Hi guys,

I have read a lot about the melee Templar build, but i have tried to build up a pistol oriented psyker and see how it goes.

I have currently around 4000 XP, a WP of 46 (will be soon improved) and by chance (good starting roll) and a little boost, got a BS of 42, quite high for the character.

I took for this build the two combat oriented psychic powers, Divine Shot and Precog Strike. I have also anything a Lieutnant savant can take to enhance this style of build : two weapon fighting, ambidextrous, crack shot, and pistol training in solid munition and bolt weapons.

My gear currently is :

2 Hercuter pistols (1/3/6, 1d10 + 3, pen 0)

1 Sacristine bolt pistol (1/2/-, 1d10 + 6, pen 4)

2 Carnodon pistols (1/3/-, 1d10 + 4, pen2), that i will be soon combine to create a twin weapon. You will understand soon why my GM has imposed on me drastic requirements (he considered such a craft blasphematory, and not to offend the machine spirit, i have to pass a tech lore normal test followed by a tech use test each time i want to use the weapon for 12 hours).

My strategy in fights come as follow :

I draw in one hand the Cardon twin pistol, and in the other the Sacristine bolt. These two weapons have the advantage of dealing a lot of damage imput in one single shot. Most of the time we are taken by surprise, so it allows me to both move (i have hip shooting talent) and deal a shitload of damage using divine shot with the left hand weapon (twin Carnodon), and a single shot with the Sacristan.

Indeed, twin weapons allows to fire two projectile instead of one at the same time. After some discussions with my GM, we concluded that divine shot would make both bullets hit their target, since they should be considered as part of the same "shot" (going in the same direction and triggered simultaneously).

So, you double the Carnodon stats, and can basically make, while on the move an undodgeable shot dealing 2d10 + 8 damage, with 5 penetration of you use the penetration bullets (they are quite affordable for their effect).

With the second hand, (i currently weild the Sacristain) it will be a normal shot (that can fail on the BS test and be dodged), but you still get another chance to increase the damage output.

And remind you, all that while moving, so that you can run, which is key for any combat survivability in this game.

When the magazine is off or when i ran into safety, i can eventually pick my two Hercuter pistols to take down the biggest foes.

I think the damage output i get with a full auto attack can be compared to the damage one would get with Force Barrage, with more or less efficiency depending on the target's armour. I have done a lot of maths as to compare which one was the more efficient.

On an average test, I will score a BS of 42 (current stat) + 20 (precog strike) + 20 (full auto burst) - 10 (two weapons). Then, you count on average 2 degrees of succes.

The damage, then, is 4d10 + 12, with a penetration of 3. I intend to get a fire selector so that i can use on the thoughest guys high density bullets (+2 pen, +1 dmg, and the tearing quality). Imagine a minion has a big armour, then the raw average damage could amount to 4d10 + 16 (+1dmgx4), + 8 (penetration damage not soaked up by armour), and the tearing quality. Thats a badass amount of damage for my level in my opinion. I don't count closer range situations where the output can be greater, scoring up to 12 hits on the same target.

It sounds like a weaponed version of force barrage that basically does a bit the same thing. If my WP was 50 (i would have spent in WP instead of BS), i would be scoring 5d10 + 25 damage, minus the failed willpower tests on each bolts. I let you do the maths, but for my level, the two weapon auto on precog strike is a bit more appealing.

In my opinion, i might switch later to force barrage when i will get more willpower stats, or as an alternative to keep on doing damage if my weapons jam or when i cannot keep my weapons with me. I think it might outdamage my current build in the long run but:

- It has a higher threshold(i am very careful with risk management)

- Precog strike will allow me to roll once and be able to shoot two rounds while benefitting it (cast it once and shoot full auto, and do a full auto attack again on your next turn while the buff is still functionning)

- You have more versatiliy, as you will constantly shift between Divine shot on the move or precog strike with full auto attack while always keeping a fair amount of damage

- You will always be a useful fighter even when you chose not to use psychic abilities because of the quality of your gear and your combat abilities

So far, it has been quite a funny build to play. I can't wait to use twin weapons with Divine Shot, and be able to dish out as much damage as the Guardsman of my team while on the move.

Keep in mind, though, that my GM has made things very challenging for me. I might use modified weaponery only to the expense of passing difficult tests, and he said that any foe with a decent intelligence and perception (divine shot with a twin weapon will produce a strange, uncanny detonation noise) will do their hardest to take me down first. He basically said that such a psyker build is an ennemy magnet :-)

I would love to have your opinion on this build, and your interpretation of the rules, as it has been part of a lot of discussions with our GM. When theres a doubt, we try to rely as much as we can on realism and commonsense.

Part of my build is also justified by trying to take a non "damage oriented" discipline like Pyromancy (divination helps tremendously for both combat and non combat skill), while being an efficient damage dealer in my team.