Radical's Handbook; Worth getting?

By Bad Birch, in Dark Heresy

Gregorius21778 said:

Jephkay, manyfold is the praise I bring thee

I thank thee for your patience in sharing the wisdom and spreading the word

and for filling the hearts of us with the desire to do what needs to be done

what we are intended for

!TO!BUY!THIS!BOOK! gui%C3%B1o.gif

It's cool... I enjoy it. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to ask!

Well, if you would like to and have time, wouldn´t you shortly describe rest of the new character creation/advance options? I´m also intrested what new/expanded radical factions are featured in Handbook (I´m especialy intrested in Oblationists). Also, are there any new antagonists in there (I know it´s supplement for players, but still). And some sneak peaks of new equipment would also be great.

TorogTarkdacil said:

Well, if you would like to and have time, wouldn´t you shortly describe rest of the new character creation/advance options? I´m also intrested what new/expanded radical factions are featured in Handbook (I´m especialy intrested in Oblationists). Also, are there any new antagonists in there (I know it´s supplement for players, but still). And some sneak peaks of new equipment would also be great.

Oblationists have given themselves over to the tools of the Enemy. Nothing is off limits to them. Daemonology, Xenos tech... all of it. They are dead inside, incapable of further sins against mankind, each a walking corpse, dedicated to the survival of other, purer humans. They **** themselves so that others don't have to take their path.

Interestingly enough, they don't take kindly to other Radicals. They alone bear the burden of such sins. "We'll create Daemonhosts, but we'll kill you if you do." is a fair enough assessment of their attitude.

New antagonists?

Any of the material can be used to create bad guys. It is, however, a player's reference...it's not long on stats. A GM would have to work to create bad guys, but it would be very rewarding and very in line with the Lore to do so. I've got months of material just swirling around in my head.

Equipment

Here's a teaser: 4 decerebrated psyker brains in a backpack. A store of neurostimulants, and something that looks like a the business end of a vaccuum cleaner. Point it at something, squeeze the handle and stand back.

More later!

Jephkay said:

N0-1_H3r3 said:

Jephkay said:

Untouchable (400XP)

As you know, they have no soul. This variant is much like that in Something Other Than Human , but a tad broader, encompassing True Faith, Sorcery and warp-based weapons (Daemon Weapons, Force Weapons). There is a side bar that reiterates the GM's role in dealing with things this exotic. The description does mention "savagely more powerful" specimens that will be covered in a future release. Sure is awfully Ascension in here right now....

It's likely a reprint of the version in Disciples of the Dark Gods; the one I originally included in Something Other Than Human (which I removed when DotDG came out) was extremely similar to the later, official, version.

It is, now that I o'er glance it again, identical to the DoDG text.

Actually, not quite identical. In DotDG Untouchables halved their Fel characteristic, then applied a further -10 to all tests when dealing with psykers. Untouchables in RH have a -10 to their Fel, and the trait Unsettling Presence which imposes an additional -10 to all interaction skill tests.

This makes untouchables slightly more playable than their previous incarnation in that on straight Fel checks they only have the -10 (well actually their stat is ten points lower, not a test penalty, but it nets out the same), The checks with the greater penalty are all skill checks and can thus be offset by skill bonuses and/or the Talented (X) talent.

Can you tell me a little bit about the Exorcised?

BlkSabbath74 said:

Can you tell me a little bit about the Exorcised?

They have a gym membership;-)

As I remember they are folks who have been exorcised. They are very resistant to daemonic powers and the like as a result. Also they have a bunch of corruption, and insanity.

Jephkay said:

Daemon Vessel (400-600XP)

Something has planted a seed that might one day germinate into a daemon. Until then, you can call upon its power, but be wary! Each time you do, Corruption creeps in, reach 100 corruption and the character dies; the rest of your group has to fight you in your Unbound Daemonhost form.

what exactly means - call upon its power?

can you specify this?

You get access to a number of talents that represent your daemonic abilities. You can spend a fate point to activate all of them at once - which also gains you a bunch of corruption. Every time you spend a fate point, there's a chance that these talents will be activated automatically (and give you more corruption) whether you want them to or not.

thanks a lot.

do you know whitch talants ?

Vergeet said:

thanks a lot.

do you know whitch talants ?

I do!

Daemonic Essence: This is the talent you get when you pick the Daemon Vessel package. When active, it gives you various daemonic traits and an aura that weakens the resolve of everyone near you.

Monster Beneath the Skin: Gained at 31 or 61 corruption. When active, gives you a fear rating, natural weapons, unnatural strength and a really freaky appearance.

Power of the Warp: Gained at 31 or 61 corruption. Gives you a bunch of psychic powers when active.

Ruin Incarnate: Gained at 91 corruption. You become even more freaky when active. More fear rating.

Generally, these talents are active for 10 rounds of combat or a minute of narrative time.

It should be noted that, like the Nascent Psyker package, Daemon Vessel is essentially a creative way to retire your character in a spectacular manner.

Its a better read and more informative then Rogue Trader, so yeah, its worth it!


Peacekeeper_b said:

Its a better read and more informative then Rogue Trader, so yeah, its worth it!

And some of those illustrations are downright awesome. Love the tainted psyker.

Well, I´m becoming especialy curious about Guardsmen and Arbitrator options. Could you describe with more detail Justice, Not Law backround package, and Mortiurge, Penal Legionare and Sin-Eater (fluffwise, rulewise and even pictures)

TorogTarkdacil said:

Well, I´m becoming especialy curious about Guardsmen and Arbitrator options. Could you describe with more detail Justice, Not Law backround package, and Mortiurge, Penal Legionare and Sin-Eater (fluffwise, rulewise and even pictures)

Justice, Not Law is your basic Dirty Harry or Punisher type background. Gets Intimidate, Deceive and Peer (Underworld).

Mortiurge is basically an Arbites assassin.

Before the Radical's Handbook, I had never gotten excited reading about variant and alternate careers. So much neat material in this book.

Sin Eater is pretty neat, and the "Justice, Not Law" background mentioned by Peacekeeper_b.

Hi...

To those who are lucky enough to have their hands on the Radicals Handbook...

Any further coverage of the Serrated Query or the Amarinthine Syndicate?

I´m wondering about new PC, Justice, not Law Warden of Divisio Immoralis, I just need to check new origins...

Another question: could somebody describe new rules for sorcery? Are they just copy-paste rules as in DotDG with bunch of new powers, or it is something more? Something like sorcerous disciplines? And are Daemonmancy and Theospamy disciplines (from Battle for the Emperor´s Soul) somehow present?

Just to answer the OP: yes. I really love the book. Especially the organizational building/interaction angle that's being developed in DH and RT.

(Hopefully) collecting RH from the post office later today.

Quick question for the speed readers. How many of these character options are for starting characters only and how many can be worked into existing characters? I'm after a rough ratio...

It's just for a campaign already started (like mine) I've wondering how much would be relevant for my PCs...

Cheers

The character options include Elite Advance packages that can be picked up anytime, alternative career ranks that can be picked up at "any" time (I only recall penal legionnaire being available from rank 1, and even that you could pick it later). Background packages and new origins are, of course, all intended for new characters.


Most of these options would be relevant to existing PCs (if they are dirty rotten heretics, anyway :P ).


And then, of course, there's all the chapters full of information and forbidden gear that's potentially useful (and/or damning) to everyone. Very interesting read so far.

In asnwer to the OP, yes this a good book and worth getting.

I only received it today and have therefore only skimmed through it but it is brimming with ideas and is lavishly illustrated and presented. After the rather slim line offering of Tattered Fates and Creatures Anathama I was pleased to see that the book was a lot thicker.

My players have so far resisted the lure of radicalism and I was very worried I wouldn't be able to use anything from this book without having them feel that I had just rail roaded them into radicalism beacuse I had a shiny new book. This book seems to provide far more subtle introductions to radicalism, with shades of grey in between the extremes. I especially like the addition to the corruption rules which will help introduce radical themes to the party in a more organic and natural way.

Replicant253 said:

I especially like the addition to the corruption rules which will help introduce radical themes to the party in a more organic and natural way.

Are now any rules incorporate for getting rid of corruption (like you can get rid of madness)?

Gregorius21778 said:

Replicant253 said:

I especially like the addition to the corruption rules which will help introduce radical themes to the party in a more organic and natural way.

Are now any rules incorporate for getting rid of corruption (like you can get rid of madness)?

Well, a bolter round to the head has been known to do the trick.

Seriously, only in the exceptional case of someone who has been successfully exorcised, which rids them of not only the daemon, but protects against the further touch of the Warp. The touch of the Warp is not easily removed, and an attempt is only made in the most pressing of circumstances (or to create an exceptional tool if one is of radical inclinations...)

Thanks, hodge.

One of my players asked after receiving his first cp. I didn´t wanted to have to re-correct myself :)

Got mine on thursday and I have to say I really am enjoying this one. A metric tonnage of really good fluff. I am very happy.

Thank you FFG :)