Hey Dark Heresy fans,

I was on the D6 Generation Podcast this week , talking all about the new sourcebook for Dark Heresy... Ascension ! Check it out.

any way to get a web transcript? i wont be able to aquire the podcast due to the speed of my net....which is dial up...

Sounds great! I really like the idea of the unique abilities that you get to choose. I've had a bit of trouble trying to explain how the Rank 1 Arbitrator and Rank 1 Guardsman fundamentally different from each other to my guys.

Though, advance copies already exist? Does that mean release is nigh?

Could be a working copy, but they did seem to indicate it was the "real" thing, neh?

Seems like the career paths are pretty much all Rank 9 and above, though I DO hope they'll add some new talents/traits/background packages appropriate for Rank 1-8.

Seems like Ascension is going to be somewhat analogous to D&D 3.0/3.5's Epic system.

ThenDoctor said:

Couple of tidbits that I remember (and folks correct me if I'm wrong please)...

• Ascended Careers are 8 rank careers that, essentially, take the existing careers from rank 9-16.
• Vindicare Assassin is a career (the other temples aren't and 2 are considered unplayable anyway).
• We will not see Origin Paths for DH here. Ross said those are really a RT concept. However, we will something called Transitions (or something like that) which bridge the gap between your characters life as an acolyte and his new life as a fully fledged Throne Agent.
• Inquisitors are a character option. The book apparently starts with a discussion of playing the game with a PC Inquisitor, multiple PC Inquisitors or no PC Inquisitor. (Inquistors can get a Talent that gives them control of a cell of acolyte level NPCs).
• We will see Mastered Skills and Paragon Talents, which basically combine sets of skills/talents plus a little extra. Ross gave the example of Bladedancer which combines (IIRC) Assassin Strike, Blademaster, Combat Master, Counterattack and Wall of Steel plus new bonuses. The intent is to reduce a rank 10 DH characters "footprint" on the character sheet without giving up anything.
• Psychic powers will follow the Dark Heresy rules (psy rating = # of dice rolled) but will include the Fettered, Unfettered and Push concepts from RT, translated for DH play. We will see Ascended Psychic Powers, which will emulate the kind of massive and deadly powers seen in the tabletop game and the BL novels. Ascended powers are *expensive* but Ross said something about "trading in" lesser powers to get a discount on ascended powers.
• We will see a trait called Influence, which is akin to RT Profit Factor. Influence covers everything from getting new equipment to calling in an Extreminatus. It also comes with the idea of rivals and enemies within the Inquisition, as complications or consequences for using your Influence.
• New enemies are included, including an Alpha class psyker, a rogue Imperial governor and a greater daemon (I think a Changer of Ways based on comments made during the interview).

I'm sure I'm missing something and I didn't get to listen to the while thing, but that should give you some idea of what was said.

Just finished listening to it now, the only thing I think you've missed so far is an Eldar Exarch in the Antagonists section as well (and an Eversor somewhere in the book too, probably antagonists as well for ease of reference).

Also, the 'starter' adventure is set on Malfi during the induction of an important member of the Ecclesiarchy IIRC (forget who or what position), which descends into Murder-Mystery. They were joking around about a greater daemon of Tzeentch, which could be a throwback to their earlier banter about greater daemons making the book, but the cynic in me thinks it may go deeper than that (and on Malfi, of all places, for a Changer of the Ways...)

The Hobo Hunter said:

Well, it could be both. After all, even the designers probably couldn't resist giving a greater daemon a debut!

Also, I think they confirmed that the Eversor was stated out in the back.

Plus, they're are apparently going to be a great deal of new weaponry and the reprinting of the Storm Bolter. Ranged weapons can also be upgraded to have the "storm" quality (same as the Storm Bolter) or "twin linked" (effects not stated).

Alpha-level psyker, you say? I can't wait to see the psyker advances. Although I really hope there'll be an option for buying some extra characteristic advances. My current best prospect for making Interrogator is a psyker maxed-out at 58 WP. An extra 5 would really hit the spot!

One thing I did forget, the rules support both the option of advancing your existing DH characters or of starting with Ascension characters (or those folks who don't want to wade through the 8 ranks of acolyte-hood before they get to blow up planets).

Another thing Ross emphasized, a lot, is that Dark Heresy and Rogue Trade are, and will remain, two separate game lines. The idea behind Ascension is not to make Dark Heresy into Rogue Trader (though it does benefit from lessons learned in making Rogue Trader).

The idea behind Ascension is to let you play the kind characters you see in the Eisenhorn and Ravenor BL series. However, Ross stressed that Ascension does not replace Dark Heresy. For folks who enjoy Acolyte level play, that will still be supported. Ascension is an expansion, in that it expands on the options provided in the core rules.

(Yet more proof that, in my mind, that Ross is the right guy to lead 40K roleplay... keep up the good work man.)

Yes, but what I wanna know is .... when can I get my grubby little hands on a copy?

Nice interview. Loads of nice new information.

But I'm still dying to know the new careers. This is what I've pieced together:

Inquisitor
Interrogator
Crusader
Primaris Psyker
Death Cult Assassin
Vindicare Assassin
Inquisitorial Storm Trooper
Hierophant
Arbite Judge
Adeptus Mechanicus Magi (mentioned in Knowledge is Power)
Sage (seem to remember it being mentioned somewhere)

What else? Have I missed any?

BYE

Stay tuned for today's designer diary, it should answer your question.

FFG Ross Watson said:

Who's awesome?

You're awesome.

This was a huge slice of awesome. The Ascended Careers, the revised and high power psychic abilities, the high powered enemies, the expanded gear list, all was good. The Transitions between careers and the option of playing interrogators and inquisitors were also good touches but what really sold me was the example of using Influence and the potential consequences of failing. That my character could call for an Exterminatus (not an easy task) with an Influence check and the consequence of the failure be that the Exterminatus happens but that my rivals and enemies among the Inquisition convince others that I'm an unstable, bloody handed lunatic who shouldn't have the rosette shows not only an understanding of the Inquisition's power but the dark and dangerous politics that pervade the institution.

SO JEALOUS the D6 got an advance copy! AGGGH!

Thanks for the tidbits you did give out though Ross.