So to start, this isn’t yet another thread crying about players queueing for Damnation “before they’re ready”; conversely, this is an attempt to further foster the positive, helpful community Tide players saw a lot of in Vermintide (in particular, 2) at the high end by offering some advice that ‘the new guard’ may find helpful
This is by no means a set of hard rules – it’s just a handful of suggestions that may or may not be useful to you as an individual! Without further ado, here are a few tips that I wish I knew before I started playing Damnation, or once I was just starting out, in no particular order:
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The meta is a crutch, not clutch. There’s only one rule regarding meta builds, and that is that no build is forever. Don’t feel forced to play meta builds just because they’re the hot new thing and some rando on YouTube SWEARS it’s the highest DPS possible. A slight nerf here, a hotfix there or a major update buffing other talents and weapons or adding new ones entirely can and absolutely will change what’s “it” when it comes to the meta. That’s how it always works in ANY game and how it always will work – which is why the meta can turn out to be nothing more than a temporary crutch that will teach you absolutely nothing about how to improve your skills with your favorite class or weapons. Keep in mind, you can absolutely use online guides as a baseline to work off of, but you may find yourself in a situation where you’ve come up with a build that feels distinctly you; you find yourself performing better, or you even feel more comfortable while rolling with that build. That’s good. A niche but effective build is far less prone to getting whacked into oblivion by the nerf bat.
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Ignore toxicity, acquire crafting materials. Thankfully, this isn’t something I’ve seen a whole lot of (especially on Damnation), as most high-end groups I’ve rolled with are chill as heck when it comes to failing runs and encountering hard stops during a solid roll. Don’t be that guy – you know, the one that explodes and blames the team or anyone besides themselves, especially if they’re to blame in that case. Along the same vein, don’t feed the troll if someone blows their lid over a run that’s going (or has already gone) bad. Just be cool. It happens to the best of us. Speaking of…
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Even the best teams, with top-notch players, incredible cohesion and a remarkable composition fail sometimes… and that’s alright. There are missions where the game director is feeling particularly spicy, and it asks, “What a cute little group of four players running around with a single remaining wound each. Why don’t I send a wave of 18 Scab ragers, 4 bulwarks, 6 crushers and enough mutants and poxbursters to count as a war crime and stop them in their tracks?” Don’t let it discourage you. Instead, mentally backtrack and go over what went wrong and what you could have done differently (if anything); there will always be situations where there was just no salvaging a run, but it doesn’t hurt to prepare for next time you’re sandwiched between a rock and a heretical place.
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There’s no shame in taking a break from the game or taking it easy and hitting up lower difficulties, or even adhering to difficulties you’re more comfortable with. This is Darktide, not Dark Souls, and nobody’s going to mock you for sticking to your comfort zone. And if they do, they’re a colossal butthole the size of Texas, so it’s safe to disregard them entirely. This is a video game, and everyone’s here to have fun – for you, fun might be rolling around in Auric Damnation ops, or it might be strolling through Malice. Your choice is valid no matter your preferred stomping grounds.
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Stick with the group where possible, especially when you’re just starting out. Damnation is where I’d say the proverbial Nurgle-bits can quickly hit the fan if you wander off on your own for too long; an unexpected horde between you and your three teammates can force a run to go south faster than you can say, “Oh my god-emperor”. Plenty of people (myself included) can and do take alternate routes to meet the team at Point B, but that’s usually only after a horde has completely cleared up or a wave of specialists has ran out of bodies to throw at us; bear in mind, that STILL isn’t a guaranteed safety window so much as a potential moment of respite amid the chaos. No pun intended.
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Game sense is a real thing, and it is invaluable. No, seriously. As far as staying alive, boss damage and netting specialist kills and the likes, I tend to do well on Damnation even if we fail the mission; the thing is, I’m not what you’d consider a pro player. I don’t have the reflexes of a ninja on speed or the impeccable aim of the gamer equivalent of a Navy SEAL sniper. I’d attribute 99% of my performance to experience – to knowing the layout of each map, where to push to find resources such as healing or ammo when we’re in the thick of a fight, and to being able to make snap decisions in the heat of the moment, like those instances where it actually IS smarter to whip out the gat and open fire on a poxburster rather than waiting fo them to close the distance. Spend enough time honing your craft, so to speak, and you’ll find yourself making those split-second clutch decisions without even really thinking about them. THAT is game sense, THAT can make or break a run, and that’s all something ANYONE can pick up on with enough practice and dedication.
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Be aware that if you think Damnation missions are painful, Auric-level operations are often worse. I’m not saying this to discourage you from queuing up for Auric ops – I’m saying if you do go in, you should be prepared for the worst. Maelstrom modifiers can add a whole lot of unanticipated spice to a mission that was otherwise smooth sailing up to a certain point, and if a certain list of conditions sounds like the opposite of a good time to you, chances are it IS the opposite of a good time.
And that’s it; practice makes perfect, and as with any game, the more time and effort you put into refining yourself as a player, the more you’ll see that dedication paying off over time.