The Bound by Duty update has completely shaken up Darktide. Veterans, Zealots and Psykers now have brand-new talent trees, and there’s a pile of shiny new weapons to mess around with. So I figured this was the perfect time to put together five builds - one for each class - that are not just strong, but also a ton of fun to play and show off the new toys.
Are these the 'perfect' builds? Probably not - the patch is still fresh, and the meta’s going to shift. But I can promise you this: every build here can comfortably handle Auric Maelstrom missions, and even push into mid-level Havocs without too much trouble. So without further ado, let's dive in!
Video version of this guide (~13 minutes)
Big Boom Veteran
Let's start with the Veteran as this build uses two of the new weapons: the Power Falchion and the Mk III Explosive Bolter. It’s a high-damage setup that can delete almost anything while keeping your team safe through the sheer stagger power of non-stop explosions.
The game plan is simple: skirt the edges of the fight, keep an eye out for enemies charging at your squad, and delete them before they arrive. If it's a lot of them, pop Executioner’s Stance and let the new Bolter’s surprising accuracy turn them into paste. Just don’t go full-auto unless it’s wall-to-wall Crushers - the steady, controlled blasts are what makes this weapon so good. And the best part? Even if you miss, the explosions will still stagger everything nearby, letting you lock down entire waves of elites while your team gets to work at slicing them up.
If things start to look dicey, lob grenades directly at the horde. They apply a lot of stagger and bleed, and regenerate fairly quickly, so don't be stingy. A couple of well placed grenades can save you from even the worst situations.
For basic hordes, swap to the Power Falchion. Once powered up, open with a heavy attack and then alternate between heavy and light attacks for huge, sweeping cleaves that will mulch through chaff. If you get surrounded, forget the fancy combos and just swing wildly until you've managed to gain some ground.
Your only real drawback is mobility. This build thrives when you get to set the pace, and suffers when you’re forced to run all across the map. So always keep an eye out for sneaky specials - because there’s guaranteed going to be one lining up to ruin your day.
All in all, it’s a fun, flashy Veteran build that makes full use of the new toys. And best of all, it’s a welcome break from the endless parade of 'shouty' builds. This one prefers to let explosions do the talking.
Run & Gun Arbiter
This Arbiter build is all about speed. You attack fast, you move fast, and whatever you hit tends to die just as fast. As long as you don’t let yourself get boxed in, you can slip out of trouble and keep picking enemies off on your own terms.
Your core weapon is the Tactical Axe which is usually underwhelming, but here it shines thanks to Arbiter talents. It swings fast, staggers easily, and when aimed at head height it gets all of your buffs going and tears through mixed hordes in seconds.
For specials or distant elites, you’ve got two tools: send your dog missile after them, or pull out the new Mk VI Bolt Pistol. It’s perfect for run-and-gun play - just run at the enemy while shooting at them, and either they die instantly or they get staggered while you close the distance.
This build is also insanely tanky, with absurd toughness regen that makes you a natural frontliner. Just beware the new plasma gunners - they're absurdly broken and will strip your toughness and finish you off in the blink of an eye. Always prioritize them.
If you're ever cornered, unleash the dog and use your Remote Detonation. It stuns everything, even bosses, thus giving you the breathing room you need to carve your way out (or in) with your axe.
Your only real weakness are the newly buffed Crushers. Between the axe and pistol you can take them down, but it’s a slow process. It's better to lock them down with the shock collar and focus them alongside your team.
This is where the Nuncio-Aquilla comes into play. It buffs your team, debuffs your enemies, and makes standing your ground possible even in the middle of a room. So use it often as the cooldown is surprisingly low!
And there you have it. It's a fast, aggressive Arbiter build that's a bit flashier than your usual Arbiter build. So if you’ve got a need for speed, this one's the way to go.
Inferal Psyker
This Psyker build is, without exaggeration, one of the strongest in the entire game. It’s the setup I used to earn my True Survivor title in Havoc 40, and the core idea is simple: evaporate hordes with fire while protecting your team with bubble shields and endless stagger.
Your bread and butter is the Inferno staff’s charged attack. Stay at high peril to stack up your buffs, then bathe the battlefield in flame. Hordes will vanish instantly, and anything short of a Crusher will burn out after a volley or two. If a wave of elites gets too close, spam light attacks - the stagger is enough to stunlock everything besides Crushers.
When it’s time to deal with those armored bastards, swap to the Dueling Sword. Crushers take a few pokes thanks to their newly buffed health, but the sword still handles them quickly enough. But otherwise, stick to the staff for maximum efficiency.
Your Telekine Shield has essentially no cooldown, so be aggressive with it. Isolate gunners, push forward, and fry them before they can do anything. It's a little bit risky since you're squishy, but if done well can save you a huge amount of trouble.
For specials, Brain Burst deletes them at range, while the staff can clear them in close quarters through any horde they might be hiding in. Either way, you’re covered.
The one trick that truly elevates this build is sliding while channeling the staff. Sliding lets you dodge through enemy swings while searing off their face. I’ve got an endgame-focused guide that dives into this in detail, you can find it in the description, but long story short: sliding gives the build some much, much needed mobility.
And that’s the Infernal Psyker - simple to learn, brutally effective, and capable of carrying even the most hopeless of teams. Just don’t let yourself get ambushed, and you’ll melt through anything Darktide can throw at you.
Sneaky-Stabby Zealot
The Zealot is easily the spiciest build here. Why? Because most people hate it! Every week there's at least one Reddit thread complaining about how some knife Zealot ruined their life. But if you play it right, this is one of the strongest and most helpful builds in the game.
First of all, you’re not a ninja assassin - you’re a highly durable brawler that can always end up in the right place at the right time. Use stealth to slip ahead of the team and tie down groups of gunners in melee. You don’t even need to kill them - just make them focus on the hobo with a knife instead of shooting at your team.
When the fight fully breaks out, pull back and fight alongside your squad. Light attacks at head height will shred hordes, while weaving in dodges will keep your buffs rolling so you can roleplay being a whirlwind of death.
For big elites or bosses, rely on push-attacks. They chain quickly and deal absurd damage on backstabs. If you use stealth to reset your aggro and go to town on a boss, you can carve off huge chunks of its HP before it even realizes what's happening.
You’re also perfect for doing objectives. Between your stealth and insane speed, you can solo just about every event and thus reduce the pressure on your team.
For killing specials use Throwing Knives in close to mid-range as you can guarantee headshots, while the revolver should be used for distant enemies or when you're overwhelmed. Between the two and your mobility, you’re one of the best special hunters in the game, so use that to avert any potential disaster.
This is a fast, skill-intensive build that can carry even weak teams through tough content. So don't be selfish, support your squad, and maybe we’ll finally change the community’s mind about knife Zealots.
Gun-Gryn
This build combines two of my favorite things: endless bullets and endless explosions. On top of that, you’re a damn near indestructible monster of an Ogryn, so what’s not to love?
Your primary solution to most problems is the Heavy Stubber. It’s one of the few Ogryn weapons that’s actually precise, so use it to shred specials and elites before they can threaten the squad. Crushers are the only real exception since their armor shrugs off most of your bullets.
When the elite start to pile in, hit Point-Blank Barrage and let it rip. You’ll mulch through everything in sight, either via damage or burn stacks. Not even bosses are safe. They will absolutely melt thanks to your absurd DPS. You're limited by ammo, however, so pace yourself or you'll be dry before you know it.
For smaller fights, whip out the freshly buffed Paul Blart: Mall Ogryn - wow... that, was terrible - also known as the Power Maul. A single powered swing detonates entire hordes and even forces Crushers to sit down and think about their life choices. And while it’s recharging, it’s still a perfectly good club to cave heads in with.
If you're overwhelmed, just throw your Box of Grenades. It doesn't do much damage - it's kind of a disappointment in that regard - but it stuns everything for a long period of time. And you get three of them per recharge... so it's honestly still kind of good.
Your biggest weakness is disabler specials dragging your massive frame into the dirt. So if you want to avoid a grizzly fate, buddy up with a teammate so you can cover each other.
This is a very straightforward but ridiculously fun build that embodies everything an Ogryn wants to do: spray bullets, smash skulls, and laugh as the battlefield explodes around you. It only gets better the more enemies there are, making it perfect for Auric and Maelstrom missions. Given the ammo requirement, I would not recommend recommend this for higher level Havocs.
Got Any Questions?
And that’s it, my favorite builds for each class, and the ones I’ve been running since the update launch to smash those damnable Plasma Gunners with. They’re powerful, fast-paced, and most importantly, a whole lot of fun.
Hopefully they'll serve you just as well as they served me. Enjoy! And if you’ve got any questions, drop them in the video's comments and I'll do my best to help. Have fun!