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So, let’s go over both the audio and visual cues of every zombie-like Nurgle Elite and Special enemy in Warhammer 40k: Darktide. And, keep in mind while there are technically both Elite and Specialist enemies, they all basically fall under the same category, so let’s just label them all as “Elites”.
Disclaimer: Not every Elite enemy has an audio cue, some are purely visual.
17 Pox Hounds
Let’s start things off with the Pox Hound, the horribly annoying pup that can down the 8-foot-tall Ogryn Reject with ease, especially if they’re going for solo-play or a run with bots:
16 Mutants
Next up are the Mutants, the second of the three Elite enemies that have unblockable (but not undodgeable) disables that feel even worse than enemies who could do similar things in VT2. The Mutants charge straight at a target they seem to choose as they spawn and grab them in one hand before either launching them in the air randomly or slamming them on the ground a few times first:
15 Pox Bursters
Pox Bursters are one of the least-liked Elites in the game due to how easily they can down a player or launch people off of the map. The Pox Bursters are enemies that literally throw themselves at the Rejects before exploding in a bunch of high-damage Nurgle-based goo:
14 Scab & Dreg Tox Flamer
The Dreg Tox and Scab Flamer enemies almost always spawn from behind the Rejects, approaching from behind to light them up with Toughness-shredding flames while they’re distracted by what’s in front of them:
13 Scab Trapper
Trappers may just eke out ahead of the Pox Bursters as the Elite that players enjoy seeing the least, especially on harder difficulties. These Special mobs have one job and one job only, trapping their target in a net. They almost exclusively sneak up from behind, and will often start running away almost too quickly when players notice them.
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Players caught by them are thrown to the ground in a net and must be freed by another player:
12 Scab Bombers
Bombers are likely responsible for many player deaths in Darktide, simply because their Incendiary Grenades can separate a squad by a sea of flames. Similar to the Trappers, the Bombers hang in the back and wait for the right time before lobbing their Grenades at their target of choice, reposition, and then start throwing again:
11 Scab Snipers
Ah, the Elite most responsible for downing players who aren’t paying enough attention during any of the ‘Defend’ portions of many Mission Types, the Scab Sniper. This Elite also stays in the back, aiming at whatever player enters their line of sight before firing a deadly beam that can melt through both Toughness and Health:
10 Crushers
The first of the Ogryn-type enemies, the Crusher is an absolute powerhouse that can almost instantly down even the tankier players with one overhead swing. The Psykers are best for popping them with Brain Burst, but they can get downed by the Crusher even easier. In any case, Crushers are covered in Carapace Armor and are often found alongside at least one other Ogryn Elite:
9 Bulwarks
This is the Elite that most allies tend to confuse their allied Ogryn Skullbreaker player with, the Bulwark. This Elite is an Ogryn wielding a shield and a one-handed club or hammer of some sort:
8 Reapers
The only gun-using Ogryn Elite, the Reaper, is also typically the biggest problem of the three. Yet somehow, Ogryn players keep trying to use these to complete their most frustrating Penance. In any case, It fires an automatic rifle like it was a minigun, constantly pushing, damaging, and peppering allies with projectiles:
7 Scab Maulers
Maulers are one of the Elites that tend to surprise players with their appearance the most, second only to Ragers.
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This is because both Maulers and Ragers are about the size of a normal human, and they like to move and mix themselves into a horde of Poxwalkers. Using its chainsaw axe, the Mauler can deal some serious damage to an unaware ally:
6 Scab & Dreg Gunners
Gunners, both of the Scab and Dreg variety, are one of the easier Elites to kill, but also one of the most terrifying depending on the situation. These ranged units love to unload clips of ammo and lasers at the Rejects, absolutely shredding their Toughness and Health if caught unaware:
5 Scab & Dreg Shotgunners
Another Elite with both a Scab and Dreg variant, the Shotgunners are the exact type of enemy players want to keep their distance from. As long as they do, these guys aren’t very scary:
4 Scab & Dreg Ragers
When it comes to enemies that can beat any of the Rejects in a one-on-one melee fight, the Ragers may just have the best shot. They’re one of the more aggressive enemies in the game and will constantly swing at any player in sight with their dual weapons:
3 Plague Ogryn
Finally, it’s time to talk about the Monstrosities. There are three in the game as of December 2022, the Plague Ogryn, Beast of Nurgle, and Daemonhost. Each Monstrocity has its own distinct look and gimmicks, with the Plague Ogryn being the simplest:
2 Beast Of Nurgle
Whereas the Plague Ogryn is a hulking mass of muscle, the Beast of Nurgle is a disgusting glob of fluid and pus. It’s basically a giant slug that slithers around eating Rejects, spraying slowing Corruption-based goo, and just generally being gross:
1 Daemonhost
And lastly, there’s the Monstrosity added to the game most recently, coming alongside the full release of Darktide, the Daemonhost. For all intents and purposes, the Daemonhost is exactly like the Witches in Left 4 Dead. They’re high-damage high-aggression enemies that, when disturbed, can down multiple allies in 30 seconds or less. Frankly, they’re one of the main reasons the game has become so much harder after release:
Warhammer 40,000: Darktide is out on PC and Xbox Series X/S.
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