[p][/p][p]This is one of several developer blogs centered around different aspects of the recently announced upcoming class, the Arbites! This dev blog will focus on the class’ talent tree![/p][p][/p][p]We’ve interviewed Design Director Victor and Game Designer Gunnar to get their insight into its design, and the three distinct styles that can be found in it.[/p][p][/p][p]“I’m Victor, I’m the Design Director at Darktide. I’ve been at Fatshark for 16 years, working as a designer in different ways.” - Victor[/p][p][/p][p]“My name is Gunnar and I am currently a Game Designer, but I started at Fatshark in 2018 as a Gameplay Coder on Vermintide, and a few years ago I switched to become a Designer instead.” - Gunnar[/p][p] [img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365286/a65c70af1027202631df9d22270d8a366b72f32d.png"][/p]
What was the process for making the Arbites’ talent tree?
[p]The class rework from Patch #13 was our first dive into the style of talent tree that we now have, with plenty of choices and flexibility but also a defined design goal behind it. We’ve learned a lot since then, and we hope that reflects on the Arbites’ tree.[/p][p][/p][p]We looked at the existing talent trees and we considered what worked and what was necessary to build the core skeleton of the tree. Once that was done, we built from that foundation into the various talents and choices you’ll have available. We purposely aimed to not overextend with the amount of nodes available and tried to focus on making each node meaningful and impactful. [/p][p]“As you’re going through the tree you’re not just looking at stat bonuses, you’re looking at ‘what would your Arbites in the Warhammer: 40,000 universe do or be good at.” - Gunnar [/p][p]A key aspect that guided the design of the tree is enabling different Player Fantasies, the cool thing that each individual player is seeking to do while playing Arbites. This is what resulted in the three distinct gameplay styles mentioned earlier, but it also made us focus on enabling anything in between. The system is meant to be flexible and players are encouraged to come up with their own variation of a build, and that goes for all of the existing talent trees.[/p][p][/p][p]“It’s up to the players to figure out and come up with their own sort of playstyle of fantasy of how THEY think their dream Arbites (in this case) functions.” - Victor[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365286/a65c70af1027202631df9d22270d8a366b72f32d.png"][/p]
The Three Paths
[p][/p][p]Due to the nature of the talent trees, players are free to mix and match whatever talents they wish, provided they have the points and can path their way down the tree. However, as with our existing classes, there are three distinct gameplay & combat styles that the main branches of the tree embody, and players can focus on these paths to specialize in these styles.[/p][p][/p][p]While they don’t have an official name, for this dev blog we can refer to them as Subjugator, Exterminator, and Investigator.[/p][p][/p]
Subjugator
[p]Following the right side of the talent tree you will find talents that will allow you to dive into the thick of combat to break apart the formations of the criminal scum, tapping into an identity akin to riot police. These talents focus heavily on melee, staggering enemies and tanking.[/p][p][/p][p]Sneak peak at some of the talents:[/p]
[p]Hammer of Judgement: Increased Attack Speed when hitting multiple enemies with a single Melee Attack.[/p]
[p]Suppression Protocols: Hitting multiple enemies with a single Melee Attack grants Toughness Damage reduction.[/p]
[p]Target the Weak: Enemies staggered by your Melee Attacks take more damage from Melee.[/p]
[p][/p]
Exterminator
[p]“Then we’ve also always been keen on fulfilling the shotgun fantasy of being this unstoppable force… walking down a corridor… just blasting everything that gets within range.” - Gunnar[/p][p][/p][p]Relevant talents for shotgun gunplay can be found all over the talent tree, but it is the middle branch that has the most focus on it. This gameplay style focuses on high firepower at close range, blasting enemies of the Law with unflinching and implacable impunity.[/p][p][/p][p]Sneak peak at some of the talents:[/p]
[p]Withering Fire: Improved Ranged Damage after Reloading.[/p]
[p]Up Close: Replenish toughness on Close Kill.[/p]
[p]March: Increased Movement Speed on Ranged Hit.[/p]
[p][/p]
Investigator
[p]Found on the left side of the tree, this playstyle focuses on eliminating high priority targets. Elites, Specials, even Monsters. It’s about being ‘on the chase’, relentlessly hunting down a perp and bringing them the Emperor’s Justice. [/p][p]The talents here are quite varied and flexible. There’s a mix of melee and ranged talents, as well as some support nodes. This is also where most (but not all!) of the talents related to the Cyber Mastiff are (although you can easily build into the Investigator branch without picking them!)[/p][p][/p][p]Sneak peak at some of the talents:[/p]
[p]No Escape: Improved Damage and Movement Speed after killing a Special or Elite.[/p]
[p]Canine Morale: Killing enemies Pounced by your Cyber Mastiff grants Toughness and Toughness Damage Reduction to Allies in Coherency.[/p]
[p]Serrated Maw: Your Cyber Mastiff applies Brittleness on attack.[/p]
[p][/p][p]“That was also an important point \[...] We wanted to make sure that no matter if you went left, right or middle, you could always create a build that interacted with your Mastiff - So that you didn’t lock yourself out of playing with your Mastiff just because you also wanted to be melee focused, or because you wanted to do well with the shotgun.” - Gunnar[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365286/a65c70af1027202631df9d22270d8a366b72f32d.png"][/p][p] While there’s three distinct identities to be found for the Arbites if you focus on a particular talent tree path, it’s important for us that the tree itself remains flexible and allows players to combine talents as they wish and develop the playstyle that best suits them. [/p][p]For that reason, we took great care in making sure that any of the three options for your Combat Ability, your Blitz and your Coherency aura are easily accessible regardless of what path you’re going down, and easily connect to any of the three paths. You can then think of them as independent of those three playstyles, even if there’s a niche that they fit best into.[/p][p] [/p]
Coherency Aura
[p][/p]
Base Coherency Aura: Ruthless Efficiency
[p]Simple, but effective: this is the initial Aura for the Arbites and it givesyou and your Allies in Coherency a bonus to reload speed.[/p][p][/p]
Part of the Squad
[p]For those focusing on the Cyber Mastiff, this option makes your loyal companion count as an Ally for the purposes of Coherency. Additionally, this talent also gives every Ally in Coherency a small bonus to Toughness Damage Reduction.[/p][p][/p]
Breaking Dissent
[p]This Coherency Aura increases the damage dealt by you and Allies in Coherency against enemies that are currently Staggered.[/p][p][/p]
Blitz
[p][/p]
Base Blitz: Arbites Grenade
[p]The default Blitz that all Arbites players start with is a standard issue Arbites Grenade. Compared to the Veteran’s frag grenades, it packs a stronger punch but has a smaller radius and explodes on impact rather than after a delay.[/p][p][/p]
Remote Detonation
[p]The Remote Detonation Blitz requires some coordination with your loyal companion! Upon activating it, an electric discharge will burst from your Cyber Mastiff’s position, dealing damage and heavy stagger impact.[/p][p][/p][p]“It has quite a powerful stagger as well, so if your Mastiff is in the middle of attacking a Monster, like on the Plague Ogryn’s back, and you use it, the Plague Ogryn will stagger forward, disrupting its attacks. So it’s a lot about timing and keeping track of where your Mastiff is to get the most benefit out of it.” - Gunnar[/p][p][/p][p]This Blitz also recharges on a cooldown, rather than by picking up a Grenade Box.[/p][p][/p]
Voltaic Shock Mine
[p]Choosing Voltaic Shock Mines as your Blitz will allow you to set up proximity mines on the ground at spots of your choosing. As enemies draw close to it, it will activate and shock anything that comes near it for a sustained duration. Compared to the Zealot’s Shock Grenade, it has a smaller radius but lasts a lot longer. [/p][p]“It’s one of the first Blitzes that we have that allow you to actually prepare for what’s to come. So if you come into an event area and you know that they’re gonna come from that door, or that direction, you can set up before engaging with the event.” - Victor[/p][p] [/p]
Combat Abilities
[p][/p]
Base Combat Ability: Nuncio-Aquila
[p]The default Combat Ability for the Arbites is Nuncio-Aquila, which brings forth a booming loudspeaker on a specific point you aim it at. It will blast the word of the Imperial Law at full blast, empowering nearby allies and debilitating nearby enemies.[/p][p][/p][p]“It’s like that scene in a movie, where the bad guys are hiding in a house and the police turn on the speakers and start telling them ‘You better give up, you’re surrounded.’, so they start freaking out.” ~ Victor[/p][p][/p]
Castigator’s Stance
[p]This Ability turns you into an unstoppable juggernaut, unleashing the Emperor’s Judgement on the enemy as you walk menacingly forward, unflinching and unphased. Entering the stance removes your ability to sprint, but increases your base movement speed and massively reduces your damage taken for a time.[/p][p][/p]
Break the Line
[p]This Ability makes your Arbites perform a short lunge forwards and then bash every enemy in front of you with your equipped Melee weapon, staggering enemies in a wide area in front of you but without dealing any damage.[/p][p][/p][p]This Ability is on a very short cooldown (the shortest in the game!) so make sure to use it often to clear the way and subjugate the criminal mob![/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365286/a65c70af1027202631df9d22270d8a366b72f32d.png"][/p]
Design and Development
[p][/p]
Were there any noteworthy changes in design that happened during development?
[p]Originally, the base Combat Ability was going to be the Castigator’s Stance! However, during playtesting we found that it was very unintuitive for players just starting out, as visually it doesn’t really convey all of the effects that it has and it’s hard to tell how it’s meant to be used or what it’s doing for you. Nuncio-Aquila is far more straightforward and easier to understand without having to read its description, while still being sufficiently iconic for the Arbites, so we ended up changing the default Ability to that one.[/p][p][/p][p]Another thing is that at one point, a chunk of the tree was dedicated to talents about picking your Arbites’ armour, based on various options from the lore or tabletop. So you’d pick things like what kind of visor your Arbites wore, or from what areas was the gear made, and so on. In the end we weren’t happy with how that was turning out in practice, but it was an interesting aspect that we explored. [/p][p]At the time of writing, the talent tree was on version #16, so it’s definitely been through its fair share of iteration and polishing! Granted, as we approach the end development, the later versions involved less drastic changes and more fine-tuning and adjustments.[/p][p][/p]
What was the most fun part of designing the talent tree for you?
[p]“It’s just very fun to path down a talent tree. \[...] I think it’s even more fun to build it yourself; it’s a creative process of mixing and matching nodes or creating these crazy structures \[…] I just think it’s a lot of fun to create a tree, in itself.” - Gunnar [/p][p]“This goes for pretty much all of them: the first time most of the nodes are working and you can for the first time actually start theory-crafting in the game. Like actually making your first build, not just in theory. \[...] That’s the most fun I think, ‘cause that’s very exciting.” - Victor.[/p][p][/p]
Of all the talents, what’s your personal favorite?
[p]“I really like the shock mine. It allows you to sort of pre-emptively strike, which I think is really cool. I also really like the Nuncio-Aquila; it allows you to ‘place’ a buff and then you can move in and out of it and you can be tactical about where you place it. - Victor [/p][p]“One that is quite interesting is the Coherency - the aura - that is related to the Cyber Mastiff \[...]. As one of its effects it will make your Mastiff count as one in the coherency pool, so it more easily chains and you get the increased regeneration… and, if you have four Arbites with that aura, you can up to a total eight in your Coherency pool.” - Gunnar[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365286/a65c70af1027202631df9d22270d8a366b72f32d.png"]That’s all we have for today! Stay tuned for the next Dev Blog on the Arbites! [/p][p]This is the Will of the Lex.[/p][p][/p][p]We’ll see you on the Mourningstar.[/p][p][/p][p]Wishlist the Arbites Class today on Steam.[/p][p][dynamiclink href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/3710910/Warhammer_40000_Darktide__Arbites_Class/"][TAG-409]– The Darktide Team[/p]
Extended Arbites Gameplay
[p]Aspiring Arbitrators of the Lex Imperialis! [/p][p][/p][p]As we promised with the release of the Arbites Gameplay Trailer at the PC Gaming Show, we’re bringing you a 7 minute long video showing gameplay of Arbitrators and their terrifying cybernetically-enhanced companions in their element, dispensing the Emperor’s justice with ruthless efficiency.[/p][p][/p][p]Give it a watch! [/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365286/5b8a0fa6df58683b86cf4c8b5862f60ba2b2cf87.png"][TAG-20][/p][p]Regrettably, as this extended gameplay video is not a trailer nor, as it happens, a teaser, we were unable to stir the caption guy from his profoundly deep slumber - so you will have to do without this time around![/p][p][/p][p]Wishlist the Arbites Class today on Steam.[/p][p][dynamiclink href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/3710910/Warhammer_40000_Darktide__Arbites_Class/"][TAG-30][/p][p]The Emperor Protects.[/p][p] [/p]
Arbites - Dev Blog: The Voices of the Lex
Hey Everyone,
[p] [/p][p]With the introduction of Arbitrators to the Mourningstar and to celebrate the upcoming release of our new DLC we’re going to talk a bit about the voice work. Matthew Ward, Michael Knight and David Wahlund tell us what it’s like working with Darktide’s cast and the process we go through to get the performances just right.[/p][p] [img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365286/a65c70af1027202631df9d22270d8a366b72f32d.png"][/p][p]What does the audition procedure look like?[/p][p]Matthew Ward: The casting process for Darktide never really stops. We’re always adding new characters to the game, which means that we’re always in contact with new talent, either for specific roles or with an ear to getting them involved at some point in the future when something suitable arises. [/p][p]As to how we find our actors, it’s always a mix. Some are from blind casting processes where our studio partners source self-taped auditions in line with a casting brief that we provide. Others we approach based on their past work in one medium or another, and more via recommendations from the recording studios or existing cast members. It’s a broad spectrum approach that over the years has given us a great mix of industry veterans, rising stars and the odd member of video game royalty.[/p][p][/p][p]In almost every case, the casting process ends with a directed live audition session at one of our studios, where we hone the actor’s interpretation of the character and hopefully hit that sweet spot of what works for them and matches what we’re looking for. [/p][p]Of course, sometimes we hear something we didn’t know that we were looking for, and that’s really where the magic happens. [/p][p]Michael Knight: I’m constantly blown away by the talent we manage to draw to our game. I think it speaks to the effort that’s always been put into the voices we feature in the Tide games. [/p][p]Are there many Warhammer: 40,000 fans among the contenders?[/p][p]MW: It’s not something that we stipulate, but it’s always a bonus when it comes together that way, as the accompanying knowledge and enthusiasm always shows. Greg Jones and Alex Jordan are some examples from our longstanding cast, Michael Geary from our more recent intake. And of course, we have several actors who are familiar with the Warhammer: 40,000 setting from their work on other projects. [/p][p]MK: We also often find people who’ve never interacted with the IP being fascinated by its depth (and darkness!) [/p][p]How specific are the VO directions? I've seen footage of actors holding prop guns and running on the spot to get the right dynamic and exertion sound for the lines. Is there any more like that?[/p][p][/p][p]MW: Some of our actors - and they know who they are - would probably refuse to record if they didn’t have their stand-in weaponry to tote around. I’m almost entirely sure that’s healthy, and I’ll always say that if there’s any chance that they might be listening. Or armed. [/p][p]But seriously, everyone’s method is different. We record almost exclusively with head-mounted microphones, which allow the talent to roam - or literally throw themselves - around the recording booth if they want. Others get the motion and inflection we’re looking for while standing still or perched on a chair. Whatever gets the results, gets the results. [/p][p]What's the weirdest direction that has been given to a VA for this game?[/p][p]MW: I don’t know about “weirdest”, but something that always gets good results is directing the actor to shout at the recording engineer. It’s nothing personal (at least I hope not) but that always gets a great result. As far as I know we haven’t yet traumatised an engineer. In fact, most of them tend to end up grinning. People are strange. [/p][p]David Wahlund: A maybe unknown and odd part of voice work is the exertions, efforts or grunts. It's the vocals that are not verbalized. In an action game we have a lot of these. When you swing the sword or get hit by a bullet for example. We have 15 different categories. Some efforts or grunts can be used in several different situations. For example a jump grunt can be used when you get pushed etc. These are all quite private sounds. Sometimes, especially when time is short, you might need to give an example yourself. That’s certainly weird the first time you do it. But by doing it yourself you might also take the edge out of the weirdness in the situation for the actor.[/p][p][/p][p]How does the performance process for the monstrosities work? How do you decide, or communicate to the actor "that's what we want this thing to sound like"?[/p][p]DW: As Matt mentioned earlier, the actor's interpretation is super important. We need to give them as much details and context as possible so that they can be creative. When it comes to creatures or monster-like humans, animations and graphics play a big part. So if you can give as much visual information as possible that will certainly help. What does the mouth look like? How does the creature move? All details matter.[/p][p][/p][p]What's the average length of a recording session?[/p][p]MW: Because we ask for a lot of shouting from our actors - “Darktide Conversational Level” has become a bit of a running joke because it’s really not that conversational - most sessions run for an hour, although some of our hardier actors are happy to record for longer sessions. It’s a style of performance that’s very demanding on not only the voice but the whole body.[/p][p][/p][p]How many lines on average are recorded in a session?[/p][p]MW: We plan for around a hundred lines a session. Often that goes higher - when the actor’s in the zone - and sometimes it goes lower, especially when it gets very shouty. It’s always a balance between speed, quality and the actor’s comfort, with the latter being the absolutely most important of the three.[/p][p][/p][p]We’re always adding new voice lines. How often does Fatshark have recording sessions?[/p][p]MW: It varies depending on what we want to capture. The Arbitrator sessions have been pretty full on (roughly 150 recording hours since the start of the year), but for other updates where we only need to add more NPC lines, it might just take a couple of hours. [/p][p]We might not invite an actor back into the booth for months (or even years), or sometimes they’ll be in for a couple of hours for several weeks (or months) in a row. It’s all about matching our needs to their availability. Most are very busy individuals, so we try to get our asks in early.[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365286/a65c70af1027202631df9d22270d8a366b72f32d.png"][/p][p]Thank you for reading our dev blog on what goes into the performances and the work behind your new Arbites Class, releasing on June 23, 2025 on all platforms. We’ll be looking out for any questions over the weekend and we’ll do our best to answer them.[/p][p][/p][p]This is the Will of the Lex.[/p][p][/p][p]We’ll see you on the Mourningstar. [/p][p]Wishlist the Arbites Class today on Steam.[/p][p][/p][p][dynamiclink href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/3710910/Warhammer_40000_Darktide__Arbites_Class/"][TAG-140][/p][p]– The Darktide Team[/p][p][/p][p] [/p]
[p]During today’s PC Gaming Show, we gave you a first gameplay glimpse at the Adeptus Arbites and announced the Deluxe Edition. [/p][p][/p][p]Check out the gameplay trailer below to see the Arbites unleashing their loyal Cyber-Mastiffs upon lexbreakers, and delivering judgment with extreme prejudice.[/p][p]We’re not done yet.[/p][p]In the lead-up to launch, we’ll be releasing more reveals. We’ll also be sharing more over the coming days, including a longer gameplay video on June 12. Additional dev blogs on the Arbites' talent tree, weapons, and more, will be published in the weeks prior to release. [/p][p][/p][p]On June 23, you’ll be able to purchase the Arbites Class in two different editions:[/p]
[p]Standard Edition: $11.99 / €11.99[/p]
[p]Deluxe Edition: $18.99 / €18.99[/p]
[p]Cosmetic Upgrade (Upgrade to Deluxe): $7.99 / €7.99 [/p]
[p]The Deluxe Edition includes the class and cosmetics for your Arbitrator and Cyber-Mastiff:[/p]
[p]Arbites Class[/p]
[p]1 Unique Class Outfit[/p]
[p]1 Unique Companion Outfit[/p]
[p]1 Portrait Frame[/p]
[p]4 Weapon Skins[/p]
[p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365286/391adc4a4acb50ff80eeccd7e63e5a69c746b72b.png"][TAG-60][/p][p]Thanks for sticking with us through this reveal, we’re beyond excited for you to take control of the Arbites on June 23, 2025! Make sure to wishlist the Arbites Class now so you're ready to restore order on Tertium Day 1.[/p][p]
[/p]
Behind The Arbitrators - BTS Dev Blog
Hey Everyone,
[p][/p][p]To celebrate the upcoming release of our new DLC and the introduction of Arbitrators to the Mourningstar, we’re going to delve into the lore behind them. As always, we want to give you an overview, but we’ll be leaving some things unsaid for you to discover for yourself.[/p][p][/p][p]To the people of the Imperium, the officers of the Adeptus Arbites are instruments of repression. Visible and feared enforcers of Imperial tyranny, the Arbitrators uphold the Emperor’s justice, but the laws they ruthlessly enforce have nothing to do with protecting the innocent or the weak. The Lex Imperialis exists to ensure the perpetuation of the despotic Imperial machine, for the alternative is anarchy and the extinction of Mankind.[/p][p][/p][p]By contrast, the primary duty of the Adeptus Arbites is to make sure that the Imperial tithe is paid in full and on time. Their squads of armoured officers put down industrial riots that would endanger a world’s production quotas, close down traffickers bleeding useful workers away from their rightful position and break up illicit trading cartels that imperil sub-sector economies or, worse, treat with xenos. Planetary governors who evade their tithe payments can also find themselves under the Arbitrators’ eyes.[/p][p][/p][p]The men and women who dispense justice as Arbitrators are grim and uncompromising individuals. Arbitrators must be harsh in the execution of their duty; mercy is a weakness unbecoming of an officer of the Lex Imperialis. [/p][p]To find out more about the role the Arbitrators are going to play in the war for Atoma, we spoke to Michael Knight and Matthew Ward.[/p][p] [img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365286/a65c70af1027202631df9d22270d8a366b72f32d.png"][/p][p]Are the Arbitrators going to be Rejects? Do they start aboard the Tancred Bastion?[/p][p]Michael Knight: The Arbitrators are definitely not Rejects. They’ve always had a presence on Atoma, working to enforce order and ensure that the Imperial Tithe was met. In fact, the Tancred Bastion was actually an Adeptus Arbites prison ship. Not only do they hold Grendyl responsible for the mass breakout that followed Wolfer’s escape, they’re really not happy that Zola has put convicts to work as a private army.[/p][p][/p][p]Matthew Ward: In fact, they’d dearly like to be in charge of the warzone.[/p][p][/p][p]MK: Totally. The problem they have is that an Inquisitor’s relationship to the Lex Imperialis (the law that governs the Imperium) is… let’s say it’s “complicated”. As an Arbites player, you’ll arrive on the Mourningstar some time after the events of the Reject prologue, ready to join the fight.[/p][p][/p][p]How are the Arbitrators introduced to the Narrative?[/p][p]MW: As Mike’s already hinted at, they were always active on Atoma - we just haven’t crossed paths with them yet. Up until now, Marshal Vortern has stood by and let Grendyl’s Warband handle the invasion, but now he’s decided that the Arbitrators will be taking a more active role.[/p][p][/p][p]How many different Personalities can Arbitrator players choose from?[/p][p]MW: As with the other (non-Ogryn) classes there are three distinct Personalities to choose from, with a male and female version of each. [/p][p]The Authoritarian, performed by Devora Wilde and Mark Takeshi Ota, is very much a by-the-book Arbitrator, unflinching in their duty to the Lex Imperialis. By contrast, the Fatalist, played by Lara Sawalha and Michael Geary, is much more aware of the price that law-keeping exacts. Last of all is the Maul, brought to life by Alix Wilton Regan and David Boyle. They’re a lot more…[/p][p][/p][p]MK: Antisocial.[/p][p][/p][p]MW: Yes, that’s a good way to put it.[/p][p][/p][p]Is there going to be an Arbitrator NPC aboard the Mourningstar?[/p][p]MK: There is indeed. Proctor-Exactant Zorin serves as Marshal Vortern’s representative aboard ship, directing the efforts of the Arbitrators under his command. He might not have a huge impact right away, but he’s a constant reminder to all that the Emperor’s judgement is now present aboard the Mourningstar. We may even see him running missions and more in the future. Rannick and his team are already resentful of how Commissar Dukane has inserted herself into the War for Atoma. The last thing they need is another source of interference. But the Lex is the Lex. There’s only so much they can do, especially as Grendyl’s still refusing to show his face. [/p][p]Do you think they’ll learn to work together?[/p][p]MW: We’ll have to see. What’s the worst that can happen?[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365286/a65c70af1027202631df9d22270d8a366b72f32d.png"][TAG-104] [/p][p]Thank you for reading our dev blog on some of the lore and narrative behind your new Arbites Class, releasing on June 23, 2025 on all platforms. We’ll be looking out for any questions over the weekend and we’ll do our best to answer them.[/p][p][/p][p]This is the Will of the Lex. [/p][p]We’ll see you on the Mourningstar.[/p][p][/p][p]Wishlist the Arbites Class today.[/p][p][dynamiclink href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/3710910/Warhammer_40000_Darktide__Arbites_Class/"][/p][p]– The Darktide Team[/p][p] [/p]
Introducing: The Cyber-Mastiff - Dev Blog
A cybernetically-enhanced attack hound never far from your side. Send your kill-dog to disable priority targets, maul enemies, and provide vital support to your strike team.
Hello everyone!
This is the first of several developer blogs centered around different aspects of the recently announced upcoming class, the Arbites! This dev blog will focus on a key aspect of the Arbites’ gameplay: His loyal pet and companion, the vicious Cyber-Mastiff! This deadly enhanced canine darts through the battlefield, mauling criminals and pinning them down so that Judgement may be passed upon them.
We’ve interviewed Game Designer Gunnar, Gameplay Programmer Diego, Animator Olliver, and Sound Designers Jonas & David, to find out more about what the dog is like and how it was developed.
What is a Cyber-Mastiff?
The Cyber-Mastiff is a massive, deadly robotic Imperial hunting dog, bred, trained and enhanced to track and catch their master’s prey. How much of a Cyber-Mastiff’s body remains organic and how much has been replaced with mechanical enhancements depends on each hound. Many have been entirely servitorised but they’re all ruthless killing machines.
The Adeptus Arbites routinely deploys agents with a loyal Cyber-Mastiff companion, and our Arbites class is no different: The Cyber-Mastiff is core to the Arbites’ gameplay.
Design and Gameplay
What was the process when designing the Cyber-Mastiff?
When we were thinking about which class we could do, what direction we could go in and what was feasible for a class, the Arbites was on the table, and we were never going to do the Arbites and not do the Cyber-Mastiff. The dog is a core theme of what makes Arbites different from the other classes, so as soon as we decided on the Arbites as a class, we had decided on doing the Cyber-Mastiff.
We looked at different games that had done companions as a mechanic, dogs or not. There were all different sorts of avenues of what makes a good companion and how it needs to differ in our game due to our unique combat loop. From that initial idea, we developed the design and set these directives: ● The dog should always act how the player expects it to ● The dog should always be in the player’s field of view ● The dog should never be in the way.
That was the gist of it; an initial idea, set goals, and then start developing it from there.
How does the Cyber-Mastiff work, gameplay-wise?
From the very beginning, we wanted the Cyber-Mastiff to be a full companion, to accompany the player through every step of the mission. That was our end goal. In case that proved too difficult, we were prepared to fall back on a more simple implementation that would have it be a temporary ally. Maybe you summon it to attack and pin down an enemy, or it’d only stick around for a limited time on a cooldown, that sort of thing.
But we never wanted this as a solution if we could avoid it, so we’re very pleased with how it’s turned out. From starting the game and loading into the Mourningstar, to the end of a mission you’re gonna have a companion, the Cyber-Mastiff. It will follow its master throughout the mission, always staying in sight when out of combat. Usually it’ll be to the sides, but if the area is more cramped or filled with obstacles it can instead opt to be in the front.
In combat, the Cyber-Mastiff will mostly act on its own, picking out enemies to harass and attack, but you can command it to attack specific enemies like Elites or Specials by pinging said enemy twice.
Like the Pox Hound on the players, it will pounce and lock down human-sized enemies. On the Ogryns it will do a heavy stagger and some damage, but it’s not gonna lock them down permanently. On Monsters, it will attack and it will bite. It’s not gonna do much on the stagger front but it’s definitely gonna pack a punch.
“And then of course you can command the dog to attack something else, like if it’s attacking a Berserker on the ground and you want it to chase down a sniper, you can do that.” ~ Gunnar
When not following an order from the Arbites player, the Cyber-Mastiff will move independently on the battlefield, picking out what it thinks is the best target and chasing it down on its own. It can even rescue its master when disabled by a Pox Hound or a Mutant.
While it will often find itself in the thick of danger, the Cyber-Mastiff is very good at taking care of itself. In-game, it cannot be shot or take any damage, and enemies will instead opt to focus on you and the rest of your strike team as it darts around the battlefield. Darktide is a fast-paced game and we did not want players to have to worry about their loyal companion instead focusing on directing it towards high-priority targets while laying down fire on the remainder of the enemies.
Through the talent tree, you can further improve the Cyber-Mastiff’s capabilities with certain nodes. How many nodes you dedicate to the dog and how many you dedicate to improving your own personal arsenal will drastically change how your Arbites ends up!
You can also opt out of the Mastiff if you want to; there’s a talent in the tree that removes the dog if you’re going for a different playstyle or player fantasy, and you’ll get some pretty decent bonuses to make up for the lack of a companion.
What were the challenges when designing and developing the Cyber-Mastiff?
We had to be very careful about the Mastiff’s power. In Darktide, if you’re sufficiently skilled, a player can achieve some amazing feats on their own and overcome some really tough situations by yourself. Adding the Cyber-Mastiff on top of that had the potential to create some very overpowered scenarios.
So while it can lock down elites and rescue you from certain situations, you can’t just run around blocking and hope to finish the level letting the Mastiff kill everything.
Mainly, though, since Darktide didn’t have any systems for something like an AI companion, we had to develop everything from scratch, especially how we were going to make it move. The work done on Vermintide 2’s Necromancer class wasn’t suitable for this use case (although many lessons were learned from that implementation), the Cyber-Mastiff’s behaviour and gameplay was just too different.
Making the dog navigate the levels smoothly, while always being in your field of view but also not being a bother or in the way was the most difficult part. The pathfinding had to be solid and consistent throughout the level as the Cyber-Mastiff accompanies its master.
“Since the dog is a part of you, we couldn’t just make the game go ‘Oh, the dog is in a bad position, we just despawn it and bye bye’. […] We want it to always fall in a good position.” ~Diego
We also went through several iterations of how we handled the player issuing commands to the dog. We couldn’t just add a whole new input and use that, we had to work with the inputs and commands that we already have in-game. We toyed with having it as a Blitz, or as a Combat Ability, but in the end we opted for relying on the tagging system, by double tagging.
Animations
While we had a solid base to start with thanks to the Pox Hound, a lot of work had to be done to make the animation set for the Cyber-Mastiff. This involved a rework of the locomotion system and a suite of brand new animations.
“For references, I’ve been looking at A LOT of dog videos, and we’ve been quite lucky to have several dogs in the office that I have been recording for reference data. Sadly I haven’t done any mocap for the dog, but they’ve been good actors for videos, hehe.” ~ Olliver
Molly hard at work!
When making new animations, the process involved a lot of iteration. The basic workflow involved getting references, making a rough blockout animation to test in-game, then either re-do or commit to it with a more polished animation that would fit the final product.
A guiding principle while making the animations was to properly convey that the Cyber-Mastiff is not a cute dog. It’s primarily a lethal killing machine, and it is also a cyborg! The animations need to be ruthless and cold, as well as robotic and stiff in some places, rather than fluid and playful; all while still properly acting like a dog.
At the same time, however, we wanted the player to be able to engage with the companion in fun ways. In the Mourningstar, where things are more relaxed, you can do things like give casual orders to the dog, such as telling it to bark or sit. You can then reward the Mastiff with food or by petting it!
These kinds of animations were the most fun to implement, but they also proved a challenge in design, as the interactions had to be implemented without going against that guiding principle (mentioned above).
“Overall, working with a quadruped is difficult. […] I do like animating, like, monsters and creatures and stuff. But in my previous works they’ve mostly been enemies, so they had very stiff behaviour. And the challenges with the dog were that we realized as we went that ‘Oh, we need this. Oh, we need that’.” ~ Olliver
Sound Design
Almost from the very beginning, the process for designing the Cyber-Mastiff’s sounds was split into two areas: ● The voice, which covers things like barks, growls, breathing sounds and so on ● And the sound effects, which covers every other sound involved, like footsteps, bites, mechanical gear and the like.
Voice The very first step was finding a base for the voice of the Cyber-Mastiff. Looking through various sound libraries, our Sound Designers searched for dog sounds that sounded big and imposing to fit the aura of the Arbites’ Mastiff. Barks, whines, attack sounds, and especially breathing sounds.
“[…] we finally got it into the game with help from coders and then we got instructions that it was a bit too much like a normal dog. […] they wanted more aggressive sounds mixed into the voice. That’s when David took over and took a shot at making it more monstrous.” ~ Jonas
“[…] I then went through and found all kinds of other growls and barks, from bears, tigers and lions, and pretty much surgically fit them to match the dog sounds Jonas made. […] So it had a lot more aggressiveness, basically. A deeper voice, and louder as well.” ~ David
Making the Mastiff sound menacing enough wasn’t the only challenge! Due to the cyborg enhancements, a Cyber-Mastiff can sound more or less robotic, and this depends on what cosmetics the player equips on their dog. This led to the Sound Design team making three separate ‘voices’ for the Cyber-Mastiff: a fully ‘natural’ voice, a fully robotic one, and one in between.
This has also been the hardest part of the Cyber-Mastiff’s sound design: Having a ‘cyber’ voice that sounds cool while still sounding like a dog and making sense. It wouldn’t do to just have any robot voice, after all.
“It needs to be a cool 40K dog. […] That’s why we want it to sound cool, especially when it’s more cyber-dog as well. ‘Cause we want to set some kind of staple, like ‘This is how Cyber Dogs sound in Darktide’. That’s why it’s so important to nail it.” ~Jonas
Sound Effects and Foley Depending on what Cyber-Mastiff cosmetics the player has equipped, it can affect which of the Cyber-Mastiff’s legs are made of metal and which aren’t. This led to us needing proper sounds for different combinations, so that the dog would make the correct sounds when moving around depending on your set up.
This was also an opportunity for our designers to make their own sounds from scratch rather wherever possible. A metal cycle pump, for instance, was a perfect base for the metal footsteps, and sound recordings of it in different locations and on different surfaces gave plenty of material. Or using a glove with paperclips at the tips to make the normal paw sounds!
When you hear the Cyber-Mastiff move, you’ll probably be hearing one of these!
Playtesting led to a lot of fine tuning and iteration on the volume levels of the different sounds, the footsteps, the barks and so on. The player should be able to hear those sounds without it being annoying, which was a particular challenge with the metal footsteps. At the same time, the sound of combat should drown out some of the sounds but you should still be able to hear the voice of your own dog.
Bonus questions
Will the Cyber-Mastiff have cosmetics? Yes! You’ll be able to customize their loyal companion by giving it a name and picking its fur colour and pattern!
Players will also be able to further customize their loyal companion with various cosmetics, obtained either from the class penances and through the Commodore’s Vestures.
Can you pet the Cyber-Mastiff? Yes! Only in the Mourning Star, but there’s various interactions you can have with your companion in the hub, including giving it a quick pet for being a loyal companion.
Is the Cyber-Mastiff a good dog? “I mean… It’s a good dog… to its owner. It’s a terrifying killing machine to everything else.” ~ Gunnar
“I want to give a shoutout to Molly here at the office, which is the Art Director’s dog. She is such a well-trained dog […] and she’s been a great source of inspiration for me, haha.” ~ Olliver
Good job, Molly!
That’s all we have for today, but stay tuned! More Dev Blogs about the Arbites will be released soon!
Hotfix #68 (1.7.6) is currently rolling out across our platforms. In the meantime, you can read the notes below!
Admonition Ascendant Fixes
Fixed some instances where the top part of the nurgle totem would fall straight through the totem body.
Fixed instances where some skulls on the totem would look low quality.
Fixed instances where sound emitted from the nurgle totem would stop during high intensity moments.
General Fixes
Fixed an issue where melee attacks failed to connect with destructible objects (e.g. Heretical Idols).
Fixed a crash occurring when dying in Vigil Station Oblivium.
Fixed a crash occurring when tagging enemies as they were being killed.
Fixed a crash occurring at the end of Rolling Steel.
Fixed an issue where Disrupt Destiny fails to show stacks in the HUD.
Fixed an issue where The Theatre of Castigation did not randomize the wave compositions.
Arbites Class Coming June 23
Hello Everyone,
We hope you enjoyed Warhammer Skulls 2025 as much as we did! We’re excited to finally reveal what we’ve been building behind the scenes.
The Arbites Class is coming to Warhammer 40,000: Darktide on June 23, 2025, across all platforms.
We will be releasing several blogs from now until release on June 23 with more information on Arbites: a first look at the talent tree, your cyber-mastiff, the new weapons, and more! To show you a bit how we crafted this first class for Warhammer 40,000: Darktide.
YOU ARE JUSTICE.
The Adeptus Arbites enforce the Lex Imperialis - the Imperial Law. Utterly unforgiving, they persecute heretics and traitors throughout the Emperor’s realm. As an Arbitrator, you are a warrior of the Emperor’s justice, prosecuting crimes against the Imperium with disciplined zeal.
With the Arbites Class, you'll get to restore order on Tertium with your Cyber-Mastiff and a devastating array of new weaponry.
What does the Arbites Class bring to the battlefield?
Command your Cyber-Mastiff: A relentless, cybernetically-engineered hound, that is never far from your side. Direct your vicious kill-dog to take down enemies, disable priority targets and provide critical support to your strike team. This is no pet - it’s a fearsome weapon.
Your judgment. How will you enforce it? Craft your unique Arbitrator by mixing freely between 80+ talent nodes, or choose one of the three main paths found in the branching talent trees. A more separate dev blog will be coming out delving into more detail on the Arbites’ unique talent tree soon.
Deploy the Nuncio Aquila: Arbitrators bring new technology in the form of the Nuncio Aquila, anti-grav vox platforms that spreads propaganda overwhelming their opponents with fear of the impending voice of the Lex.
Exact punishment with extreme prejudice: Muscle forwards with reinforced Assault Shields and a choice of Dominator Maul or Arbites Shotpistol - Darktide’s first defense/range combo. For tougher targets, the Arbites Shotgun packs a unique punch with its Special Issue ammunition. A more in-depth detailed breakdown of the Arbites weapons will be coming out soon.
Sanction wears many faces: Customise your Arbitrator, choose from six voices across three personalities, earnable cosmetics for your Cyber-Mastiff, character, and weapons.
Players will be able to purchase the Arbites Class on all platforms on June 23, 2025 for the price of $11.99 / €11.99.
Free Update coming June 23
Launching alongside the Arbites Class DLC on June 23, Darktide will receive a free update designed to offer a more structured narrative experience for new players as well as a rework on difficulty progression and selection.
Improved onboarding and narrative experience:
A curated mission path will guide new players through Tertium, introducing key characters, locations, and threats across escalating difficulty tiers.
Missions will feature increased story context, with debriefs showcasing the impact of strike teams across Tertium.
Seasoned players will be offered the option to re-experience the improved story of Darktide from the start.
Changes to difficulty progression and selection:
Introducing a reworked difficulty progression system: players will now unlock higher difficulties by demonstrating skills, not just by leveling up. Progression will be tied to completing a number of missions at your current difficulty, rewarding mastery over time played.
Mission board changes: all missions currently in rotation will now be available at every difficulty level. This update significantly broadens the mission selection for players at any tier, offering greater variety and more meaningful choice when deciding how (and where) to fight.
Thank you for reading our announcement on Arbites! We’ll be looking out for any questions over the weekend and we’ll do our best to answer them!
Special Event to Celebrate Skulls 2025! Tune in tonight for our big reveal!
Admonition Ascendant - Live Now!
Starting May 22 and until June 9, to celebrate Skulls, the forces of Nurgle will be stirring in Darktide with the Admonition Ascendant Special Event. During this time-limited event, players will encounter Nurgle totems across missions. Destroying them will summon Chaos Spawns, but beware as these totems also buff nearby enemies, making every encounter more dangerous.
To make the Skulls celebration extra special, Admonition Ascendant will award more than dockets, plasteel, and diamantine, players will also get to earn a total of 500 aquilas throughout the event that they will be able to use in the Commodores Vesture to purchase discounted weapon skins.
Skulls will also be celebrated in the Mourningstar, with skull decorations, shrines, and event-themed banners transforming the hub into a fitting tribute to the Imperium’s most grimdark traditions.
Four cosmetic sets return to the Commodore’s Vestures As part of the Skulls celebration from May 22 to May 29, several premium cosmetics will return to the Commodore’s Vestures for a limited time, offering players a chance to represent iconic forces from across the Imperium: Magistratum Enforcers, Heroes of Armageddon (Steel Legion), Death Korps of Krieg and the Elysian Drop Troopers.
Make sure to tune in at Skulls tonight for our big reveal tonight at 18:00 CEST / 09:00 PT! https://www.twitch.tv/warhammer
Hotfix #67 (1.7.5) - Patch Notes
Hey Everyone,
Hotfix #67 (1.7.5) is currently rolling out across our platforms. In the meantime, you can read the notes below.
General Fixes & Changes
If a player is part of a Strike Team when they enter the Mourningstar, the text chat will automatically default to the Strike Team channel instead of the Mourningstar channel.
When using a controller, it is now possible to hold the button to scroll the Talents/Indulgences list in the Tactical Overlay instead of having to tap it.
Fixed a crash that could happen when rapidly pressing the Continue button in the End of Round screen. This only occurred on the Xbox and MS Store platforms.
Consignment Yard HL-17-36 Mission: The area around the Medicae before the mid-event has received an update to its visuals and layout.
Level 30 rejects will no longer talk about ratlings.
Banter is more likely to play in Heresy and above difficulties.
Fixed an issue with Ogryn Pickaxes, Cleavers and Latrine Shovels where the weapon could become stuck in the windup animation of a Heavy attack if the Special input was performed during the windup.
Havoc Changes & Fixes
Fixed an issue where an incorrect amount of Havoc assignment charges could be displayed in the End of Round screen and in the Havoc menu's reward/punishment animation.
Havoc Campaign - Mission Pool and Mutator Rotation
Every third week during a Havoc Campaign, we are rotating the mission pool and mutator pool. One or two missions and mutators will swap out during this time. The next rotation will be on May 26, 2025.
Mission Pool Incoming
Silo Cluster
Smelter Complex
Outgoing
Chasm Station
Chasm Logistratum
Mutators Incoming
Cranial Corruption
Outgoing
The Blight Spreads
Cosmetic Fixes
Fixed some clipping issues on the Veteran “Dutiful Privateer Garb” lowerbody cosmetic.
Fixed physics on Veteran "Truskan Pattern Fatigues with Flak Vest (Glacial Might)" upperbody cosmetic to move more lifelike.
Fixed an issue where the Zealot “Opulent Diadem” headgear cosmetic would remove facial hair.
