Hex

Lore & Background

The Witch Hunters of the Order of the Silver Hammer are the Empire's most feared and most distrusted soldiers. Where the Empire's regulars rely on steel and gunpowder, the Witch Hunters wield faith, steel, and blessed shot to purge heresy and corruption. Victor Saltzpyre, a veteran of countless campaigns against the Skaven and the undead, favors precision firearms over any dark magic. His crossbow or brace of pistols are not stolen power but tools of righteous judgment, each shot a declaration of the Empire's will. There is no 'Hex' in his arsenal—only the cold certainty of a well-aimed bolt or bullet. In the grim, rat-infested tunnels of the Old World, Saltzpyre's discipline and marksmanship are what separate a hunter who walks out from one who feeds the vermin.

In Their Own Story

The tunnel stank of wet fur and old blood. Sigrun pressed her back against the cold stone, her breathing shallow, and watched three Skaven taskmasters fan out toward the supply cart. Her squadmate, a heavy-axe Bretonnian, was already screaming a warcry and charging the leftmost rat. The other two turned, their rusted blades catching the torchlight. She didn't need to be close. She never had to. Sigrun drew a breath, felt the familiar cold knot of dark energy gather between her knuckles, and flicked her wrist. Hex left her hand in a blue-white hiss, threading the gap between the two rats and slamming into the one on the right. The taskmaster shrieked, its fur blackening, its charge of alchemical fire sputtering out as the DoT gnawed at it. The second rat hesitated—just a heartbeat—and that was all the Bretonnian needed to split its skull open. "Keep 'em burning, witch!" he bellowed, already moving on. She did. She always did.

Reader's Guide

Hex is the Witch Hunter's Q-slot ranged attack. She fires a projectile of dark energy that travels in a short line and deals damage to the first enemy it hits, applying a stacking damage-over-time effect. Unlike most ranged weapons in Vermintide 2, Hex has no ammo limit—its only resource is a brief cooldown, encouraging frequent use. The projectile is fast but not hitscan; you'll need to lead moving targets at mid-range. The DoT ticks for several seconds and can be refreshed with subsequent shots, making it ideal for softening up armored elites before your melee teammates close the gap. A single Hex won't kill a Stormvermin, but two or three well-placed bolts will strip its health bar while you dodge its overhead swing. Use it to interrupt enemy attacks, tag distant specials, or force a pack of Clanrats to scatter. In tight corridors, a Hex to the face of a charging Ratling Gunner buys your squad the half-second they need to close. The skill scales with your Hero Power and crit chance—a critical Hex deals bonus initial damage and applies a stronger DoT, so gear that boosts crit is a natural fit. Remember: Hex is a pressure tool, not a finisher. Keep the bolts flying, keep the DoT ticking, and let your allies clean up the ashes.

Did You Know?

• Victor Saltzpyre's entire kit is built around the in-universe idea that the Order of the Silver Hammer uses faith and steel to combat dark magic, not the dark arts themselves. He channels no stolen power—only his unyield
• Saltzpyre's ranged weapons serve as a versatile answer in a game where most heroes are melee-first, giving him a unique kiting and zoning role in co-op squads. He can hold a chokepoint alone by cycling his firearm and do
• The damage of Saltzpyre's ranged attacks is front-loaded, rewarding players who land precise shots rather than relying on damage-over-time effects. A Skaven slave that takes a crossbow bolt to the chest dies instantly—no
• Victor Saltzpyre's design deliberately contrasts with more traditional fantasy archetypes, grounding him in the grim, morally grey world of the Empire's secret anti-chaos order. He is not a mage, but a hunter of those wh