So the weapon progression in this game is pretty terrible for the vast majority of classes. Being stuck with the generic weapons which are mostly both underwhelming and feel boring until the level 18 to 20 range is not great. It takes roughly 20 hours or so to get into the level range assuming youre focusing on one class and not losing runs, and the majority of players are not going to want to spend that time grinding just to use the iconic weapons.
But the iconic weapons feel amazing, its like playing a different game suddenly when you do hit those points. Those are the weapons that we are here to use, its why we are playing a 40k shooter. Not only that but they have far more engaging gameplay with thier modes and options. There are a few outliers (thunder hammer feels bad), and some good weapons in the generic (knife and duelist sword feel good). But for the most part, the grind up to getting the weapons you actually want to play with just feels like SUFFERING. Especially if you decide to make another character. Please do not let this progression stay till full launch. You’re going to lose the majority of the playerbase far too early if you don’t let them play with the fun toys.
I think melee suffers from this a lot. Some of the iconic weapons are so good/fun it makes me wonder if there is even a point in using the generic weapons. Something like the axe is boring whereas the chain axe is a lot more fun.
Then you unlock the Eviscerator or Force Sword and there is no reason to use anything else because they are the best weapons in the game and very fun to use. These weapons are clearly on another level it feels like the generic weapons are just there for boring progressions sake. Then they start suffering because it starts feeling like there is not much variety in fun weapons.
Vermintide didn’t have this issue because they were all the same “tier” of weapons so to speak. With maybe some of the one handed options being worse than their two handed counterparts, it was the exception than the rule.
Exactly this, VT2 the weapons were all relatively balanced around each other and served a specific function or role. In this we effectively have tiers of weapons that invalidate the other weapons before it. Why use an axe to deal with armored enemies when you can use an eviscerator and one shot them through the horde with the special attack? The generic weapons don’t feel like they have much identity especially when you compare them to the iconic ones.
Not only is there a big power discrepancy, but there is an enjoyment discrepency. The iconic weapons genuinely FEEL like they are powerful. When you’re firing that Boltgun and tearing your enemies apart, it feels amazing. But when you’re firing an autogun and need to mag dump and enemy to kill it you just feel bland and bored
You misunderstand, that phase lasts far past 20. You’ll roll dozens of shops that are filled with weapons that are utterly irrelevant to your class, the only purples your Psyker will ever see are guns and swords. Admittedly I’ve only played ~50ish hours, but I’ve genuinely never seen a purple staff and received most of my staffs ~3-4 levels after they’re technically unlocked.