In the dark future ofWarhammer 40,000: Darktide, Tertium is still on the brink. The rejects and former imprisoned of the underhives led by their inquisitorial masters are keeping the corrupting powers of chaos from completely ending the assault on the hive, but it’s a rough campaign.
Thankfully, as they are besieged on all sides, the Mourningstar received a few helping hands. Albeit, the Arbites aren’t the kindest sort out there, but their shotguns, power mauls, and vicious cyber-mastiffs are enough to keep the fight going for a while. If you know how to best use their abilities and weapons for the Emperor’s will.
10Understand Your Range
More Mid Than Anything
The armory of the Arbites is unique. Part peacekeeping and part hand of justice, their melee weapons and firearms can be devastating if used in the right way. Most of the Arbites' weapons are best at short to medium ranges.
These can be pushed a bit past their ideal range with a keen eye, especially in the form of bolters, revolvers, and the few autoguns you have access to. However, knowing the ideal range of most of these weapons (and keeping your targets in this range, of course) means you won’t be whiffing your shots or swinging at nothing while your companions are getting eaten alive.
Combine this with at least one Veteran with a long-range weapon and one ogryn, and you’ll be able to control any sector of the map with ease.
9Know Your Niche
Heed The Lex
The first four character classes in Darktide were relatively easy to figure out. The Arbites are a bit narrower in their preferred skillset. On average, they fit firmlybetween the Veteranand Ogryn/Zealot classes.
They excel at short range, and while they don’t do crowd controlthe same way as Ogrynsdo (bashing the heads in of everyone nearby), they do have the ability to stun and electrocute nearby enemies, giving everyone the chance for a breath and some key shots. The basic Arbiter one-two punch should be: stun and then a critical attack on an elite enemy or a small cluster of creatures.
Granted, this can be altered here and there by the skills and subclasses you pick for your Arbitrator.
8Get To Know The Staggered Mechanic
Not All About Lethality
Fans ofthe Zealot’s modifierBanishing Light for the Chorus of Spiritual Fortitude ability will instantly recognize, and probably enjoy, the Arbites class. The various mechanics that can stagger an enemy come from your mastiff, your skills, and a few of your melee weapons.
Each of these, if used properly, can give you and your cohesive squad gaps in the horde to exploit. Something your squad mates will surely appreciate. It isn’t a bad idea to play a handful of low-level rounds or go to the psychanium and play around with the stagger mechanics to get a better sense of the range and times in which they last.
7Use Your Hound
Canine Companions
A big change in Darktide is the addition of the cyber-mastiff. Every Arbite starts off with one (and you can name it and pet it at will!). It works similarly to most summoner and necromancer classes in MMOs and squad-based games: your mastiff will regularly harass and attack low-level enemies and can target specific enemies as you command it to.
The key is not to get too wrapped up in the hordes of enemies that will descend on your squad. By keeping an eye out for special enemies that creep in, you’re able to work to target them with your hound, hopefully before they become a worry for the rest of the group.
The cyber-mastiff, like the stagger mechanic, can be used on any enemy. But, it really shines when it is used on elite or otherwise nuisance enemies.
6Tag-Team Them
Better In Cohesion
Arbites, like any of the individual classes, aren’t an army of one, even though they may seem like it in the lore. They can combine their skills with the skills of others for some pretty satisfying results. Experimenting with the squad layout you go on missions with can really elevate your survival chances at higher levels.
One or two Arbites with a close-range reject, and a long-range specialist can be an amazing experience. Sticking close to a sharpshooter Veteran, or a long-ranged Psyker, can help you all live for longer. Even a full squad of Arbites can be devastating if you all stick together and use your mastiffs in cohesion.
5Know Your Skills
The Emperor’s Blessing
The subclasses and skill tree of the Arbites have a surprising amount of range to them. Knowing how the skill tree flows and having an idea of what you want to do with your Arbite is crucial for being effective in the long term of Darktide.
Fans of the other classes may be drawn to the Lone Wolf side of the tree, which allows for bigger buffs to you at the cost of losing your mastiff. Being able to send out an AI companion that enemies ignore to attack key targets is a really large benefit, though, even when there are multiple cyber-hounds in play.
For those who want to bridge the gap between this class and older classes, the Castigator’s Stance skill and ranged buffs will get you closer to the veteran class. While Break the Line and melee buffs will lean you more towards the concept of crowd-breaking and the zealot/ogryn classes.
4Run Interference
Harass The Enemy
Each of the Darktide classes can be used as veritable wrecking balls, taking out enemies in incredible numbers. Your Arbiter can do the same, with relative ease, but one of the best things you can learn to do is to be the go-between. Running interference between your enemies and crucial squad-mates can carry you through a surprising number of missions.
Staying mobile, targeting special enemies, staggering groups of foes, and aiding anyone caught off-guard should be priorities. Filling in the blanks where your squad doesn’t have a member can see you being the glue that holds the rest of the party together when things try to fall apart.
3Time Your Moves
Be In The Moment
One thing that may not be obvious at first sight, but long-term players of Darktide will tell you: a lot of your success depends on timing. There are so many unnoticed audio and visual queues that one must notice to avoid damage in Darktide.
Combining your knowledge of these with the Arbiter class is a great way to become a master. It’s not all about rushing to the next objective, timing your attacks, your staggers, and your mastiff with the flow of the enemies, and your squad will let you avoid serious damage and getting bogged down.
This should be easier if you stay mobile and float from one key area of the fight to another instead of wading through the front of the assault at all times.
2Don’t Forget Your Aquila
Emperor Be Praised
One of the more unique, and unfortunately forgettable, skills in the Arbites class is the Nuncio-Aquila. It looks similar to a servo-skull, instead with loudspeakers attached to it, announcing your arrival and quoting the Lex Imperialis as a way to chasten your foes.
It also puts an aura around your squad that has a host of different benefits depending on your skill set. It is easy to forget about this ability, especially when things go south. But that’s the best time to use it. When a horde arrives, and you have one or more squad members down, then is the perfect time to set up the Aquila and try to pull your squad back from the brink.
1Save Your Ammo
More Enemies Than Bullets
The Psykers have their refillable warp energy, Ogryns have stubbers with boxes of ammo, even Zealots have flamethrowers with huge fuel reserves. If there’s one place the Arbites class lacks, it’s in ammo capacity. The best weapons for your Arbiter are almost always ones with minimal ammo. See the bolter and shotpistol for proof.
It’s much harder to wade into hordes of enemies and unload on them like the Ogryn or Veteran do. Instead, you’ll want to pick your shots, aiming for weak points, clusters of enemies, or special enemies to keep your ammo count high and the enemy threat low. Let your friends' heavy-stubber mow down the hordes of Nurgle-blessed. Unless you want to get scolded for taking all the ammo on the map.
