There are dozens of mechanics, stats, and different gameplay elements that affect your runs in Darktide. On top of the dozens of randomized stats, traits, and blessings your weapons can receive, either naturally or through the Shrine of the Omnissiah, some inherent traits make certain weapons better for combating different enemies.
One of these stats commonly found on heavy weapons or traits mention Ignoring Enemy Hit Mass, but what is Enemy Hit Mass, and how does it benefit you?
What is Enemy Hit Mass in Darktide?
Enemy Hit Mass dictates how much force a weapon needs to travel through an enemy. For example, your typical Devil’s Claw Sword can easily slice through seven or more Poxwalkers. On the other hand, the Devil’s Claw Sword can’t cut through multiple Maulers or Reapers, but why?
All enemies in Darktide have a specific amount of Hit Mass. Poxwalkers have the least amount of Hit Mass, whereas monstrosities like the Plague Ogryn or Beast of Nurgle have the highest hit mass.
You can also make a general assumption that the bigger a target is, the more Hit Mass they have. Every time you swing your weapon in Darktide, each Enemy Hit Mass will determine how many targets your blade will pass through.
How Do You Ignore Enemy Hit Mass in Darktide?
There are a few weapons that have Ignore Enemy Hit Mass better than the rest of the Darktide arsenal. For example, all Ogyrn weapons typically don’t need the Ignore Enemy Hit Mass stat because their melee weapons cut through dozens of enemies.
However, outside natural stats, you can obtain traits or blessings that allow you to Ignore Enemy Hit mass by meeting specific conditions. A popular example is the Brutal Momentum trait found on weapons like the Power Maul, Power Sword, or the Tactical Axe, which grants its user the ability to Ignore Enemy Hit Mass for a few seconds after landing a Weak Spot Kill.
Brutal Momentum allows weapons such as the Tactical Axe to cut through Ogryns as if they were made of butter after a Weak Spot Kill. This can give killing power against Elites and Specials or general horde clear.
The Difference between Cleave and Ignoring Enemy Hit Mass
Weapons or blessings that scale with Cleave have a different effect in combat than Ignoring Hit Mass. Cleave allows your weapons to hit more targets and influences how much damage that single strike will inflict. You can stack lots of Cleave, but your weapon doesn’t cut through two Ogryn enemies.
Cleave is generally better for clearing through hordes of smaller enemies like Poxwalkers or Infected, but Ignoring Enemy Hit Mass is beneficial for fighting all types of enemies. We recommend balancing your weapon with bonus Cleave stats and Ignoring Hit mass perks to cut through as many enemies as possible.
Should you Prioritize Cleave or Ignoring Enemy Hit Mass?
Ultimately which stat is better to use on your weapons, Cleave or Ignoring Enemy Hit Mass? It depends on what weapon and class you are playing. If you are playing a Psyker, you won’t spend much time in the front line.
Ideally, want to use your Brain Burst for dealing with Elites and Specials. On the other hand, Zealots love the Ignore Hit Mass stat because they are heavily melee-focused and love staying in the thick of a fight.
Ultimately it depends on the type of weapon you are using and your playstyle; our examples mainly highlight each class’s initial strengths and why certain stats are preferred for specific positions or builds.
Veterans and Psykers will typically want more Cleave on their weapons for improved horde clear in case they get swarmed by Poxwalkers while staying in the backline. Meanwhile, Ogryn and Zealot builds will love the Ignore Hit Mass stat because they are melee classes.
Conclusion on Ignoring Hit Enemy Hit Mass in Darktide
That’s our short guide for Ignoring Enemy Hit Mass in Darktide. Hopefully, this brief explanation helps clarify otherwise somewhat vague gameplay mechanics. Being able to Ignore Hit Mass is always a massive benefit for all situations and shouldn’t be underestimated, especially in greater difficulties where enemies show up in far greater numbers.
For now, Happy Hunting, Rejects!
