I apologise first off because I am confident I saw some discussion on this before but I cannot find it and unfortunately google is not well suited to searching for "Rogue Trader not Rogue Trader", however is it possible for a Navis Scion or a Missionary to own and operate a Warrant of Trade?
If this is discussed in the books a page reference would be great.
The rulebook does say that there's an enormous amount of variety in Origins for a Rogue Trader. As such - I could see a sufficiently troublesome/ambitious member of the Ecclesiarchy being given or acquiring the Warrant of Trade as a punishment/reward - with the goal being (if given it) to get him out of Imperial politics.
Navigators, however, I could see as being just too tightly controlled by their families in particular and the Imperium in general, to be out on their own, in charge of a ship rather than simply piloting it.
The rulebook does say that there's an enormous amount of variety in Origins for a Rogue Trader. As such - I could see a sufficiently troublesome/ambitious member of the Ecclesiarchy being given or acquiring the Warrant of Trade as a punishment/reward - with the goal being (if given it) to get him out of Imperial politics.
Navigators, however, I could see as being just too tightly controlled by their families in particular and the Imperium in general, to be out on their own, in charge of a ship rather than simply piloting it.
So would the class be Missionary or does it have to be Rogue Trader? Are there any talents or skills that are required by the system for the Warrant of Trade holder?
Also, the reason I mentioned Navigators was due to this sentence in the Imperium chapter:
http://i.imgur.com/1qmqgNc.png
Presumably if they have the largest privately owned fleets they will be the ones piloting it. Though it makes sense that it'd either have to be the Head of a failing House or some other really good reason that they are using their own vessels.
Edit: http://i.imgur.com/8p0S5Iv.png Also this
Edited by RMcDNavigators probably aren't suited for a Warrant of Trade, because they're meant to be the forerunners of humanity which the Navigators definitely are not. However they are wealthy and powerful enough that they could probably get something that grants functionally equivalent rights.
That being said, all Navigators eventually succumb to genetic degradation which could prove difficult. Also their breeding is rather rigidly controlled, so establishing a line of succession could prove cumbersome.
Ch. 12 - Rogue Traders, covers this nicely. Any profession could conceivably operate as the captain of a starship. A Warrant of Trade is what makes a Dynasty. Rogue Trader is just a character class that speciliazes in many of the skills required by a stereotypical Dynasty.
Navigators probably aren't suited for a Warrant of Trade, because they're meant to be the forerunners of humanity which the Navigators definitely are not. However they are wealthy and powerful enough that they could probably get something that grants functionally equivalent rights.
That being said, all Navigators eventually succumb to genetic degradation which could prove difficult. Also their breeding is rather rigidly controlled, so establishing a line of succession could prove cumbersome.
Well I assume it'd be done similar to how the Navigator Houses are passed on, though yes their eventual spiralling mutation would force them to step out of the limelight of Captainship at some point.
Ch. 12 - Rogue Traders, covers this nicely. Any profession could conceivably operate as the captain of a starship. A Warrant of Trade is what makes a Dynasty. Rogue Trader is just a character class that speciliazes in many of the skills required by a stereotypical Dynasty.
Ah so there's nothing fundamental in the class, I did have a skim through that chapter. The problem is of course since I think when it refers to Rogue Trader it means the role of holding a warrant of trade rather than the class which confused me.
Edited by RMcDThe Warrant of Trade is what gives the Rogue Trader the legal right to do what they do without being shot to death by the Arbites. Any sufficiently powerful political force could grant something equivalent. A Mechanicus Explorator is basically the exact same thing as a Rogue Trader, but they report their findings to Mars (or another equivalent major Forge World) first.
I think the big thing with the CLASS is their Leadership-focus; as a Captain of a ship, and crew, that makes sense, and most people who get a Warrant have either the great ambition to go get it, and so can lead, or are ambitious for something someone else wants, and good at keeping you from just killing them, and so can lead. It's assumed you will have a skill over other people. Having said that, lots of different people CAN get a Warrant, for many different reasons, so one COULD be practically half the classes. For myself, the idea of Explorator, Navigator, or Astropath are out, for specific reasons, but someone with a great skill focus (VM, AM), a strong, religious zeal (Miss), or a knowledge of secrets (Sen) could as easily get one. That's me, of course.
