This!
Also modifier ideas:
Divide modifiers into 3 categories, listed below. This approach gives each mission a structured unpredictability-players can anticipate and adapt within each category, while still being surprised by new mixes.
New modifier - Moebian Domain: Scab Only Elites/Specialists. BoN, Chaos Spawn, Plogryn Bosses replaced by Captains or chance of Twins. Moebian 51st replaces poxwalker hordes, more frequent 51st horde ambushes. Mixed horde ambushes now include an upgraded Captain and apply Power Supply Interruption until that Captain is defeated.
Category 1: Environmental -
Pox Gas, Lights Out, Inferno, Ventilation Purge, None. (“None” would carry more weight than the other possible modifiers)
Category 2: Enemy Composition -
Brute Conscripts, Moebian Domain, Shock Troop Gauntlet, Sniper Gauntlet, Hunting Grounds, Heinous Rituals, Nurgle Totems
Category 3: Unholy Blessings
Pus Hardened Skin, Mutated Horrors, Nurgle’s Blessing, Encroaching Garden (on Trapper/Flamers only), Final Toll (Scab Elites & Captains), Rotten Armor or No modifiers
Then to further make Elites more dangerous on an individual level without compromising the phenomal sense of fighting against overwhelming odds Darktide is known for, some noteworthy community suggestions have been:
I. Nerf Outlier Player Traits - Batter only procs for a short period after push attacks, Soulblaze capped at 16 stacks globally with no buff from Rending Blessings, Uncanny capped at 40% Rending, Concussive Talent nerfed or removed, VOC no longer gold toughness, high Plasma cleave locked to charge attack, Slide no longer counts as dodge at zero stamina and has more stamina consumption
II. Make Elites Dangerous - Crushers get stronger stagger resistance, Reapers much stronger suppression resistance, Gunners suppression resistance, in addition to new Elites/Specs (links below) that would actively modify the area around themselves - creating high spikes in intensity that can be prioritized and eliminated without audio cue breaking spam
III. Hordes: More frequent poxwalker hordes, more Stalkers/Bruisers in Damnation+, unrelenting hordes on Auric+ - with key breaks around Auspex/Capacitor events to slow the combat pacing and allow team focus on objectives. Hordes like these don’t require sound cues nearly as much as Elites/Specs.