# Zealot compared to Hive Scum **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [August 7, 2026, 4:14pm UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/zealot-compared-to-hive-scum/124718 "2026-08-07T16:14:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bido](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@Bido](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/Bido)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2026, 4:14pm UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/zealot-compared-to-hive-scum/124718/1 "2026-08-07T16:14:41Z")
Hey im a new player so i might be wrong but as a Zealot player after having seen the talent tree of Hive Scum, specifically Rampage… It just seems like its better in every way at what Zealot is trying to be? (I’m FoF Zealot) ---
**Author:** ![Index](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/forums.fatsharkgames.com/index/32/95844_2.png) [@Index](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/Index)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2026, 4:23pm UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/zealot-compared-to-hive-scum/124718/2 "2026-08-07T16:23:05Z")
> [@Bido](#): > > like its better better? not necessarily. easier? absolutely. annoying for the rest? most of the time. id advice to hone zealot as a class and fundamentals of the game first, arbites and scum tend to “teach” bad habits that are harder to get rid of later 🤷‍♂️ ---
**Author:** ![Vror](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/forums.fatsharkgames.com/vror/32/97172_2.png) [@Vror](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/Vror)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2026, 5:04pm UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/zealot-compared-to-hive-scum/124718/3 "2026-08-07T17:04:33Z")
Hive Scum is a better class overall than Zealot. Hive Scum is the 2nd strongest class in the game and Zealot is the weakest (not bad, I need to clarify, but weakest) The only benefits Zealot has over Scum is being able to clutch and stabilize a team better (And of course True Solo any mission a lot more consistently but that’s irrelevant for 99.99% of players) ---
**Author:** ![Downer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Downer](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/Downer)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2026, 5:08pm UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/zealot-compared-to-hive-scum/124718/4 "2026-08-07T17:08:34Z")
It is better, especially currently when fury of the faithful bugged, you can get similar or maybe even better results with some weapons only out of martyrdom zealot, but you will have to put x2 effort minimum. ---
**Author:** ![Bido](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@Bido](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/Bido)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2026, 5:19pm UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/zealot-compared-to-hive-scum/124718/5 "2026-08-07T17:19:37Z")
Its really weird to me since zealot’s while thing is melee and higher risk ganeplay from my experience ---
**Author:** ![Vror](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/forums.fatsharkgames.com/vror/32/97172_2.png) [@Vror](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/Vror)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2026, 5:22pm UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/zealot-compared-to-hive-scum/124718/6 "2026-08-07T17:22:32Z")
Well they needed a way to make Hive Scum appealing and since they’re not Arbites (cops, above of rejects) or Skitarii (40k tourist trap) they needed to keep Hive Scum OP for people to play them ---
**Author:** ![Bido](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@Bido](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/Bido)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2026, 5:24pm UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/zealot-compared-to-hive-scum/124718/7 "2026-08-07T17:24:11Z")
I dont want to go to Chorus prison ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Vror](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/forums.fatsharkgames.com/vror/32/97172_2.png) [@Vror](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/Vror)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2026, 5:26pm UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/zealot-compared-to-hive-scum/124718/8 "2026-08-07T17:26:13Z")
You don’t need to Join the Shroudfield dark side. Most OP combat ability in the entire game that barely anyone uses ---
**Author:** ![Mindgoblin90](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/forums.fatsharkgames.com/mindgoblin90/32/92761_2.png) [@Mindgoblin90](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/Mindgoblin90)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2026, 5:36pm UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/zealot-compared-to-hive-scum/124718/9 "2026-08-07T17:36:43Z")
The zealot is genuinely tanky especially with until death but scum if you mess up you die the trade off being power ---
**Author:** ![m\_warham](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/forums.fatsharkgames.com/m_warham/32/117915_2.png) [@m\_warham](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/m_warham)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2026, 7:47pm UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/zealot-compared-to-hive-scum/124718/10 "2026-08-07T19:47:26Z")
You’re wrong. It’s not noticeable on lower difficulty levels, but on higher ones, teams tend to pick the Zealot over the scum from the hive. He doesn’t deal that much damage, but he’s incomparably more consistent. ---
**Author:** ![temp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f04885/32.png) [@temp](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/temp)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2026, 8:22pm UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/zealot-compared-to-hive-scum/124718/11 "2026-08-07T20:22:10Z")
> [@Vror](#): > > Join the Shroudfield dark side. Most OP combat ability in the entire game that barely anyone uses This build puts an incredible amount of responsibility on the player. At the very least, it requires them to be the team’s best boss killer, while also obliging them to pull off at least one clutch if the situation calls for it. Needless to say, under no circumstances can a player running this build be the first, second, or third member of the team to go down. The player has to be the last one to go down ---
**Author:** ![CobaltNinja](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/forums.fatsharkgames.com/cobaltninja/32/71678_2.png) [@CobaltNinja](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/CobaltNinja)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2026, 8:47pm UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/zealot-compared-to-hive-scum/124718/12 "2026-08-07T20:47:35Z")
> [@Vror](#): > > Hive Scum is a better class overall than Zealot. Hive Scum is the 2nd strongest class in the game and Zealot is the weakest (not bad, I need to clarify, but weakest) > > The only benefits Zealot has over Scum is being able to clutch and stabilize a team better Hi! Level 500 Zealot and level 300 Scum here. This is more or less the accurate description. HS has absolutely ludicrous melee damage output and Rampage is the best offensive active ability in the game. Chorus is the best _defensive_ active ability in the game and can be pretty easily spammed, though FotF is a lot of fun to play as well. Shroudfield is offensively weak and not even that good at clutching. Its only purpose is to nuke bosses and make everyone angry at you. Zealot is good for training your fundamentals without dying all the time. Once you’re good enough to avoid getting hit, HS is the better melee damage option. I don’t think it should be this way, Zealot should be the king of melee. If you pick Fem!Judge you’re a loser. ---
**Author:** ![Ryshek](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/forums.fatsharkgames.com/ryshek/32/92339_2.png) [@Ryshek](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/Ryshek)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2026, 9:11pm UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/zealot-compared-to-hive-scum/124718/13 "2026-08-07T21:11:54Z")
> [@Vror](#): > > The only benefits Zealot has over Scum is being able to clutch and stabilize a team better It feels bad, chems removing corruption AND protecting against corruption is better than the zealot purification, easily. I assume you’re talking about chorus, and that is definitely solid for stabilizing. ---
**Author:** ![Ralendil](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/forums.fatsharkgames.com/ralendil/32/108313_2.png) [@Ralendil](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/Ralendil)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2026, 9:14pm UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/zealot-compared-to-hive-scum/124718/14 "2026-08-07T21:14:31Z")
Playing zealot and Scums I disagree this is the same. For me zealot is fast, the melee frontliner that always have a card “get out of jail free card” Melee is the best thing he will do… ranged is a support. (sidenote: I begin to love the assault shotgun… just because this is a close combat weapon) The Scum has stimms (usually) that can transform him. That’s a sort of second ability. If you play it melee, then you have rampage, then maybe the keystone if you have picked adrenaline frenzy. If you have picked chemical, basically this part is really interesting for the critical chances bonus. This is also the part that is clearly linked to toxin. I skip ranged scum, not relevant to compare with zealot. As a result, Scums is about dealing a max of damages in a min of time. Zealot is about consistently control the mass of enemies (I refuse to say horde control, we don’t have horde since the port to consoles). That’s a different role. However, zealot is the one that, how I use it, has the fastest gameplay between both. I play it aggressively, using a lot Fury of the Faithful (FoF). FoF is increasing your attack speed (melee and ranged), this is also a way to move really fast. Also, zealot has several movement bonuses (node +5% movement, Retentless favor, Thry Wrath be Swift, Providence (less interesting - Why Fatshark moved this from veteran to zealot???), Unfaltering (interesting for heavy melee weapons)). You can also use it as assassin, dealing a max of damages in one hit. I don’t like this gameplay. Perso, I use a lot martyrdom. I don’t feel that the 2 others keystones are good, at contrary. I use fury only with weapons that have low critical chances, or not enough, and need it because they shine only with critical. Or I can use it with weapons that shines better with it. But the left part is about being untouchable with lot of DR. However, with martyrdom, you can achieve that with a lot of wepaons, and get also a big attack speed bonus. The right part… I don’t see how it can be interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Vror](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/forums.fatsharkgames.com/vror/32/97172_2.png) [@Vror](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/Vror)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2026, 9:15pm UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/zealot-compared-to-hive-scum/124718/15 "2026-08-07T21:15:29Z")
> [@CobaltNinja](#): > > Shroudfield is offensively weak and not even that good at clutching. Its only purpose is to nuke bosses and make everyone angry at you. huh? wdym “not even that good at clutching”? this thing enables you to True Solo a H40, essentially being a whole match clutch On a normal 4 man game, clutching the revive with this is a garanteed if you’re decent ---
**Author:** ![Vror](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/forums.fatsharkgames.com/vror/32/97172_2.png) [@Vror](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/Vror)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2026, 9:16pm UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/zealot-compared-to-hive-scum/124718/16 "2026-08-07T21:16:25Z")
Indeed I meant Chorus, I said stabilizing, not support heh ---
**Author:** ![Hammer\_hold](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/forums.fatsharkgames.com/hammer_hold/32/103503_2.png) [@Hammer\_hold](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/Hammer_hold)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2026, 9:29pm UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/zealot-compared-to-hive-scum/124718/17 "2026-08-07T21:29:47Z")
> [@CobaltNinja](#): > > If you pick Fem!Judge you’re a loser. You’re a fine one to talk! -_Me, the Loser_ ---
**Author:** ![DVD.exe](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/forums.fatsharkgames.com/dvd.exe/32/116175_2.png) [@DVD.exe](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/DVD.exe)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2026, 9:57pm UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/zealot-compared-to-hive-scum/124718/18 "2026-08-07T21:57:01Z")
I’d rather a Rampage scum than a Chorus zealot Honestly, I’d rather a FotF zealot than a Chorus zealot. Those guys consistently need more babysitting than bubble soulblaze psykers and every single bubble soulblaze psyker I’ve ever ran into in havoc have been hot trash ---
**Author:** ![Vror](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/forums.fatsharkgames.com/vror/32/97172_2.png) [@Vror](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/Vror)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2026, 10:01pm UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/zealot-compared-to-hive-scum/124718/19 "2026-08-07T22:01:33Z")
> [@Ralendil](#): > > For me zealot is fast, the melee frontliner that always have a card “get out of jail free card” ![image](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/uploads/fatshark/original/3X/c/2/c25d77ecdb3a0e1db8db6dd90a0c1216fb4fdcf2.png) ![image](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/uploads/fatshark/original/3X/9/d/9d251abe9bd5255b3826e32b7415e222f142e5eb.png) Hive Scum has these, which are essentially “no enemy shall touch me” > [@Ralendil](#): > > Melee is the best thing he will do… I think we’re ignoring the huge elephant in the room ![image](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/uploads/fatshark/original/3X/7/f/7f7450d3e14d59914f1ec9ed3f4273e4969f0ffb.png) > [@Ralendil](#): > > As a result, Scums is about dealing a max of damages in a min of time. Zealot is about consistently control the mass of enemies (I refuse to say horde control, we don’t have horde since the port to consoles). That’s a different role. I don’t understand how exactly does Zealot “control the masses” better? > [@Ralendil](#): > > However, zealot is the one that, how I use it, has the fastest gameplay between both. I play it aggressively, using a lot Fury of the Faithful (FoF). FoF is increasing your attack speed (melee and ranged), this is also a way to move really fast. Also, zealot has several movement bonuses (node +5% movement, Retentless favor, Thry Wrath be Swift, Providence (less interesting - Why Fatshark moved this from veteran to zealot???), Unfaltering (interesting for heavy melee weapons)). > You can also use it as assassin, dealing a max of damages in one hit. I don’t like this gameplay. > Perso, I use a lot martyrdom. I don’t feel that the 2 others keystones are good, at contrary. I use fury only with weapons that have low critical chances, or not enough, and need it because they shine only with critical. Or I can use it with weapons that shines better with it. But the left part is about being untouchable with lot of DR. > However, with martyrdom, you can achieve that with a lot of wepaons, and get also a big attack speed bonus. > The right part… I don’t see how it can be interesting. Or you can just just this on Scum for extreme attack speed ![image](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/uploads/fatshark/original/3X/c/c/cce5b30b3441c739a4ab6119f36d53d07c4696ca.png) ![image](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/uploads/fatshark/original/3X/1/1/1158817c9d093e9b15c43ec1f0ab5258fdbf4f0e.png) 30% attack speed (or 20% attack speed but +15% crit chance and 30% CDR), 25% melee damage, 25% melee power (and an additional 25% melee power if picking the subnode, for a total of 50% melee power), while stacking overkill damage thanks to the huge elephant in the room called Hyper-Violence Meanwhile I still keep access to Nimble + Jittery which makes me untouchable since I can forever spam dodge with barely any time in between refreshes, and doesn’t force me to use wounds to maximize Martyrdom ---
**Author:** ![Bido](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@Bido](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/u/Bido)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2026, 10:12pm UTC](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/zealot-compared-to-hive-scum/124718/20 "2026-08-07T22:12:57Z")
Ahold i hate arbiter as a zealot player? I feel like i should… 😦 [Next page](https://forums.fatsharkgames.com/t/zealot-compared-to-hive-scum/124718.md?page=2)