Hi all.

Just had another crazy thought, how would i go about stating, and making it resonable, a Sensei

Now my plan for this would be that hed be wisked away by some unknown force while still an infant into the warp where he drifted until found by a group of space marines aboard a rogue trader ship.

Ive already introduced the NPC as a primarch of the second legiones astartes. Id like to turn him into a Sensei but instead of being a psychic blank, hell be as powerful and even more so then the emperor if he were to discover his power that lies within. Mentally hes a child and physically hes only a teenager.

Now my question would be what kind of stats would this character have and what skills?

Keep in mind that he has no idea what hes capable of and has to discover his power but he will have a set of abilities that will be there at start.

I know this is a crazy thought and some of you will say hes a plot device and shouldnt have stats. Id like for this thing to have stats seeing as id like to have stats for it so i dont do the GM fiat of saying everything he does works and also saying that he cant fail. Id like for him to have a chance of failure and have it up to a dice roll.

Thanks all.

Sensei, that's some old school stuff right there, for sure.

As to how they were, well, they were notable for being extremely charismatic and they acted like robin hood figures, battling authority to help the common man. They were also noted for being hunted down and wiped out by most inquisitor types, seeing as the emperor couldn't perceive them and nobody could tell what they were.

It's basically a lot of fluff that you can use how you wish, so if you want the guy to be some sort of demi-god, then that's what you should stat out. It may be best not to give him stats at all and simply have him as a big plot device that acts in mysterious and faith inspiring ways. Look at what you want to do with the concept rather than how you want it to work mechanically. What is his role in the story?

Do you have access to The Lost & The Damned and the Forgeworld Horus Heresy books? With a combination of these you should be able to work something out. Stat up a previously unknown Primarch using the FW stats as a template, then give him some of the powers of a sensei.

From a setting perspective, though, sensei and primarchs are very different things. While both children of the Emperor, (so to speak) they don't really have a lot in common. Primarchs are genetically engineered super warriors, sensei are the literal descendents of the emperor.

BL HORUS HERESY BOOKS SPOILERS AHEAD

That said, the newer Horus Heresy BL books do introduce the still slightly mysterious "perpetuals," immortal agents of sinister power blocs within the 30k setting. Many argue that the Perpetuals are a retcon of the Slaves to Darkness Sensei material. Vulkan is revealed to be a perpetual; he literally cannot die. As such, Vulkan might be one of your suggested Primarch/Sensei mixes.

Personally I wouldn't run with such a big setting-changing storyline; I'd be scared of upsetting more pedantic players who are highly "locked in" to the background. However, I admire your ambition!

As an alternative, maybe your high-level NPC could be an Alpha level psyker? It's a duller approach, sure, but it has less potential to deviate from the setting for future adventures with your players. (As I say this, though, I sense I'm moving away from your interesting approach. Hell, it's your game, go for it! :-) )

Thanks for thoughts my friends and thanks for the support.

With all the stuff that ive read thru in mind, i can better look at how to stat a Sensei and it works far better then using a primarch since i can deviate from the main story to where i need it to go.

Not going to reveal too much seeing as i know that one of my players might frequent these boards.

Anyways, ill look into the FW stats and see what i can come up with. Those books are fantastic in their approach.

I would suggest giving him Astartes stats, but +10 higher all round and with Unnatural Willpower thrown in there. I'd also suggest giving him next to no skills. He can have 60s for most of his stats, whatever, he'll just be rolling half on most everything he does.

Honestly, I'd make him take phantom willpower trait damage when he uses psychic powers unless he pushes. He doesn't know what he's doing anyway, right?

Slightly more interesting, have him be touched by fate, obiviously, but just 1 point, and never let him spend it until he learns something about how to control his powers (like if a PC is a librarian and teaches him to focus or something). Then when he learns what he needs to know, complete the step by permanently burning the fate point. he's on his own at that point, but probably close to unstoppable anyway.

I would suggest giving him Astartes stats, but +10 higher all round and with Unnatural Willpower thrown in there. I'd also suggest giving him next to no skills. He can have 60s for most of his stats, whatever, he'll just be rolling half on most everything he does.

Honestly, I'd make him take phantom willpower trait damage when he uses psychic powers unless he pushes. He doesn't know what he's doing anyway, right?

Slightly more interesting, have him be touched by fate, obiviously, but just 1 point, and never let him spend it until he learns something about how to control his powers (like if a PC is a librarian and teaches him to focus or something). Then when he learns what he needs to know, complete the step by permanently burning the fate point. he's on his own at that point, but probably close to unstoppable anyway.

Awesome ideas there. Ill look into that.

Thanks all.

We have stats for Sensei's. 40K stats from Lost and the Damned. Here:

WS 5-8 BS 5-7 S 4-5 T 4-5 W 2-5 I 6-9 A 2-5 Ld 10

These are 1E stats.

Based on that I would stat them for DW as (on the fly, not fully thought through):

WS 55 BS 50 S 40 T 45 (8) W 35 AG 45 (8) Int 60 Per 45 WP 45 (8) Fel 45 (8)

Traits: From Beyond, The Stuff Of Nightmares (but invulnerable to Holy attacks), Unnatural Characteristics (see above), Sensei's Regeneration*, Untainted**, Mark of the Star Child***

*Sensei's Regeneration: Regardless of wound level, the base time for healing for a sensei is always 1 hour.

**Untainted: Sensei's never generate Perils of the Warp, roll for Psychic Phenomena instead. Also, reat a roll of Perils on that table as "No effect".

***Mark of the Star Child: Every Sensei's melee attack follows the rules for Focus weapons (yes, channeling damage can be more than once a turn here). The target does not get a WP roll to resist. (However, it only grants extra damage dice, not the flat bonus to damage and Pen.)

Pretty powerful, eh? And the above stats are for starting senseis, similar to PCs. For more experienced ones, add up to +20. Wounds can raise even higher, say, up to +60. And then there is Star Child rewards on top of it. It gets very powerful, very fast.

Hey - playing a group of "Acolytes" in the retinue of a Sensei could be fun. You'd play more rebels than those investigators in DH. But it could work.

Alex

We have stats for Sensei's. 40K stats from Lost and the Damned. Here:

WS 5-8 BS 5-7 S 4-5 T 4-5 W 2-5 I 6-9 A 2-5 Ld 10

These are 1E stats.

Based on that I would stat them for DW as (on the fly, not fully thought through):

WS 55 BS 50 S 40 T 45 (8) W 35 AG 45 (8) Int 60 Per 45 WP 45 (8) Fel 45 (8)

Traits: From Beyond, The Stuff Of Nightmares (but invulnerable to Holy attacks), Unnatural Characteristics (see above), Sensei's Regeneration*, Untainted**, Mark of the Star Child***

*Sensei's Regeneration: Regardless of wound level, the base time for healing for a sensei is always 1 hour.

**Untainted: Sensei's never generate Perils of the Warp, roll for Psychic Phenomena instead. Also, reat a roll of Perils on that table as "No effect".

***Mark of the Star Child: Every Sensei's melee attack follows the rules for Focus weapons (yes, channeling damage can be more than once a turn here). The target does not get a WP roll to resist. (However, it only grants extra damage dice, not the flat bonus to damage and Pen.)

Pretty powerful, eh? And the above stats are for starting senseis, similar to PCs. For more experienced ones, add up to +20. Wounds can raise even higher, say, up to +60. And then there is Star Child rewards on top of it. It gets very powerful, very fast.

Hey - playing a group of "Acolytes" in the retinue of a Sensei could be fun. You'd play more rebels than those investigators in DH. But it could work.

Alex

Thats an interesting set of abilities there. Ill certainly come up with something using these. Thanks.

My question would be this, wouldnt the sensei have all Unnatural Characteristics seeing as they are sons of the emperor?

I would advise against it... you don't want them to come off too Mary Sue-ish.

Alex

I would advise against it... you don't want them to come off too Mary Sue-ish.

Alex

Thats a good point there. Thanks.

For the Star child!

Oh, bear in mind that: "the Imperium regards the sensei as dangerous bandits, nihilists and psykers, that if not actually in league with chaos are weakening the bulwark the imperium has set against its threat. All over the imperium forces are deployed to hunt sensei and they are forced to operate as outlaws." (realms of chaos : the lost and the damned p186)

So your deathwatch players might actualy end up hunting the sensei.

Of course you are free to determine that this is not the case, or that theer is an alliance between the inquisition and this sensei.

Man its good to see some of the old GW stuff is still alive with the fans!