Tome of Excess - opinions?

[Emperors Immortals]

Slaanesh has always been the most interesting God to me, and now Fantasy Flight Games have released the new Slaaneshi supplement im wondering if anyone has a copy yet? Im very keen to use th enew back ground as inspiration for future modeling projects and writings in the 40k universe.

 

I always write indepth background for my 40k armies and characters, and even though I cant find a BC group I still use the books all the time a inspiration and source material for my writing.

 

I guess im asking whats in the book, how good is the conversation battles and new weapons and though ill definatly be buying it regardless, is it worth getting in your opinion? Also, what are the archetypes available?

 

 

- Ive posted this here (as opposed to the deeps of OTHER GAMES) as I use these books for 40k inspiration and not actual RPG and rally want other slaaneshi adherants opinions rather then RPG players point of views. Please move if its not appropriate. -

[Tenebris]

I would love to have the supplement in my hands since I roleplay an EC Sorcerer but alas I have to wait that it is shipped to my gameclub store. From the short description FFG will introduce the concept of minions and who better to control the minds of lesser creatures than the beautiful and charming Slaaneshi. I hope that the book will be good. 

[Lord_Caerolion]

I quite like it. It doesn't exactly go into anything new, but it does have a rather creepy cult on the planet of Melancholia similar to the Tzimisce, filled with flesh-shapers, and a much more in-depth description of Slaanesh's realm. Archetypes are the Noise Marine, Dark Apostle, Pirate Prince (human warlord who specialises in either close or ranged combat, or in his piloting, and loves showing off), and the Flesh Shaper of Melancholia (a cultist who, while not a psyker themselves, have the ability to reshape their own flesh, and that of their Sculpulites).

The new gear is fairly cool, bringing in stuff like more (non-Legion) sonic weapons, a man-portable Ectoplasma cannon, the thunderhammer, Needle of Desire, Lash of Torment, and of course many new drugs (including specially cooked progenoid glands). Social combat seems interesting, although I've never played before, so I'm not the best judge of how the rules are written.

You've got expanded rules for Minions, including Horde Minions (for everyone who ever wanted their own Cult), and Superior Minions (a Greater Minion that you can spend exp on to improve). Nothing too crazy here.

No new psychic powers, but they did introduce Curses, essentially Rituals that anyone can perform, assuming they know the words, but that require a very personal link to the target. No using them to blind the random guy you just met, but rather to break the mind of your most hated rival. A few new rituals as well (including the ritual of flesh-shaping, and a ritual to summon the weakest daemons like Furies).

 

The thing I absolutely love though are the Glorifying Acts, special deeds that raise you up in the eyes of the Gods. Each God gets 6, ranging from relatively simple (kill 8 people, put their skulls on a chain and wear it, for Khorne), to quite in-depth (create at least two serial killers along the lines of the killer in Se7en, killing others with excess, for Slaanesh), and sometimes at the expense of the group (charge headlong at the enemy, bellowing as loudly as possible, with extra "points" if it screws up a detailed plan of the group, for Khorne, as if it could be anybody else). Each God has their own theme to them, with Khorne focussing on killing (duh), Tzeentch on misdirection/Warp, Nurgle on creating widespread panic/trouble, and Slaanesh on domination.

 

The planets discuss Contrition and its many daemons, the Grand Game and daemon engines (including the Subjugator!) of Ghibelline, the jungles (and Dark Eldar) of Malignia, the eternal war of Mammon, the flesh-cults on Melancholia, the twisting Gates of Moment, the Harlequin guardians of the Forbidden Portal, and the Pirate Princes of the Ragged Helix.

 

The Adventure revolves around proving just how Slaaneshi you can be to one of the most powerful Pirate Princes.

 

Any questions, I'm happy to answer.

[Emperors Immortals]

Wow, you have just posted the longest review of the tome on the internets! thankyou !

 

Im currently writing a campaign revolving around a religious Slaaneshi slave cult which controls a sub-sectors worth of stim-gangs in the major hives. This book sounds like exactly what I need.

 

My first question is what sort of rewards do the "glorifying acts" give? And what sort of skills do the noise marines come with? And are there any more daemon weapons detailed? Also, how many new slaaneshi rituals are there, if theres any god-specific ones that is.(if these questions are allowed to be posted here).

 

Lastly, ill be trying to GM a game using some board or the D20 site if you guys are interested, ill post details in Other Games when Im ready.

[Lord_Caerolion]

The Glorifying Acts give varying amounts of Corruption Points and Infamy, depending on which act is performed (2 CP, 1 Inf for creating the Tail of Skulls above, 2 CP 3 Inf for No Plan Should Survive the Enemy), and in a few cases, how well the act was performed (the Desire to Kill act for Slaanesh, where you create a cult of Se7en-style killers, gives a flat rate of 2 CP, but 1 Inf for each assassin created).

 

The Noise Marine is a very shooty-style Character, with most Talents being related to ranged combat, and with skills reflecting their corruption and screwed up voices (Forbidden Lore Daemonology or Heresy, Intimidate etc). Their abilities are Intoxicating Uproar, which increases their hearing, and causes them to go beserk in large-scale combats, getting bonuses for each other active combatant, but are reluctant to leave combat, and the Dread Wail, where they can spend Infamy to either tighten the focus of their Sonic Weapons, increasing its capabilities, or widen it, to cause psychological damage to all nearby opponents.

 

There aren't many new Rituals, mostly being the new Curses. Rituals are the Ritual of Loathing (summon a group of Furies, Charnel Daemons or Nether Swarms), and the Rite of Fleshmoulding (use the Warp to magically steal the flesh of "donors" to reshape that of a chosen subject, killing the donors, and granting the subject abilities representing their new form). The only God-specific things it has in this section is the Curse "Words of Power", a Curse which you can tailor the effect depending on which Word you use, and each God has their own unique Word, like Bleed, for Khorne, which increases the chance for Blood Loss in the target, or Benumb, for Slaanesh, which reduces their Agility and Perception.

 

Daemon Weapons are the Lash of Torment, the Needle of Desire, one option for the Accursed Crozius, and Deii'Sh'Thuhl, the Whispering Blade.

 

I'd almost forgotten, but the book also includes rules for the Sacred Numbers, which work along the lines of "if a character has (insert Sacred Number here) more (insert God here)-related advances than any other type, they get X bonus", like Tzeentch getting more Willpower to resist psychic powers, Khorne getting more Weapon Skill when hitting opponents multiple times, etc. You can also gain the Dark Patronage of a Daemon.