock Grenade Launcher – stuns enemies and temporarily disables machinery.

• Specialist:

  • Repair Drone – deployable drone that heals or buffs allies.

---

Blitzes (Quick Attacks / Skills):

1. Overclock Strike – temporarily boosts an ally’s weapon speed and damage.

2. EMP Slam – melee slam that damages and stuns mechanical enemies.

3. Welding Flurry – rapid melee chain that repairs structures or fortifications while hitting enemies.

---

Abilities:

1. Repair Matrix – deploys a healing drone or field that restores allies’ health over time.

2. Overload Field – creates an area of electric energy that slows and weakens enemies.

3. Weapon Tuning – temporarily buffs nearby allies’ weapons, increasing accuracy and critical chance.

---

Keystones (Passive / Class Traits):

1. Efficient Servitor – repair and buff abilities consume less energy.

2. Mechanical Sympathy – increased damage against mechanical enemies or vehicles.

3. Tactical Adaptation – reduces cooldowns for support abilities when an ally is downed nearby.

[PSI2007]

Heavy Weapon Squad – Support Class Concept Summary

The Heavy Weapon Squad is a support-focused class designed to dominate the battlefield with overwhelming firepower, allowing frontline allies to push forward safely while the squad lays down suppressive fire. Unlike standard classes, the Heavy Weapon Squad operates with NPC Reloaders who assist with weapon maintenance and ammo supply, emphasizing the team-oriented nature of this class and highlighting the brutal efficiency of the Imperium’s war machine.

Weapons:

• Heavy Bolter: Continuous, high-rate-of-fire suppression weapon.

• Autocannon: Slow-firing but devastating against armored targets and hordes.

• Flamer/Heavy Flamer: Area denial and crowd control.

• Missile Launcher: Limited ammo, high damage against elites and tough enemies.

Blitzes (Ultimate/Powerful Attacks):

1. Overwatch Barrage: Call in the Reloaders to double the squad’s fire rate for a short time.

2. Suppressive Volley: Lay down a wide cone of fire that slows and damages enemies.

3. Incendiary Barrage: Launch flamer rounds for massive area damage and zone control.

Abilities:

1. Ammo Resupply: Reloaders automatically provide extra ammunition to squadmates.

2. Fortify Position: Temporarily increase armor and reduce incoming damage for nearby allies.

3. Focused Fire: Mark a target to increase damage dealt to it for a short duration.

Keystones (Passive Enhancements):

1. Suppressive Presence: Enemies in line of sight have reduced accuracy and movement speed.

2. Efficient Gunner: Heavy weapons consume less ammo per shot when supported by Reloaders.

3. Resilient Squad: Reloaders and allies gain a small shield while within proximity of the Heavy Weapon Squad.

This class would allow support gameplay, emphasizing firepower, positioning, and teamwork. The presence of NPC Reloaders visually reinforces the scale and coordination of an Imperial war machine, making the class feel iconic and distinct.

[DornIvanotic]

@Arthiio0

[PSI2007]

The Heavy Weapon Squag id obiviously missing two things:

• An Emphasis on deployment (time).
• A “Side Arms/Weapon List”, when not deployed.

[zaygr]

Heavy support teams should be static enemy elites where you can clear them out and then use their heavy weapon statically unless you are an ogryn, until the weapon runs out of ammo, like the machine gun and chainsaw from Left 4 Dead 2.

Also what is this abominable intelligence masquerading as art I’m seeing.

[PSI2007]

Fair enough.
I’m just spittballing here, to encourage people to come up with their own creative ideas.

[PSI2007]

Let me once again say that I really hope that some people will let their creativity flow
once the “Hive Scum”-Sucks vibe dies down and focus more on “What could be”
then “What sucks now”.

I understand that “HiveScum” is here now and we all got to cope,
but it’s here and nothing can be done about that.

MAYBE we can influence FS and by extent GW to come up with something a bit more creative
by bring up our own ideas.

[PSI2007]

Commissar

Lore-Friendly Frontline Rationale

Commissars are the Imperium’s iron backbone of morale. They are indoctrinated from youth to embody absolute discipline, courage, and loyalty. On the battlefield they are both symbols of Imperial resolve and ruthless enforcers—executing deserters, cowards, and traitors to keep troops from faltering.

Reason for Ending Up in a Strike Squad of 4 Rejects:
Several possibilities make this scenario lore-friendly:

1. Assigned Punitive Duty:
   The Commissar has been reassigned to a penal or experimental strike squad. Perhaps the Imperium wants to test the limits of rejected soldiers or mutants, and the Commissar’s role is to enforce discipline and ensure the squad accomplishes the mission despite their flaws. His presence is less about honor and more about making sure the Imperium gets results from misfits.

2. Failed Duty / Personal Fallback:
   The Commissar may have failed spectacularly in a previous assignment—allowing a unit to be wiped out, failing to enforce discipline, or showing uncharacteristic mercy. Rather than execution (or because someone higher up intervened), he is demoted to a penal strike squad. He still retains authority over the squad but has to redeem himself through combat while working with soldiers he may initially disdain.

3. Chosen Mentor for Outcasts:
   Less harsh, but still gritty: the Commissar might have requested the assignment, believing that even “rejects” deserve guidance and discipline. His personal ambition to forge a squad capable of great deeds could put him in direct conflict with the more unruly members.

Frontline Rationale:
Even a disgraced or reassigned Commissar is a trained killer. He brings melee prowess (power sword), precision sidearms (bolt pistol), and leadership that boosts the morale of even the worst soldiers. The Imperium values results over pride—he will be expected to fight alongside his squad, not just supervise from behind.

Their presence on the frontlines is mandatory:

• Troops fight harder under a Commissar’s gaze.

• Cowardice dies before the Commissar does.

• A living example of duty must be seen by those they command.

Even among rejects, a Commissar can maintain cohesion through fear, leadership, and violent inspiration.

---

Weapons

• Power Sword: Elite melee weapon; used for both execution and example-setting.

• Bolt Pistol: Massive stopping power; iconic Commissariat sidearm.

• Laspistol / Storm Bolter: Ranged suppression and reliable fallback options.

---

Three Blitzes (Mobility / Engagement Moves)

1. Charge of Conviction

Dash forward, knocking aside lesser enemies. Allies behind you gain temporary morale buffs.

2. Rallying Shout

A barked battlefield order that briefly stuns nearby enemies and increases ally attack speed.

3. Judgment Strike

Leap to a priority enemy and deliver a heavy execution-style melee hit. Allies witnessing it gain a temporary courage bonus.

---

Three Abilities (Support Tools)

1. Inspire Courage — Reworked with Execution Mechanic

The Commissar shoots or executes a nearby “breaking” / panic-afflicted” enemy (not teammates).

• When an enemy shows fear, staggers away, or attempts to flee (a common Darktide behavior), the Commissar can instantly execute them with this ability.

• Performing the execution triggers a burst of morale energy, granting:

  • +Damage and +Toughness to allies

  • Temporary suppression immunity

  • +Stagger to melee attacks

• Execution animation is fast, similar to a “special kill” or “coup de grâce.”

Gameplay translation:
You kill a fleeing or panicking enemy with a unique animation to empower your squad.
—This reflects the 40K trope: “Let the fate of cowards be a warning.”
—It fits Darktide because there are already enemy panic states, staggers, kneels, etc.

---

2. Discipline Enforcement

A terrifying command that causes nearby enemies to hesitate, flinch, or retreat. Works like a “fear pulse.”

3. Revive Order

The Commissar forcibly commands a downed ally back to their feet, instantly reviving them with a burst of temporary toughness.

---

Three Keystones (Permanent Buffs)

1. Unyielding Presence

Nearby allies resist suppression, corruption buildup, and panic effects.

2. Iron Will

The Commissar gains damage reduction and stagger resistance while near allies under half health.

3. Martial Doctrine

All melee attacks deliver “morale damage,” increasing stagger, breaking enemy charge attempts, and interrupting elites more reliably.

[Heretical_Cactus]

Tbh there are 3 that I could see, and would love to see, and have some leg up on the Admech one, due to them not needing full new separate weapon selection.

---

Sister Pronatus:

Sisters from the Mobian Domain’s Minor Order, named Daughter of Messelina or something.

Main mechanic: Faith Generate Faith both passively and actively by communing

• Faith is consumed by the Blitzs
• Faith give small health damage resistance at a cost
• Faith power buffed Aura effects:

Branch 1: “Ranged”

• Aura: Holy Fusillade
  • Low: Decrease ranged weapon ready time
  • High: Increase ranged weapon critical change
• Blitz: Divine Delivernace: Stance Consume Faith to prevent ranged suppression
• Ability: Not sure

Branch 2: Support

• Aura: Light of the Emperor
  • Constant: Grant allies coherency stagger resist
  • High: Grant allies health damage resist
• Blitz: Spirit of the Martyr: Shield yourself or a highlighted allies
• Ability: Standard of the Emperor: Root yourself and gain damage resistance, allies in coherency get various buffs

Branch 3: Melee

• Aura: Hand of the Emperor: Work in reverse (Low faith effect)
  • Base: Increase melee damage
  • Add: Crit strikes have a chance to apply Burns
• Blitz: Blessed Strike: Stance Spend Faith to empower the new melee attack, can be used on top of weapon’s special attack (So Blessed Strike on Revved attack, or Shock attack…)
• Ability: Pure Faith: Low cooldown, expend all held Faith pushing enemies and causing burns on them, the more faith used the stronger the effects

New weapons:

• Melee: Anointed weapons (Halberd, Maxe and Sword); Anointed weapon + Shield
• Ranged: Condemnor Bolter (Bolter + Stake crossbow); Hand Flamer

---

Astropath\Black Sentinel

Kinda like Psyker, but using Voidfrost and more deliberate melee attacks, use Navis Primer and the Pax Imperialis as base

Main Mechanic: Void frost: Use Psyker’s weapons but has no access to Soulfire, instead they get Voidfrost being able to freeze enemies if they’re getting too many stack of Voidfrost

Kinda go wild on ice and stuff

[PSI2007]

Those are both pretty cool ideas.

Thx.

[PSI2007]

A bit more inspirational material:

[Hammer_hold]

Jeez lousie, someone’s clearly very passionate about the Scribe.

Edit: Someone is clearly very passionate about a lot of roles of the Imperium. Even with ChatGPT summarizing this, it’s still so much text.

[Durandal94]

@Hammer_hold

someone’s clearly very passionate about the Scribe.

We all should be!

[PSI2007]

Well, ChatGPT is just a tool.

The ideas are all mine.
And that’s me being creative.

So far I haven’t seen any ideas coming from you.

Also if that is too much text for you,
you may want to step up on your attention span.
Otherwise, you’ll never progress beyond the reading level of an elementary schooler.

[Hammer_hold]

Why are you getting so defensive and agitated? I just made a joke.

Not to mention I also use ChatGPT to summarize my long posts with my ideas, so I know what I’m saying when I say “man, you must have been writing a lot if even ChatGPT summarize tool still left you with such long notes”

You need to tune down your autism once in a while and recognize when someone is making a joke, friend.

It happens to me too.

[Durandal94]

@Hammer_hold

You need to tune down your autism

Or you can tune it up and like me become a full spectrum warrior!