Hello Dark Heresy fans!

This week there's a first look at the new sourcebook for Dark Heresy...Ascension! Enjoy!

Very exciting.

I wonder what the process will be for advancing an existing PC to the rank of Inquisitor, or if such a system will even be present. I'm eager to finally have PC Inquisitors in the game, this book cannot come soon enough.

I like mid level campaigns (powerful but not world shattering) and I like the look of this. The only thing I'd have held back on was the Inquisitor's whom I don't think I would have included at this level (though I'd certainly have explored Explicator's and Interogator's). I wonder what the new career's (beyond those mentioned) are. Besides, expansions for the existing carreers (such as the Heirophant for the Cleric) I'd like to see the Commisariat and Pilots (Imperial Navy/ Commercia) covered.

I wonder what the next line of releases will be? The obvious choice would be a new campaign arc (at higher tier), but this clashes with the Haarlock trilogy, which is still rolling out. Alternatives could be in depth looks at some of the major factions such as Puritan's, the Mechanicus, Assasin Cults, Scholastica Pskana, Ecclesiarchy, Arbites, Nobility (and the Sector body politic) etc.

There were a number of issues I was hoping Ascension would tackle. It looks like all of them will be addressed, probably in the manner I would wish them addressed. Advanced careers, bridging the gap between DH and RT psychic systems, Inquisitor level resources, and well just about everything mentioned in the preview.

I am pleased.

Oohhh so yummy. I can't wait to find out what kind of XP a real Inquisitor is built on so I can build some of my favorite ones from the ground up, unless you supply that kinda knowledge.

Also can't wait to see whats available after rank 8, and how to switch a character over to a Throne Agent career.

Granted I have a friend who can't WAIT for Deathwatch.

I KNEW IT WAS ALL A LIE!!!

darn you Ross why must you tease and vex us so...im fairly sure you are falling to the God of Pleasure...dont make us get a witch pyre on you

after you finish the book of course lol

im just kidding if you are falling im sure we would all go with you gladly

i cant wait for this book

Looks awesome and I cannot wait. My players are a ways from that power level as of yet, but if we keep with the campaign I've no doubt they will eventually get there - and even if they don't, the fluff material itself will be well worth the investment. Between this, Rogue Trader, and Death Watch one will have all the makings for an Empire wide campaign of truly epic proportions - the power to tear down the sky, as they say.

Very awesome! Can't wait to see what goodies Tech Priests get in this... they are my favorite.

Don't tease us any more - please tell us the new Careers. They sound awesome.

This book can't come soon enough.

BYE

This book will be a must have for me! Oh no, i need more space in the bookshelve (too many DH books since 2008)

H.B.M.C. said:

But these are teasers, that's what they're supposed to do ;-)

Okay so I want to know too.

ps I see a Vindicare on the front cover...

I am exceedingly excited about being able to play an Inquisitor. I'll likely allow all classes to be chosen by the players for my upcoming Rogue Trader campaign. By the way, I note that the book is at the printers. Very pleasing to see.

The original information presented for Ascension stated the ability to play Inquisitorial Stormtroopers and Interrogators as well. Just check the old Knowledge is Power release schedule. Been waiting for this now since before August of '09; it seemed the original intent was to have this released about the time Rogue Trader was launched. The waiting has been somewhat amusing, watching and listening to all the speculation. We will see.

-=Brother Praetus=-

Woot! Ross, I've got to say I really like your vision of the Dark Heresy line.

So,

This leaves me with two very nice questions:

* How many ranks will the current careers gain, our howmany in total?
* 12 careers, what kind???

Please give me my fix Ross...

As I said on the news page, I hope the "new approach to psychic powers, and a system named Influence that puts your characters at the center of your own operations, able to muster the resources of entire worlds to your authority" are the systems from RT adapted to DH. These games were originally billed as being cross-game compatible, so it would make sense that the RT systems, designed for PCs at a higher power level than starting DH characters, would be retrofitted to DH to allow for DH games at RT power levels for those that don't have the RT book or any desire to run a cross-game campaign. OTOH, I don't think we need a 3rd psychic system to have to learn. Options are good, but too many options causes confusion.

So what have we got so far?

Interrogators
Inquisitorial Storm Troopers (I have an entire Inquisitorial Storm Trooper army in 40K, so this is awesome for someone like me)
Vindicare Assassin
Heirophant
Primaris Psyker
Arbite Judge
Crusaders
Mystics (Sure I read that somewhere)
Sages (Again, I thought I read it somewhere)
Eversor Assassin (?)

I hope all the Assassin types are in there. That would be awesome - imagine having a team that's roleplaying an Assassin Execution Unit, like that formation GW made for Apocalypse. That'd be great.

Nope, only Vindicare Assassins at present. At least, they have been mentioned a lot, with no mention of any other assassins.

Awesome news...

From the career point of view, I´m hoping for Inquisition Warden being available.

H.B.M.C. said:

I remember hearing about the Sage as well and i believe that would fit as the end game Adept. As for the Eversor, I don't know about that. I don't know how one would go about role-playing an Eversor in a group of others to be honest but maybe there's a brilliant way i just haven't thought of.

As for the 12 full careers statement, dose this mean 12 new careers with individual rank tree's and the whole nine yards like a Scum or Guardsmen or is this 12 full careers as in replacement or additional ranks like the Gunslinger or Corrupt Psyker?

Graver said:

I am hoping for a little bit of both. Let us wait and see, shall we.

-=Brother Praetus=-

Eversors are bad ass but we're talking about guys who spend their lives in stasis tanks and then get unleashed only to kill things. That's amazingly good attack dog but amazingly lousy PC. Vindicare or Callidus Shrine Assassins are, on the other hand, excellent high level agents as are some of the minor shrines.

It would be neat to have rules for deploying Eversors, though. As well as stats for them as both resources and enemies.

I hope to god Inquisitors work as an additional career path for all careers above 15000xp rather than starting from scratch or limited to one or two careers (though not being open to Ad Mech I can understand)

Or even better, Interrogators start to come into focus as 6000-7000xp with Inquisitors opening up from 10000xp plus...

Artaxerxes said:

Agreed, all Acolytes, whatever there chosen career should have the option of becoming Inquisitors.

I also hope the new careers flow from the existing ones so there is a progression. Without that then this represents actually a semi new game rather than an expansion for existing Acolytes.