First of all y’all going to hate me for this because this build is pure canc… ebola, but I just can’t keep it for myself.
The basic idea was to make a build that needs the smokes to survive and since it’s a right side build might as well pick Weapon Specialist too. It turned out to be a very fun build to play (at least for me).
Introducing the “Ebola Vet”.
Full build
Upsides:
- Almost Ogryn levels of damage.
- Can clutch, and run to resurrect teammates as the last man standing.
- Can deal with bosses (with unyielding PS).
- Can flex into sharpshooter/special control.
- Can flex frontliner.
- It’s probably very good in premades.
Downsides:
- Ogryn levels of damage is only true if there is no Ogryn on your team. An Ogryn or Zealot build played by a moderately skilled player who plays aggressively will still do way more damage.
- A friendly slap from an old lady might make you fall over.
- Your team is going to hate you at first. I had people dodge q regularly, and at least one person quits after the 3rd smoke pops every 3-4 games. I have also been kicked from a group twice in the character select which hasn’t happened to me before (I run like 50 games with this build so it isn’t a lot, but weird it happened twice).
- People aren’t used to having someone with this playstyle on the team.
- Requires at least 1 good teammate or support-focused team to handle the agro dump. (You can clutch but carrying a bad team is
impossibleextremely hard) - Requires “perfect” weapons to reach peak efficiency.
Basic how to play:
You are not a Zealot, you are not going run around like a headless chicken, you are going to stick with your team, protect squishes, or clear specials for the big guys. If you want you can engage full gunner/shotgunner squads and mop the floor with them, but make sure you smoke your team first (for their protection of course).
Power sword for hordes, ranged enemies, low number of elites, muties, and bosses. Plasma for specials, far away targets, and to stagger huge elite blobs. Smoke early, smoke often, and always follow up on aggro dumps.
Why not Kraks?
Your largest enemy is shooters. You are a squishy little vet after all, and you cannot allow your toughness to drop below maximum. Without smokes you can’t stay alive alone, you need it, you want it, and you even pick up Demolition Stockpile for it.
On the other hand, what is Krak doing for you? A little bit of boss damage? Clear Crushers and shields? You have tools for that anyway, no need for Kraks!
Why not Voice of Command?
Because F teammates that’s why. Infiltrate allows you to ninja around making engaging enemies super easy, and you can pick up Surprise Attack for a large damage steroid.
You aren’t the commissar and not an archon point for your team. You are a friendly, helpful but mostly inconspicuous Vet until you’ll suddenly disappear and tear everything apart in the next 5-10 seconds.
Why “Hunter’s Resolve” if you have “Low Profile”?
If you look at the build you see that it has only 5% TDR, which is nothing compared to any other build on any class. If you are caught off guard, or you are going to do a little “go, in and out 20-minute adventure” you’ll want and you’ll need that large boost in TDR. It’s very, very helpful.
Why not Close Order Drill and Confirmed Kill?
- It nullifies the pressure to get a kill count for specials/elites. CK bad.
- Close Order Drill isn’t there when you engage… or when the 2 ogryns and the Zealot on your team decide they want to run around on a V-E-G Maelstrom because they feel like it.
- Out for Blood is actually very, very nice.
- +5% movement speed operative node is a game-changer.
I highly advise playing this with Out for Blood for the sole reason that it will make you learn to use smoke nades properly faster.
Why Weapon Specialist? You said it is bad.
It is bad. It feels horrible to drop dodge speed randomly, but Always Prepared has wonderful synergy with plasma. You only have to reload 2-3 times during the whole game even if you aren’t paying attention to the buff at all. It also helps a bit with elite sniping adding a bit more oompf to agile engagement.
Alternatively, you go into Precision Strikes for the points and have some actually impactful benefits. The +5 ranged damage node on the way is also very good if you don’t have a perfect plasma.
Smoke 101:
Smoke is weird, but if you take it you have to use it to its full potential, here are some tips:
- Enemies perceive smoke as cover until they are inside. This means trappers won’t shoot from outside the smoke! So if you smoke doorway smoke slightly behind and trappers/flamers will just walk into melee range if you (stand on the edge of the smoke).
- There is an easily visibly distinct buff icon letting you know you are standing in smoke if you aren’t sure.
- Gunners will continue shooting after smoke pops, but their attack is untargeted. You can just slightly move to the side and they’ll keep shooting nothing.
- Ranged enemies in smoke will switch to melee. Especially good against shotgunners!
- A left-click throw will break your stealth, but a Right-Click throw will not!
What to keep in mind when you are playing:
- Always follow up on aggro dumps. After you ult your targets are whatever is attacking/targeting your team. This could be the Trapper/bomber/Flamer combo that is tormenting your team, and not the 2 ragers attacking your psyker, but… always attack whatever takes the most pressure off your teammates.
- Don’t ress downed teammates in stealth while their body is surrounded. They’ll just die. At least clear the elites first, since low-profile works with downed allies too you can slash away in peace.
- Whenever there are shooters around stand in smoke, and smoke before the gunners start shooting. You can even pre-smoke doorways and such. If you have a dome Psyker, you don’t have to smoke as often… as long as you are standing in the dome.
- Smoke your team before you go in for gunner/shotgunner blobs. This will keep your team safe and the blob will stay together making them an easier target. If you smoke the shooter blob they’ll start running around.
- Infiltrate and do the interrogation, search, and canisters. You can even do it solo! If you pick up the canister and use your ult you will drop it, but if you are in stealth you can pick it up freely.
- Ration Combat Ability. It’s not a build where you press it whenever it’s up. You have to use it tactically.
- Ration ammo unless you are fed by the team. This is natural, you’ll only have ammo problems if there is a trigger-happy ammo vacuum Gunlugger in your team. Otherwise, you’ll either be fed by the team or the local sharpshooter/Revolver Zealot will make sure you don’t have to concentrate on the specials that much.
Have fun!
Wargear:
High Mobility on PS is mandatory.
