Doors best left Locked.

[Trokair]

Ok, A game of Eldar, It has been on my mind for a while, and I have said a few times that I will do this. In fact round about half a year ago I had a plan to get ready for the New Year and that went well, nowhere.

 

The recent discussion started by @StratoKhan, and new Eldar Codex (that I got to have a game with last week) and Lys’s ongoing game means I have had Eldar on the brain again. So this is me committing to doing this.

 

Now, for all that I have had this idea for a while, and a vague plan and such, i have not got anything concrete ready. So this is going to take a while to prep.

 

I also don’t want to step on the toes of any other games going on in the Nook. Lys’s and Mazer’s games have been trading of active and pause for a while and that seemed to work quite well. Additionally there recently was talk of Black Cohorts HH game starting up again sometime soon(ish). So depending on player interest and player overlap we will have to see how and when this game can fit in.   

 

On to the Game itself.

 

There are two version of this game, depending on interest.  Version one will be a short and simple game (with possibly simplified mechanics) to severe as a potential introduction for new players. The other is a normal games (as best as I can manage) that while open to new players would probably go better with a larger share of players being on the more experienced side.

 

Now there are no skill tables or career paths (or similar) for Eldar that I am aware of. And while there probably is a fan made version out there, my plan, such as it is, is to use the resources within the FFG books and take their pre created Eldar profiles, equipment and rules and work from there.

 

For each player class/archetype that I think I can (so various Aspect Warrior, Guardian, Warlock etc) I will create a starting profile/template that is a streamlined/simplified version. For the beginner friendly game version of this these will then serve as premade character for players to pick form. For the normal this will be a starting point (with adjustments as discussed with each player as needed) and then the as the game progresses instead of XP reward there will be skill or talent or stat choices. For the beginner friendly game these are likely to be limited, say a pick two out of these 4 options. While for the other version it will be more open, and can include player making suggestions of the sort of improvements they want, as long as they can be justified in universe/in narrative.  

 

 

So, any: thoughts, comments, interest, disinterest, wishes, or anything else you want to say?

 

Edited Thursday at 08:59 PM by Trokair

[Mazer Rackham]

<----- I have my costume already bought.

[Trokair]

12 minutes ago, Mazer Rackham said:

<----- I have my costume already bought.

 

I thought you might when I saw the Avatar change. 

[Trokair]

List of potential player Characters that could be chosen from, based on my reading through FFG books. I am sticking to Craftworld Eldar for now.

I also list the book I am looking at in case others have them and want to see or have suggestion on what I might have missed in other books. (or if there are additional version/options in other books). 

• Guardian (RT: Koronus Bestiary)
• Ranger (DH: Creatures Anathema)  
• Warlok (RT: Navis Primer)
• Wriathguard (RT: Koronus Bestiary)
• Dire Avenger (DH: Creatures Anathema)  
• Dark Reaper (RT: Koronus Bestiary)
• Fire Dragon (RT: Koronus Bestiary)
• Howling Banshee (RT: Koronus Bestiary)
• Striking Scorpion (RT: Koronus Bestiary)
• Swooping Hawk (RT: Koronus Bestiary)
• Warp Spider (RT: Koronus Bestiary)

 

 

Other possibilities, but perhaps a tad to powerful compared to the intended story/other characters.

• Autarch (RT: Koronus Bestiary)
• Avatar of Khaine  (RT: Koronus Bestiary)
• Farseer (RT: Navis Primer)
• Dire Avenger Exarch (DH: Ascension) 
• Other Exarchs for that matter
• Wraithlord (RT: Koronus Bestiary)

Edited Thursday at 09:49 PM by Trokair

[Mazer Rackham]

Full disclosure, I was actually about to start work on a thread down here in the Nook with a similar sentiment, although my intention wasn't a game, but setting up a resource for one during the Fall, instigated by the same thread you mention - back before Super-Monkieghs were running about all over the place Monkeigh'ing it up.

 

I think your game premise looks good, I know we were debating sorting out an RPG-Lite experience to make it easier for getting into our space, so this would be an excellent testbed for that.

 

I also mentioned a few weeks ago to Lysi, that I would love to play a character with a command of the Aeldar language for some reason or other, so this seemed like a good opportunity to get many things in motion. There is a good chance my novel writing and work will take up more space, so writing about the fall and playing a character in your streamlined experience (or full bodied if you want to push it) was more appropriate to my soon narrowing capacity.

 

Edited Thursday at 10:53 PM by Mazer Rackham

[Necronaut]

@Trokair your xeno-fetish disgusts me. Pencil me in for a fire dragon or dark reaper or something. You absolute degenerate!

 

2 hours ago, Mazer Rackham said:

<snip!>

 

 - back before Super-Monkieghs were running about all over the place Monkeigh'ing it up.

 

<snip deux>

 

 

 

Edited Thursday at 11:53 PM by Necronaut

[Mike Zulu]

I would certainly be interested in a Craftworlds RPG, though my preference would be to complete Murderers in Black before starting a new game.
 

Rangers / Outcasts seem well suited to a conventional RPG adventure, being the one most willing and able to go on excursions outside the Craftworld.

Rather than a team of Aspect Warriors (who would be very rigid by design in their training, wargear options and mentality) may I suggest a team of young Autarchs and/or Seers? Perhaps one ordained by the Seer Council to accomplish a greater goal for the craftworld? They could have a variety of options to build and update their character along the Paths of the Seer/Warrior l. Autarchs picking from wargear they collected from the different Shrines, Seers learning powers from different disciplines, etc.

 

Of course this would need some work to build a progression chart to reflect this…

 

A Spiritseer/Wraithlord pairing would be interesting for roleplaying.

[Trokair]

16 minutes ago, Mike Zulu said:

I would certainly be interested in a Craftworlds RPG, though my preference would be to complete Murderers in Black before starting a new game.

 

Given that this is still some time from starting I think completing Murderers In Black (or at least the current story arc, I don't know what Lys's plans are) can be factored into the planning.

 

I'll come back on your other points after I have had some sleep.  

[Black Cohort]

I see no reason why the two ideas can't both be developed, the Fall and its aftermath would be a super cool thing to explore more.

 

as for more modern craftworlders one thing that has always been weird to me even in rpgs is how few eldar are pskyers and I don't know if the rules ever capture how fast they act.

[A.T.]

10 hours ago, Trokair said:

Now there are no skill tables or career paths (or similar) for Eldar that I am aware of

 

Not for regular eldar, however the Rogue Trader game has full progression for Dark Eldar in the Soul Reaver book and the Dark Kin web supplement which should make a solid starting point.

[Xin Ceithan]

I am interested in both this and the game set around the Fall ( or combination ) - especially since it is clearly aimed at finishing the current game first. 
 

My lore on Craftworld Eldar is bit dated ( Corsairs and Drukhari I kept up with ) but I have the Wrath &Glory Eldar supplement laying around, so I can get up to speed.

 

Any good reading tips on Aeldari to start a derisive on their culture beyond that? 

[Trokair]

8 hours ago, Mike Zulu said:

Rangers / Outcasts seem well suited to a conventional RPG adventure, being the one most willing and able to go on excursions outside the Craftworld.

 

Indeed, and I would even say that out of all the various Eldar societies (Corsair, Dark Eldar, Harlequins, Exodites) Craftworld Eldar may perhaps be the least suited for an open ended general game. However Craftworld Eldar are the Eldar I am most familiar with, and as the adage goes, write what you know (so yes this will go badly).  

 

8 hours ago, Mike Zulu said:

Rather than a team of Aspect Warriors (who would be very rigid by design in their training, wargear options and mentality) may I suggest a team of young Autarchs and/or Seers? Perhaps one ordained by the Seer Council to accomplish a greater goal for the craftworld? They could have a variety of options to build and update their character along the Paths of the Seer/Warrior l. Autarchs picking from wargear they collected from the different Shrines, Seers learning powers from different disciplines, etc.

 

Very true, such a set up would be gold in terms of player customisability and choice.

 

However from my perspective there are two main downsides to this approach, one more generic, and one more specific to my aim with this.

 

First the more generic. A Game with Autarch and Seers, even if at the beginning of their respective careers in on those paths, will be quite high powered just by the nature of the skill and experience that those titles/paths require to even start them. I would think that this would be akin to a say a mid level (or even late level) Deatchwatch game, while I am aiming for a Dark Heresy lower power game so as to help ease into the way this works.

 

Secondly, while the Aspects can be very defined and limited in their ways, this can serve as an advantage. For newer player it can help them get into the role of their character because it is a well defined archetype/characterisation they can work from. More experience players (personal choice dependent) might see the restriction as a challenge to play something that is both true to that aspect and yet not the stereotypical portrayal. I don’t know.  

 

Along the same line a limited load out make things easier to learn, but I see no reason why loadout could not be adjusted as long as it was fluffy for that aspect.

 

8 hours ago, Mike Zulu said:

Of course this would need some work to build a progression chart to reflect this…

 

Something to keep in mind for the future certianly.

 

 

8 hours ago, Mike Zulu said:

A Spiritseer/Wraithlord pairing would be interesting for roleplaying.

Indeed. I just think it would be too powered for what I am aiming for.  I do think a Wraithguard (or Wriathblade) could be made to work in this game, but would require the player to be very into the roleplaying side of it and accept restrictions on their actions from a game mechanical sense (possibly alleviated when near a psyker such as a warlock or a spirit seer)  

 

 

6 hours ago, Black Cohort said:

I see no reason why the two ideas can't both be developed, the Fall and its aftermath would be a super cool thing to explore more.

 

Agreed, would be cool to see.

 

 

6 hours ago, Black Cohort said:

as for more modern craftworlders one thing that has always been weird to me even in rpgs is how few eldar are pskyers and I don't know if the rules ever capture how fast they act.

 

I always understood it less as how few Eldar are psyker, and more as how few dare to tread such a dangerous and long path.

As I understand it all Eldar (of every flavour) are very mildly psyker and have the potential to become psykers with training. For example with Dark Eldar not having psykers I always understood as being a case of way too risky given where they live and how they deal with She Who Thirsts.

 

As for their agility and speed and such. I will have to have another look at the rules when I work on all this, but I seem to recall they had some additional traits to help show this. or if it dosent feel right other adjustment could be made make it feel less like slow dumb human and more like quick witted elf.

[Trokair]

26 minutes ago, Xin Ceithan said:

My lore on Craftworld Eldar is bit dated ( Corsairs and Drukhari I kept up with ) but I have the Wrath &Glory Eldar supplement laying around, so I can get up to speed.

 

Any good reading tips on Aeldari to start a derisive on their culture beyond that? 

I had not looked at Wrath & Glory much, did not know there was a Eldar specific supplement, how does it look like?

 

I know they are possibly a bit dated lore wise, but the Path of the Eldar books (I got them as an omnibus at some point) seemed decent. I am also not up to speed with the most recent lore developments. The whole indomitus era (and even the lead up to it with the fall of Cadia and such) is a tad hazy and I still think of it as new when some of it is probably nearly a decade old at this point.    

Edited yesterday at 09:33 AM by Trokair

[Mazer Rackham]

Path of the Eldar books are not a bad suggestion. There are some very good insights in the Aspects and Seers viewpoints, although I am guilty of having read and disposed of them long ago...

 

D'oh! Stoopid Mon'keigh! :p

 

 

 

Edited yesterday at 09:35 AM by Mazer Rackham

[Trokair]

I probably should dig the omnibus back out and reread it, and my rather battered copy of Farseer as well.   

[Lysimachus]

If I was doing Craftworld Eldar, I think I'd start PCs off as Guardians. Either Defenders or Storm Guardians, then you could progress towards becoming Aspect Warriors, or even take the Path of the Seer or the Outcast.

 

Rank 1: Guardian Defender or Storm Guardian

 

Rank 2:

Defender could become: Dire Avenger, Fire Dragon, Swooping Hawk, Warp Spider, Dark Reaper, Pathfinder, Warlock

Storm could become: Howling Banshee, Striking Scorpion, Warp Spider, Shining Spear, Warlock

 

Rank 3:

Aspect Warriors could then progress to being an Exarch
Warlock to a Farseer (or a Spiritseer?)
Pathfinder to a Corsair

 

But also a character at Rank 2 could choose to move sideways rather than up the progression, i.e. switching to another Path, etc because they haven't yet become too obsessed with one focus. They wouldn't be as specialised, but after taking 3 Aspect Advances, they could instead take Rank 3 Path of Command and become an Autarch.

 

Wraithguard (or Wraithblade) would be cool too, but I'd keep it as a progression option for characters that had been killed during the game, as a way they could continue to play?

 

 

 

Edit: maybe you could insert another Rank between 1 and 2 (so 1-4) where they become more specialised Guardians; Gunners, Jetbikers, Falcon crew, etc, and then move along to the appropriate Aspect (Jetbiker > Shining Spear, Gunner > Fire Dragon or Dark Reaper, stuff like that?)

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 19 hours ago by Lysimachus

[Xin Ceithan]

FYI Wrath and Glory supplement is called “ Aeldari - Inheritance of Embers”

 

Like most of the books of the line, there is a brief overview of the various subgroups and classes akin to these splash page entries of the Codex i question, along with an armoury and such.
 

Thenthey have template Ike classes for everything along the units of the codex i question ( Guardian Ranger, wych, warlock, …) 

Then there is  lot of the lore section here dedicated to details on how these generic terms relate to the sector W&G is set in, e.g. what the local craft world, Drukhari or Corsair groups are like and some key npcs ( which is clearly helpful if someone is  new to 40K o but also  if you are coming in with a motivation to play but have no idea how to transform the two page summary in a codex into a day to day rp setting )

 

On the Craftworld side, I like the idea that you choose ( or roll ) a”civilian path” background for your character before they took up their current  Path ( which also conveys a minor boon for the character - like a bonus to Medicae fora former Healer or Lore for a Scholar)

 

I think that’s something to keep in mind to further give some nuisance to characters, so even if they all start out as Guardians, they are not just a bunch of clone trooper fresh the batch.