Rogue Trader: I need help with Character creation

[Cmdr Shepard]

Greetings Brothers and Sisters,

I need your assistance

 

I finally got Rogue Trader (with the Game Master kit and Into the Storm) and I'm starting to create my first character.

However I have few questions on character creation.

 

1. The standard procedure to generate characteristics requires to roll 2d10. However the rulebook suggest an alternative method: giving each player a number of characteristic points and let them to allocate them with the usual limitations. My question is: would be possible to use a  different method like rolling 3d10 and choose the 2 highest value without unbalancing the game experience? I'd like to do it in order to make slighty more powerful characters in order to reflect the fact they are very expert individuals (It's mainly for fluff reasons ;) )

 

2. How do I determine the number of starting wounds? I read the first pages and I saw no reference on how they are determined. I looked for "wounds" in the index and it sent me to pag 250 where it is described the "taking damage mechanics". Can you provide me the page where I can find the description on how starting wounds are generated?

 

3. Do you have any suggestion on the best Origin Path choices for making an effective Rogue Trader class character? As I said I have even Into the Storm

 

4. Do you have sugggestion on Starship creation?

 

5. About Profit Factor and Ship points: Is it better to have more ships points or a higher profit factor? Which choice will lead to a more fun/interesting game play?

 

Thank you very much for your help.

[Grand Master Caloth]

1) You can use whatever method you'ld like, however, remember that they are higher strength when it comes to boss fights.

 

2) The wounds info should be on each class description, as different classes have different wounds

 

3&4) alot of this is determined by your own preference

 

5) eh.... its arguable either way. I based my decision of this off of what my RT's Origin path and family history was, to keep it in his story

[Cmdr Shepard]

1) You can use whatever method you'ld like, however, remember that they are higher strength when it comes to boss fights.

 

2) The wounds info should be on each class description, as different classes have different wounds

 

3&4) alot of this is determined by your own preference

 

5) eh.... its arguable either way. I based my decision of this off of what my RT's Origin path and family history was, to keep it in his story

 

Thank for the info.

My group is both small and new to 40K RPG so I'd like to give them a more high strenght characters... if boss fights appear to easy I can try to give the boss some additional bonus.

Since we are only three players and everyone wants to play their own charatcers I'll have to be both a GM and a player (I would have prefered to not do it)... at least until we find more players.

For now it's just a small group of very good friends trying to tell a story via a RPG ;)

[Karack Blackstone]

2d10 + 25 base, + mods, min roll of 5, 10 or if need be, 15 (you want to justify this) could be interesting to say the least.

3d10, take the two highest

etc.

 

It's the ship that RT uses to tell the story.  I'm doing a massing Only War Imperial Guard RPG story soon; the issue I'm running into is the fleet(s) this group would be based off of in space.  It's quite amazing, but it's meant to be epic once the players can gain access to this one particular Regiment.

[Cmdr Shepard]

2d10 + 25 base, + mods, min roll of 5, 10 or if need be, 15 (you want to justify this) could be interesting to say the least.

3d10, take the two highest

etc.

 

It's the ship that RT uses to tell the story.  I'm doing a massing Only War Imperial Guard RPG story soon; the issue I'm running into is the fleet(s) this group would be based off of in space.  It's quite amazing, but it's meant to be epic once the players can gain access to this one particular Regiment.

 

Good to read. For now I'll try the 3d10 takw the two highest and see how it works ;)

 

Just one more question:

The rulebook says once you acquire a skill the character is said to have that skill trained. So I suppose I have to check the "TRAINED" box on the character sheet. My question is: when is the "BASIC" box checked?

 

Thanks for the assistance.

[Jareddm]

 Skills that are listed as basic in the rulebook should be checked off as basic beforehand, but getting new skills always makes them trained.  Some choices on the origin path may make certain skills basic for some character, but by default those that are basic are listed as basic.  A skill is either basic or advanced.  If it's basic, that means you can use it untrained at half your characteristic.  If it's advanced, you can't use it untrained.

 

Also wounds are based on your homeworld, not your class.  Check the first row on the origin path.

Edited May 6, 2013 by Jareddm

[Black_Sky]

Choose the origin path that suits the character you would want to play, the characters class can be any class from the bottom row of the main rpg book. Unlike all the previous options, which all depend on which choices you've made earlier.

 

For a long time i preferred players rolling stats, but lately I've begun giving out a number of points and let them have their fun. That way no player is able to roll extremely powerfull stats, with others on the team rolling crapshoot without a single 10+.

 

Pick the starship design you like the most! i prefer firestorm frigates, but we also tend to play slightly more combat based games. Also, your rogue trader is the head of a dynasty, unless your dynasty is down on it's luck or brand new, you could have a few cargo haulers moving bulk goods, while you zip around in a smaller, faster and far more dangerous ship.

[Cmdr Shepard]

 Skills that are listed as basic in the rulebook should be checked off as basic beforehand, but getting new skills always makes them trained.  Some choices on the origin path may make certain skills basic for some character, but by default those that are basic are listed as basic.  A skill is either basic or advanced.  If it's basic, that means you can use it untrained at half your characteristic.  If it's advanced, you can't use it untrained.

 

Also wounds are based on your homeworld, not your class.  Check the first row on the origin path.

 

Reading through that chapter I noticed the wounds are based on homeworld. Thanks for the explaination on basic skills.

 

 

Choose the origin path that suits the character you would want to play, the characters class can be any class from the bottom row of the main rpg book. Unlike all the previous options, which all depend on which choices you've made earlier.

 

For a long time i preferred players rolling stats, but lately I've begun giving out a number of points and let them have their fun. That way no player is able to roll extremely powerfull stats, with others on the team rolling crapshoot without a single 10+.

 

Pick the starship design you like the most! i prefer firestorm frigates, but we also tend to play slightly more combat based games. Also, your rogue trader is the head of a dynasty, unless your dynasty is down on it's luck or brand new, you could have a few cargo haulers moving bulk goods, while you zip around in a smaller, faster and far more dangerous ship.

 

Personally I'd prefer to choose a large/powerful starship to reflect the status of my Rogue Trader, who was an influent Inquisitor. However I read the largest ships are not always the best choice.

I used the Into the storm method to determine Ships and Profit points. However the others players were unhappy because with 68 Ship points we wouldn't be able to pick the largest ship and equip it with enough stuff.  Consider we are beginners so everyone wants to feel the power of the group in their hands

Someone suggest to add the randomly generated ships points from the rulebook but it will greately increase the number of ships points. Perhaps to much. What do you think?

 

I finallly completed my Rogue Trader and I made him : Noble Born (to represent the fact he comes from an influent organization like the Inquisition), Fringe Survivor: Heretek ( to show he deals with tech), New Horizons: Archeotechnologist (he was an Ordo Xeno Inquisitor and  I also got an archeotech pistol by rolling on the proper table), High Vendetta and Prestige.

 

The problem is due to the purchase of two Into the Storm alternate options my character has 50 unspent points. How to deal with it?

Keep the points for the next advance? Lose the points or using them to grant him an item?

 

Last question of the post

 

The select the equipement stage says each character use the group starting profit factor to mame an acquisition on a single item with a modifier of 0+

Does it mean we can make the acquisition roll for any item we like with that modifier (Including rare items) or only for items listed with that availability difficulty?

 

Thank you very much, Brothers. You are very helpful

Edited May 7, 2013 by Cmdr Shepard