Welcome, specialists. As members of Nightfall, a rebel group dedicated to combating the horrors of Horzine, much is expected of you beyond just eradicating zeds. So let’s talk about what being a specialist means in the world of Killing Floor 3.
What is a Specialist?
A specialist is the combination of a character and perk archetype, such as Foster and Commando or Devlin and Firebug. There can be any number of specific specialists on the field.
What’s Familiar?
- Perk Progression and Customization: Each specialist’s perk has levels and unlockable skills that let you tailor your playstyle. As you level up, you'll unlock new abilities to customize your perk's gameplay.
- Specialized Primary Weapons: Specialists have a selection of primary weapons that align with their perk. However, you're not confined to these choices alone.
- Freedom to Adapt: You're encouraged to mix and match weapons from different perks to suit your preferred playstyle or adapt to any situation that arises.
- Unique Grenades: Each perk comes equipped with a grenade that complements its role on the battlefield. Similar to KF2, grenades are unique to each perk and can’t be swapped, ensuring that each perk retains its distinctive playstyle.
- Visual Customization: Specialists will have the option to change their look via different cosmetic outfits and headgear.
- Unique Voices and Battle Chatter: Similar to characters in KF2, specialists in Killing Floor 3 have distinct personalities and voices. Players will have the option to adjust or disable battle chatter to suit their preferences.
- Free Content Updates: There are plans for ongoing free content updates, adding new and existing perk archetypes through specialists, as well as maps, weapons, and features. (Yes, this means there can be more than one Commando.)
What’s New in Killing Floor 3?
- Unique Sidearms for Every Perk: Each perk now comes with its own sidearm. Similar to primary weapons, you can choose any sidearm from other specialists if it better suits your playstyle.
- Selectable Tools: Perks start with a tool that fits their specialization. For example, Imran begins with a multi-tool that can unlock traps, ziplines and more. Meanwhile, Foster starts with an ammo bag. However, any specialist can purchase any tool at the trader pod, giving you more options on the battlefield.
- Enhanced Levels and Skills: We've expanded the progression system. Each specialist’s perk has 30 levels and over 30 skill choices, with each skill upgradable 3 times.
- Operational Budget System: As you level up, your operational budget increases, giving you the ability to start the fight with custom-modified weapons.
- Unique Gadgets for Each Specialist: Every specialist wields a unique gadget (otherwise known as the “oh shit button”) that reflects their personality and role.
For example, Imran, our resident engineer, has integrated his Sonic Storm—a retractable twin cannon—into his exosuit. This gadget obliterates fodder zeds and is incredibly powerful against larger enemies.
Meanwhile, Devlin is equipped with the Wildfire. This gadget emits a devastating ring of fire that incinerates nearby zeds.
Finally, Foster wields the Hellion, a drone that fires brutal acid attacks that create corrosive explosions.
The Specialist Skill Tree
The Specialist Skill Tree now has more options focused on their perk passives, throwable, and gadget, along with the choice to unlock further upgrades for each skill. Let’s dive into what that means:
With 30 levels to unlock for each specialist, players now have more choices to make than ever before.
- Specialists earn XP from gameplay to level up and a new tier of skill choices is unlocked every 2 levels.
- Each tier of skill choices may contain from 1 to 3 choices and only one skill from each tier can be selected at a given time.
- Each skill can be upgraded up to 3 times. Players can do this by earning and spending proficiency points.
- Proficiency is earned by completing Survival waves, killing zeds, using tools and reviving allies.
- Players also have a proficiency rank and icon that increase as they spend proficiency points, reflecting their mastery of the specialist.
(Subject to change)
As you can see in the example Commando Skill Tree above, players will now have more options than ever before to customize their playstyle. (Not to mention weapon mods that will allow them to tailor their experience further!).
The Specialists At Launch
At launch, Killing Floor 3 will have 6 specialists. So far, we’ve introduced you to 3 Nightfall members:
- Foster: The Commando, an assault-style fighter, capable of throwing more bullets at any threat.
- Devlin: The Firebug, a crowd control expert who uses heat and fire to contain the situation.
- Imran: The Engineer, a combination of Support and Demolitionist, who utilizes shotguns and high-power weapons to eradicate enemies.
We're excited to introduce you to the rest of the Nightfall team in the near future.