Warhammer 40,000: Darktide can quickly get chaotic if you don’t know how to fight the Daemonhost boss. Whether you’ve seen a video or come across this difficult enemy yourself, it helps to go in prepared. Because if you don’t, chances are your party is going to wipe if you’re not sure what to expect.
The Daemonhost is a rare Darktide boss that many compare to the Witch from Left 4 Dead. For those unfamiliar with the Witch, this is a tough enemy that you’re better off leaving alone. While every other Darktide boss will immediately aggro, the Daemonhost works differently. So many people skip it instead. This guide is for those of you that prefer to fight it and get that secret achievement.
How to Fight the Daemonhost Boss in Darktide
How to Find the Daemonhost First
This boss usually appears in an area where you can walk around them, but sometimes they can be a small hallway. If this is the case, be careful walking near them, but you can get by quietly.
The secret penance achievement for defeating a Daemonhost is called Banisher which gives +10 to your Penance score in-game. Before we get into fighting this boss, it’s important to explain how to notice it first. Once you’re near them, you’ll start hearing whispering voices even if you can’t see them. This is a major clue to listen for and make sure everyone knows.
The last thing you want is to accidentally aggro them and then not be prepared. This leads to complete chaos and again, a high chance of your party wiping. Therefore, if you hear whispering voices similar to a Psyker with high peril, you’ll want to stop for a moment. Afterward, keep an eye out for the Daemonhost laying down with a large amount of fog surrounding them.
If they’re standing up and speaking louder with some evil laughs thrown in, someone may have gotten their attention. But this doesn’t mean you have to fight yet.
As long as nobody wakes them up, that’s all you should see before getting their attention. If someone accidentally attacks them from a distance or gets too close, a bright green aura will appear. This doesn’t necessarily mean they’ve woken up, but if a red health bar appears at the top of your screen, then they’re awake. This distinction is important because you can still escape if they’re standing up and not attacking.
Now if your party wants to fight the Daemonhost, make sure you know who is going to attack first. This person will hold their attention/aggro permanently until they’re downed and killed. Due to how this boss works, once the player goes down, the Daemonhost will focus on them until they’re dead. As such, forcing you to rescue that player later in the mission. This is also a great opportunity to deal damage.
The Popular Strategy to Defeat the Daemonhost
If the wrong person gets aggro first in this fight, things tend to be a bit tougher. Since there’s no guarantee the Shield Slab Ogryn will get it next.
The most popular strategy to deal with the Daemonhost is having an Ogryn use the Slab Shield weapon. Ogryn players can get the Slab Shield starting at level 12. However, there isn’t a guaranteed way to get it in Darktide since you’re relying on the armory’s RNG. Or getting a lucky mission reward from the Emperor.
Then, this is assuming you have an Ogryn with the Slab Shield in your party. It’s always possible you can get the Daemonhost when you least expect them. Especially since there isn’t a guarantee they’ll ever spawn, even though they seem to appear on every difficulty. Even including the first difficulty, Sedition.
If you come across a Daemonhost on a low difficulty, there’s a decent chance you’ll be able to win regardless. The health amount varies largely.
Regardless, this strategy works best since the Ogryn can use their Defensive Stance to block damage from the front. As long as they grab aggro from the boss first, they can distract it while everyone else deals damage. However, you still have to worry about the Daemonhost pushing the Ogryn or teleporting to a vulnerable side.
With that said, you can still defeat the Daemonhost without this setup. The reality is, you may have a tougher time, especially if you’re on a high difficulty. And it always benefits to have a pre-made group or people communicating. If you don’t have an Ogryn in your party but you have a Zealot, check out the next section. Otherwise, the section after that provides some general tips and tricks.
Using a Zealot Instead of the Ogryn
Despite the fire burning my Zealot, this was a perfect opportunity to whack away at its head. As is the case with many Darktide enemies, this is also the Daemonhost’s weak spot.
Another popular character in the Darktide community for this fight is the Zealot. Despite not being a Zealot main myself, I can see why their active ability and passive help significantly. First, Chastise the Wicked is a dash that provides 50% toughness. You can use this to stay alive while also getting out of the way.
Second, the passive feat Until Death makes you temporarily invulnerable for five seconds after taking lethal damage. Chances are you’ll only get one use out of this during your fight, but it can help you stay alive a bit longer. High-level feats like Holy Revenant (20) will heal you during Until Death as well if you deal damage.
Quick Tips and Tricks Based on My Experience
Getting close to the Daemonhost makes your screen all blurry like this one. However, it doesn’t give you any debuffs to worry about.
The first time I fought the Daemonhost was chaotic since we had an incoming horde as well. Fortunately, I still kept the Daemonhost distracted as long as I could. Despite not having a Slab Shield, I did a lot of dodging and blocking. This helped put space between them and me while also blocking any hits that got through.
Regardless of what character you play as you can still get a weapon with a high amount of stamina. Due to how blocking works, having a high amount of stamina will let you block more. Therefore, you can be an Ogryn with a low-stamina melee weapon or a Psyker with a ton of stamina. It mainly relies on your weapon and some RNG.
If one of your teammates ends up in this state, make sure to deal damage while the Daemonhost isn’t moving. You can still save your buddy!
Since the Daemonhost has the Unyielding trait, you can’t stagger or stun it with any abilities. This adds to the challenge similar to other Ogryn elites and monstrosities in Darktide. So you’re relying on your ability to dodge and block as much as possible. Unfortunately, there isn’t a lot to this fight aside from staying alive long enough to kill it.
With that said, it’s worth mentioning that the Daemonhost will leave the area once it kills two players in your party. Assuming your group doesn’t lose to other enemies, this can give you a chance to still survive the mission. But, it also prevents you from getting the Banisher penance. The main thing is making sure your party kills it before it kills you.
Be sure to let us know in the comments how your first fight goes and if you get the Banisher penance! In all honesty, it’s easier than some of the more frustrating penances.
That’s all there is to this Darktide guide on how to fight the Daemonhost boss. Even though it is comparable to the tough Witch in Left 4 Dead, it can die all the same. It’s just a matter of how badly you want to take them down. Now if only we got a reward for defeating them! If you have some tips and tricks of your own, feel free to comment below.
Jeff is a journalist with over 10 years of experience writing, streaming, and making content about video games. With an associate degree in journalism, he’s a sucker for RPGs, survival games, roguelikes, and more.