Returning to inquisitor and requesting character feedback

[Inquisitor Cade]

A sufficiently well-connected Rogue Trader can obtain pretty much anything he wants

True but first this guy isn't a hereditary rogue trader he

is the second son of a rogue trader and though he isn't covered by his father's hereditary charter, his father used his influences to get Yonnur non hereditary letters of marquee.

Second while I'm sure he could get a supply of stalker shells I think that to do so would jeperdise the

his fear of the inquisition leads him to spend very little time at all in imperial space.

because he is an unsanctioned psyker part of the background.

Another problem with the bolt pistol became evedent in the IC reference, when he used his eldar shuriken catapult so as not to waste precious ammo.


I did like the IC thread. I think at first he was a bit blase' about using his powers, though I thought you did it well towards the end. I see that you recognise the 'blunt' aspect of the Tau, but I'm not sure even the reduced effectivness telepaty he accomplised would have been possible.

[Uilleam]

Ok how about this as a solution for the bolt pistol issue.

Explorator pattern bolt pistol.
Type – pistol
Range – J
Mode – single
Damage – 2D10
Shots – 5
Reload – 2
Weight – 15

Frum carries this bolt weapon because of its value as a status symbol. The ammunition for the pistol is not standard bolt rounds; instead the Explotator fires gas launched shells that lack the complex mass reactive tip of most bolt ammunition types. This serves three main functions, firstly the ammunition is simpler to manufacture, secondly it creates less recoil making it easier to wield and thirdly the firing of these shells places less stress on the gun, allowing for a thinner, lighter barrel. Further stress is relieved from the barrel by the fact that the Explorator has a slower rate of fire than other bolt weapons; this has the benefit of reducing the amount of maintenance the weapon requires to remain at top functionality.

Unfortunately ammunition for the Explorator bolt pistol as well as being less devastating, is not as common as standard bolt ammunition and Frum needs to rely on the manufacturing capabilities of his own fleet for the majority of his supply. Whilst some of the artisans in Frum's fleet are capable of making perfect duplicates of the Explotator bolts their time is worth more on other tasks, and the rest make the occasional error. Firing the Explorator bolt pistol is a risky action, the result of the risky action being failed is that the shot automatically misses. Furthermore since the Explorator shells are initially launched by compressed gas they do not heat the barrel of the pistol. Whilst this is an advantage in normal or high temperature conditions, reducing the need for barrel maintenance, in very low temperatures such as in the vacuum of space the risk of the weapon freezing is high. Due to this should the pistol fail a risky action when operating in very low temperatures it is jammed and cannot be fired again until its temperature has been normalised and the barrel cleared (next game/GM discretion).

[Inquisitor Cade]

If it doesn't fire bolt rounds, I'd say it isn't a bolt weapon.

The reduced rate of fire... Marco's rules imply that purely semiautomatic guns can achieve 2 shots an action. If this can't then I assume it needs manual cocking between shots? Does this mean fireing is a two handed proccess?

My advice would be to either take a stubber with expensive special rounds (a high power stubber with explosive rounds is more powerful than your 2D10 sudo bolt shells, or else take Marco's light bolt pistol and say that he makes his own ammo that fits and works with it in place of bolt shell. These shells lack the self propulsion of bolt shells so require a bigger charge to give reasonable ballistic performance (without it the shell would plop to the ground way too quickely) and as a result it has -10acc, suffers High Recoil and does -3 damage compaired to the full bolt shell. I really suggest the former. He has other ways he can display his status, and a 75. calibre round is less proctical than a bolt shell.

[Uilleam]

They are still rocket propelled, they just use gas to get them up to a decent enough speed exiting the barrel that they could be dangerous at close range. To be honest it isn't really much different from Marco's light bolt pistol some advantages, some disadvantages and since he's only going to be carrying around 5 shots I think its a pretty fair compromise.

The alternative to it is just ditching the sidearm altogether rather than replacing it with a stubber, since it doesn't inspire me at all. He has still got the shiruken catapult after all and if he finds himself on an Imperial planet where he cant carry an Eldar weapon around then that probably the sort of place he could pick up bolt ammo anyway rendering the whole point moot.

It's not that vital at this stage anyway, I wont have time to convert him until christmas, at which time I might decide I don't think he should carry a bolt pistol after all.

[Inquisitor Cade]

They are still rocket propelled, they just use gas to get them up to a decent enough speed exiting the barrel that they could be dangerous at close range.

Well in my opinion the technology to build shells like that is too advanced for him to be able to manufacture his own. The other advantage of a stubber or an autopistol is that he'll have at least one gun that doesn't cost a fortune in ammunition with every shot. And some of Marco's special ammunition should make it worthwhile.

[Uilleam]

Fair enough, bolt pistol dropped. Not interested in a stubber though, its not about the effectiveness just don't fancy it. I think I'm going to drop the familiar too, the more I think about it the less likely it seems.

[Inquisitor Cade]

Might I commend the standard issue laspistol as a practical weapon to conceal beneath a robe/coat for when there is call for a sidearm.

You could keep the light bolt pistol in the background, then if you were in a campaign and bolt rounds became available he could dust it of and bring it out to play.

[Kaled]

Well in my opinion the technology to build shells like that is too advanced for him to be able to manufacture his own.

I disagree.  He has a ship, and therefore is almost certainly going to have contacts in the Mechanicus in order to maintain it.  Also, it's entirely possible he'll be accompanied on some of his expeditions by an Explorator keen to journey outside the Imperium.  As such, it doesn't seem hugely unlikely that he could have an Explorator-pattern bolt pistol and the contacts in order to procure/produce a supply of ammunition for it.  It's almost immaterial whether or not he has a hereditary charter -  he's a effectively a Rogue Trader and will therefore have the backing of some influential people keen to profit from his expeditions.  Added to that, his family do have a hereditary charter and can no doubt procure all sorts of things even easier than he can.

I'd add the pistol back in if that's what you feel your character ought to be carrying - after all, you know your character better than any of us.

[Inquisitor Cade]

I agree that it would be entirely possible for him to get a bolter and ammo, but there are many reasons why this character wouldn't. It's complete impracticality for starters, but mostly the fact that he is averse to spending time in the imperium due to his entirely justified fear of the inquisition. It is one of my favorite things about the character, and makes his status as a rogue psyker much more plausable. Would he really jepordise that just to be able to use a specific gun that isn't even that useful? Finaly there was the little absurdity of him fireing eldar shuriken catapult ammo in order to save the more valuble stuff in his sidearm. Surely that should be the other way around!

But as Kaled said, Uilleam made the character so he is in the best position to judge. I'm guilty again of stubborness, so sorry about that. I've presented my views and arguments so now it's your call.