Dark Heresy Psykers Ruling

[Nadia1992]

Ok, I'm having quite a bit of problem.

How does a Pysker cast a spell in Dark Heresy?

Everyone seems to rely on Weapon skill or Ballistic skill, adding bonus from Ag/Str, but the Spellcasting seems to be lacking something.

The only ruling I see is :
(PsyRating)xD6+Will power bonus vs. the Spell Threshold.

Psyker power like "Psychic Stench" (Threshold 6) is always casted successfully with a Psyker (Psyrating1 + 50 in will)?

Is there any other test to take?
What would be the steps to take, let's say, if a Psyker attempt to cast, from the very start?

[shadow_archmagi]

Ok, I'm having quite a bit of problem.

How does a Pysker cast a spell in Dark Heresy?

Everyone seems to rely on Weapon skill or Ballistic skill, adding bonus from Ag/Str, but the Spellcasting seems to be lacking something.

The only ruling I see is :
(PsyRating)xD6+Will power bonus vs. the Spell Threshold.

Psyker power like "Psychic Stench" (Threshold 6) is always casted successfully with a Psyker (Psyrating1 + 50 in will)?

Is there any other test to take?
What would be the steps to take, let's say, if a Psyker attempt to cast, from the very start?

Important clarification: It's xD10. Only ten-sided die are used in Dark Heresy.
(Also, Psychic Stench has a threshold of 5, not 6)

If a Psyker with Psyrating 1 and Willpower 50 wanted to manifest psychic stench, the steps would be:

1. Roll 1d10+5
2. If the die shows a 9, psychic phenomena happens, *and* power manifests normally.
3. Since 1d10+5 will always exceed 5, the power works "reliably," although psychic phenomena is still a worry.

[Grim Portent]

The psyker rolls up to his psy rating in d10s, adds their willpower bonus, if they pass the power threshold it activates. Unless the power refers to any other tests then it just starts working. Most psychic shooting attacks auto hit their target, but some like Fire Bolt need to roll a willpower test to hit.

The psychic powers are strong because when a power is used at unfettered levels it can cause psychic phenomena and kill the psyker with a bit of bad luck.

[Destro_Yersul]

The psyker rolls up to his psy rating in d10s, adds their willpower bonus, if they pass the power threshold it activates. Unless the power refers to any other tests then it just starts working. Most psychic shooting attacks auto hit their target, but some like Fire Bolt need to roll a willpower test to hit.

The psychic powers are strong because when a power is used at unfettered levels it can cause psychic phenomena and kill the psyker with a bit of bad luck.

Another important thing to note is that psychic powers which auto-hit the target can't be avoided. No dodge against those. If it requires an attack roll, you can dodge it.

[Ceiling_Squid]

The question has been sufficiently answered, but on a semantics note, seeing as you're new to the system:

Psykers use "powers", they don't cast "spells".

Sorcery and spellcasting proper is its own thing, and somewhat different from psychic power (as in, the invocation of magic through words of power and rituals instead of actual psychic talent). It's also extremely heretical. You'll find it in the Radical's Handbook, as an alternate rule. It's one way for non-psykers to invoke supernatural forces.

Though I do tend to recommend avoiding that if you're new to the setting and system. It's...problematic and makes you a lot of enemies within your own organization. :smallbiggrin:

[Spuddles]

Another important thing to note is that psychic powers which auto-hit the target can't be avoided. No dodge against those. If it requires an attack roll, you can dodge it.

Not sure on which book, but if the power is described as a projectile, even if there isnt an attack roll (typically willpower check), the target may make dodge.


The question has been sufficiently answered, but on a semantics note, seeing as you're new to the system:

Psykers use "powers", they don't cast "spells".

Sorcery and spellcasting proper is its own thing, and somewhat different from psychic power (as in, the invocation of magic through words of power and rituals instead of actual psychic talent). It's also extremely heretical. You'll find it in the Radical's Handbook, as an alternate rule. It's one way for non-psykers to invoke supernatural forces.

Though I do tend to recommend avoiding that if you're new to the setting and system. It's...problematic and makes you a lot of enemies within your own organization. :smallbiggrin:

Well, it depend on your organization. :::)

[Destro_Yersul]

Not sure on which book, but if the power is described as a projectile, even if there isnt an attack roll (typically willpower check), the target may make dodge.

Ascension, I think. There's a special classification in that for powers which also count as shooting, even if they require no roll. The core book doesn't have such a distinction, though, so I've always had it default to the rule where you can't dodge stuff that doesn't need a roll to hit.

[Spuddles]

Ascension, I think. There's a special classification in that for powers which also count as shooting, even if they require no roll. The core book doesn't have such a distinction, though, so I've always had it default to the rule where you can't dodge stuff that doesn't need a roll to hit.

How does that affect balance? Seems like it could really hurt the defenses of most classes at Ascension level. But I've just picked the game up....

[Destro_Yersul]

Ascension is pretty broken, really. It turns into rocket-tag pretty quick, and as-written the Vindicare can dodge an Exterminatus.

[Grim Portent]

I always felt that Ascension was sort of meant to be broken anyway though. Sort of a reward for players who survived through a normal DH campaign without being completely mad, corrupted or crippled. Pretty much all the Ascension careers have the talents, skills and wealth to take on just about anything.

[The Random NPC]

Psyker power like "Psychic Stench" (Threshold 6) is always casted successfully with a Psyker (Psyrating1 + 50 in will)?

Just because this is a pet peeve of mine, the past tense of cast is cast.

[Axiomatic]

The thing with psyker powers is, you're not required to use ALL your dice.

In fact, you don't really want to. You want to use enough dice to successfully use your power, but each additional die you use increases your chances of rolling on the Psychic Phenomena table, so you want to use the minimal amount of dice that's still likely to get you your result.

As a result, powers with a high threshold aren't really "difficult" because you can quickly up your rating, they're DANGEROUS because using the amount of dice they require is daemon-bait.