In the year 40000, there is a newb

[Fouredged Sword]

Ok, so I have been invited to an in person game of Dark Heresy, and I know the world fairly well, but don't know the game system. I am thinking I would like to play a psiker, but I was wondering what the playground can chime in and warn me of before I sit down and get attached to an idea.

Mind you I do not have a rulebook just yet, though I am in process to get access to some. (that said what books should I go out and get?)

Thanks all of you most helpful playgrounders who respond!

[supermonkeyjoe]

Anecdotally I hear playing a psyker is tricky, either the DM is too lenient and you are massively overpowered or the DM is too strict and you are barely able to use any powers for risk of being possessed by a daemon or shot as a heretic. So yeah. definitely best to speak to the DM before you get to attached to the idea of melting faces with your mind

[Squark]

Psykers are... both incredibly powerful, and highly likely to blow their own head up and trigger a TPK.

Book wise... Obviously, the core rulebook is probably the first thing you want. Beyond that, I confess I don't really know. Since I have only a passing familiarity with the system, I'm just going to list a few basic things.


1) Attributes (Ability Scores) range from 1-100. You pass skill checks, attack rolls, etc. by rolling and trying to roll under your attribute, often modified by circumstances and your action (for instance, firing on full auto gives you +20 to your balistic skill). Rolling well underneath your Attribute (Specifically, increments of 10 below it) increases the number of degrees of success (So, If I roll a 22 against my modified BS of 80 (For the record, a BS of 80 would only really be found at the highest levels of play, or in the more powerful branches of the game. For instance, this is a skilled Tactical marine with bolter mastery firing on full auto)., I'd have gained 5 degrees of success. Sometimes opposed rolls are done, in which case success is determined by whoever succeeds (If both parties succeed, whoever has the higher 10s digit in their attribute wins. This is their attribute bonus).
2) Aside from picking what kind of planet you came from and what specialization you have, your primary means of customizing your character is through spending XP. Basically, you start with so much XP, which you can spend on things like learning talents and skills.
3) 1d4chan (http://1d4chan.org/wiki/Dark_Heresy#How_To_Survive_A_Firefight)'s how to survive a firefight may or may not actually be worth a read (at the very least, it's advice on taking flak armor and grenades is sound). However, Dark Heresy deals much more with investigating and uncovering heresy than fighting. If you want a more combat focused game, Deathwatch is a better fit, dealing with the Space Marines (A brief comparison; While an Imperial Guardsman may resist 6 damage from an attack, your average Space Marine will resist 16 damage, and have many more wounds. And a bolter that will gib said guardsman easily).
4) Dark Heresy's Introductory adventure (http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/ffg_content/dark-heresy/pdf/shattered-hope-big.pdf), which is available for download at no cost on Fantasy Flight Game's website, also deals with some of the basic mechanics, is worth a look as well (On the outside case this is the adventure your GM is using, though, skip over the adventure itself)

[Drglenn]

Psykers are fun to play. You may start off slightly weaker than your compatriots combat-wise (you have pistol training and start off with little armour compared to most other classes starting with basic (rifle, shotgun etc) training and somewhat decent armour), but you'll quickly equal them and eventually overtake them (though not often by a whole lot, by the time psykers get into their stride most other careers are able to wield heavy weapons).

The main thing keeping you in check is psychic phenomena: whenever you roll a natural 9 on any die of a psychic power check you trigger a psychic phenomenon which can range from an eerie feeling and a faint breeze to a perils of the warp (which have a separate table). Also as you get more powerful as a psyker you can roll more dice for psychic tests which have the tradeoff between more chance of casting the power vs more chance of causing phenomena.

Another factor is the amount of money the group is given: to take it to the extremes: if the party is given too much they could end up in power armour, toting autocannons whilst you're making people fall over once per round. If you're given too little they'll end up with their starting equipment whilst you're chucking around fireballs that can incinerate tanks. Though that is an issue you'll have to take up with your GM if it comes up.

Book-wise obviously you'll need to at least have access to the core book. If you're playing a psyker that's all you'll really need. I would recommend at least one person in the group have a copy of Inquisitor's handbook too, if only for the plethora of weapons presented within.

[king.com]

Ok, so I have been invited to an in person game of Dark Heresy, and I know the world fairly well, but don't know the game system. I am thinking I would like to play a psiker, but I was wondering what the playground can chime in and warn me of before I sit down and get attached to an idea.


So Im not sure what rpg background your coming from (be it the only played D&D side or the ive played a bunch of things being the two largest groups) so forgive me if im pointing out the obvious stuff but Dark Heresy is a game of action, investigation and horror. Your regularly tasked with dealing things so much larger and more dangerous than you are combat is normally the last thing you need. You talk and investigate problems and follow up on rumours and political intrigue. If your playing the character that is silent and brooding in the background theres a good chance your going to be bored as a psyker (depends on your GM).

The Psyker, unlike say the Wizard from a D&D is a character to be used as a last resort. The party tries to resolves everything they can in a mundane way until they are out of options and the psyker uses his power. Every time a psyker uses their power theres a chance something horrible goes wrong ranging from minor things like plants rotting around you to full blown planet wide demonic incursions. Sure theres things you can start to do with relative safety once you get some power under your belt but mostly your just a timebomb waiting to go off. If you like that sort of character, that definitely can be lot of fun (though as mentioned check with your GM as to how he like to run psykers). If you know warhammer 40K, you know that as a psyker your life is on the line just by being alive. You get caught using your powers, thats very easily the start of an angry mob coming to burn you at the stake for being a witch. Again, can be fun but you may not enjoy that as your first go into Dark Heresy.



Mind you I do not have a rulebook just yet, though I am in process to get access to some. (that said what books should I go out and get?)


Core Rulebook and Inquisitors Handbook are the only real must haves, everything else is a 'buy if you think its cool' deal.