Hi, I am looking for the right place to discuss how to develop a character with skills and talents based on it's background.

Each time I read through the talents and skills, there are so many paths I want to take I would like to discuss it.
It only seems off to do in in general discussion.

No I'm not here to find the ultimate build but I would like to have some combinations which work rather well "in game" and are also nice and fluffy.

So if there is no better place, I would try to set up a discussion here.

My current character is a Shrine world Hierophant whose background is:

On his Shrine world Priests are formed to eradicate Heresy, both actively and preventively by keeping up the morale of Hivers, IG-men etc.
My Hierophant (Zariel) got detached to the IG-corps which was fighting Orks before he got summoned by the Inquisition.

So far I have 6000 xp and picked a lot of skills and some talents with this IG background story in mind and his tendencies. I chose WS for my free aptitude because I want him to be a CC specialist.

Now I'm afraid I have a lot skills but I still am rather inefficient with them. Personally I don't mind because it is rather fluffy: he can fight, command and knows a little about different things. My plan was to start upgrading his inquiry and more XP efficient skills, as soon as he has more experience as an Acolyte.
The only issue I see with this is that Zariel will only be useful in combat for a while as most other skills will only have a success rate of 33% on 'Challenging' skill tests.

So what is your take on character creation? Power gaming by ultra-specialising your character, so you are sure that you will shine in your role? Or keep it more real and come up with a rather jack-off-all trades with limited use in his use.

Come up with an idea for your characters personality. Ask yourself what kind of training he would like. Go with that. Be willing to let the kind of training he'd like change over time due to the situations he has been in. If he's been doing badly in social situations, but doing well in combat, he might want more social training than he did previously.

At the very least, try to justify why your character would want whatever training you're spending XP on. If you can't justify it in-character, pick something else.

Ok, it's sounds like I'm on the right track, as this is what I was doing to so far

BTW his divinations is "Violence solves everything" ;p

So I was having a hard time picking things like deceive, but I'm prepared that he will acknowledge the advantage of these ways over time as he starts to understand that whole the Inquisition is a group of deceiving power-hungry wacko's

With 6k exp, you should have had ample time to settle into a role in your (sigh) warband. Emphasize whatever roles you have been traditionally taking on, be it smashing face, talking pretty, or knowing the knowin's.

It's easy to spread your character's abilities too thinly, if you don't have a good idea of what your role should be within the warband.

Well actually I'm only in this group of acolytes for one session. I joined later and the input I got was:we lack a CC character.

So yes I have not yet a real clue about my roles.

My aim is to be a fanatic commander with a mission to eradicate Heresy, so I am happy to work for Ordo Hereticus.

Another point is that our GM made the Lore skills 50% off.

So I will see if I spread by skills to thin.

Btw I am wondering what Scholastic Lore heraldry is exactly about. About legends and Saints?

Note that 30-40% chances of passing tests aren't impossible. Firstly, you can spend a fate point to add +10% to your chances of passing and another for a reroll, so if it's that crucial 75% isn't impossible. Secondly, a lot of classes have 'autopass' abilities within their sphere of expertise (like your hierophant's Sway The Masses).

Secondly, someone assisting can add +10%. Thirdly, not every test is challenging (+0), and finally, sometimes you will fail. Sorry.

Just that; heralrdry; the iconography and colour schemes used on battleflags, armour, coats of arms, etc.

This has two practical effects in games:

• A wide knowledge of heraldry means you are likely to recognise heraldic emblems. Common Lore (Rogue Traders) or Common Lore (Imperial Guard) or Forbidden Lore (Adeptus Astartes) would let you identify the badge of an entity within said group (The pillared gate of the Cadian Shock Troops, for example) and know something about them. Scholastic Lore (Heraldry) would certainly let you recognise the Heraldry of the Ultramarines, even if you don't know anything about them beyond "this item is something to do with the Ultramarines".
• Heraldry usually isn't pulled out of a hat. Coats of arms tend to have details you can identify (if you know what you're looking for) which can give you information on the history, lineage, alliances or philosophical leanings of the person or organisation to whom the heraldry belongs.

Take, for example, a document found sealed with an inverted shield-shaped shield, with a high gothic character 'U' transfixed by a downwards-pointing dagger.

If you have FL(astartes) you can probably guess - with a hard-ish test - exactly who or what sent said document (a Tyrannic War Veteran).

SL (heraldry) won't - but you'd recognise the shape as being a stylised version of an astartes shoulder pauldron. Hence, it's a chapter or individual astartes' heraldry. That leads towards the 'U' actually being the Ultramar heraldry. It's not a straight copy of the Ultramarines chapter symbol, but it's not massively different - it's probably not a successor chapter, but the heraldry of a chapter hero.

As above said, you can spend a fate point to add +10 to your tests. And I believe as a Shrine Worlder, when you would add +10 from a Fate Point expenditure, you actually add +20? Could be wrong on that however.

That is correct +20 for faith trait and 10% chance to not effectively spend the faith point.

I just don't want to throw around with those because of the mortal nature of the grim dark future. I didn't know you can spend 2 FP on one roll now in DH 2. Noted.

So I guess this is the right place to discuss talent picks.

I would like to discuss my combat build as this is the most technical.

I am wielding power sword and hand flamer. I know chainsword is so much cooler but I couldn't let the free Very Rare weapon go and I can see IG handing then out to company command squad.

The upgrades I took so far :

¬ WS 2x to 46

¬ Parry trained

¬ Counter Attack

¬ Inescapable Attack (I boosted my Per for this)

¬ Weapon Training (Power of course)

Now I was wondering what the best way would be to boost my combat further.

Whirlwind Attack or rather Swift Attack or Crushing Blow?

Looking through the list I rather like Blademaster. RR for the win!

If you want melee, get the two-weapon wielding feats, and Assassin Strike, so you can attack, step back, and then set them on fire! This also negates the need for "Crowd control" talents, like Whirlwind attack.

Step Aside.is lso excellent if you can afford it, along with Combat master.

If you want melee, get the two-weapon wielding feats, and Assassin Strike, so you can attack, step back, and then set them on fire! This also negates the need for "Crowd control" talents, like Whirlwind attack.

Step Aside.is lso excellent if you can afford it, along with Combat master.

I don't know, personally i like whirlwind attack with a warhammer, smack everyone in the face with a concussive weapon and you don't have to worry too much about dodging and parrying, it also works with a power/shock maul. Considering heirophants don't get the defense aptitude, im generally more keen on abusing concussive, either via a warhammer/powermaul or the feat that lets you gain concussive on all out attacks, combined with the ability that lets you all out attack twice, and maybe even blademaster to make sure that first strike hits. Combat master looks important if you are going to make use of whirlwind attack. Otherwise getting ganged up on will probably kill you.

Then again, if your group just needs crowd control and not a melee beatstick, buy stun grenades. Seriously. Those buggers are nasty. If stun grenades don't work, you might need blind or web grenades.

Thanks for the feedback.

Sadly my character lacks Agility, currently it's at 20. So I don't want to aim for the Agility build.

I was wondering if a hand flamer can work in melee? That would be cool to develop dual wield skills.

My original thought Is not to go the path of dual wield as in having sword and dagger or buckler.

I was hoping to have a aggressive build with one dedicated melee weapon and a pistol in the other hand.

If you want melee, get the two-weapon wielding feats, and Assassin Strike, so you can attack, step back, and then set them on fire! This also negates the need for "Crowd control" talents, like Whirlwind attack.

Step Aside.is lso excellent if you can afford it, along with Combat master.

I don't know, personally i like whirlwind attack with a warhammer, smack everyone in the face with a concussive weapon and you don't have to worry too much about dodging and parrying, it also works with a power/shock maul. Considering heirophants don't get the defense aptitude, im generally more keen on abusing concussive, either via a warhammer/powermaul or the feat that lets you gain concussive on all out attacks, combined with the ability that lets you all out attack twice, and maybe even blademaster to make sure that first strike hits. Combat master looks important if you are going to make use of whirlwind attack. Otherwise getting ganged up on will probably kill you.

Then again, if your group just needs crowd control and not a melee beatstick, buy stun grenades. Seriously. Those buggers are nasty. If stun grenades don't work, you might need blind or web grenades.

if you like abusing concussive, check out Hammer Blow! The FAQ explicitly states that it stacks with the Concussive property, giving your warhammer Concussive (3)! And more pen. And also don't forget Devastating Attack!

Thanks for the feedback.

Sadly my character lacks Agility, currently it's at 20. So I don't want to aim for the Agility build.

I was wondering if a hand flamer can work in melee? That would be cool to develop dual wield skills.

My original thought Is not to go the path of dual wield as in having sword and dagger or buckler.

I was hoping to have a aggressive build with one dedicated melee weapon and a pistol in the other hand.

Sorry for the double post, but yes, the hand flamer does work in melee. I recommend a shield, sword, and dual wrist mounted hand flamers for maximum style and burnin'.