Hi guys. This is my first post here.

I'm starting my first campaign and I just have a quick question:

Are players allowed to buy equipment inbetween adventures, and can they buy anything as long as they can afford it?

Thanks.

Viktor

Welcome to the forums.

Yes, the players can pretty much.buy anything they can afford between and during adventures although they may have to go looking for it and in some cases this might not be possible.

For example, in a large technologically advanced hive it may be easy for them to pick up chainswords and plasma pistols. However, on a primitive planet where the most advanced weaponary is the musket purchasing such equipment would be nigh on, if not outright, impossible.

As GM you do get the final say on whether a particualr purchase is valid or not. You don't even have to stick to the prices listed in the book, a common item on a planet where such items are rare might cost slightly more than that (espcially if it is being obtained through dubious channels). I wouldn't go overboard with such restrictions though as it may cause your players to feel hard done by.

Out of curiosity, are you planning on running your own campaign or one of the pre-made ones?

Thank you.

This is my first real campaign, although I have played single adventures before, just did'nt follow them up. I decided to let my PCs start with 1000 xp (maybe a bad idea) because I wanted to play with higher level PCs and also I wanted to play the second adventure from the Purge the Unclean book. The one with the space hulk. I thought it went really well, but I think I want my players to have a little bit better gear for the next adventure (that im writing myself).

What the players can get should depend on where they are. If they are on a large hive world with plenty of trade, then finding rarer items will be easier than on a podunk colony on a barely habitable deathworld. There is a chart to consult in the DH core book that shows the difficulty of finding items of certain rarities in relation to the population of the place - use this as a guideline for how long it would take the player to find the item they want. Encourage them to roll any relevant skills to assist in their finding the item and/or talking down the price.

I decided to let my PCs start with 1000 xp (maybe a bad idea)

Nah, some groups start with 2000. The standard 400 suffice for pretty much nothing - many concepts just can't be built around them because you're lacking crucial skills or talents. 1000 are fine.

Yes, the players can pretty much.buy anything they can afford between and during adventures although they may have to go looking for it and in some cases this might not be possible.

To go on on that: There's also availability, that "common/uncommon/scarce/..." thingy in the tables. At the beginning of the equipment chapter, it's explained on how you roll on that, though I'd use it only if the PCs have no real idea on how to get things already. If they've already met with a weapons dealer in the story who offered them a chainsword and only now want to take him up on his offer, you certainly don't need to roll for that.

Also note that connections (from Inquisitor's Handbook) can really help with purchasing stuff.

Cifer said:

True, I started my group on 2500 xp, seemed to work fine

Thanks for all the answers guys! This is a really nice forum. =)

But can the characters buy all equipment between adventures, representing they travel to other planets in the time between two adventures?

How long is the time between two adventures by the way, or is that up to the GM?

Viktor

But can the characters buy all equipment between adventures, representing they travel to other planets in the time between two adventures?

How long is the time between two adventures by the way, or is that up to the GM?

It's completely up to you. However, space travel is handled a little differently from other Sci-Fi settings. In order to reach other solar systems, you have to travel through the rather nightmarish dimension called the Warp - which you definitely don't do if you don't have to. Doing that between sessions would be like saying "So, after the last session, your characters traveled through Mordor to get that sword, but nothing special happened and they're all safely back now". Warp travel is dangerous and special enough to merit its own adventures. I'll usually keep the PCs on one planet for quite a while in my campaign, with maybe three or four travels in total.

I don't have my book in front of me regarding the scarcity rules, but my GM uses inquiry rolls to find specific gear.

If you allow your players to have anything from any world, at any time, for base cost they will alway have the best gear and ammo available. This may also discourage your players from taking skills like Inquiry, tech-use, trade (technomat), trade (armorer), etc.

It may also limit some adventure ideas (see the post about the acolyte who lost both arms on his last mission)

Pygme90 said:

Thats the beauty of the setting for this game. Travel between different subsectors can be something inbetween games or it can be another whole adventure. Its up to you. I usually allow my players to buy stuff from whatever planet they are currently on, then ship them off to the next mission. if they are stuck in space on a ship, then sorry, no real chance to buy stuff unless they want to trade/barter with ratings on board.

In one story arc they had to wait for awhile before they could re-equip themselves. But they currently own their own cutter and hoard things aboard so they are fairly self-sufficient. We have been playing since the game came out and they are almost level 10. There are still 3 original characters left out of 6.

To strictly answer your question about when characters can purchase weapons/gear:

Its up to you.

If you don't want your players buying equipment between adventures. tell them, "Hey, you never got the opportunity."

And if you want the general rule to purchasing gear (at any time that you allow), on page 125 of the core book, "Characters searching for a particular item or service must make a successful Inquiry Test [basic Skill] modified by the Availablity of the item,.." and there is also the time table on page 126.

So, for instance, your guys have a few days in a space port (with a population of ~70,000) to hang out and maybe pick stuff up. One guy wants a hallucinogen that is rare or even vary rare in this port (maybe because of the high security or what not). The player rolls a successful Inquiry Test, and rolls for the time, in this case 1D10 days. but, he rolls a 9. and the acolytes' ship is going to leave in 6. So, it doesn't look like his contact will be able to hook him up in time. And, if you want to string things a long further, perhaps the contact can get it to him in 5 days if the player is willing to pay double.. who knows. have fun with it.

-Rory

Also keep in mind that the average ship in 40k is huge. I'm talking miles in length. So a PC might be able to find weapons, armor and equipment to buy while in transit. That said weapons with a lot of AP, and/area effect are fowned upon onboard ship. Standard weapons shipboard are shotguns, autoguns with dumdum rounds, and melee weapons.