The best Darktide Hive Scum build for my money isn't about melee at all. Just like the Arbites before it, the Hive Scum class can be extremely strong in close-quarters, bashing enemies with his Crowbar or chem-laced Bone Saw to apply DoT effects. But does it feel different? Not really. Where the Hive Scum truly shines is as a dual-wielding gunslinger.
This is all thanks to one of the strongest abilities I've seen in Darktide—Enhanced Desperado. It was so strong in fact, that Fatshark nerfed it while it was still in early access, but it's decent even now. This state makes you immune to ranged attacks and gives you infinite bullets. Why yes, that is rather good for the first class to get dual-wield ranged weapons in the game.
