Greetings all,

As the title says I'm a new player (along with most of my group) with a number of questions regarding Warhammer 40K's setting and how it would affect the PC's. I apologise in advance for the sheer number of questions.

(Note: I have only read the Ciaphas Cain books beyond that I only have some general knowledge from a few PC games about WH 40K).

1.a) I get that Mutants are hated but would it be really strange setting wise for mutant to be a Rogue Trader (class path)? Please note the character concept I have in mind is just having Red Eyes (I am somewhat basing this character on Cyclops without the optic blasts) which might reflect something like enhanced sight or dark sight.

1.b) If it is really against setting is there any advice on how to make it acceptable? The one idea I got (due to the Cain series) is being a blank and being an Inquisitor's on call pet in return for the Inquistor smoothing over things for the character. ( I don't really want to do this though as it's too much of a copy of the novels and the XP penalty + Fellowship penalty hurts a Rogue Trader so really open for other ideas.)

2.a) One person at our table wants to play a Rogue Psyker and wants to combine the Wyrdling mutation and the Perilous Choice path (We are all getting about 300 xp bonus that we can use on expanded origins) Would that give him a Psy rating of 1, 2 or 3? or would the ratings of the wyrdling and Perilous Choice disciplines be tracked separately?

2.b) Just how bad is it to be Rogue Psyker in Warhammer 40K and especially aboard a Rogue Trader ship? Is it something easily detected? Is it something all the PC's should be in on and somewhat accepting of? or are they supposed to just kill the guy when they find out? Can you give any advice as to how a group should handle having a Rogue Psyker as a member (Assuming he is not going to go around using his powers like an idiot?)? Also any advice on how to hide being a Rogue Psyker from talents like mind sight or divination etc? (Guy really wants to be an unbound Psyker which is partly why I don't want to be a blank. That would just make it though for him and me too)

2.c) Add on to the above: How obvious is a Force Sword? Does it activate automatically at the touch of a Psyker? Can a force sword be disguised as a power sword?

3.a) Is it possible to upgrade starting equipment? Example: Trade in a common power sword for a best quality etc?

3.b) I am considering buying Mesh Armor because it seems more like a light suit of armour my PC could wear under his clothes but is it feasible in game? or should I just go for Carapace armour?

4.a) In Into the Storm, the Origin Path "Fear" has a line stating that "Fear may be selected in place of any entry on the standard Origin Path table." So can Fear replace entries in different categories? i.e: Can it replace Birthright or Lure of the Void?

4.b) House Rule Question: The Motivation Origin Path option Fear (Tormented by the Unspeakable) is a 200XP path which provides three talents. My PC already has 2 of those talents (Giving me back 100XP if I read the rules right). My ST and I are considering if I could combine this with the Motivation Duty path (It fits my character's story, Duty being the only reason he is not curled up under a bed) which also costs 100XP but gives a talent and stat bonus I actually want.

4.c) Is it possible to remove Corruption points like it is with insanity points? or at least a decent house rule for it? We are in preliminary character creation and a few of us have already got corruption points.

5.a) Regarding the Rogue Trader Dynasty and the Warrant of Trade: How do things work with Scion's of Rogue Trader Dynasties? What our ST is broadly planning is sort of a trial by fire for the heirs of the Dynasty. Actual (NPC) Rogue Trader is retiring, whichever heir (or their faction of the family) gets the most profit/reknown for the Dynasty before she retires will get to take over the Dynasty. Basically young scions being sent out on their own to see how much profit they can make or glory they can earn or aid their Dynasty in whatever fashion.

Problem is what sort of rights would such a heir have considering they are not an actual Rogue Trader (with Warrant of Trade) as of yet? Would they still be able to carry out things freely beyond the Imperium and have some lee way inside it? Would they be able to request right to salvage wrecks? What authority to do individual ship captains of a Dynasty Fleet (and light years away from the Rogue Trader) have in regards to colonisation, xenos trade etc)...

5.b) Any guide to general starting ages of most class paths? Our game is set to be more of a younglings type game (with a few older NPC's) but quite frankly we don't have an accurate idea as to how young it's possible to be for most careers ? How long does it take to become a tech-priest? or Astropath / Sanction Psyker / Navigator / Missionary? (Rogue Trader / Seneschel / Arch-Milatant / VoidMaster are a bit easier to have young but talented people into.)

6.a) What do you think of the following as a starting ship:

Tempest Class Frigate
Power: 43 / 48, Space: 42 / 42 SP: 0 / 70
Lathe-pattern Class 2b “Escort” Drive (Best & Archeotech), Miloslav G-616.b (Best), Emergency Field, Repulser Shield, Bridge of Antiquity (Archeotech), Clemancy Pattern, Clan-Kin Quarters (Good Quality-Space), Deep Void Auger Array, Sunsear Laser Battery, Shard Cannon Battery (Xenotech), Retro thrusters, Reinforced Bulk Heads Good (Good Quality-Space), ShadowBlind Bays (Best), Librarium Vault, Field Bracing, Medicae Deck.

Congrats, If you made it this far down. Sorry for the length of this first post. Promise to be shorter with the rest and thanks in advance for any answers.

Some answers from the cranky, lore-obssessed corner of the forums!

1a) I think it actually makes a certain amount of sense, if you play it the right way. Rogue Trader lines tend to be inbred by default to keep the Warrant in certain families, so it's a little inevitable that corruption would seep in. Red Eyes is actually not even that much of a mutation by 40K standards, the entire population of Cadia has purple eyes and that's hardly worrying at all. If you're not rolling on the mutation table, you're probably fine.

1b) Yes because owing favours to the Inquisition is a great idea. The easiest way to handle this is to use it as an excuse to go exploring in the areas like the Koronus Expanse where the Imperium hasn't spread its nebulous grasp yet. If you only have something like eyes, you could also just rip them out and replace them with cybernetic eyes: you'd still test as a mutant to genetic purity tests, but you would get rid of the outward signs of corruption.

2a) No idea, I would say they stack. Up to your GM really as I don't think there's an official ruling.

2b) So very, very, very bad. Untracked Psykers are a huge threat to everyone, and the stability of the Imperium. Also they're needed to sustain the Emperor though not everyone knows that. Remember that using your powers means everyone with Psyniscience gets a free opportunity to detect it, and random Psyniscience uses can detect psychic powers - though not Psykers per say. Also there is a lot of gear that does detect if someone is a Psyker in RT. Also everyone in Footfall has Psyniscience. I would buy them a Null Rod, tell them to suck it up and hold it and throw it away if their powers are needed. If you're caught, your best bet is to plead ignorance, hand them over to the Black Ships (which will massively outclass yours) and have him roll up a new character.

2c) Unclear, but you can't put a Power Sword on top of it, and presumably most Psykers or people of power would recognise it. The psychic-circuitry is very intricate, so you could maybe pretend it's a normal sword, but you couldn't turn it into a dual-purpose sword.

3a) By buying it, yes. Most GMs would probably be lenient enough to let you make a starting acquisition test though.

3b) Sounds pretty styling.

4a) No, this only replaces the Motivation career path

4b) I think if you double up on Talents you're just out of luck. By rules you can't combine origin paths. By house rules you can do whatever you want.

4c) Apparently not, though we've always played it that you can buy off Corruption like you do Insanity at the cost of 100XP. You can't heal Malignancies though.

5a) Each Warrant is different, so you should have a talk with your GM to determine it. Most scions would be officially vassals of your Rogue Trader and carry their authority, and if killed they would be declaring war on your Dynasty. Your Warrant could allow you to make a full dynasty and appoint representatives, or it could only allow you to excuse your actions if you personally are there. Your colonies are where you write the rules, but if you're inside the Imperium's boundaries then you are potentially subject to all their laws.

So to summarize, your heirs have no rights but you do have political power to discourage people from screwing with you. However nothing outranks the Inquisition.

5b) Not clear, you can be reasonably any age although I would say mid-20s for most career paths make sense. Astropaths should not be very young as they have to be trained and undergo/survive the rite of sanctioning. Explorators could just have information downloaded. Navigators live about 4 times as long as a normal human so who knows what's normal for them. I'd aim late-20s early-30s, but obviously the Rogue Trader could be any age.

6a) Holy Emperor on his Throne that's a ridiculous ship for starting out. Two Archeotech, One Xenotech, Three Best and Two Good components is really piling on the SP. Our group started out with a Light Cruiser that had the Star-Flare Lance and little else, and it's been growing along with the party. Don't be afraid to start with something less and then your GM might let you come up with endeavours to grow your ship.

A lot of Rogue Trader can be summed up as "yes, if your GM says so". Very little is explicitly forbidden or impossible. Erathia's already provided a lot of good answers, but I'll throw in my two cents because typing is fun!

1a) A Rogue Trader dynasty has a lot of power; a mutation that would get a lesser person killed, castigated or servitorised can be little more than a talking point at dinner for an heir of the dynasty. That said, I'd expect your GM to make life a little difficult for you with regards to more puritan members of the Ecclesiarchy and such. Mutants bad, no matter how much money they have. As far as red eyes go, that's basically just a quirk of population divergence. Don't really see a problem there. Actually I vaguely remember it being an option for the Dark Heresy character creation tables.

1b) Backing up being a mutant by being a blank is pretty much a recipe for having breakfast with a firing squad. You'd be better off playing it up as a stable genetic inheritance, pretend that they're high-quality augmetics, or something similar.

2a) Psy Rating 2. Perilous Choice gives PR1, Wyrdling gives PR2. You get a few powers, so there's that at least. It's also hilariously likely to get the character killed or sent off to a black ship the moment he comes within assensing range of another psyker. Also, extra XP for the origin path is a pretty bad idea, you can make some crazy **** even with that 500.

2b) Soooooooo bad. If the GM is running the game straight without compensating for what a PC wants to play, you can expect a pretty constant barrage of questioning as to why you're travelling with an unbound, unsanctioned psyker. Anyone of note you meet will instantly have blackmail on you, as it's a crime to conceal a psyker or not present them to the black ships at the soonest opportunity. He'd be better off to make an astropath that resents being Sanctioned and explicitly avoids doing his actual job in favour of pursuing darker arts. Still a bad idea though.

3a) GM fiat, but otherwise no. I generally allow my players to trade items in on a one-to-one basis, so long as it evens out to +0.

3b) Xenomesh is more like really light chainmail. I'd suggest an armoured bodyglove or flexsteel would be more stylish and harder to spot, but it should still work the way you want it to. Remember that in most cases, you can only ever take the highest armour value you have on you, they don't stack.

4a) Nope, replaces Motivations only. If you look at the Expanded Origin Path table, it mentions that part. Quality FFG editing.

4b) Expanded rules do grant you a 50XP discount on the cost of an Expanded Origin if you've already got one of the skills or talents, but as for the rest of it, that's entirely up to your GM. Personally I'd just say pick one or the other and describe the other narratively.

4c) Nothing per RAW. 100xp per point is reasonably common, though I've also taken away a point or two for doing something particularly noble or charitable before. Saintly stuff.

5a) Depends on the Warrant. In some cases it's 'Whomsoever holds this warrant, be he worthy, shall hold the power of the Dynasty' in others it's a byzantine layer of inheritances and shares. That's a pretty good starting point, as it encourages you to go out and complete some endeavours before you've got the full power of the Dynasty behind you.Generally in this sort of situation you'd have something similar to an Inquisitor's Rosette. It marks you as working on behalf of the real Rogue Trader, with according priviledges and requirements, but if you got too toey about it an authority figure could kick you down a peg.

5b) Age is a bit of a finicky creature in 40k. Since most rich people can afford juvenat and leonisation treatments, they may be physically 20 but already well over 40. Provided you're comfortable with most other people you'd be rubbing shoulders with in polite society would generally have at least 50 years on you, I don't see why you couldn't have most of the characters in their 20s. Keep in mind that Rogue Trader PCs are the bright and shining ones. They're the talented stars of the show, so it's quite possible for them to be skilled beyond their years and rank.

6a) Jeeeeesus. I'd veto it instantly, but that's just me. At the very least you're going to have the Mechanicus and the Inquisition nosing around about the components, but anyone that hears about a ship like that would be trying to take it as a prize, that's for sure.

2a) Psy Rating 2. Perilous Choice gives PR1, Wyrdling gives PR2. You get a few powers, so there's that at least. It's also hilariously likely to get the character killed or sent off to a black ship the moment he comes within assensing range of another psyker. Also, extra XP for the origin path is a pretty bad idea, you can make some crazy **** even with that 500.

Psyniscience doesn't detect psykers - only demons and active psy powers. Navigators can find him, but that's highly unlikely.

2.c) Add on to the above: How obvious is a Force Sword? Does it activate automatically at the touch of a Psyker? Can a force sword be disguised as a power sword?

Majority of the people in the imperium know very little about technology or psychic powers. Since force weapons are all Near Unique, I'd say that only Adeptus Mechanicus have a chance to recognise it as not-a-power-sword, with a good enough roll. Unless, of course, they have some time to study it.

2a) Psy Rating 2. Perilous Choice gives PR1, Wyrdling gives PR2. You get a few powers, so there's that at least. It's also hilariously likely to get the character killed or sent off to a black ship the moment he comes within assensing range of another psyker. Also, extra XP for the origin path is a pretty bad idea, you can make some crazy **** even with that 500.

Psyniscience doesn't detect psykers - only demons and active psy powers. Navigators can find him, but that's highly unlikely.

Sorry that is what I meant to say with regards to if you're using powers. There is no default way to just detect someone is a Psyker. Except with Mind Scan, or a Psyocculum, or introducing them to your friend the Untouchable and watch them throw up.

Note that you could fake a Rite of Sanctioning and just tell people you're travelling with a Sanctioned Pskyer. That would alleviate some problems, but mean that if you're found out there's basically no defense you can take.

2.c) Add on to the above: How obvious is a Force Sword? Does it activate automatically at the touch of a Psyker? Can a force sword be disguised as a power sword?

Majority of the people in the imperium know very little about technology or psychic powers. Since force weapons are all Near Unique, I'd say that only Adeptus Mechanicus have a chance to recognise it as not-a-power-sword, with a good enough roll. Unless, of course, they have some time to study it.

I'd throw the Inquisition and the Adeptus Telepathica in there since they're big users of Force Weapons. And other Rogue Traders of course.

Erathia, Errant & Longes, thank you for the swift replies. Really appreciate them.

1.b) Don't really want to rip out the eyes for cybernetic replacements (Sort of defeats the point of having them) but it seems like a Rogue Trader with such eyes can pass muster. @Errant: Would the Inquisition really shoot a mutant blank? I thought blanks were rare & useful enough that they would keep them around even if they were a mutant although in what state they would keep the blank is something else. (Gone off the blank idea as character concept though.)

2.b) Hmm, is just being a Rogue Psyker really that noticeable even when not using their powers on pure whimsy? How does any group make a Rogue Psyker character work in that case?

Also thank you Longes, We thought that was how Psyniscience works. I am more worried about other abilities though, such as the divination discipline's "Aura Reading" or the Navigator's "Gaze into the Abyss" power? Gaze into the Abyss is an opposed roll at least but the Aura reading is not even that and I am assuming there are other techniques similar to this.

2.c) @Erathia: Sorry if I was unclear about this bit. My friend was wondering if his character could lie to others saying he is using a Power Sword when he is actually using a Force sword? and if there was any way he could make it look like it was a Power Sword but if Longes is correct then only the Adeptus Mechanicus would have a clue and even that upon examining it?

4.a) Drat...

4.b) Will keep the Fear background it's better with my PC story.

5.a) Thanks guys. ST really likes the Rosette marking an official "representative of the Dynasty". Our Ship and Warrant is set to be from the "Age of Rebirth" signed by the Emperor type of deal so it having far ranging powers is very feasible.

Currant Background Story: Ancient Rogue Trader Dynasty who is now struggling, allies gone or betrayed them, the sector & planets they operated in consumed by war etc. Head of Dynasty has decided to take their operations into the Koronus Expanse. (They have no presence in the K.Expanse before this). The Head of the Dynasty is busy wrapping things up in their (old) operations and has sent her (potential) heirs into the K.Expanse as a test for them and to pave the way for the rest of the Dynasty to come through. Upside we are being given a great ship from the Dynasty but since we have no real influence in the K.Expanse we have very little Profit Factor.

Whichever (potential) heir gets the most profit by the time the remainder of the Fleet comes to K.Expanse gets to be confirmed as heir.

6.a) Is it really that good? In all honesty that ship came about from two factors, having a 70 SP and 20 PF to reflect the above background and the guy who was mostly interested in designing the ship pointing to a description from a fanfic he read and the rest of us saying it sounds cool so go for it:

Here's the description ( & link to FF ) if any of you are curious:

There was some updating of it to reflect the Dynasty being from the "Age of Rebirth", the Dynasty smuggling Xenotech and to simply spend most of the SP (He ran out of Space faster then SP hence Good and Best Components).

Looking at the rules though I am wondering how got two Archeotech components AND a Xenotech component will bring that up with him but is it really OverPowered for 70 SP?

The Ordo Hereticus deals with mutants, and most of them wouldn't care what your mutation is they'd just put you to the fire. The Ordo Malleus loves keeping Blanks around because they are incredibly useful for fighting Daemons, however they'd want to take your blank from you and keep it for themselves.

Also you're not meant to make Rogue Psykers "work". They're incredibly dangerous, and a trap for a munchkins. I think masking the field with a Null Rod would make sense, although it would cause extreme disccomfort to the Psyker.

2.c) @Erathia: Sorry if I was unclear about this bit. My friend was wondering if his character could lie to others saying he is using a Power Sword when he is actually using a Force sword? and if there was any way he could make it look like it was a Power Sword but if Longes is correct then only the Adeptus Mechanicus would have a clue and even that upon examining it?

A Power Sword is a sword that's wrapped in a really obvious energy field that disintegrates material objects on contact (most of the time). A Force sword is a delicately crafted weapon with intricate, inlaid circuitry that doesn't glow. You could try to fake it, but you'd probably be better off just trying to pass it off as an ornamental mono sword.

The Xenotech/Archeotech violates the ship creation rules, but it's not that the ship is overpowered, it's that it's pretty well been optimized by this point and there's not much room to grow with it. My case remains that I like a ship to grow with a group. Also mixing Xenotech and Archeotech is a great way to make the AdMech hate you. If you're going to smuggle Xenotech, the last one you want to "smuggle" is a Weapons component, as it's the most obvious thing on the ship.

A Power Sword is a sword that's wrapped in a really obvious energy field that disintegrates material objects on contact (most of the time). A Force sword is a delicately crafted weapon with intricate, inlaid circuitry that doesn't glow. You could try to fake it, but you'd probably be better off just trying to pass it off as an ornamental mono sword.

The majority of the Imperium would not be able to tell the difference between a power sword and a force sword. The majority of the Imperium is ILLITERATE, much less has a knowledge to identify Near Unique archeotechnology.

Do you have any proof that Inquisition, Adeptus Astra Telepathica and Rogue Traders are big users of weapons that are more rare than power armor? Because Force Swords are pretty rare, and lying about it being a good/best power sword should work most of the time. All of the time on people without Forbidden Lore (Archeotech).

The majority of the Imperium would not be able to tell the difference between a power sword and a force sword. The majority of the Imperium is ILLITERATE, much less has a knowledge to identify Near Unique archeotechnology.

Do you have any proof that Inquisition, Adeptus Astra Telepathica and Rogue Traders are big users of weapons that are more rare than power armor? Because Force Swords are pretty rare, and lying about it being a good/best power sword should work most of the time. All of the time on people without Forbidden Lore (Archeotech).

Except this isn't the setting where you're interacting with those people. You're hobnobbing with Rogue Traders, sector nobility, criminal enterprises and probably more than a few organisations that the Imperium would love to see executed. On a Rogue Trader crew, both Seneschals and Explorators start with F. Lore Archeotech, and so far most people seem to pick up F. Lore's in an origin path as soon as possible.

In Ascension (which is what you should use to represent Inquisitors), they start their Inquisitorial career with access to Forbidden Lore Mastery, and in Dark Heresy the nerd Adept and Sanctioned Psyker can also both get access to it. There's an entire alternate rank in that system about combat Psykers who train exclusively with Force Swords and become unstoppable killing machines on the battlefield until they flub a focus power test and kill themselves with it. Also in Dark Heresy a Force Weapon is not Near Unique, but only Very Rare because they are more readily given to agents of the Inquisition since so many of them are or turn out to be Psykers.

Also not knowing what a Force Sword is doesn't preclude them from knowing what a Power Sword is.

I'm gonna split up my answers and do each question seperatly, ok?

Question 1, mutants:

Some of the crew (mostly press ganged lower class civilians anyway) could be mutants, working all the dirty back breaking jobs onboard the ship. But those arent normaly gonna be able to interact with the RT and his brdige crew. - unless there was a motiny and he saved the RT from being killed and he decide to keep you as his bodyguard or something.

The RT, astropath or (especially) teh navigator could secretly be a mutant. He would have to keep said mutation hidden and secret at all times, or he could find himself in all sorts of trouble from black to just getting shot on principle of being a mutant.

The mutant could be an explorer who has traveled the Koronus expanse but became mutated after he came into contact with some weird xeno tech. The RT tolerates him beacuse he knows lots of hidden information on the expanse.

The RT, astropath or (especially) teh navigator could secretly be a mutant. He would have to keep said mutation hidden and secret at all times, or he could find himself in all sorts of trouble from black to just getting shot on principle of being a mutant.

You don't make any sense here. Navigators are all mutants, and proud of it. Go ahead, try to acuse one of being a mutant. Let's see where your soul ends up.

Question 2 psykers:

Ho boy, an unbound usnactioned psyker onbaord a ship traveling trough the warp is baaad. Because daemons like to possess people, and psykers not only stand out to said daemons, they are alsom more likely to be possed since to use their power they tap into teh warp. If the crew found out there'd be panic, Now i'm wondering if the astropath would be able to sense the psyker.

The way i would handle it as a rogue trader would be to forge some papers so said psyker can pass off as sanctioned psyker.

It stops people from complaining but teh danger of possession remains.

The RT, astropath or (especially) teh navigator could secretly be a mutant. He would have to keep said mutation hidden and secret at all times, or he could find himself in all sorts of trouble from black to just getting shot on principle of being a mutant.

You don't make any sense here. Navigators are all mutants, and proud of it. Go ahead, try to acuse one of being a mutant. Let's see where your soul ends up.

Yes their mutation being a third eye, and maybe some minor things like webbed hands. once the tentacles and mouths start forming, they will have the inquisition after them. I think there is even a bloodline of astropaths who have fallen from grace because they got a bit- altered...

The RT, astropath or (especially) teh navigator could secretly be a mutant. He would have to keep said mutation hidden and secret at all times, or he could find himself in all sorts of trouble from black to just getting shot on principle of being a mutant.

You don't make any sense here. Navigators are all mutants, and proud of it. Go ahead, try to acuse one of being a mutant. Let's see where your soul ends up.

Yes their mutation being a third eye, and maybe some minor things like webbed hands. once the tentacles and mouths start forming, they will have the inquisition after them. I think there is even a bloodline of astropaths who have fallen from grace because they got a bit- altered...

By RAW, Navigators will never roll on the Mutations table, only on their own special Navigator mutations table. If a Navigator were to start gaining other mutations ( especially a Psy Rating) then their bloodline is probably impure at which point the Ordo Hereticus would take over. There have been Navigator houses purged because their already unstable bloodline becomes too far lost. They're already pretty unique and special though, I don't see the need to make them worse.

The RT, astropath or (especially) teh navigator could secretly be a mutant. He would have to keep said mutation hidden and secret at all times, or he could find himself in all sorts of trouble from black to just getting shot on principle of being a mutant.

You don't make any sense here. Navigators are all mutants, and proud of it. Go ahead, try to acuse one of being a mutant. Let's see where your soul ends up.

Yes their mutation being a third eye, and maybe some minor things like webbed hands. once the tentacles and mouths start forming, they will have the inquisition after them. I think there is even a bloodline of astropaths who have fallen from grace because they got a bit- altered...

By RAW, Navigators will never roll on the Mutations table, only on their own special Navigator mutations table. If a Navigator were to start gaining other mutations ( especially a Psy Rating) then their bloodline is probably impure at which point the Ordo Hereticus would take over. There have been Navigator houses purged because their already unstable bloodline becomes too far lost. They're already pretty unique and special though, I don't see the need to make them worse.

I didn'rt say we should make them worse, i sugested that navigator from an impure bloodline could make a good choice if a player realy wanted to play a mutant.

The RT, astropath or (especially) teh navigator could secretly be a mutant. He would have to keep said mutation hidden and secret at all times, or he could find himself in all sorts of trouble from black to just getting shot on principle of being a mutant.

You don't make any sense here. Navigators are all mutants, and proud of it. Go ahead, try to acuse one of being a mutant. Let's see where your soul ends up.

Yes their mutation being a third eye, and maybe some minor things like webbed hands. once the tentacles and mouths start forming, they will have the inquisition after them. I think there is even a bloodline of astropaths who have fallen from grace because they got a bit- altered...

By RAW, Navigators will never roll on the Mutations table, only on their own special Navigator mutations table. If a Navigator were to start gaining other mutations ( especially a Psy Rating) then their bloodline is probably impure at which point the Ordo Hereticus would take over. There have been Navigator houses purged because their already unstable bloodline becomes too far lost. They're already pretty unique and special though, I don't see the need to make them worse.

I don't think Navigators can actualy ever get a Psy Rating, since they are already psykers. I'd rule that anything that gives a Navigator a Psy Rating bonus either does nothing, or gives a new level in a power of his choice.

Thanks everyone for the answers and I apologise for not quoting but quite frankly I am having trouble figuring out how to refer to split a quote into pieces on this forum.

Regarding Psykers:

Bit disappointed that the general advice is Rogue Psykers are unplayable (Not from a setting point of view, but more in the sense why include them in the book? Sort of way.)

@ Erathia: Sorry for the noob question but where and in which book can I find a reference to a null rod ? I am assumming it's something like an object that projects a field like a blank.

@ Robin Greaves: Rogue Psykers being favorite pray for possesion during warp travel, I don't recall reading that. is that only in the setting or is it mentioned in the rules?

Regarding Force Weapons:

Went back and read the bit in Into the Storm pg 126 about Force Weapons (By read I mean had it pointed out to me) :

"it is understandable that the finely made but otherwise ordinarylooking swords, axes, and melee weapons were simply put aside. It was not until visiting adept-psykers of the Ordo
Xenos realised the true measure of these weapons"

This seems to imply that Longes is right in general unless another Psyker actually touches one of these things or is the book wrong again?

Regarding Mutation:

@ Robin Greaves: Well the mutant is my character in this case and the Red Eyes were meant to be a bit obvious but at the same time just passable enough that a member of a Dynasty could get by in the expanse.

Psychic powers are really useful. You will get curbstomped by an actual Astropath or Navigator, but gaining access to Renegade Psyker Techniques gets you a wide range of powers, and Divination lets you wreck GM plots. They're very useful as enemies who you don't want to survive a couple of combats.

I had thought that Force Swords were a little more obvious, but in general books should trump everything. Their effect is pretty obvious though.

Red Eyes are just not enough of a mutation! How about eyes that change colour based on your mood, or your tears are also dyed red or something like that. Even the Ordo Hereticus would frown at the idea of red eyes alone are a sign of mutation.

If the extent of the 'mutation' is red eyes, that's not really a mutation, even by Imperial Standards. It's well within acceptable norms.

In the Warp, rogue psykers will be very attractive targets for any daemons that can reach them. Don't use powers while in Warp transit. However, as long as the Gellar fields hold, you should be fine - if they fail, have someone ready to blow the rogue psyker's brains out at a moment's notice, and absolutely no channeling power, ie, no powering the special die now stuff of force weapons. Unless, of course, your GM allows the borrowing of the Exorcised elite advance from Dark Heresy's Radical's Handbook - once you've been exorcised, you cannot be possessed again, and you can't engage in Dark Pacts either..

Bit disappointed that the general advice is Rogue Psykers are unplayable (Not from a setting point of view, but more in the sense why include them in the book? Sort of way.)

Same reason the rulebook includes the abominably terrible Augmenticist career, really. It provides the capacity to play a unique character that would not otherwise fit neatly into one of the other careers or alternate ranks. The fact that your character would wind up getting Black Shipped or possessed at the drop of a hat could be considered additional flavour for the character's story.

Bit disappointed that the general advice is Rogue Psykers are unplayable (Not from a setting point of view, but more in the sense why include them in the book? Sort of way.)

Same reason the rulebook includes the abominably terrible Augmenticist career, really. It provides the capacity to play a unique character that would not otherwise fit neatly into one of the other careers or alternate ranks. The fact that your character would wind up getting Black Shipped or possessed at the drop of a hat could be considered additional flavour for the character's story.

Except you won't. Nothing forces you to constantly Push powers. Nothing forces you to use powers openly and among the Inquisition. You get awakened at the middle of your real career, with enough power and functional knowledge of the universe to protect yourself. You are not Harry Psyker, a teenage sorcerer. You are Explorator Tim the Enchanter, or Senechal, or whatever. You are smart enough to avoid the Black Ships.

And while in the warp, you are usually protected by the gellar field, which is perfectly safe. In case of gellar field failure you are ******, psyker or no.

Translate 'drop of a hat' to 'a momentary lapse at the wrong moment after a lifetime of constant worry and anguish that your dreaded secret will be discovered', then?

Psychic powers are really useful. You will get curbstomped by an actual Astropath or Navigator, but gaining access to Renegade Psyker Techniques gets you a wide range of powers, and Divination lets you wreck GM plots. They're very useful as enemies who you don't want to survive a couple of combats.

I had thought that Force Swords were a little more obvious, but in general books should trump everything. Their effect is pretty obvious though.

Red Eyes are just not enough of a mutation! How about eyes that change colour based on your mood, or your tears are also dyed red or something like that. Even the Ordo Hereticus would frown at the idea of red eyes alone are a sign of mutation.

Well the Red Eyes also reflect the "Dark Sight" mutation and possibly the Heightened Senses (Sight) talent depending on how ST rules. Red Eyes is just the sign of it. Although I did get an interesting idea from your post:

Making the eyes glow depending on emotion/passion (still red though). Makes it a bit more Cyclops from the X-men especially as it encourages emotional re

Regarding Force Swords: I do have a question. When they are activated is there a visible effect? (Glowing field and such). Also do they count towards Psyniscience detection?

This is what we were hoping for actually.

The guy who wants to play the Rogue Psyker is fairy ok with the consequences of being discovered especially if he does something stupid (although he might take steps if it was just one or two random people who have not been able to pass on the news) but none of us want him to be discovered just walking down the street or a genuine by chance meeting with an Inquistor at the governor's party.

Psychic powers are really useful. You will get curbstomped by an actual Astropath or Navigator, but gaining access to Renegade Psyker Techniques gets you a wide range of powers, and Divination lets you wreck GM plots. They're very useful as enemies who you don't want to survive a couple of combats.

I had thought that Force Swords were a little more obvious, but in general books should trump everything. Their effect is pretty obvious though.

Red Eyes are just not enough of a mutation! How about eyes that change colour based on your mood, or your tears are also dyed red or something like that. Even the Ordo Hereticus would frown at the idea of red eyes alone are a sign of mutation.

Well the Red Eyes also reflect the "Dark Sight" mutation and possibly the Heightened Senses (Sight) talent depending on how ST rules. Red Eyes is just the sign of it. Although I did get an interesting idea from your post:

Making the eyes glow depending on emotion/passion (still red though). Makes it a bit more Cyclops from the X-men especially as it encourages emotional re

Regarding Force Swords: I do have a question. When they are activated is there a visible effect? (Glowing field and such). Also do they count towards Psyniscience detection?

Edit:

Translate 'drop of a hat' to 'a momentary lapse at the wrong moment after a lifetime of constant worry and anguish that your dreaded secret will be discovered', then?

This is what we were hoping for actually.

The guy who wants to play the Rogue Psyker is fairy ok with the consequences of being discovered especially if he does something stupid (although he might take steps if it was just one or two random people who have not been able to pass on the news) but none of us want him to be discovered just walking down the street or a genuine by chance meeting with an Inquistor at the governor's party.

Force Sword has a visual effect, but whether it is like a Power Sword, or not like a Power Sword is up to GM. Again, most people are unlikely to be able to identify your Force Sword as not being a really fancy Power Sword. It is not detectable by the Psyniscience, since it's not a psychic power, nor is it a psychoactive artifact.

Unless your rogue psyker uses psy powers left and right, he's not going to be discovered. I suggest picking subtle powers (Telepathy and/or Divination), and using them Fettered when among non-allied nobility.

I can't be assed to check if anyone has answered this already, but by the core book, getting the same talent twice in the origin path grants you the Talented (Any skill) talent, which is quite handy to have for Dodge and such.

As for being detected as a psyker, any other psyker with the Divination discipline can tell you're a psyker with a simple psyniscience check, using the Aura Reading technique. You're boned.