The Psyker and the accompanying psykinetic powers make them the equivalent of a mage class in Warhammer 40,000: Darktide. The Pysker is a glass cannon – they deliver high burst damage at range but lack the toughness to handle frontline, close-quarters combat. Played effectively, the Psyker is the group’s highest damage dealer.
Manual Operation
The level 5 feats let Psykers tailor how they regain toughness. Even though it seemingly offers the lowest return, Quietude is the best option here because it is manually activated and always available.
There are no clear winners at level 10. Pyskinetic’s Wrath is perhaps the most useful, offering a damage bonus that scales up as the Peril meter rises. Inner Tranquility slows the rate the Peril Meter increases based on the number of Warp Charges held – this is more beneficial for players that build into feats supporting Warp Charges. Wrack and Ruin spreads the Soulblaze damage over time effect to enemies within three meters of any Specialist or Elites the Psyker kills with Brain Burst – a very situational feat in Darktide.
Level 15’s feats all encourage teamwork. Psychic Communion gives a 4% chance to gain a Warp Charge whenever the Psyker or an ally in Coherency gets a kill. Cerebral Lacerations gives a short-lived boost to non-psychic damage for the entire team on an enemy hit by a Brain Blast. Psykinetic’s Aura is the best choice here. Killing an Elite triggers a 15% boost to cooldown reduction for all teammates in Coherency – a mighty valuable bonus in all circumstances.
At level 20, Kinetic Deflection is a standout. It gives the Psyker the ability to block attacks without losing stamina in Darktide. It’s an excellent tool for crowd-controlling the horde. Kinetic Shield offers a scaling Toughness reduction in line with Warp Charges held, so it could be helpful for speccing into this path.
Bang for the Buck
At level 25, Kinetic Flayer is another essential feat. It offers a 10% chance to apply Brain Burst to any enemy hit with a regular attack – although it does have a short internal cooldown and won’t activate if the Peril meter is in the red. Warp Battery increases the number of Warp Charges, while Kinetic Overload hits a random enemy with Soublaze when gaining an additional Warp Charge at max stacks.
Level 30 feats depend on the path players have taken with earlier feats. Players speccing into Warp Charge builds will benefit most from Ascendant Blaze, which consumes Warp Charges and hits enemies with stacks of Soulblaze. Kinetic Barrage is great for other players, as it boosts Brain Blast by reducing the Peril it generates while increasing charge time by a respectable 25%.
Regarding weapons for the Psyker in Darktide, the Force Sword and Voidstrike Staff work well together. The Force Sword is ideal for taking out Elites and blocking incoming attacks. On the other hand, the Staff has excellent range, generates the least peril and offers exceptional crowd control. Another good combination is the Surge Staff and Antax MkV Combat Axe.
