Reginald's Rediculous Solo Melee Challenge

[Reginald]

Hey there. I’ve been doing a little challenge for a while now and I thought I would invite the bold and the crazy to give it a try and post your results. Its designed for Zealot and I haven’t even completed it myself. I’ve created a very simplified points system for grading your attempts and I’ll lay out the rules below as well as the reporting requirements.

Setup Requirements:
You will need the following mods

• SoloPlay
• TrueSoloQoL

Set map to your choice
Difficulty set to Damnation (no modifiers)

Rules:

note there are three variants allowed. Variant A is modified to variant B or C based on following the rules outlined in the Addendums. I did this because of the fundamental class differences built into the game. This challenge was originally designed with Zealot in mind but I wanted to let other people have their fun too.

[Variant A - Holy Crusader]

Not allowed -

• You may not use a ranged weapon (I recommend taking a grey that has a slow draw time)
• After consideration: Sprinting with ranged drawn is allowed.
• sprint usage of ranged weapon is prohibited. Suffer your choice of weapon and all its flaws.
• You may not benefit from ranged weapon blessings that might effect melee
• You may not use a damaging Blitz (Read addendum 1!!)
• You may not use Shroud field, Infiltrate or Telekine Shield (Read addendum 2!!)
• No speed-run style bypassing (just knife sprinting past everything defeats the purpose)

Allowed -

• Any melee weapon is allowed
• Any class is allowed
• Any build is allowed
• Barrels are fair game
• Panic sprints for exits or checkpoints are allowed where organic
• Stimms are allowed

Addendums -
Addendum 1:
I realize this negatively impacts Psyker and Ogryn quite badly and even Vet too. For Ogryn and Vet and Zealot you may chose to play [Variant B - Pure] or [Variant C - Scuffed] of the challenge.

[Variant B - Pure]: You may use a damage dealing grenade. You may only use 1 carrying capacity of such, no pickups or regens may be used after expending your stockpile. For Psyker you may use your blitz until you hit max perils 1 time.

[Variant C - Scuffed]: Freely use blitz of any kind.

Addendum 2:
You may wish to use some of the banned abilities mentioned above. If so simply specify which you used next to your Variant identifier in the reporting section.

**Reporting Requirements: **

Fill out this template:

Variant: [ A, B, C] [add tag if you used banned talents]
Win/Lose:
Class:
Melee Weapon:
Blitz:
Ability:
Build: (link to build)
Map:
Points:

Scoring:
Assuming you are running Hab Dreyko you may use this scoring system. Otherwise just list a win/loss.

1 Point for getting to the lobby
1 Point for getting past the first airlock
1 Point for the second airlock
1 Point for the third airlock
1 Point for each phase of the finale scan section
1 Point for successful extraction

Here is my most recently posted game about the subject for reference.

INSANE DISTANCE - melee only damnation | Darktide gameplay

This would be scored as follows:
Variant: [ A]
Win/Lose: Lose
Class: Zealot
Melee Weapon: Chain Axe
Blitz: Stumm
Ability: FotF
Build: (link to build)
Map: Hab Drayko
Points: 4

[Reginald]

Variant: [A]
Win/Lose: Lose
Class: Zealot
Melee Weapon: IndyCrusher
Blitz: Stumm
Ability: Fury of the Faithful
Build: (link to build)
Points: 2

Tried a few rounds of Indignatus Crusher. Was going good until a dog jumped me from just a hairs breadth outside the reach of my bonk stick.

[Jasper_of_the_Dawn]

I would like to attempt this, but I have some questions if that is ok.

1. Do you need/want the run to be recorded?
2. “May not benefit from ranged waepons” can be understood in different ways for me, please clarify:
   2.1 I may not use the ranged weapon in any way, like at all
   2.2 I may not damage enemies/barrels with it
   With 2.1 in place I would not be allowed to equip my ranged weapon intentionally
   With 2.2 in place I would be allowed to lets say run a revolver, shoot it empty(in the ground) to not make any mistakes but still use it for the better sprint economy for instance
3. Are there any banned mods? Im obv not gonna try to install stuff to help me, I just want to know if theres one in my current list that is not permitted
4. Do I have to clear every enemy I see or is it ok to not aggro enemies if they stand in an off path corner and continue on?
5. Do you have any tips/advice?

[alsozara]

@Jasper_of_the_Dawn

“May not benefit from ranged waepons” can be understood in different ways for me,

Probably partially worded that way to avoid hand cannon abuse I’d guess.

[Jasper_of_the_Dawn]

That is already covered by “You may not benefit from ranged weapon blessings”

[alsozara]

Ah you’re right sorry I forgot that line was also in there.

[Keln]

Just damnation? not histg?
Sounds like your average clutch

[Jasper_of_the_Dawn]

By the Emperor, Hab Dreyko is cursed. I started 4 runs back to back and each time a pack of ragers and gunners/reapers greeted me on the bridge.

Variant: [A]
Win/Lose: Lose
Class: Zealot
Melee Weapon: IndyCrusher
Blitz: Stumm
Ability: Chorus
Build: (link to build)
Points: 3

5th run was going good, until I got thrown into a Trapper by a Mutie…

Edit: I equipped the flamer and used it to sprint around when no enemies were nearby to save some time, I hope that was okay

[CommanderJ]

Putting yourself through Hab-Dreyko, repeatedly, on purpose must surely be the highest form of self flaggelation known to mankind.

[Jasper_of_the_Dawn]

Man cannot remake himself without suffering, for he is both the marble and the sculptor - Alexis Carrel

[Reginald]

@Jasper_of_the_Dawn

Edit: I equipped the flamer and used it to sprint around when no enemies were nearby to save some time, I hope that was okay

Allowed.

@Jasper_of_the_Dawn

“May not benefit from ranged waepons” can be understood in different ways for me, please clarify:
2.1 I may not use the ranged weapon in any way, like at all
2.2 I may not damage enemies/barrels with it

No shooting anything, even barrels. I think sprinting with it is acceptable. Yes you benefit from maybe faster movement and better dodges but the drawback is clearly having to manage drawing your melee etc. I say allow it.

@Jasper_of_the_Dawn

Are there any banned mods? Im obv not gonna try to install stuff to help me, I just want to know if theres one in my current list that is not permitted

None i know of. Maybe healthbars shouldnt be run but its not disqualifying.

@Jasper_of_the_Dawn

Do you need/want the run to be recorded?

Up to you. Self report is totally fine. If you want to post the recordings i’d be interested. To me its less of a competition and more of a personal challenge and a question of what is even possible.

@Jasper_of_the_Dawn

• Do I have to clear every enemy I see or is it ok to not aggro enemies if they stand in an off path corner and continue on?
• Do you have any tips/advice?

Nope. You don’t have to aggro everything.

Tips:

1. Clear shooters with all the hate you can manage. If they notice you they’ll pursue from behine or get drafted later by a horde and it can be a huge pain to have them sneaking around.

2. Clear ambient elites when you have the chance.

3. Pursue trappers and dogs if possible. Letting disablers take a second try at you is risky as heck.

4. Doors are meta. But don’t block everything.

@CommanderJ

Putting yourself through Hab-Dreyko, repeatedly, on purpose must surely be the highest form of self flaggelation known to mankind.

Honestly the only other map i thought i could do by myself was Throneside - Enclavum Barros.

@Jasper_of_the_Dawn

I started 4 runs back to back and each time a pack of ragers and gunners/reapers greeted me on the bridge.

Spawns seem seeded by instance. If you get a really brutal spawn you can return to the Mourning Star and then requeue from there and it’ll give you a different one.

[Nish]

Variant: [A]
Win/Lose: Lose
Class: Zealot
Melee Weapon: Power Knife
Blitz: Blades of Faith
Ability: Fury of the Faithful
Build: Build
Points: 4

Gave it a few tries. Definitely doable, but very time-consuming. Got netted at the event in a stupid way at the end, but the Final Scan should be a breeze compared to boss spawns. I’ll probably put in a few more tries when I have time.

Weapon used:

---

@Reginald

Yes you benefit from maybe faster movement and better dodges but the drawback is clearly having to manage drawing your melee etc. I say allow it.

I feel like both non-damaging Blitz and any use of ranged weapons should be banned or have their own category, but it’s your challenge so you make the rules.

[Reginald]

@Nish

Melee Weapon: Power Knife

Lol, big facts.

@Nish

I feel like both non-damaging Blitz and any use of ranged weapons should be banned or have their own category, but it’s your challenge so you make the rules.

I agree with you upon reflection and upon watching Telopots take up the challenge without even drawing his gun with the indycrusher.

For the record, until maybe he posts it himself,

Hear ye, hear ye:
Telopots has taken the title as first person to clear my challenge with any weapon (to my knowledge) and did so under Variant A rules. Congrats! And amazing game. Really pleased to see someome finally succeed and prove it can be done.

MELEE ONLY True Solo | Damnation | Zealot | Hab Dreyko

Previous results with sprint usage of ranged are valid and grandfathered in.

[Ol_Jakal]

i don’t play “true solo” modes, it dumbs down the AI director’s plays too much.

[tinybike]

@Reginald

Really pleased to see someome finally succeed and prove it can be done.

Next challenge: hi 5 STG solo with no grenade ranged etc restrictions

[jojoikuzo]

Been trying this on ogryn (as i’ve been discussing on YT with reginald). Tried around 6-7 times now with varying levels of success. This is my most recent run

Variant: [A]
Win/Lose: Lose
Class: Ogryn
Melee Weapon: Mk1 Bully Club
Blitz: Box (didn’t use)
Ability: Bull Rush
Build: build
Points: 3

Run went fairly well. Pained outburst saved me from 2 hound pins. BoN spawned after the second airlock and kept pushing me forward into more stuff (any other boss would’ve been fine).

I’ve honestly been dealing with most stuff fairly well, including gunners. Trappers, hounds and Beasts of Nurgle seem to be the biggest pain point for ogryn atm.

[Reginald]

Beasts are a huge pain for anyone. I’ve killed 4 of them and I usually use door cheeze, bleed stacks, and like 20 minutes of my time…

[Nish]

The trick is to bait the breath, dodge and then you have some time to attack them from the side. Not that bad if you have space.

[jojoikuzo]

Yeah I know the general pattern. The difficulty is having the space to move while not getting caught in any existing piles of bile, also dealing with the other things that spawn like disablers / hordes without getting caught in the bile. That section after the second airlock isn’t the best for kiting a BoN while there’s other stuff running around. I tried to use the staircases and ladder after the dropdown to kite the BoN around while i killed the elites and other things spawning but I think i got netted.

[jojoikuzo]

Variant: [A]
Win/Lose: Lose
Class: Ogryn
Melee Weapon: Mk1 Bully Club
Blitz: Box (didn’t use)
Ability: Bull Rush
Build: build
Points: 4

got a lot further this time. mainly got lucky with plogryn and daemonhost boss spawns. Got mulched pretty hard by the 12 or so maulers and 2 mutants juggling me in the finale.