Darktide Impact Stat Explained

Learn about the Impact stat in warhammer 40000 darktide, how it affects staggering, and its synergies with Blessings like Thunderstrike and Trauma.

Impact is a stat in warhammer 40000 darktide that influences an enemy's susceptibility to being staggered when hit. Weapons with high Impact, such as maces, Battle Mauls, and Slab Shields, can knock enemies off balance. Even flamethrowers can force enemies back with heavy usage, similar to the maniac flamer enemies.

There are ways to modify your weapon's Impact. Three known Blessings that affect Impact are:

• Thunderstrike: Grants 1-4 stacks of +5% impact if the target is already staggered. Each stack lasts 5 seconds. This is useful for CC chaining enemies.
• Trauma: Provides a 5-10% impact bonus for 2 seconds on repeated hits. It can stack up to 5 times, acting as a knockdown momentum builder.
• Hammerblow: Grants a percentage impact bonus for 1.5 seconds on hit. It stacks 5 times, helping to build attacks to eventually knockdown sturdy enemies.

The Thunderstrike blessing is a key indicator of Impact's effect on staggering. It directly correlates with already staggered enemies, amplifying chain CC moments unless an enemy becomes uninterruptable, which is another stat that resists stagger and therefore Impact.

The Skullcrusher blessing synergizes well with Impact by increasing damage by up to three stacks if you hit already staggered enemies. The strategy involves using weapons with high stagger, increasing it with Impact, and then continuously applying damage stacks via your CC tools.

Certain classes and combinations benefit from Impact. Ogryn's shields can feature this, as can Zealot's Thunder Hammer blessings. Zealots also gain increased impact on three-target cleave through a specific feat choice.

Impact is particularly valuable against larger enemies like Maniacs and Unyielding-themed enemies, which are harder to stagger than Scab, Dreg, and Infested enemies. Successfully staggering these tougher foes with increased Impact is very effective for crowd control, especially on higher difficulties or in missions with higher specialist frequency modifiers.