Abstracted Movement Distances & Weapon Range

~Credit to Nimsim and Lynata

The Problem with Movement in DH
DH movement is based on the Agility bonus, and measures itself in increments of one meter. Increasing the agility bonus, as well as other talents or actions, can all cause incremental increases in movement. What this effectively means is that in order to properly reflect the rules for movement, players are practically forced to use miniatures and a map. Eyeballing distances is not going to account for the difference between someone with Ab 2 and someone with Ab 3. Writing down exact distances and doing the math on paper or in your head is going to be an exercise in frustration. 

Should movement be tied to Agility bonus?
Agility is already a really powerful characteristic in this game and many others. I don't think that taking away its impact on movement is going to break the characteristic. Also, keep in mind that so long as movement is tied to a specific number, it's going to need a map or a lot of extra work to be properly reflected. 

Abstracting Movement 
This is actually a pretty simple port to make. Simply take the short, medium, long, and extreme ranges, the required movements of 1, 2, and 3, and use action points to reflect movement cost. All characters would use this movement. 

What about fast characters?
Well, this could be reflected by a basic talent (AP costs to move or disengage are reduced by 1, to a minimum of 1) and a trait for unnaturally fast characters (AP costs for movement and disengaging are reduced by 1, to a minimum of 0, does not stack with the previous talent, once 4 ap have been spent, the turn ends). Remove the size modifiers for movement as replace them with those traits or talent (include one that increase movement AP for small characters). 

How far can a character move?
A character can make the following movements with 4ap. 
Engaging to something in short range 1ap
From short to medium, 2 ap
From medium to long, 3 ap
From long to extreme, 4 ap
From medium to engaged, 3 ap 

I think the ap system actually takes care of the problem of characters moving way too far in wfrp3e. 

What distance do these ranges represent exactly?
This could probably stand to be given an exact number. I'd say this could be calculated as follows:
Figure out average speed of a running person (assume 6meters per second). 
Calculate how many meters this would cover in 5 seconds. (30m)
Assign that number to medium range. Medium range is 30m 
Divide that by the 3ap it costs to go from medium to engaged to get distance (10m per 1ap)
Long distance costs 6ap (60m) and extreme distance costs 10ap (100m). 
It will take 15 seconds to go from extreme to engaged at a rate of 6m per second (which would normally reach 90m in 15 seconds), so the movement is fairly accurate. 

So our exact numbers are:
Short range 10m
Medium range 30m
Long Range 60m
Extreme Range 100m

What about distances greater than 100m?
Just add an AP for every additional 10m. 

I think the addition of a "speedy" talent would take care of differentiating things a bit. Maybe a connected talent to that that reduces disengagement by an additional 1 as well (assassin could engage, strike, disengage, engage someone else/move into cover). 
I actually sat and thought about how to tie agility bonus into movement and honestly could not think of a good way to do it with this abstracted system that wasn't overly complicated or too much of a rules exception. The problem comes with the Agility bonus scaling in increments of 1, up to 9 or more, and an abstracted system in increments of 1 to 4 needing to make increments of 1 represent a greater amount than the difference of 1 agility bonus represents. 
I think the slowed condition and its being tied to heavy encumbrance works. Perhaps the use of some weapons or gear could inflict an automatic slowed condition unless the character has the bulging muscles talent. That would account for the heavy slow tech priest. 
I think leaving the agility bonus to add to initiative would be a good balance for it, but I would change its use for first aid. I also think RoF for melee weapons could be split between strength or agility, based on the kind of weapon being used. This would lead assassins to favor some weapons, with heavies favoring others. 

I like the abstract distances idea. In a game withoug miniatures, using exact distances always felt counter-productive to me, since the GM will determine them based on gut-feeling anyways, whilst players are left asking every round: "How far is the enemy away? How about now? Now?"

Not to mention having to calculate weapon range modifiers anew every time you pick up a new gun. Ugh.

 

Getting rid of exact distances means that differences between weapons would become somewhat less granular, however. This is not necessarily an issue (and many other RPGs have no probem with this), just something to keep in mind.

 

As far as Agility being tied to Movement is concerned, I think this "Speedy" talent might be a good idea, but I'd have it translate to movement as well. Having the talent yield a 1 AP discount on movement actions could be a good representation of such characters being quicker than others. Similarly, high equipment weight could add an "Encumbered" penalty where movement costs 1 AP more.

 

Yet another approach would be to assign automatic traits based on a character's AG bonus rather than it requiring a special talent (but still using Nimsim's movement table), such as ...

• 20 AG: Slow - characters have to spend +1 AP for any move action (this state can also be triggered by encumbrance or fatigue)
• 30 AG: Normal - baseline human value, no bonuses or penalties apply
• 40 AG: Agile - AP bonus to engage/disengage
• 50 AG: Swift - character gains a free AP to spend on or add to any move action they take
• 60 AG: Ghostly - character treats long distances as medium, and extreme as long

Note that the above is just a very basic idea born of my persistent dislike of talents that suddenly seem to transform a character's physical body over a natural stat-based evolution.

 the other component of the the abstract range system from WFRP3e was that weapon ranges were given the "Engaged/Short/Medium/Long/Extreme" range bands. Since the weapon ranges for DH are all already pretty much woefully inaccurate to realistic weapons to begin with, maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea to just make them fit the abstract distances as well. The nice thing about this is that it allows weapons to have "effective" ranges that they work best at. For example:

Sniper Rifle: Long/Extreme 

Shotgun: Short/Medium

Autopistol: Engaged/Short

Flamer: Medium

The nice thing about this is that it would eliminate the Close Quarters quality and just have weapons get a -20 penalty when used at 1 less or 1 more than their normal range, and being unusable at more than that.

Thinking Outside the Box- Alternative RoF (Again) 1/4/14

     For this post I ask the reader to remember that (where I am) it's very, very early in the morning, and I'm not digging a pile of books out while sitting in the dark. This post may (eventually) become a full rewrite...or it may become a complete throw-away. For now, I'll concentrate on the subject, and consider the consequences at a later time.

     RoF- oh, how we've all gone 'round and 'round this subject. For now, take everything you know about RoF and throw it our the window. Let it sulk in the snow, or the sand if you happen to be in warmer climes than I.

     This proposed change to RoF will change said weapon statistic from its current notation of X/X/X to a single number, though when doing so I will use its current notation as a starting point when determining a weapon's "new" RoF. By way of Example, a Stub Revolver currently has a RoF of S/-/-, but instead would be changed to 1, maybe 2.

     Once all weapon RoF has been altered to reflect this proposed change, each weapon will be given a Recoil value between 1 and 5. Recoil (X) will serve two purposes, the first representing the minimum Strength required to fire the weapon without its Recoil significantly affecting the user's WS Test (-10 to BS Tests), and the second representing a cumulative negative modifier based on the number of shots fired.
     At first, this proposal may seem to make burst shooting less appealing, but that is not my intention. One benefit of firing more shots will be +2 additional Damage for each shot after the first that hits. Some "special" ammunition types may increase this additional Damage...we'll see. On the flip-side, single shots (aka Standard Attacks) receive a +10 bonus to hit, representing the firer taking a brief moment (an eye blink, really) to calmly place their shot. Also when making Standard Attacks, the PC may exchange his/her DoS for the result of one Damage die.
     Anytime more than one shot is fired the BS Tests is +/-0. Pulling the trigger, whether a Standard Attack or a succession of shots, is always a Half Action.
     For all weapons with a RoF more than 1, each DoS on a BS Test after the first results in one additional hit, up to the weapon's maximum RoF.

     Lets start by taking a look at an example laspistol:

Las-pistol

Type/Category- Pistol/Las

Range/Reach- 20m

RoF- 3

Damage- d10+2[E]

Penetration- Zero

Clip- 30

Caliber- L

Reload- Half

Weapon Special Qualities- Recoil (1), Reliable, Variable Setting

     For reference, to-hit modifiers based on Range:

• Point Blank +30 (1-2m)
• Short +10 (3-10m)
• Medium +/-0 (11-40m)
• Long -10 (41-60m)
• Extreme -30 (61-80m)

     Let's consider an Adept, BS 32, trapped within a cul-de-sac of towering shelves that are heavily laden with tomes filled with ancient lore, sheltering behind a reading podium of thick yet age-dried wood, peppering shots into the darkness of the info-tombs at a dusting servitor-gone-berserk.

     The adept's first (panicked) inclination is to put the servitor out of operation ASAP, so she squeezes off a rapid succession of las blasts, 3 shots (Half Action, +/-0 to BS)- 3x Recoil (1) = -3 to BS.  Her target is at Medium Range (17m)- +10 to BS. Her target is of Average Size- +/-0 to BS. Her target is moving about in deep shadows- -20 to BS. She Aims (Half Action, +10 to BS) and shoots. Her total modified BS score is 29.

     Had the Adept chosen to make a Standard Attack instead of taking a succession of shots, her modified BS would be 42.

     Obviously, each scenario has unique situations/variables. Play around with the various permutations that are possible and tell me whether I'm on the right track, or whether this is a fool's idea.

     Happy gaming!  

 This blog is in no way endorsed by Games Workshop, Ltd or Fantasy Flight Publishing Inc- all content is not-for-profit.

Fate Points

     For the purposes of this post it is essential the reader understand a brief change proposed to the awarding of XP- rather than award 400-500 XP per session, the GM awards 3, 4, or 5 XP, with 1-3 bonus XP being awarded for particularly noteworthy/exceptional role playing. As a general rule, PCs are awarded 1 XP per hour of gaming.

     PCs start with 3d10+15 Fate Points. Fate Points may be spent in the following ways:

• Surprise- When called upon to make a Surprise Check, but before rolling the die, the Player may choose to spend d5+1 Fate Points to count as having rolled a 1 on his/her Surprise Check.
• Initiative- When called upon to roll for Initiative, but before rolling the die, the Player may choose to spend 1d5+1 Fate Points to count as having rolled a 10 Initiative.
• Mitigate Damage- When hit by an attack, the Player may choose to spend 1d5+1 Fate Points reducing the Damage of the attack by an amount equal to the Fate Points spent- the Player may mitigate the Damage of any single attack only once.
• Re-roll Failed Test- The Player may re-roll one (1) failed Test per Turn, spending 1d5+1 Fate Points to do so- only one (1) re-roll per Test is allowed, and the result(s) of any re-roll is final.
• Recover from Dazed/Stunned- The Player may, at the beginning of his/her Turn, spend 1d5+1 Fate Points to immediately recover from the effects of Dazed and/or Stunned.
• Ignore Fatigue- The Player may, at the beginning of his/her Turn, spend 1d5+1 Fate Points to ignore the effects of Fatigue for a number of Rounds equal to the PC's WPB. 
• Recover from Failed Fear Test- The Player may, at the beginning of his/her Turn, spend 1d5+1 Fate Points to immediately recover from the Behavioral Reaction (see Confront, Cower, and Flee) of a failed Fear Test- Moral Corruption that results from a failed Fear Test cannot be mitigated by this use of Fate Points and are gained as normal.

     PCs recover Fate Points when the GM awards XP. Generally, the GM will award XP at the end of a gaming session- the PC recovers one (1) Fate Point per one (1) XP awarded. This recovery of Fate Points does not include XP awarded for noteworthy/exceptional role playing.

   This blog is in no way endorsed by Games Workshop Ltd or Fantasy Flight Publishing Inc- all content is not-for-profit.

Weapon/Armour Condition & Craftsmanship, and Weapon Special Qualities- v3.5

     This installment of 'Weapon/Armour Condition & Craftsmanship, and Weapon Special Qualities' will be an ongoing work, and is for use with the post titled 'A Lethal Proposal for Injuries' (henceforth referred to as 'Dark Heresy: My Edition').
     For GMs who wish to incorporate Condition for gear/equipment items (such as an Auspex, a Portable Cogitator, a Multi-Tool, and etc) 4+ DoF while using said item of gear/equipment reduces its Condition by -1. The Condition of such items imposing/bestowing any additional drawbacks/benefits beyond their descriptions is left entirely to GM discretion (at least until a full rewrite).
     Note: Weapon and Armour (and item) Condition is not intended for use with Cover and Vehicle DV.

Weapon and Armour Condition

     Melee Weapon, Ranged Weapon, and Armour Condition is based upon Craftsmanship. There are seven Tiers of Craftsmanship: Tier Α/Ω- Legacy/Relic, Tier 1- Artificer (or "Master Crafted"), Tier 2- Best, Tier 3- Good, Tier 4- Common, Tier 5- Poor, and Tier 6- Useless.
     When a weapon or piece of armour is required to make a Condition Check, the Player rolls 1d10- if the result of the die roll is =/> the item's Craftsmanship Tier number the item's Condition remains unchanged, and if the result of the die roll is < the item's Craftsmanship Tier number the item's Condition has deteriorated.
     Tier Α/Ω sets the bar by which all other Tiers are measured- these items represent the paragons of their type and must be subjected to truly epic circumstances in order to suffer Condition deterioration. At the other end of the spectrum, Tier 6 (Useless) items may be repaired to their original Condition, dependent upon the ability (Trade Skill) of the craftsman.

Making Condition Checks

     Melee/Ranged Weapons- When a CC or RC Test results in a Jam/Overheat (96+ in the case of Melee weapons, including Tests made to Parry)- also see Special Weapons Quality: Reliable- the Player must make a Condition Check (see above for details). Also, when a weapon without Special Weapon Quality: Power parries or is parried by a weapon with the Special Weapon Quality: Destructive and/or Power there is a flat 75% chance the weapon's Condition is automatically reduced, otherwise making a Condition Check as normal.

     Armour- When a PC is hit by any weapon that causes Righteous Fury, or by a weapon with the Special Weapon Quality: Destructive and/or Power, the Player must make a Condition Check. However, if the DV of the armour is listed as having a +X value and is hit by a weapon with the Special Weapon Quality: Destructive and/or Power there is a flat 75% chance the armour's Condition is automatically reduced, otherwise making a Condition Check as normal.

Repairing Condition Deterioration

      To repair Condition Deterioration of items requires the use of an appropriate Trade Skill (typically Trade: Armourer or Technomat). The Skill Test is Challenging (+/-0), further modified as follows:

     Subtract the item's original Craftsmanship Tier Rating from it's current Tier Rating, and multiply the remainder by ten, with the result being a penalty to the Trade Skill Test- ex: a Best Craftsmanship (Tier 2) Autogun is currently Useless (Tier 6), so 6-2 = 4x10 = -40.

     Trade Skill Tests may be Assisted, and may also be further modified by the availability of proper repair facilities and/or tools at the GM's discretion. 

     The time required to affect repairs is a number of days equal to the difference between the item's original Tier and its current Tier (in the ex above: 6-2 = 4 days). Note that PCs without the appropriate Trade Skills may find it easier (if not faster) to acquire a replacement item rather than having a Useless item repaired.

     PCs may, if they choose, have items repaired to a barely-functioning Condition (Tier 5) in the interest of desperate need.      

Drawbacks/Benefits of Craftsmanship/Condition

       Tier Α/Ω (Legacy and/or Relic)- These weapons and armours possess unique attributes (often both positive and negative). These items do not conform to many of the "standard" drawbacks/benefit of Craftsmanship- any drawbacks/benefits of any individual weapon/armour are assigned specifically by the GM, with the one exception being that all Tier Α/Ω items are completely immune to the Destructive and Power Special Weapon Qualities 

     Note: GMs wishing to incorporate Tier Α/Ω weapons and armours into their games can draw inspiration from Armour History as published in the Deathwatch Core Rules and its supplements and/or Black Crusade's 'Tome Of Blood' while using the Craftsmanship rules detailed below.

     Tier Α/Ω items cannot be acquired through the use of Influence alone- they must be gained through role play (whether as loan or "gift", treasure, or the spoils of victory). 

     Tier 1 (Artificer or "Master Crafted")- These items are as much works of art as they are implements of war. They are adorned with etched images, litanies, prayer/purity seals, and/or precious gems/materials, and have been calibrated to function with the highest possible degree of consistency- Tier 1 weapons possess the Weapon Special Quality: Reliable, provide a +10 to CC/RC Tests, and increase their base Damage by +2, while Tier 1 armours reduce their Wt by one-half (rounded up), and increase their base DV by +2 (excluding DV values listed as being +X).

     All Tier 1 items are +5 Rarity.

     Tier 2 (Best)- These items have been manufactured to a extremely high standard and are usually intended as "gifts" (awards or testimonials) given to significant individuals- Tier 2 weapons possess the Weapon Special Quality: Reliable, provide a +5 to CC/RC Tests, and increase their base Damage by +1, while Tier 2 armours reduce their Wt by one-quarter (rounded up), and increase their base DV by +1 (excluding DV values listed as being +X).

     All Tier 2 items are +4 Rarity.

     Tier 3 (Good)- These items have been manufactured using superior designs and materials, but are still "mass produced", though predominantly in Mechanicus-contracted fanes.  Tier 3 weapons provide a +5 to CC/RC Tests, while Tier 3 armours reduce their Wt by ten percent (rounded up).

     All Tier 3 items are +2 Rarity.

     Tier 4 (Common)- These items have been manufactured using standard designs and materials, and are produced in (relatively) great quantities. Tier 4 items are +/-0, with no CC/RC bonuses or penalties associated with their use.

     All Tier 4 items are +/-0 Rarity.

     Tier 5 (Poor)- These items have been manufactured using inferior designs and materials, and are either mass produced by "charlatan" manufacturers or are "one-off" replicas of superior items. Use of Tier 5 weapons results in -5 to CC/RC Tests and -1 to their base Damage, while Tier 5 Medium and Heavy armours are twenty-five percent heavier (rounded up) and increase their base DV by +1 (excluding DV values listed as being +X).

     All Tier 5 items are +/-0 Rarity.

     Tier 6 (Useless)- These items are Useless, either as a result of declining Condition or poor maintenance, and they require appropriate Trade Skills to return to functionality. Useless items cannot be made to work or used in any effective way until repaired to at least Tier 5.

     Should it become important, all Tier 6 items are +/-0 Rarity.                  

Weapon Special Qualities

     Note: Although they have no affect on their Condition, Weapon Special Qualities will otherwise affect Cover and Vehicle DV exactly as if it were Personal DV.

     Accurate- When this weapon is used to make a Pin-Point Attack (aka a "called shot") that immediately follows 1 or more Aim Actions the PC receives an additional +10 to his/her RC Test and the weapon's Penetration value increases +1 per 2 DoS on the to-hit roll- the Penetration value of Accurate weapons may be increased by a maximum value equal to the shooter's PerB. Additionally, Accurate weapons increase their base Damage by +X on any successful hit, where X equals the shooter's PerB.

     Alien/Xenos Manufacture- Weapons with this Quality are constructed with a completely "alien" perspective. The function of these weapons may be (relatively) obvious to a Human, but the subtleties of their operation are unlikely to be intuitive. By way of example, Tau physiology is similar to that of Humans, but the specific differences in the bone structure and number of digits of a Tau's hand make the use of their weapons "fiddly" and awkward. By way of comparison, Dark Eldar weaponry is of sleek and slight manufacture, the materials used in the construction lightweight, and Humans are likely to misjudge the weight and potential recoil (or lack thereof) of such weapons. Additionally, Dark Eldar weapons are adorned will all manner of seemingly superfluous hooks, razor-sharp edges, and barbs, making it difficult to maintain a grip without uncomfortable (ofttimes painful) distractions.

     PCs attempting to use a weapon of Xenos Manufacture without the proper "training" suffer a -30 to Close Combat or Ranged Combat Tests (as appropriate). PCs "trained" in the use of Xenos Manufactured weapons suffer a -10 to Close Combat and Ranged Combat Tests.

     Unless the GM determines otherwise, all items of Xenos Manufacture are treated as being of Common Craftsmanship when used by anyone other than their intended (read as racial) user(s) for the purposes of determining their Wt, and CC/RC Test, Damage, and DV modifiers- an alien item retains its alien psychological stigma, regardless of its Craftsmanship.

     At the GM's discretion, weapons of Xenos Manufacture may be "Tinkered" (see further)to make them more accommodating for Human use- alterations require the Forbidden Lore: Xenos Skill (no Test needed) and a successful Very Hard (-30) Trade: Armourer Test. If the Test is successful, the inherent -10 penalty associated with the use of a Xenos Manufactured weapons is negated, but only when used by the person for which the weapon was altered. If the Test is failed (by any number of degrees) the inherent -10 penalty remains, the weapons gains the Special Weapon Quality: Unreliable or Unwieldy (as appropriate), and its Craftsmanship is reduced -1 per DoF (which may make the weapon more difficult to use effectively, or even render it Useless). Repairing Condition Deterioration of Xenos Manufacture items incurs an additional -30 to Trade Skill Tests.

     Some weapon Modifications and Upgrades that are of Xenos Manufacture may or may not function properly for Humans (such as Sights/Targeters)- this is left entirely to the GM's discretion. Any item of Xenos Manufacture that does not function properly for Humans still retains its value as a Cold Trade device- when dealing with through appropriate (read as illegal) channels, a Cold Trade device may be traded for a one-time +20 bonus to any single-item Acquisition Test, though this may result in -2 Subtlety (GM's discretion).

     Note: The (orthodox) Adeptus Mechanicus consider "Tinkering" of Xenos Manufacture items to be of use to Humans as a vile tech-heresy, punishable by Servitorization or Death.

     This Quality includes all items of Xenos Manufacture (weapons, gear, etc) whether the nature of their provenance is understood or not, and should not be confused with the Counterfeit Xenos Weapon Upgrade (Rogue Trader supplement 'Hostile Acquisitions', pg. 56). Counterfeit Xenos weapons appear "exotic" but lack a truly alien perspective in their construction, and their use/operation is easily intuited.

      

        Archaic- The technologies used to manufacture Archaic items is little understood or the knowledge is long lost to the ages- when making a Trade Skill Test to repair Condition Deterioration, the Archaic nature of the item imposes an additional -10 penalty.

     Balanced- Weapons with this Quality provide a +10 bonus to Parry Tests. This bonus may only be used once per Round, even if the PC is wielding multiple weapons that possess this Quality. Note: For further clarification, PCs may use the Balanced and Defensive bonuses once each in any given Round (see Special Weapon Quality: Defensive, further).

     Blast (X)- Weapons with this Quality may either be targeted to hit a specific opponent- a Challenging (+/-0) RC Test, modified as normal- or targeted to land "in the open" where its AoE will have a greater effect- a Hard (-20) Ag Test, further modified as normal.

     When calculating Damage caused by a weapon with this Quality, anyone within (X)- the Blast radius meters- is hit. Roll Damage once and apply the total to each target affected by the Blast.

     Some few Blast weapons may also possess the Special Weapon Quality: Expanding- shrapnel fragments buzz and sting at exposed flesh like angry hornets. Each 2 DoS results in an additional +1 to (X) meters and an additional +2 Damage.

     Note: Special Weapon Quality: Expanding stacks with the effects of Modify Payload (Talent).

     Concussive (X)- Concussive weapons create a deafening shock wave when they hit.

     Targets hit by a Concussive weapon must make a Toughness Test with a penalty equal to 5x the weapon's Rating. Targets with Sonar Sense (Trait) or Heightened Senses (Hearing) suffer an additional -10 penalty (unless wearing fully-enclosed armour with Auto-Sense Filters, such as Power/Terminator Armour). Light Armour provides no protection from the shock wave, Medium Armour bestows a +10 bonus to the Toughness Test, Heavy Armour +20, Astartes Power Armour +30 and +40 if wearing Terminator Armour.

     A failed Toughness Test results in the target being Stunned for a number of Turns equal to their DoF on the Toughness Test, even if the target does not sustain an Injury. Additionally, if the target does sustain an Injury, any Dazed result is instead treated as Stunned.

     The effects of Special Weapon Quality: Concussive stacks with Damage Type [I].
     Some Concussive weapons (such as Thunder Hammers) also possess the Special Weapon Quality: Destructive and/or Power.

     Note: As a general guide, "Civilian" Concussive weapons (such as Shock Mauls) will posses a Rating of 1-4 (as determined by the GM), while Astartes/Legion Concussive weapons (such as Thunder Hammers) will possess a Rating of 2-5.  

     Corrosive (X)- Corrosive weapons utilize extremely caustic and reactive chemicals (and can include acidic spittle, fiendishly tainted blood or bile, and etc) or incorporate esoteric and/or manufactured compounds that are anathema to organics and minerals. Corrosives need not be liquid, and may also take the form of powders, gasses, or granular crystals.
     The Rating of Corrosive weapons (1-5) determines the number of d5 rolled +X to determine the total reduction to DV/Damage inflicted and its [T]oxic Rating (see Special Weapon Quality: Toxic)- ex: Evan is hit by a Corrosive (3) weapon; the GM rolls 3d5+3.
     When a target is hit by a Corrosive weapon any Augmetic, Cover, Natural, Personal and/or Vehicle DV are first permanently reduced by the weapon's Rating. Naturally, the outer-most layer of Armour will be affected first, and quite possibly will continue through successive layers until reaching the target's skin/hide. A PC may shed his/her (Location) Armour prior to taking Damage by spending his/her entire Turn and succeeding on a Routine (+20) Ag Test.
     Due to the very nature of Corrosive weapons they never possess a Penetration value.
     Almost all Corrosive weapons also possess the Special Weapon Quality: Spray and Toxic- there are few exceptions- and it is therefor recommended Corrosive weapons (and attacks) be extremely rare.
     Note- Repairing Corroded DV:    

     Crippling-

     Defensive-

       

     Destructive (X)- On a failed Condition Check, this weapon reduces the [Damage Type] DV of Armour by (X) per hit, or weapon/item Condition by (X) per hit. Example Destructive weapons are Melta/Plasma weapons, Power Fists, and Thunder Hammers. This Quality will have a Rating of 1-5.

     Devastating-

     Felling- [+X to Injury Category, where X = the target's DoF on its Resist Injury Test]

     Knock Down- A target that is hit by this weapon at Point Blank or Short Range, even if no Injury is sustained, must make a Challenging (+/-0) Toughness Test or be knocked to the Prone Stance.

     Scatter- Weapons with this Quality are +3 Damage at Point Blank Range, +1 at Short Range, +/-0 at Effective Range, -1 at Medium Range, -2 at Long Range, and -4 at Extreme Range. 

    This blog is in no way endorsed by Games Workshop Ltd or Fantasy Flight Publishing Inc- all content is not-for-profit. 

Surprise, Rounds, & Turns (11/9/13)

     Step 1- Determine Surprise
     If the GM rules that Surprise might play a factor in the opening stages of a Combat Encounter, each affected participant must make a Surprise Check (note the alternate terminology- this is not considered a Test). To make a Surprise Check, affected participants each roll 1d10- if the result of the die roll is =/< the participant's Awareness Bonus (AwarB) he/she is not Surprised. If the result is > the PC's AwarB he/she is Surprised.
     When a PC is Surprised, he/she reduces the number of AP that can be used during his/her first Turn as follows:

1. The PC rolls AP Dice as normal.
2. The PC subtracts his/her AwarB from the Surprise Check result.
3. The remainder is the number by which the PC's AP is reduced in his/her first Turn (to a minimum of 0 AP).

     Ex: Evan has an AgB3 and AwarB4. Unaware that three Thugs are hiding at the top of the enclosed stairwell he is ascending, the GM determines Evan must make a Surprise Check when one of the Thugs tosses a Frag Grenade down the stairs. Evan's Player rolls 3d10 for AP, resulting in 4, 7, and 8- each result of 5+ indicating +1 AP that Evan can use during his Turn- and adds +1 (standard), for a total of 3 AP. Evan's Player then rolls d10 for a Surprise Check, with a result of 6. Subtracting Evan's AwarB4 from 6 we see Evan reduces the number of AP he may use in his first Turn -2; when it is Evan's Turn he will have 1 AP.
    
     Regardless of bonuses, a Surprise Check result of 10 means the PC is automatically Surprised (minimum of -1 AP).
   
     It is entirely possible the GM may rule that an Action or event may trigger a Surprise Check during a Combat Encounter, such as the activation of a secret device or completion of a summoning ritual- if this is the case, determine Surprise as detailed above and apply the results to the Round immediately following the trigger Action/event.

     Paranoid
     Individuals with the Paranoid Trait add +1 to their AwarB when making a Surprise Check.

     Auspex/Motion Detector
     Anyone actively using an Auspex (range 50m) or a Motion Detector (range 35m) adds +1 to their AwarB when making a Surprise Check.

     Stealth, Screamers, and Stummers
     Successful Stealth Tests, Sneak Attacks, sniping, and any other Action which might occur while an opponent/target is Unaware will trigger a Surprise Check. It is important to note that the trigger Action actually occurs prior to the beginning of the Combat Encounter- this means an Unaware opponent/target may very well suffer the effects of the trigger Action and lose AP in his/her first Turn of the Combat Encounter due to Surprise. It is then worth noting the usefulness of "specialist" gear: Chameleoline Cloaks, Syn-Skin, Prey-sense Goggles, and etc.

     Screamers (10m sound/motion detection radius) are motion/noise sensitive alarms that are used to warn of danger encroaching through a specific area/perimeter by emitting a high-pitched, ear-piercing feedback squeal, and may be de/activated through the use of a linked remote that has a range of 1 km (included in Acquisition).
     Screamers work best when positioned relatively far away from their users- Screamers that are triggered within 30m of a user are of no benefit, while Screamers that are activated beyond that range result in a +1 AwarB when making Surprise Checks. The bonuses from Screamers and Auspex/Motion Detectors cannot be combined.
     If an individual is Unaware of a Screamer's presence when it is triggered (or if an individual triggers a Screamer), he/she must make a Surprise Check at -1 to his/her AwarB. If an individual is aware of a Screamer's presence (having set it, or via Auspex detection of energy emissions) "sneaking up" on an active Screamer imposes a -20 to Stealth Tests. Attempts to disable a Screamer without activating it impose a -20 penalty to Security Tests.
     Screamer remotes can be used to initiate Screamer tests, and thus cause a distraction (and perhaps Surprise).

     Stummers emit sub-sonic pulses, almost completely negating sound within 1m of them (+30 to Stealth Tests made to move silently). However, they are virtually useless against Screamers- unless the user of a Stummer is aware of a Screamer's presence he/she is likely to set it off via motion...and not hear its squealing alarm. While they can be useful, the usefulness of Stummers is situational at best (crawling through folded metal air ducts, walking across gravel, opening a rusty-hinged door, etc).

     Step 2- Determine Initiative

     Each participant in a Combat Encounter must determine his/her Initiative, the order in which they take their Turns during each Round- the Player rolls d10, adding the PC's AgB and any other bonuses/penalties derived from certain (few) Talents/Traits, Weapon Special Qualities, and etc, with the total result indicating the PC's Initiative "step" during each Round of the Combat Encounter.
     Each participant then takes his/her Turn, starting with the highest Initiative and "stepping down" to the next highest until all participants have taken their Turns, and starting the process again in the following Round.
     A Round is roughly equivalent to 5 seconds, while a Turn is a mere fraction of that time.

     Turns

1. At the beginning of his/her Turn the Player rolls AP Dice, calculating the number of AP the PC may use during his/her Turn.
2. The PC spends AP to take various Actions. When all AP have been spent the PC's Turn ends.

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Moral and Physical Corruption, Disorders, Malignancies, and Mutations (11/5/13)

     I've always felt Insanity and Corruption should have more immediate consequences, both in terms of the degradation of the mind and body as well as the Inquisitor's tolerance (or lack thereof). As I've considered this, it occurred to me that Player's should have some measure of choice as to how their PCs suffer from Insanity and Corruption, and this would determine the immediacy.
     Due to the way Corruption mechanics are tracked on the Character Sheet, it is important to note that "Insanity" is now referred to as Moral Corruption.

     Moral Corruption causes the deterioration of the mind- the capacity for reason and critical thinking, the ability to recognize fantasy from reality, the mental fortitude that resists exterior manipulation, the balance between id and ego (personality), even a PC's reputation can suffer from its deleterious effects. Gaining too much Moral Corruption results in a PC developing Disorders (mental Malignancies).
     When a PC gains Moral Corruption the Player may choose to which Characteristic(s) it is assigned from those affected by Moral Corruption- Intelligence, Perception, Willpower, Fellowship, and Influence.

     Obviously then, Physical Corruption causes the deterioration of the body- the PC's physical ability and health begin to degenerate. Gaining too much Physical Corruption results in the PC developing Malignancies.
     When a PC gains Physical Corruption the Player may choose to which Characteristic(s) it is assigned from those affected by Physical Corruption- Close Combat, Ranged Combat, Strength, Toughness, and Agility.

     A PC that develops too many Disorders and/or Malignancies risks Mutation.

     GAINING CORRUPTION

     A PC gains Corruption when he/she succumbs to Fear, sustains Injuries caused by Warp Weapons, is exposed to Psychic Phenomena/Perils of the Warp or when he/she Pushes a Focus Power Test, when manifesting or affected by the effects Psychic Powers, and/or when acting/behaving* in a manner that is contrary to the teachings of the Cult Imperialis and/or Lex Imperialis.

     Fear

     Fear is the instant awakening of primal self-preservation instincts within the PC. Particularly frightening situations (such as witnessing a gruesome murder scene) have a Fear Rating from 0 to 4- the PC must make a Willpower Test with a modifier based on the Fear Rating, with failure resulting in Corruption gain:

• Fear 0: +/-0 WP Tests, failure results in +1 Moral Corruption
• Fear 1: -10 WP Tests, failure results in +2 Moral Corruption
• Fear 2: -20 WP Tests, failure results in +3 Moral Corruption
• Fear 3: -30 WP Tests, failure results in +4 Moral Corruption
• Fear 4: -40 WP Tests, failure results in +5 Moral Corruption

     The Stuff of Nightmares

     Creatures possessing the Daemonic, Stuff of Nightmares, and/or Warp Instability Traits also cause Fear as above). However, if the PC fails his/her Fear (Willpower) Test versus these creatures (and others the GM deems appropriate), the Player may choose to assign this Corruption gain as Moral and/or Physical.

     Creatures with these Traits also possess an Aura of Daemonic Presence- all Willpower Tests (made by PCs) within the creature's WP in meters suffer an additional -10 penalty.

     Perils of the Warp

     The power of the Warp is corrupting, and Psychic Powers used with "good" intentions are no exception- on a successful Focus Power Test that is not Pushed, or when affected by a Psychic Power of any power level, the PC gains +1 Corruption if the result of the Focus Power Test die ends with 9 (ex: successful Focus Power Test result 09, 19, 29, and so on). Note the Psyker gains only +1 Corruption if the Psychic Power has a Range of Self.

     The Inquisition is well known for "burning out" Psykers.

     To represent the dangers of drawing to heavily upon the energies of the Aethyreal Realm, when a Psyker Pushes a Focus Power Test and fails the Warp energies momentarily engulf him/her with corposant and he/she gains a number of Corruption equal to his/her DoF on the Focus Power Test, plus the level of Push (+1, +2, or +3 for Human Psykers), minus his/her WPB, to a minimum of +1 Corruption- this is in addition to any Corruption gain that may result from exposure to Psychic Phenomena/Perils of the Warp.

     If a Pushed Focus Power Test is successful (and does not trigger Psychic Phenomena or Perils of the Warp) the Psyker gains only +1 Corruption if the result of the Focus Power Test die ends with 9 (as above).

     When any PC is exposed to Psychic Phenomena he/she suffers a number of Corruption equal to the result rolled on the Psychic Phenomenon Table (+1 to +10) minus his/her WPB, to a minimum of +1 Corruption. Additionally, when any PC is exposed to Perils of the Warp he/she suffers a number of Corruption equal to 10 (the result of the Psychic Phenomenon table roll) plus the result rolled on the Perils of the Warp Table (an additional +1 to +10), minus his/her WPB. Should the GM need to randomly determine the Corruption gain from a "plot device" Warp rift (such as arriving on scene with a Warp rift already in progress) he/she may roll d10+10.

     Ignore any Corruption gains that would be caused by Fear as a result of exposure to Psychic Phenomena and/or Perils of the Warp.

      Players may choose to assign any of these Corruption gains as Moral and/or Physical.

     Warp Weapons

     Warp weapons are particularly corrupting- when a PC sustains an Injury caused by a creature possessing the Warp Weapons Trait, or when sustaining an Injury caused by a weapon with the [W] Damage Type, the PC gains a number of Physical Corruption equal to the Injury's Category (+1 to +5) in addition to other effects of the Injury.

     Note the Warp Weapons Trait and weapons with the [W] Damage Type ignore normal (non-warded) Armour.

     The God-Emperor's Wrath (Optional)

     There will be moments when an Acolyte comes face-to-face with a difficult decision or will make a terrible choice- a PC that knowingly and willingly performs an act/action or makes a decision that results in an act/action that goes against the teachings of the Cult Imperialis and/or the Lex Imperialis may gain +1 to +5 Corruption.

     The God-Emperor's Wrath is intended as a catch-all, to be used in instances where the GM believes there is merit for Corruption gain but there otherwise are no rules or guidelines- a PC may or may not gain +1 Corruption for ordering the death of several innocent incidental witnesses (regardless the axiom "Innocence Proves Nothing"), while a +5 Corruption gain should be limited to particularly vile, callous, and heinous actions and/or decisions. 

     Whether this Corruption gain is Moral and/or Physical is left to the GM's discretion.

     TRACKING CORRUPTION AND ITS EFFECTS

     Corruption results in Permanent Characteristic Damage, or [PCD].

     Each Characteristic will have a series of three (3) Corruption Track boxes- when a PC suffers Moral and/or Physical Corruption, the Player chooses to which Characteristic(s) they are assigned (ex: a PC suffers +3 Moral Corruption, and the Player decides to assign +1 each to Intelligence, Perception, and Fellowship).Once the tracking boxes for a Characteristic are filled, that Characteristic suffers [PCD1] (the Characteristic's Potential is permanently reduced -1), the boxes for that Characteristic are then cleared, and the process continues.

     It is important to remember a PC suffering Temporary Characteristic Damage [TCD] to a Characteristic that has its Potential reduced as a result of Corruption (or other similar rules mechanic) must also reduce that Characteristic's current [TCD] -1 (this essentially means the PC need spend 1 less XP on Recovery, a pyrrhic benefit at best).

     There are no "dump" Characteristics- each time a Characteristic's Potential is reduced as a result of Corruption the PC must make a Challenging (+/-0) Check (note the alternate terminology; this is not considered a Test) versus that Characteristic. If the Check is failed versus Moral Corruption the PC develops a Disorder (roll d10 on the Disorders Table), and if the Check is failed versus Physical Corruption the PC develops a Malignancy (roll d10 on the Malignancy Table).

     Each time a PC must roll on the Disorders and/or Malignancy Tables there is a chance (d10 result of 10) the PC instead develops a Mutation.

     NOTE- As of the time of this post I am still organizing the Tables for Disorders, Malignancies, and Mutations. /NOTE

     Disorders

1. 
   
2. p
3. p
4. p
5. p
6. p
7. p
8. p
9. p
10. Mutation

     Malignancies

1. p
2. p
3. p
4. p
5. p
6. p
7. p
8. p
9. p
10. Mutation

     Mutations

1. p
2. p
3. p
4. p
5. p
6. p
7. p
8. p
9. p
10. 
    

     THE INQUISITOR'S PHILOSOPHY (Optional)

     As it concerns Disorders, Malignancies, and Mutation, an Inquisitor's personal philosophy may or may not allow for some leniency. A Puritan will count among his/her retinue pious clergy of the Cult Imperialis and will be very suspicious of Acolytes that sneak about as if they have something to hide, while an Inquisitor with radical proclivities might count among his retinue amoral cutthroats and may turn a blind eye toward an Acolyte's inexplicable fit of tremors.

     An Inquisitor's Philosophy will determine the limit of how much or how little (if any at all) Corruption to which a PC is exposed before "retirement" becomes mandatory:

     Inquisitor Philosophy

• +3 (Hard-line Puritan)
• +2
• +1
• 0
• -1
• -2
• -3 (Radical, borderline heretic)

       Normally (Philosophy 0) a PC may have no more than five Disorders, Malignancies, and/or Mutations. Puritanical Inquisitors are renowned for their intolerance- in the eyes of his/her Inquisitor, the PC counts as having already developed +1, +2, or +3 Disorders, Malignancies, and/or Mutations. Radical Inquisitors are far more lenient- the PC counts his/her total Disorders, Malignancies, and/or Mutations as being -1, -2, or -3 less than he/she has actually developed.

     It is important to remember what one Inquisitor tolerates is another's bread and butter, so to speak, though there is nothing saying an Inquisitor's Philosophy must remain fixed...

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Rate of Fire (RoF) Updated 11/3/13

     The information presented in this post can also be found in the post titled 'Agility & Actions' (which has recently been updated).

     As an example for reference, the Necromunda-pattern Autogun:
     Basic/Solid Projectile (4 XP); Range: 35m (Point Blank: 1-3m, Short: 4-35m, Effective: 36-70m, Medium: 71-105m, Long: 106-140m, Extreme:141-175m); RoF: S/2/3d5; Damage: d10+2+RCB [I]; Penetration: 0; Reload: 2 AP; Reliable (only Jams on 96+), Storm 1 (see Full Auto Attack/Suppressing Fire Attack, Notation a, below); Rarity: 4.

• Single Shot Attack (1 AP)- Exactly as the Action name implies, the PC spends 1 AP to take the Single Shot Attack Action, firing one shot at his/her opponent/target by making an Ordinary (+10) Ranged Combat Test. This Action does benefit from the to-hit bonus derived from taking one or more Aim Actions prior to taking the Single Shot Attack Action.

• Semi-Auto Attack (1 AP)- Some ranged weapons are capable of firing two- or three-round bursts, referred to as a Semi-Auto Attack- the PC spends 1 AP to take the Semi-Auto Attack Action, firing his/her weapon at an opponent/target by making a Challenging (+/-0) Ranged Combat Test. The number of hits scored from a Semi-Auto Attack is based on the shooter's DoS- 1 DoS: 1 hit; 2-3 DoS: 2 hits; 4-5 DoS: 3 hits; 6-7 DoS: 4 hits; 8+ DoS: 5 hits. Additional hits after the first may be assigned to multiple targets as long as they are within 2 meters of the original target. This Action cannot benefit from the to-hit bonus derived from taking one or more Aim Actions prior to taking the Semi-Auto Attack Action.

1. Multiple hits to any single target/opponent from a Semi-Auto Attack add +1 to the Damage calculation per hit.    

• Full Auto Attack/Suppressing Fire Attack (1+ AP, Extended Action/3 AP)- Fully-automatic ranged weapons are capable of letting out a torrent of solid projectiles, searing las-beams, or buzzing flechettes, and are excellent for suppressing the enemy if not for actually hitting them. A PC may take this Action if he/she is using a ranged weapon capable of Full Auto RoF, and if he/she is not Engaged or Fleeing. This Action (either) does not benefit from the to-hit bonus derived from taking one or more Aim Actions. 

1. Full Auto weapons will have a FA RoF listed as Xd5 or Xd10, where X equals the maximum number of dice (RoF Dice) that may be rolled to determine the number of shots fired by the weapon. The maximum number of shots a Full Auto weapon can fire in any Turn is then equal to the highest result of all RoF Dice combined- ex: a Full Auto weapon with a RoF listed as 3d5 can fire a maximum of 15 shots per Turn. When taking the Full Auto Attack Action, each 1 AP spent allows the Player to roll one (1) of these RoF Dice. The PC then chooses an individual target within range and LoS and makes a Difficult (-10) Ranged Combat Test- the number of hits scored from a Full Auto Attack is based on the shooter's DoS- 1 DoS: 1 hit; 2 DoS: 2 hits; 3 DoS: 3 hits, and so on, up to the total number of shots generated by RoF Dice. Additional hits after the first may be assigned to multiple targets as long as they are within 2 meters of the original target. Any target that is hit by Full Auto weapon fire must make a Challenging (+/-0) Pinning Test (versus Willpower) with a modifier based on the Range band within which they find themselves- Point Blank: -30; Short: -10; Effective: +/-0; Medium: +10; Long: +20; Extreme: +40.  
2. Full Auto weapons also allow PCs to lay down a blistering hail of Suppressing Fire- the AoE of Suppressing Fire is a 45-degree cone within the PC's LoS that extends to the maximum range of the weapon being used. When taking the Suppressing Fire Attack Action the PC spends 3 AP- all allies and enemies within the AoE must make a Challenging (+/-0) Pinning Test (versus Willpower) with a modifier based on the Range band within which they find themselves- Point Blank: -30; Short: -10; Effective: +/-0; Medium: +10; Long: +20; Extreme: +40. Additionally, the "spray and pray" of a Suppressing Fire Attack may incidentally hit someone- after working out all Pinning Tests, the PC makes a Very Hard (-30) Ranged Combat Test that is further modified by the Range and Movement Rate of the closest target within the AoE. The number of hits scored from a Suppressing Fire Attack is based on the shooter's DoS- 1 DoS: 1 hit; 2-3 DoS: 2 hits; 4+ DoS: 3 hits. Additional hits after the first may be assigned to multiple targets as long as they are A- within 2 meters of the original target, and B- within the same Range band as the original target. 
3. Ammo Expenditure- The amount of ammunition used in a Single Shot Attack is self-explanatory. The amount of ammunition used in a Semi-Auto Attack is equal to the Semi-Auto RoF listed for the weapon being used. The amount of ammunition used in a Full Auto Attack is equal to the highest possible number of shots that could result from the number of RoF Dice rolled- ex: a PC using a Full Auto weapon with a FA RoF listed as 3d5 spends 1 AP during his/her Turn to make a Full Auto Attack (1d5 RoF Die), so the ammunition used is 5. The amount of ammunition used in a Suppressing Fire Attack is equal to the maximum number of shots that could be generated by rolling all RoF Dice- ex: a PC using a Full Auto weapon with a FA RoF listed as 3d5 spends 3 AP during his/her Turn to make a Suppressing Fire Attack (3d5 RoF Dice), so the ammunition used is 15.
4. Multiple hits to any single target/opponent from a Full Auto Attack add +1 to the Damage calculation per hit.

     a- All "standard" Full Auto weapons (ie: Autogun, Splinter Rifle) will possess the Special Weapon Quality: Storm (1)- all this means is these Full Auto weapons fired at the Full Auto RoF will score a number of hits equal to 1x the hits generated by the DoS on the Ranged Combat Test. A Full Auto weapon with Storm (2) fired at the Full Auto RoF (ie: Storm Bolter, Shard Carbine) will score a number of hits equal to 2x the hits generated by the DoS on the Ranged Combat Test, and so on up to Storm (5). Note this Special Weapon Quality also affects errant hits generated from Shooting Into Melee (see Notation 1, below).

1. If taking the Single Shot Attack, Semi-Auto Attack, or Full Auto Attack/Suppressing Fire Attack Action while Shooting Into Melee (-20 to Ranged Combat Tests), all hits (based on DoS) strike the original target, and all errant hits (based on a failed Ranged Combat result of doubles) are instead randomized among the melee combatants, to include the original target, with the number of errant hits scored being equal to the DoF (up to the maximum number of shots fired that Turn).
2. Full Auto Attack/Suppressing Fire Attack cannot benefit from the to-hit bonus derived from taking one or more Aim Actions.
3. Suppressing Fire Attack cannot be combined with the Delay Utility Action. 
4. Weapons capable of Full Auto Fire will Jam on an unmodified to-hit roll of 91+ (see post titled 'Weapon/Armour Condition' for details on Weapon Jams).

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