Astartes Specialists in Black Crusade

[Lysimachus]

Hello gents,

 

I was thinking about the Character Archetypes in BC, and I was thinking it's a shame we don't have the other Astartes specialists, especially if a game were running a Marine-only party?

 

(I know there are Archetypes in the Tomes that probably fit the bill, but these are at a way, way higher starting point. I thought it might be cool to come up with some options for use in line with the crb starting Characters?)

 

So, Techmarine is obviously a Marine mixed with a Heretek, but much lighter on his rules/gear to compensate for his innate Astartes-ness (and as usual gets 500xp less!) The Apothecary is built from the Chosen, as I thought the Special Rule works for both Archetypes.

Techmarine/Junior Warpsmith:
Must be Astartes
Starting Skills: Common Lore (AdMech, Tech), Intimidate, Tech-Use
Starting Traits: Mechanicus Implants
Starting Talents: Enemy: AdMech, Technical Knock, Mechadendrite Training (Utility and Weapon), Cold-Hearted or Lesser Minion
Starting Equipment: Servo-Arm, 1 Good Quality Cybernetic, Combi-tool
Wounds: 15+1d5
Special: Traitor To Mars
Included above - Gains Mechanicus Implants, 2 Good Cybernetics (1 must be Servo-Arm), and Binary Chatter (Cybernetic Minions gain +10 Loyalty)

 

 

Apothecary/Corpsetaker:
Must be Astartes
Starting Skills: Dodge+10, Interrogation, Medicae, Scholastic Lore (Chymistry)
Starting Talents: Cold-Hearted or Sound Constitution, Hardy, Jaded or Lesser Minion, Lightning Reflexes
Starting Equipment: Narthecium = Good Medicae/Torture Mechadendrite (with +20 to Medicae tests, don't need Mechanicus Implants or Mechadendrite Training to use), Legion Chainsword or Legion Bolt Pistol
Wounds: 16+1d5
Special: Anatomical Training (Cold Killer)

Any thoughts/suggestions?

 

Edited 9 hours ago by Lysimachus

[Xin Ceithan]

Good idea! 
 

Having some starting options / specialists to choose from would certainly add a bit of diversity to BC, especially in pure CSM games. 
 

I think you’ve covered some nice options already - so off the top of my head I think maybe 

 

Acolyte

(Chaplain/ Dark Apostle in Training

 

Daemonologist 

(Might not need be Psyker )

 

Possessed 

[Mazer Rackham]

15 minutes ago, Xin Ceithan said:

Possessed...

 

Brother, it's Black Crusade. You don't need to start with this. 

[Machine God]

I guess that Lysimachus is bored 

[Lysimachus]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edit: Serious response, I tend to agree with @Mazer Rackham about the Possessed, that's a risk for anyone through a normal game.

 

Acolyte could work, maybe with some of the starting Skills of the Demagogue? Though I think on that one a Champion could maybe work as the starting point?

 

 

Edited 4 hours ago by Lysimachus

[Necronaut]

@Lysimachus I think your approach to using the core archetypes as a guide is a great stating point, and keeps everything on more or less the same playing field. In fact, these new archetype ideas are really sort of closer to being alternative starting packages for each of the core archetypes and each could probably be tweaked to taste once the effective baked-in xp costs are tallied and approximate values are applied to the special abilities for a proper comparative analysis.

 

I would say that you could extrapolate even further to create analogues of many of the advanced archetypes included in the splatbooks without the added 3000xp worth of advances and bonus (read: broken) powers kludged on top by tweaking the core archetypes as you have done. I have personally always been of the opinion that the advanced archetypes might work best as NPCs or enemies unless you're wanting to run a very high-powered campaign, and there was really no need to create these other archetypes with such a massive power level differential.

Edited 3 hours ago by Necronaut

[Xin Ceithan]

Treating Specialist as something to add to a base Chaos Marine akin to Life Path / Occupation Packages  of other RPGs makes sense 
 

TBF my idea about the Possesed was more along the line of having a step towards something of True/ Greater Possesed or even “Proto” Oblits or such

[Lysimachus]

@Necronaut 100% agree most of the Advanced Archetypes are overpowered, the extra 3k doesn't go anywhere near high enough to bring crb Characters to a par level. We are heading on towards 3k now, but a Berzerker would blender even our CC focused Astartes dudes! I wonder if 4 or even 5k would actually be closer?

 

So, yep, balance with the crb Archetypes is very much what I'm aiming for.

 

Possibly between your autopass initial Acquisitions and spending your pre-game 500xp, you might just be able to build a half decent Apothecary using the crb starting from the Chosen? But it's a stretch to my mind...

 

However, I don't think you could do a workable Techmarine from any of the Marine Archetypes... or working back the other way from the Heretek (needing to add power armour, too many missing Traits, etc, etc). There's just too much missing.

 

 

@Xin Ceithan that's a fair point about Possessed>Greater>Mutilator/Oblit, though I think you'd basically have to redo all the Corruption and Gifts rules for that kind of character, as they would be welcoming all the mutations? It might be a bit beyond the scope of what I'm thinking here...?