Hey all. Been awhile since I've done 40k roleplay, so looking for insight on putting together a Techpriest for a campaign coming up. As I understand it, they're at a pretty high xp level, and I'll be starting around half and earning more xp until I catch up.

Rolled for stats, and they're fairly average. 41 toughness, 38 weaponskill, 26 willpower and 25 strength are the only real notable ones, I think.

So, I guess I'll kind of lay out what I'm thinking so far, and we can discuss from there. On the defensive side, the plan is to stack up on armor for sure, since there's a lot of talent options out there for the Techpriest. I think I'll also start with Sub-dermal armor as one of my bionics. I'll definitely pump the toughness at least a couple of times, but I'm not sure if I should pick up some dodge and agility as well or not. I'd like to save the xp, but a lascannon would seriously ruin my day.

For offence, I like the idea of mainly fighting with my mechadendrites when on foot. I dunno, it just seems classy. Servo arm is really handy utility, and nice melee backup. For my other free bionic I'm thinking a ballistic mechadendrite with something fairly general-purpose like a Hellpistol or maybe a Ripper pistol. I also like the idea of trying to get an integrated flamer at some point for more of that 'walking weapons platform' feel. Plus I don't think the squad has anybody who uses one, and they're handy.

I'll also be picking up some non-combat stuff, obviously, for repairing and lore skills. I'm also thinking about getting myself into Enginseer Prime, although firing off 4 heavy bolters or whatever seems like it might be over the top.

Anyways, any advice on raising stats or anything else I might have missed, fire away!

Try to get to know your GM's style of leading. If he's a super harsh leader with tough missions from the word go, then you want to spend all that starting xp right off the bat, otherwise it's less important as before, but i'd still recommend spending it all.

Hey, good choice of character!

I am away from home at the moment, but when I get back I'll let you know the choices I made as a starting character and first spend of 1500 XP :-)

I created my own regiment too, is this something you are able to do? I created the 1st Lucius Mechanicus Elite :-)

I'm joining a Cadian regiment with I think Vanguard and Close Quarters. Trying to find out how much xp I'll start with. My initial 300 plus some extra for duplicate talents went to shoring up my low willpower and I think adding to intelligence. I think Infused Knowledge and The Flesh is Weak are gonna be some of my first pickups after that.

Well, if you like the idea see if your GM is up for a mixed regiment like I did. I chose:

- Forge World

- Sanguine

- Mechanised Infantry

- Close Order Drill

- Cyber-Enhanced

- Sapper

- Scarred by Loss

- Iconoclasts

Since I came up with such an awesome back story I persuaded my GM to give me 450xp as a starting character so I could go for Exotic Weapon (Integrated). Being from Lucius I upgraded to an Integrated Hellgun.

Cybernetics I chose:

- Cerebral Implants (good)

- Subskin armour (best)

- Servo Arm (good)

- Baleful eye (good)

- Bionic Heart (common)

- Autosanguine (common)

- Integrated Hellgun

- MIU

The skills and talents I bought with my first XP were:

- Awareness

- Navigate (Surface)

- The Flesh is Weak

- Prosanguine

Loads of my skills are Intelligence based, so is my Initiative (from Combat Formation), plus all my implanted armour stacks with the Storm Trooper carapace I salvaged, and now with my Machine (4) trait.

All this means I act first, can tank fairly well and am great at repairs and mechanical stuff. Also in close combat the Servo arm does a ton of damage though will only ever get one attack with it. The Integrated Hellgun is also pretty good and never runs out of ammo :-)

If SoH is available, and your GM is either very nice, or very crazy, you MIGHT try to get AdMech Power Armor. Yes it's PA in a game where most people are wearing toilet paper tubes (toilet paper optional), but it is available, Tech-Priests are almost the only ones with a prayer of getting it, and your potentia coil bypasses its heinous battery life, without needing to BS if you can get some "Astartes power supply", or whatever else everyone who isn't an Astartes, but DOES wear Power Armor (read: SoB, MANY Inquisitors, possibly a few more), but can't expect the fight to end in five hours does. People can complain all they want that it's broken, or whatever, but the ONLY place Tech-Priests DON'T wear PA is FFG materials, at least the field-based, foot-slogging ones expected to lift and repair tanks with IG, due to player balance. See if maybe you can get some; any regiment with a decent TP presence, such as a Tank Regiment, perhaps, MIGHT have some extra laying around, for you to make that Requisition test.

Tech-Priests can be fun, and fill any of a myriad number of roles; just make sure you know which one or two you like, so you don't have to get melee, ranged, high-Tech/Forbidden Lore, AND several other things, at least not right away. Hope you have fun.

So Spoonie, what did you decide to do?