Signature Wargear and Craftsmanship

By RecklessPrudence, in Deathwatch Rules Questions

Alright, so I know that when you take Signature Wargear (Master) you can upgrade or replace the existing normal Signature Wargear, but what about when you gain access to higher Craftsmanship levels? If you have a Common Craftsmanship Signature Wargear and you reach Respected, and an Exceptional version of it is still under 20 Requisition, can you turn it in? Or, for a perhaps more commonly-occurring example, if you've got a Master Signature that you bought when you were Respected, and you reach Distinguished, can you turn it into a Master-Craftsmanship item, if it's still under the 40 limit?

If so, are said upgrades free? Or do you, for one mission, have to pay the cost in Req for the upgrade amount? Like if you've got an Exceptional Heavy Bolter, and you reach Distinguished, do you have to pay 10 Req the first time you take your shiny new Master-Crafted HB out for a spin?

Once you purchase signature wargear that's it, that is your item. Except for the one turn in between normal and master.

Think of it this way, the players find a piece of cool gear they want to keep while out on adventure. Mechanically, one player has to spend their XP on signature wargear to have it every mission.

So use your signature wargear wisely. You don't want to signature a hvy bolter and then leave it behind once you go terminator.

Once you purchase signature wargear that's it, that is your item. Except for the one turn in between normal and master.

Think of it this way, the players find a piece of cool gear they want to keep while out on adventure. Mechanically, one player has to spend their XP on signature wargear to have it every mission.

So use your signature wargear wisely. You don't want to signature a hvy bolter and then leave it behind once you go terminator.

Ah blast , that's what I was afraid of.

Hm. Terminator Armour can take a Heavy Flamer by RAW, and both 30K Lunar Wolves and 40K Black Legion can plug a Multi-Melta into their Terminators, no matter what Pattern they're using, even the Indomitus-Pattern that most Loyalists are using by M41... think my Salamander could dual-wield?

Edited by RecklessPrudence

I would personally allow it but that would limit you majorly outside of horde warfare but I guess if you are in a set of Terminator you aren't worried about getting a crossed a battle field quickly.

Well, ideally I'd be dual-wielding some sort of Heavy Pyroclast (Flamer/Melta hybrid) and an Assault Cannon, but I don't think that's going to happen anytime soon. And yeah, I'd have a real problem with people Dodging, since neither of them are multi-hit weapons, wouldn't I? Or causing a lot of damage to a single target quickly (you'd think a Multi-Melta would be good at that, but somehow the rapid-fire weapons are better...)

Edited by RecklessPrudence

@ RecklessPrudence ...

1. The Signature Wargear Talent is a bit more flexible than that.

While the Craftsmanship upgrades are not "free" with each tier of the Talent, it can be upgraded with the increased points of each tier.

For example: A Tactical Marine Player decides he wants a Heavy Bolter for regular use (reason does not matter). A Heavy Bolter is 20 Requisition.

- a. Tier 1: Signature Wargear ("Basic") = 20 points' worth. So the Heavy Bolter (20) is now part of his Standard Wargear, at Common Craftsmanship.

- b. Tier 2: Signature Wargear (Master) = 40 points' worth. The Tactical Marine can use the increased points to upgrade his Heavy Bolter (20) to Exceptional (1.5x cost = +10 points) or Master (2x cost = +20), depending upon his current Renown Rank. Or he can add a Weapon Upgrade, such as Motion Predictor (+20 points).

- c. Tier 3: Signature Wargear (Hero) = 70 points' worth. If at this point the Tactical Marine does not have the Renown Rank to fully upgrade the Heavy Bolter, then something has gone wrong. :huh:

2. Also, Kamikazzijoe is correct in that the Player should be careful on what their Signature Wargear item will be. As mentioned, a SgWg Heavy Bolter will be made near-obsolete if/when the Player ascends to Terminator status.

Though personally, I am a lenient enough GM to allow a (non-penalizing) 'RetCon' of the SgWg Talent where appropriate. For example: RetCon'ing the SgWg Heavy Bolter into a SgWg Storm Bolter for the example Teminator player.

Edited by pendrake71

SWG hero is not an upgrade of master therefore there is no opportunity to upgrade.

I took the targeter for my devastator since that works on terminator as well as power armor.