Are there any rules for these in any of the books? Sorry if this question already have been posted.

/Viktor

Pygme90 said:

Not in any of the books, no. I've come up with a few, however, posted below. They're not just generic profiles, but unique NPCs appropriate to drop into Dark Heresy games as particularly deadly adversaries.

The Crimson Pilgrim

The Crimson Pilgrim is considered a myth by many in the Inquisition, a non-existent scapegoat upon which countless atrocities have been blamed in every corner of the Imperium. Nothing could be further from the truth, and those few Inquisitors who do believe in the being’s existence continue to seek this legendary servant of the Dark Gods.

His modus-operandi is simple enough—he wanders across the Imperium (by unknown means—when tracked down he seems simply to vanish without a trace, and no starships precede or follow his rumoured appearances), spreading a perverse faith which idolises the Ruinous Powers and their Daemons, and mercilessly butchering those who will not convert. These slaughters are generally attributed to the frenzied, destructive cults he gathers and unleashes; while their true perpetrator moves on to continue in his profane mission.

In truth, the Crimson Pilgrim is Anoth Tirigan, formerly Sergeant of Squad Ubara in the 11th Company of the Word Bearers Legion. When the betrayal came, Tirigan was at the forefront of the Istvaan Dropsite Massacre, and though his entire squad was destroyed, Tirigan emerged unscathed from the conflict, claiming divine provenance for his miraculous survival. Refusing a replacement squad, stating that “the Gods have a plan for me, and me alone, and will tolerate no others sharing in it”, he continued to fight at the front lines of the most vicious battles until the end of the war. Rather than remain with one of the hosts, he struck out on his own shortly thereafter, carried through the Warp by some unknown patron and deposited on world after world, spreading the Dark Creed to countless worlds.

Within the Calixis Sector, the Crimson Pilgrim’s activities have brought him into contact with the Pilgrims of Hayte, who share his goal of the ruination of the Imperium, and he has aided them as an impromptu False Prophet at times. However, their view that even Chaos is merely a tool to be used does not sit well with Tirigan’s devotion, and for the most part, he continues his holy work alone. To date, two separate atrocities within the Calixis Sector have been attributed to him in the last century, though whether or not he is responsible for them is another matter entirely—the legend of the Crimson Pilgrim has spread to many worlds, many of which Tirigan has never set foot upon.

WS BS S T Ag Int Per WP Fel
53 51 66 (10) 49 (8) 42 (4) 37 (3) 44 (4) 53 (5) 43 (4)

Movement: 5/10/15/30; Wounds: 24

Skills: Awareness (Per), Charm (Fel) +10, Climb (S), Command (Fel) +20, Common Lore (Imperium) (Int), Forbidden Lore (Daemonology) (Int) +10, Forbidden Lore (Warp) (Int), Interrogation (WP) +10, Intimidate (S) +10, Invocation (WP), Medicae (Int), Psyniscience (Per), Scholastic Lore (Legend) (Int) +20, Scholastic Lore (The Astartes) (Int) +20, Scrutiny (Per), Speak Language (Low Gothic) (Int), Speak Language (High Gothic) (Int), Speak Language (Daemonic) (Int), Survival (Int)

Talents: Air of Authority, Ambidextrous, Basic Weapon Training (Bolt), Combat Master, Die Hard, Disarm, Favoured by the Warp, Furious Assault, Hatred (Servants of the Imperium), Hatred (Xenos), Lightning Attack, Litany of Hate, Melee Weapon Training (Chain), Mighty Shot, Pistol Training (Bolt), Sorcerer, Swift Attack, Takedown, Touched by the Fates (3 Fate Points), True Grit, Two-Weapon Wielder (Melee, Ballistic)

Traits: From Beyond, Unnatural Strength (x2), Unnatural Toughness (x2)

Sorcery: Effective Psy Rating 2.
Minor Arcana: Fearful Aura (9), Inflict Pain (10), Space Slip (13), Weaken Veil (11), Whispers of the Warp (11).
Major Arcana: Agony (15), Bio-Lightning (16), Force Bolt (15), Malefic Curse (Hex) (16), Telepathy (13).

Armour: Chaos Power Armour (Head 10, Arms 11, Body 12, Legs 11). Note the armour provides +20 to Tirigan’s Strength (+2 SB, included) and increases his size to Hulking.

Weapons: Accursed Bolter (110m; S/3/-; 2d10+2 X; Pen 5; Clip 30; Rld Full; Tearing, every Critical caused also inflicts 1 Corruption Point), Berhyg’te (Daemonic Chainsword; WP 36; 1d10+15 E; Pen 5; Tearing, Dark Fire (Damage type becomes E, enemies struck catch light), Hungering (+5 to Critical Damage))

Equipment: 4 Bolter Magazines, assorted trophies and fetishes (count as a psy-focus)

Threat Rating: Malleus Extremis

Ahmar, The Avatar of Hate

The Avatar of Hate has cut a bloody swathe across a string of worlds in his long existence. No world he has set foot upon has been spared the intensity of his wrath, and even where he has been defeated, his body broken and burnt from brutal retaliation, he has returned anew elsewhere to continue his epic slaughter.

During the Great Crusade, Captain Ahmar was the leader of the 16th Assault Company of the World Eaters, a bold and relentless warrior striving to exemplify the ruthless and vicious example of his Primarch. When the time came to purge the Legion of those still loyal to the Emperor, Ahmar lost many Astartes—fully half of his company was formed of loyalists and Terrans, and the bonds of brotherhood are not easily broken.

Ahmar was furious—he had honed his company into a deadly weapon, and to see it split asunder by what he saw as foolish ideology spurred his anger further. By the time of the Siege of Terra, it had grown, in part through the encouragement of his fellow captains and his Primarch’s example, into seething resentment for the Emperor.

Ahmar was slain during the Siege of Terra, obliterated by the defensive artillery fire coming from the Emperor’s Palace. That, however, was not the end of his story. Hateful until the last, Ahmar received a boon from Khorne, who had taken the World Eaters as his own, and the Space Marine knew life once more. Three centuries had passed, and the resurrected Ahmar found himself on another world, far from Terra, chain-axe in his armoured fist as it had been at the moment of his death. He stood in a darkened chamber, the scent of blood strong in the stale air—a slaughterhouse. No place could be more fitting for the rebirth of a creature made and remade only to kill.

Ahmar slaughters in Khorne’s name until retribution finds him, but no longer does he fear death, for with every end he meets, he will be reborn elsewhere in blood and mayhem, so that he might continue to take skulls for his master, every time changed a little more so he might better kill his enemies. His methods have adapted over the millennia, and with each life he does his master’s work differently, sometimes slaying all in sight until he is stopped, other times lurking in the shadows, inspiring dread in his victims, or acting as the muscle for other servants of the Dark Gods, lending his strength and his blade to their devotions until he grows bored and butchers them all.

Ahmar’s hate knows no end, and so long as he hates, Khorne will give him life so he may rend flesh and bone and spill blood. Nothing else matters to the Avatar of Hate.

WS BS S T Ag Int Per WP Fel
64 38 71 (12) 48 (8) 42 (4) 28 (2) 48 (4) 63 (6) 23 (2)

Movement: 5/10/15/30; Wounds: 28

Skills: Awareness (Per), Climb (S), Intimidate (S) +20, Scholastic Lore (Legend) (Int) +10, Scholastic Lore (The Astartes) (Int) +10, Speak Language (Low Gothic) (Int), Survival (Int) +20

Talents: Ambidextrous, Basic Weapon Training (Bolt), Battle Rage, Combat Master, Crippling Strike, Crushing Blow, Die Hard, Disarm, Frenzy, Furious Assault, Hatred (Everyone and Everything), Lightning Attack, Melee Weapon Training (Chain), Mental Fortress, Pistol Training (Bolt), Precise Blow, Strong Minded, Sure Strike, Swift Attack, Takedown, Touched by the Fates (3 Fate Points), True Grit, Two-Weapon Wielder (Melee, Ballistic), Wall of Steel

Traits: Brutal Charge, From Beyond, Unnatural Strength (x2), Unnatural Toughness (x2)

Armour: Corrupted Astartes Power Armour without Helm (Arms 9, Body 9, Legs 9). Note the armour provides +20 to Ahmar’s Strength (+2 SB, included) and increases his size to Hulking.

Weapons: Slaughterfang (Best Quality Chain Axe; 1d10+19 R; Pen 4; Tearing, +10 WS)

Equipment: None

Threat Rating: Malleus Extremis

Nebmakhet, The Haruspex Tenebrae

The Tyrant Star is not solely a matter of interest to the Inquisitors of the Tyrantine Cabal. Others, or darker nature or intent are curious as to the nature of this phenomenon as well. Little is known, by any party, of the true nature of the object known as Komus, and though the Eldar seem to have some inkling as to what it may mean or represent, they are reticent to enter the Calixis Sector, let alone speak of the thing that haunts it.

Nebmakhet’s early life remains unknown—he might once have been a petty sorcerer-scholar in Magnus the Red’s legion, or he may be something else entirely. Regardless, it is not a matter he dwells upon, nor is it a matter recorded in any form accessible to the Imperium. If he was once of the Thousand Sons—and this is likely, considering that he is often accompanied by the automata-soldiers who comprise the bulk of that legion’s warriors—then only he and the Traitor Legion’s leaders will know for certain.

In the Calixis Sector’s history, a vessel identified as the Thousand Sons’ frigate Catastrophic Scrutiny has been sighted eleven times. On most of those occasions, the vessel managed to elude Imperial forces attempting to engage it, but twice it has been seen to suffer crippling damage and be subsequently destroyed, only to reappear some centuries later, with not a mark upon it.

Nebmakhet is a scholar-prophet, as far as any can tell, with a deep interest in the Tyrant Star—indeed, every one of his known appearances (and likely many further appearances unknown to the Imperium) has been near a world that had recently, or would shortly after, be subjected to the horrific presence of Komus. Some within the Inquisition initially believed him to be a possible source of the star’s movements, but his actions seem more investigative than causative, as if the matter is a mystery and source of curiosity amongst the servants of the Ruinous Powers as well as the Imperium.

Irrespective of his origins or intent, the Tyrantine Cabal would dearly love to see Nebmakhet captured and extensively interrogated, in order to gather whatever knowledge he has gleaned in his millennia of study. However, the sorcerer is too elusive to be so easily trapped.

WS BS S T Ag Int Per WP Fel
48 51 58 (8) 34 (6) 47 (4) 43 (4) 43 (4) 55 (5) 39 (3)

Movement: 5/10/15/30; Wounds: 24

Skills: Awareness (Per), Climb (S), Command (Fel) +10, Common Lore (Imperium) (Int), Forbidden Lore (Daemonology) (Int) +20, Forbidden Lore (Warp) (Int) +20, Interrogation (WP) +10, Intimidate (S) +10, Invocation (WP) +10, Medicae (Int), Psyniscience (Per) +20, Scholastic Lore (Astromancy) (Int) +10, Scholastic Lore (Legend) (Int) +20, Scholastic Lore (Occult) (Int) +10, Scholastic Lore (The Astartes) (Int) +20, Scrutiny (Per) +10, Speak Language (Low Gothic) (Int), Speak Language (High Gothic) (Int) +10, Speak Language (Prosperan) (Int) +20, Speak Language (Daemonic) (Int) +10, Survival (Int)

Talents: Ambidextrous, Basic Weapon Training (Bolt), Combat Master, Die Hard, Disarm, Favoured by the Warp, Hatred (Space Wolves Space Marines), Hatred (Xenos), Lightning Attack, Melee Weapon Training (Chain, Primitive), Pistol Training (Bolt), Power Well, Psy Rating 4, Sorcerer, Swift Attack, Takedown, Touched by the Fates (3 Fate Points), Two-Weapon Wielder (Melee, Ballistic).

Traits: From Beyond, Unnatural Strength (x2), Unnatural Toughness (x2)

Psychic Powers: Effective Psy Rating 5, including Sorcery.
Minor Powers: Distort Vision (8), Fearful Aura (7), Inflict Pain (8), Lucky (6), Precognition (6), Resist Possession (6), Revelation of Truth (13), Torch (5), Unnatural Aim (8), Warp Howl (8), Weaken Veil (9), White Noise (8)
Discipline Powers: Dowsing (11), Fire Bolt (11), Preternatural Awareness (9), Psychometry (16), Sculpt Flame (13), Wall of Fire (17)

Armour: Corrupted Astartes Power Armour (Head 8, Arms 9, Body 9, Legs 8). Note the armour provides +20 to Nebmakhet’s Strength (+2 SB, included) and increases his size to Hulking.

Weapons: Tainted Bolt Pistol with Inferno Bolts (110m; S/3/-; 2d10 E; Pen 5; Clip 30; Rld Full; Tearing, Warp Weapon), Force Staff (1d10+13 I; Pen 7; Balanced, Force Weapon, Psy Focus)

Equipment: 4 Bolt Pistol Magazines (loaded with Tzeentchian Inferno Bolts)

Threat Rating: Malleus Extremis

As noted above, Nebmakhet is often accompanied by a handful of Thousand Sons Chaos Space Marines, near-mindless automaton-warriors made from the souls and armoured suits of the Battle Brothers of the Thousand Sons legion as a consequence of the Rubric of Ahriman. Lumbering and lacking in initiative, they require the guiding will of a Sorcerer to make them truly effective in battle, though each one is still a formidable combatant in its own right.

WS BS S T Ag Int Per WP Fel
45 45 54 (8) 36 (12) 27 (2) 18 (1) 27 (2) 54 (5) - (0)

Movement: 3/6/9/18; Wounds: 27
Skills: Awareness (Per), Psyniscience (Per), Speak Language (Prosperan, understand only) (Int)

Talents: Basic Weapon Training (Bolt)

Traits: Auto-stabilised, Daemonic (TB 12), Dark Sight, From Beyond, The Stuff of Nightmares, Unnatural Strength (x2), Unnatural Toughness (x2)

Armour: Corrupted Astartes Power Armour (Head 8, Arms 9, Body 9, Legs 8). Note the armour provides +20 to the warrior’s Strength (+2 SB, included) and increases its size to Hulking.

Weapons: Tainted Bolter with Inferno Bolts (110m; S/3/-; 2d10 E; Pen 5; Clip 30; Rld Full; Tearing, Warp Weapon), Armoured Fists (1d5+5 I; Primitive)
Equipment: 4 Bolter Magazines (loaded with Tzeentchian Inferno Bolts)

Threat Rating: Malleus Majoris

There are no official rules for Space Marines of any stripe save the stats for Brother-Sergeant Agamorr in Purge the Unclean. However there are fan made supplements with rules for Space Marines in them, though I don't recall if they're are Chaos Marine rules. You could probably tack on older equipment and some mutations and call it a day, if you were looking for a quick example.

Shoot, that's what I get for leaving this page unrefreshed for a while and posting then.

Thanks too both of you for the answers.

N0-1_H3r3: Have you used any of these in your games? And if you have, what lvls where your PCs?

/Viktor

Pygme90 said:

Haven't used any of these specifically, no, but they're about comparable to creatures like the Slaugth Overseer in Disciples of the Dark Gods (having run a Deathwatch-style game using custom-made Space Marine PCs against the Slaugth, I can reasonably claim that a Chaos Marine like those above is roughly equivalent to a particularly deadly example of the Slaugth species). My group made it to ranks 5 and 6 (and well-equipped) by the time my campaign reached a decent stopping point (we wanted to go back and conclude the WFRP campaign we'd interrupted to play Dark Heresy), and were just about capable of bringing down the Slaugth Overseer in House of Dust and Ash with only one casualty and two burnt Fate Points at that point. I'd judge a group of about that just about capable of defeating a Chaos Space Marine if they fought intelligently and had the right tools for the job... and assuming reasonable luck on their part as well.

I am thinking of using the Word Bearer in one of my missions.

What rank and gear should the PCs have to even have a small chance of defeating him?

There was an Alpha marine write up on dark reign

http://www.darkreign40k.com/malleus/brother-marine-caius-eidolon-of-the-alpha-legion.html

Pygme90 said:

First thing to look for is that their equipment must have a reasonable chance to hurt him through his armor and unnatural toughness. So access to heavy weapons with a lot of damage per hit, melta weapons, plasma weapons (if you use any of the reasonable houserules you can find on these pages), grenadelauncher etc is a good start for ranged combat. Powerweapons is the similar tool for close combat. Toxins help and dual shot/strike with decent enough weapons. Some pysker powers can have enough damage per hit as well. Any accurate weapon is useful. So once most of the PCs have access to these tools and the talents to use them effectively they are theoretically able to kill the marine.

After you are sure that they have some weapons that can hurt him, make sure that they are in a situation to use them. Making a well planned ambush, maybe even making use of Demolitions, will make it a lot easier. Most spacemarines are pretty harmless if attacked at 600m range out of cover by sniper rifles and lascannons. If on the other hand you want to make sure some of the characters get killed or at least hurt badly, have him barge into their dormitory while they are out of gear and unprepared. Also consider the characters possibilities of escape (and the players ability to realise the option...) in event of a fight going badly. Be warned that a combat against just one powerful enemy can sometimes be hard to calculate properly since a lot depends on the roll of a single die. You can make the hunt for him and the preparations of an ambush a pretty cool sidequest in itself. If they use several weeks to prepare for killing a single marine, they will keep proper amounts of respect for them and you can keep marines as something horribly powerful.

Mellon said:

Which is, of course, why the Astartes prefer to engage in combat at very close range - when being pounded by anti-tank weapons and artillery, the legendary strength and heavy armour of the Astartes is rendered more or less irrelevant. Which is, in turn, why they tend to make heavy use of APCs, air transports and Drop Pods so as to reduce the time spent at such long distances.

With The Crimson Pilgrim (the Word Bearer), he's very much intended as a sort of cult facilitator/cult leader type, a focal point of the devotion for those he converts to the worship of the Ruinous Powers. While he's unlikely to be accompanied by other Traitor Marines (indeed, his background is written that way), he shouldn't be encountered alone - ideally, a mob of expendable minions, human cultists for whom this immortal Champion of the Dark Gods cares nothing for the well-being of, and who are spurred on by his hatred for the False Emperor's lackeys (Litany of Hate; he could probably do with Iron Discipline and/or Into The Jaws of Hell as well if you want to really emphasise this). The cultists need not be a worthwhile threat in their own right - in fact, it's best if they're not - for their purpose is to serve as a distraction from the towering armoured giant in their midst, whose blade roars with a bestial fervour and whose gun spits shrieking death.

For facing him, as has already been noted, high-powered weapons are advisable - in melee, I'd face him with nothing less than a power sword, and at range you'll want plasma or melta weapons, high explosives, heavy weapons, etc. With regards to skill, I'd recommend nothing below rank 5 if the group is smart about how they fight (cooperation and resourcefulness are invaluable here), or rank 6 if they're less adept at working together.

Failing that, now that Rogue Trader is out, take off and nuke the place from orbit... it's the only way to be sure...

A small addition to the good points that N0-1_H3r3 made. I have a houserule that lets suitably fanatic cultists, welprogrammed servitors or mindwashed thralls use their dodge reactions to stand in the way of bullets aimed for their beloved leader or use parry reactions to stop melee attacks against him. Players are also allowed to do this, btw. This can help your big bad last a bit longer against well disciplined focus fire, and it makes a "tank"-PC a bit more useable for the party.