Wtih the Inquisitor Day in York coming up I thought I'd post the character sheets I'd drafted for critique. They're not a conventional warband in the sense of one guy in charge, mostly because the guy who would be in charge, Lok, is missing under mysterious circumstances.
Evandon Iet
Evandon started life as the youngest son of a noble line. Realising that nobles have a relatively short life expectancy, he joined the ecclesiarchy in search of a quiet, and long, life, a decision justified in the deaths of all his siblings and a cousin inheriting. Although technically heir, Evandon once again chose to keep his head down.
This all changed when Inquisitor Lok came to the archive he managed for some research and, having failed to shoot Evandon once (as per his usual practice), recruited him on a whim. Lok is since missing in action under mysterious circumstances, since when, as the assumed senior acolyte, Evandon has found himself irrevocably entangled, and even in charge of, his affairs. Although ill-suited to the lifestyle, his uncannily quick reactions have thus far kept him alive.
WS BS S T I Wp Sg Nv Ld
43 68 41 43 76 58 73 34 66
Skills ;
Fast Draw, Scholastic Lore
Attributes ;
Plain dumb luck, Lightning reflexes, Ambidextrous (gen-fixed in his noble line)
Equipment ;
Conversion field (formerly Lok's), Laspistol, Duelling autopistol (family heirloom)
2 laspistol reloads
Lady Ylla Ettin
A noble with little chance of inheriting, Ylla has become independently wealthy tracking down rare artefacts. A member of Evandon's brother's social circle, she decided to keep an eye on Evandon. When he absconded with Lok (travelling incognito, as was his practice), she used her resources to follow him, partly through the belief he was following the trail of an artefact. Although technically outranking her, in practice Evandon is more likely to follow her orders.
Although an accomplished duellist, she is less suited to an open brawl.
WS BS S T I Wp Sg Nv Ld
76 57 62 55 62 66 61 63 78
Skills ;
feint, disarm, persuasive
Equipment ;
Reflective mesh armour - 4 points on the chest, groin & abdomen, 2 points ballistic weave on other locations,
Custom duelling sword - 2D10 damage & no parry penalty, short sword, needle pistol, digital laspistol (formerly Lok's)
'Jedd'
'Jedd' no longer uses his previous name, taking the view that it belongs to a previous section of his life. An eldar outcaste, he fell into Lok's hands. Through holding a valuable relic sword hostage, Lok was able to coeerce Jedd into aiding him, often posing as an astropath (which Lok himself rarely used, distrusting the administrata astropathica).
Unable to return to his craftworld, Jedd continues to aid Evandon and Ylla, both due to a certain sentimentality and hoping that somewhere in Lok's affairs he can unearth a clue to the location of the stolen relic.
WS BS S T I Wp Sg Nv Ld
62 64 36 33 87 86 77 65 58
skills;
determined (as for heroic), stealthy (due to chameleoline cloak)
attributes;
alien - enhanced senses, Personal Agenda - places the recovery of the relic above other loyalties, psyker.
Psychic powers;
Telepathy (4), Detect (4), Scan (8), Distract (5), Demoralise (10)
Equipment ;
mesh armour 5 on chest, abdomen & groin, 2 points armour elsewhere. Chameleoline cloak, shuriken pistol.
Gru
Gru is, well, a gnarloc, part of Som's mercenary band and so accustomed to working alongside humans. Som raised him from a pup and tought him the ways of voilence.
WS BS S T I Wp Sg Nv Ld stature
57 32 84 90 66 69 35 61 54 4
skills ;
Furious charge, thick skull
attributes;
Exotic - fearsome, Alien (enhanced senses), long legged (+1 move rate)
Equipment ;
Bony plates / hide - 4 points of armour on the head, 2 points elsewhere,
Beak - reach 4, damage 2D10
2 claws - reach 2, damage D10
Som
A kroot mercenary, his unusual colouration was viewed as marking him as special from birth. He quickly struck out on his own, working within imperial space, and very nearly had a foreshortened career when he broke the jaw of a high ranking officer how referred to him an "an f***ing newt". Fortunately Inquisitor Lok, somewhat amused by the incident and irrationally believing certain Xenos races to be free of the taint of chaos, summarily executed the officer in question (who happily turned out to be a heretic), and took Som under his personal protection.
Through the years of working for Lok, Som has become a highly efficient killer, despite stubbornly refusing to be seperated from his favoured axe.
WS BS S T I Wp Sg Nv Ld
84 57 74 71 68 54 62 76 73
Skills ;
Furious charge, first strike
Attributes ;
Acrobatic, Stealth, alien (enhanced senses)
equipment ;
bolt carbine (looted from some 'heretic'), axe, knife.
Could you expand on how Iet got in with Lok, I didn't really get it.
Shouldn't he carry a chainsword, a hammer or at least a knife? As an Inquisitorial agent he would have had some Degree of close combat training (If not then Ws 43 is too high) and would carry something to use in a scrape.
Is the implication that this is a dual weilding character? I ask because he has 2 pistols and ambidextrous. Might I suggest modifying the family heirloom weapon to make it less practical in combat, maybe shots:4 reload(1) but with 3D6+2 damage and keep the semi fire mode or something, which would instead imply that he carries it for the stopping power and nostalgia, but has the laspistol as a more practicle sidearm for regular use. Also, a reload or two for each wouldn't be amiss.
I think Nv 34 is over(under)doing it, even given his preferance for longevity. If he was to make it to the level of Inquisitorial agent he would need a more respectable value, not to mention that if it were so low why would he have not found a way out of the Inquisition (with that Sg and no criminal record or equivalent I'm sure he could manage to relocate to another chapel and stay there safe).
Sg is very high, though I think my veiw on Sg is a little 'stricter' than most. In my individual opinion, low 70's would be right to suggest that he is a very intelligent person. [heresy]Sg=IQ/2[/heresy].
What is 'Scholastic Law'?
Some of Ylla's stats seem a bit generous. I think the idea of a dualist is fitting, but in keeping with the idea that she isn't so good in an all out melee that she take a Ws hit when she is not fighting a single opponant man to woman, so to speak. I think that this would balance the otherwise too high (in my opinion) Ws.
The S and T make sence but only if she frequently and dedicatedly keeps up her fitness as much as an athlete, as these values are higher than the rulebook quotes for regular soldiers.
The mental stats all make sence to me, mostly at the higher end of the range that I'd expect for a character of that backgroung, but certainly in the range.
I like the kit as it speaks of her wealth, but just how long it that sword to have the reach of a spear? Why to does it do more damage than another sword? Might I suggest calling it a vibrosword to explain the damage increase and keep the reach back down to 3.
What is 'disarm'?
I'm not sure that Jedd would hand around, esspecially once Lok left. That aside however his stats are impressive for a human but a bit lackluster for an Eldar. I don't know what would be appropriate for him though.
I'm not sure sure than an Eldar (with the high speed that comes with it) needs the heroic skill, esspecially as 'determined' is a pretty flimsy explanation for it, what Inquisitors aren't determined.
Mayhaps he would have a sword or alternative too.
Gru is interesting though I doubt his skin is as protecting as military body armour or his skull as tough as light carapace.
Also I'd rename the 'long legs' as 'quadruped' as his legs aren't long compaired to a human's (are they?)
It is alarming how many aliens are with these agents, who don't have the Inquisitorial power to back up dealing with aliens. Kroot colouration is highly variable so what is 'unusual' Som's?
For anyone confused by aspects of character abilities and equipment, these characters have been built using the rules from INQ2.
Iet was, if I recall, more of a clerical assistant to Lok than a combat type; hence the low combat stats. I like the justification for Ambidextrous, though. Very original.
R.
Crud, reloads. the guys with pistols all have a couple. the kroot, I reckon, finds bolt ammo hard to come by.
The alien balance is, unfortunately, the models I own. Ylla should probably have a couple of retainers. Scholastic law should be 'lore'.
Evandon was more a clerical aid than anything else - I just don't see him wielding a sword. He's not, generally, a dual wield character - he won't use the duelling pistol most of the time. Maybe Sg is a bit high - I'll knock 10 or so off.
Ylla's sword is the eldar power sword and looks quite long to me, though maybe not reach 4. Again, I could probably knock S & T down a bit.
I see Jedd as having been physically damaged during his time as a prisoner, hence the modest stats.
I pencilled in quadruped for Gru, except that it does walk on two hind legs. He's the forgeworld greater knarloc which is, I think, a knarloc of unusual size.
links to pictures included - Som's unusual colouration is mostly just a thin pretext - beyond being a viscous mercenary killer he doesn't have much background.
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ktTImjAkQZbiV4e5xojifw?feat=directlink
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/lh/photo/CDeehVi9a7CfV3AO7_AJ3Q?feat=directlink
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/naGodKXIT74TJsyt7ajzkQ?feat=directlink
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/YN-hv7AXTa10ecbuKEbKWw?feat=directlink
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/5G8TqyvWZLE1IKzALev52w?feat=directlink
QuoteI just don't see him wielding a sword
Well how about a shock maul, a hammer or even just a knife? As acting head of a group of Inquisitorial agents not carrying any melee weapon is just asking to be stabbed.
Quotehe won't use the duelling pistol most of the time.
Ahh, I read duelling
autopistol rather than
duelling autopistol. What are the rules for it?
QuoteYlla's sword is the eldar power sword and looks quite long to me, though maybe not reach 4.
The Eldar powersword is no longer than the (reach 3) chainsword models and is shorter than Covenants (reach 3) powersword. I'd say that it is normal size fora reach 3 blade. What do you think of calling it a vibrosword tojustify the extra damage (or is that normal sword damage in Inq 2?) as this would also explain why the hilt extends above the crossguard, as it contains the resonator.
You're right about Gru. You misspelt Knarloc as Gnarloc which I then confused with Grox. I still think that his natural armour is over the top. His high T is a better representation.
Fair point. I'll knock it down to reach 3. The extra damage is an inq2 upgrade to melee weapons. I see it as simply a custom made blade considerably sharper than the average, though calling it a vibroblade works too.
Modifications made.
The duelling upgrade gives the autopistol +5 accuracy but -2 damage (so 2D6-2) and less shots.
Disarm - When an opponent parries or is parried, you may make an opposed initiative test to disarm them.
Inq2 design note - This seems a little easy, consider a -20 modifier or something.
How does that sword damage compaire to a basic INQ 2 sword, chainsword and powersword?
I'll be very curious to hear how players on Saturday found character creation. It's deliberately a more involved process than in INQ1. The idea being that players should spend at least as much time planning a small party of three or four characters as they would planning a 1500-2000pt army list.
Swords in INQ2 have a basic profile, and "power" and "chain" are upgrades (along with "force", "shock" and "daemon"). A chain weapon gets +2 damage and any damage caused after subtractions for armour automatically causes bleeding. Power weapons count all hits as critical (i.e. double damage) and ignore half a location's armour value, making them very deadly against characters at the wielder's level and below, but no longer the "monster slayers" they once were.
R.
I think you've undersold chain weapons there, but that's just my opinion. I'd have given them at least another damage die. In fact I might have given chain weapons a higher base damage than power weapons (given the ingoring armour quality of power weapons which I fully agree with) as a cut froma chain weapon would be much nastier and more tramatic than the same cut from a powerweapon, though on the other hand I suppose if both weapons were applied with the same force, the power weapon cut, whilst cleaner, would be much deeper.