So I'm double GMing a Dark Heresy 2nd Edition game and a Deathwatch game, which is fine. I feel like I'm creative and flexible enough to pull it off. I even have the same group of players, so if we aren't in the mood for Space Marines, we can kick it to the Inquisition.

But, during character creation, one of my players came to me with a concern that he wouldn't be able to identify with his character. This isn't our first RPG, but it is the first time he's playing something TECHNICALLY non-human. Space Marines, by all accounts he and I found, don't think, feel, or act like normal people. They're actually kinda cruel and bloodthirsty, at least by our standards.

So, this guy, who's very nice and nonviolent all around, is having trouble getting into the mindset for playing a Space Marine so that it's actually FUN. Any advice?

Space Wolf?

Space Wolf?

What, as in, play one?

Yeah, I mean, as far as Space Marines go, they're pretty laid back. Eat, drink, and be merry (and then go kill some xenos!) And I think you could easily work some of the fluff so that some Space Wolves see all servants of the Empire (however puny) as part of their "pack."

Ask him to play a Salamander Space Marine. Of all the Chapters, the Salamanders are known best for working with humans and being their protectors. He might use this opportunity to roleplay as a Space Marine who brings more than a body count to the table and might actually get the other party members to deal with humans and their own shreds of humanity as well.

It depends on how you view space marines. One view is indeed that they are all homicidal maniacs with little affinity with common humans, and little individuality to boot.

But that is a very narrow view. Even within a chapter, not all marines will have the same personality and traits.

But beyond that, there are numerous ways in which a chapter or marine can interact with humanity/imperium and even xenos beyond indifference and bloodlust. If the chapter’s views are more congenial (e.g. space wolves, salamanders and ultramarines are examples of chapters which view humans as allies and charges to be defended) that would allow for a paladin type of pc.

If the chapter is more aloof and distant from its own human link, the player can play a marine for whom the indoctrination has not worked fully. His previous life and loyalties are still there, clashing with the chapter indoctrination.

I quite enjoyed reading about Ragnar (space wolves books) and about Luther (Dark Angels) as it gives a good impression of humans becoming space marines and how those previous thoughts and customs interact with their new superhuman physiques and attitudes.

In DW, since you have to play SMs, chapter choice strongly determines every other opportunity, so I second what SonOfDorn said: a Salamander could be the solution. They actually live with their families/clans, when they're not in a war, and they're quite protective of the regular Imperial citizen. Or, indeed, pick a Space Wolf - they cheerfully ignore any and all social conventions and outside authority, while fighting hard & drinking hard, like a good barbarian should. Take ranoncles' advice and point your player to the Space Wolves books - the stories are in the form of a single large flashback, and the framing parts are painful to wade through, but the main arc is quite enjoyable and makes a SM easier to relate to.

It depends on how you view space marines. One view is indeed that they are all homicidal maniacs with little affinity with common humans, and little individuality to boot.

But that is a very narrow view. Even within a chapter, not all marines will have the same personality and traits.

But beyond that, there are numerous ways in which a chapter or marine can interact with humanity/imperium and even xenos beyond indifference and bloodlust. If the chapter’s views are more congenial (e.g. space wolves, salamanders and ultramarines are examples of chapters which view humans as allies and charges to be defended) that would allow for a paladin type of pc.

If the chapter is more aloof and distant from its own human link, the player can play a marine for whom the indoctrination has not worked fully. His previous life and loyalties are still there, clashing with the chapter indoctrination.

I quite enjoyed reading about Ragnar (space wolves books) and about Luther (Dark Angels) as it gives a good impression of humans becoming space marines and how those previous thoughts and customs interact with their new superhuman physiques and attitudes.

Ask him to play a Salamander Space Marine. Of all the Chapters, the Salamanders are known best for working with humans and being their protectors. He might use this opportunity to roleplay as a Space Marine who brings more than a body count to the table and might actually get the other party members to deal with humans and their own shreds of humanity as well.

Yeah, I mean, as far as Space Marines go, they're pretty laid back. Eat, drink, and be merry (and then go kill some xenos!) And I think you

could easily work some of the fluff so that some Space Wolves see all servants of the Empire (however puny) as part of their "pack."

Thanks, all of you guys, for helping me out here. He's gonna flip when he finds out there are Space Marines who aren't jerks and wear his favorite colors (Salamanders).

If you ignore some of the more recent fluff, Ultramarines aren't jerks either. They are builders and strategists.

http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Ultramar

The basic point is that there are differences between chapters and between members of a chapter. If someone wants to play a noble paladin-like character, it's no problem at all unless you avoid certain chapters (Minotaurs?). Just remember that marines have a difficult, actually a terrible job to do and it will be hard to maintain a noble character under very demanding circumstances. Also remember that in the Imperium the belief that hatred protects from the temptations of the Emperor's enemies is wide-spread.

Alex

Quite welcome and I hope that your player finds a greater measure of enjoyment in the game.

I have a slightly different take on a possible solution. Less important than which chapter your player selects is the world you create for him to play in. The 40k universe is grimdark for sure and Space Marines don't lend themselves to emotionl depth but it doesn't necessarily mean that there is no possibility for rewarding roleplay opportunities. A marine that struggles to maintain his humanity as a secret in an uncaring universe is one. Also Marines are not immune to emotion, the universe is full of marines that aren't. Call it the influence of chaos if you want and invite the attention of the Inquisition and his teammates have to choose to side with or against.

Alternatively, the purity of the Space Marines can be reflected in the missions you create, black and white like the Adeptus Astartes themselves. Naturally your player would need to be able to find satisfying motivation as a warrior against the aliens and you need to find aliens that he won't be able to sympathize with (Chaos and Tyrannids are the go-to's here) for this to work, aliens whose sole motivations is total annihilation. If you want to get a little meta here essentially your player would then be combating the cruel and bloodthirsty non-humanity you describe as the problem. Boom! Did I just blow your mind a little?

The old Deathwing short story that pretty heavily focuses on a Dark Angels Ternminator Captain reminicsing about his old life and what could have been if he hadn't joined the marines, in particular an old childhood sweetheart. Sounds a bit daft with the emphasis on the super GRIMDARK! background we have now but it was done really well and made the space marines really bad ass as it showed that they still have feelings it is just that their sense of duty takes precedence.

Or indeed, just make him be someone - even in a less...nice...chapter who does give a **** about civilians, etc.

The Deathwatch, after all, also get used as a convenient place to send the odd-balls who don't really fit in to the chapter mold.

My current character is a Blue Marine (custom chapter). They have two principles: relentless firepower, and well...friendship. My demeanor is True Blue, i put my brothers above everything the mission included. Weve just had a brother die horribly and its the first time Eans experienced a loss in his own squad. We also lost a cruiser of guardsmen who have been invaluable to us since mission one. The Navy captains name was Ean as well and my character had a little brother type relationship with his namesake. My character grew up on anarchipelego-type planet and is kind of a geek when it comes to ships which they had bonded over. I find it easy to slip into his brain when it comes to such things, brotherhood and loss are some of the most human emotions there are. Also he found out that it was all "part of the plan" of a Ultramarines Librarian, flew into a rage and now the rivalry between the Blue Marines and the Ultramarines has escalated to a severing of all ties of brotherhood and loyalty.

Also, his backstory is that the chapter sees his potential and wants to promote him but he keeps refusing. Ean is happy as a line soldier he sees it as his calling. The chapter master has thrown him to the deathwatch in a last-ditch effort to force him to grow as an individual, experience new things and become more than fire support. This i find easy to relate to as well, its HARD to try new things, its HARD to move on when you think youve found your niche.

Ean in roleplay is a very, VERY soft-spoken, old-fahioned, chummy british accent, polite even when the other darker characters are seething. He is extremely careful with humans, not wanting to scare or hurt them, and wants to please and be friends with everyone.However this doesnt apply to Xenos at all, and it certainly doesnt apply to females. The Cobalt radiation on the Blue Marine homeworld means women only live to their late 50s. We have a Sister of battle in our group and Ean is struggling with having his whole social order rocked.

The truth is that most "non-human" things humans imagine usually end up looking like exaggerated humans.

The truth is that most "non-human" things humans imagine usually end up looking like exaggerated humans.

Well, most writers (and players) are human , so there's no escaping that. Otherwise your character seems well thought-out. That might give some pointers to the OP's player. It is always easier to GM for people with a clear idea in mind about who their character is and what makes him work.