Mephiston 5+

[Brother Raul]

Hail Brothers,

                         I love it when lore and rules come together (puffing on a Cuban) and a particular rule regarding Mephiston seems to be something akin to that.

 

It appears El Excelsior Dominion Mortis has the only suit of artificer power armour in the chapter, and maybe even imperium, that's only a 5+ inv.

 

Obviously Astorath got the good one as they appear to be identical suits. Maybe it's revenge for the Baal template by the Mechanicus? (Astorath's suit made pre-super charged engines).

 

Curious to hear explanations from our legion. Bonus points if it involves lore.

[DemonGSides]

I think it's more balancing than lore, though I don't think it's necessary balancing.

I see then FNP itself as evocative of his iron will, being able to overcome to black rage; Lemartes also has a FNP, though slightly worse, which makes sense, as he didn't overcome the Black Rage so much as he's just got really good at holding it at bay.

Why Mephy doesn't get a 4++, idk.  GW sucks at rules writing, probably.

[Blindhamster]

So.. artificer armour didn’t traditionally come with a built in invulnerable save at all.

 

captains get their invulnerable save from their iron halo, chaplains (such as astorath) from their rosarius.

 

the space marine artificer armour enhancement gives a 5++, sanguinary guard don’t get one at all. Mephiston getting one is a nod to the fact that back in 2nd edition he had a refractor field.

 

the 5++ could also simply represent his reflexes, similar to genestealers 

Edited March 3 by Blindhamster

[Jolemai]

In 2nd Ed Mephiston had power armour (artificer wasn't a thing) and a Refractor Field (with was a 5++).

 

This was dropped for 3rd and for a while Mephiston was simply a 2+ (Terminators were tweaked to become 2+/5++ having started the edition as 2+).

 

Eventually GW brought back the 5++ through whatever the current fluff was and fortunately, they have kept it going forward.

 

That's pretty much it really.

 

As for Astorath, his 4++ is granted by the Rosarius, not his artificer armour.