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Power Weapons (Another newbie asks for help. Same newbie as last time. Sorry.)

Started by Aleosvance, June 12, 2011, 12:48:27 AM

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Inquisitor Octavian Lars

back to biggreengribly's question about ventris' sword
recently read ate ultramarines omnibus
Timeline
Chains of command short story
Cptn Idaeus gives sword to Ventris
Cptn Idaeus blows bridge and is destroyed by raptors
Nightbringer
Pavonis stuff, sword gets broken
between nightbringer and warriors of ultramar
Ventris forges sword and master of forge hates him
warriors of ultramar
read it. it's great
dead sky black sun
can't remember what happens
rest of series
not read them
Velterax III
All my wargaming under one address
http://velterax3chronicles.blogspot.com/

http://www.the-conclave.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=1566.0
Insertion Zone. Also on the Velterax III Chronicles.

Always looking for comments

DapperAnarchist

A good point about power swords is one I think Derek made - that if Chainswords are good enough for Assault Marines, they're bloody well good enough for you! (see, its a pun...)
Questions are a burden to others, answers a burden to oneself.

The Keltani Subsector  My P&M Thread - Most recent, INQ28!

Aleosvance

Thanks once again - especially to Robskib, that's exactly what I needed

Quick question though, how did your beginning groups cope with psykers? I've only got one (my otherwise standard Inquisitor) but I want to get the balance right, if I haven't asked too much already :)

Reiker

Damon

QuoteQuick question though, how did your beginning groups cope with psykers? I've only got one (my otherwise standard Inquisitor) but I want to get the balance right, if I haven't asked too much already

I use a female psyker in my Inquisitor's retinue. She is a powerful psyker so to balance her out I gave her a low toughness (only 24) and a special rule 'fragile' (may not make any recovery tests in game). This is to represent the fact that her body is weak as she doesn't train it and her constant use of psychic powers has weakened her body further. She also has no armour (only robes) and is armed with only a knife. This means that she really has to be careful to avoid enemies and stay in cover. Also none of her psychic powers are openly aggressive (eg bloodboil or fireball etc) instead they are enforce will, puppet master, distraction, telepathy and mind scan. This means she has to be creative in how she uses her powers. I see her more of a support player than an overtly aggressive one.

So I suggest you give your's a lower toughness, less armour and equipment. However the extent you do this depends on how many psychic powers and how high his willpower is.

If he only has a couple of powers which are same discipline and not too high a willpower then you don't need to be as drastic as me.

Anyways the chance of failing and losing willpower is a pretty big negative and it being a risky action as well, will act as a balancing tool anyway.

Hope this helps :)


MarcoSkoll

Quote from: Damon on June 13, 2011, 07:02:42 PMI use a female psyker in my Inquisitor's retinue. She is a powerful psyker so to balance her out I gave her a low toughness (only 24) and a special rule 'fragile' (may not make any recovery tests in game).
I'd say that's FAR more than is necessary to balance out a powerful psyker. Toughness 24 means an almost guaranteed System Shock test any time you're hit, and one you will probably fail. Heck, a stubber would have no trouble taking your head off in one.
My most powerful psyker is still Toughness 48, else there'd be no fight in her at all.

My take on the matter is... well, similar, but less extreme.

I'll agree a good psyker should also pay for it in other areas, to the point that when they're really good, it should become the only thing they can be effective at.

But it's worth remembering that psychic powers are risky (provided you're not just slapping Wyrd all over the place - and by the way, don't), which helps balance out the considerable strengths.
Blood boil might be far more powerful than a shotgun, but the shotgun is far more reliable.

For an example, a Wp 80 psyker using Fireball - about a one in three of failing the risky action, 75% chance of casting the power. So roughly one in two of the power even working, and you still haven't made your hit roll.
That 3D6+4 damage for the fireball doesn't look like such a big number when it's half as likely to even work as a 2D6+2 stubber - and with the other half of that percentage table being your brains dribbling out of your ears, making it even less likely it'll work next time. Yay.
S.Sgt Silva Birgen: "Good evening, we're here from the Adeptus Defenestratus."
Captain L. Rollin: "Nonsense. Never heard of it."
Birgen: "Pick a window. I'll demonstrate".

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Damon

I know I took it to the extreme but it suits her character and I don't always take her. She has proved a very useful and fun character. If I know the game is going to be particularly violent I tend to not take her. But having said that she can take care of herself if you're clever with her. Noone can shoot her if they are stunned by her distraction power or have thrown their shotgun off the roof etc. However if you do hit her then she does tend to go out for the count after one wound but she's normally wreaked a fair amount of psychic mischief by then! Plus she looks like a young beautiful woman (thanks to rejuvenant treatment) and wears simple robes so unless you know she is a psyker se doesn't appear as a threat. Anywho I agree with Marco on his advice and you don't need to be as extreme as me

GAZKUL

In a recent conversation with Frostspear we agreed that they could be game but only with a really good reason for it.
"You do not need to prove that you exist because soon you won't"