Hi Dark Heresy fans!

This week's designer diary discusses the approach to Game Mastering an ascended campaign and presents a second preview of Ascension, a look at the Magos Ascended Career. Enjoy!

Did you post this just for little ol' me?

This is EXACTLY what I wanted to see most from DH Ascension, WOOHOO! *soaks it up like a sponge*

Fantastic! I'm loving this preview.

However, there is one vague bit. Under the entry for the Ascended Trait Weapon Tech the phrases "once per combat" and "once per game session" are used. As it seems that "once per game session" applies to the bonus, does the "once per combat" phrase apply to anything? "Once per combat the Magos can enhance his weapon or seek out the weak points in an opponent's armor, increasing his deadliness." That sentence doesn't seem to mean anything when the rest of the entry is considered.

Is this the full entry for the Magos Ascended Trait's or do the options continue on the next page?

I would assume that's the full list of special traits they start with (or havethe option of, rather), as the final page steps well and truly into the advances tables. There'd probably be more traits detailed on further pages if more unique talents/traits are incorporated, but since we know nothing of that it's kinda moot.

As for my take on the information: Things are looking up here. When I heard each career would have its own special rules, combined with shorter lists of skills/talents, I was worried that each career would be segregated into its own box of "This is your area of focus. You are utterly perfect in this, but God-Emperor help you if you want to do something outside of this". At worst case scenario, I was worried we'd get "Everyone has pretty much Skill Mastery (everything), so the only difference is characteristics from here on out mechanically". I worry about this because in our group, which has at times exceeded 8 PCs, we've had multiple people play the same careers completely differently, often at the same time (3 assassins, for example). Even without it, there is the very real possibility of characters dying, retiring, and so forth, which can easily result in duplicate careers cropping up at any time.

While I'm still hesitant about this (I still think mastery of Lores, and all Driving, is a complete joke from both a mechanical and in-universe standpoint), there are a few things I do like. I like that there are multiple differing traits the Magos can choose from at generation. To me this is good because it means that multiple Magii need not be identical; likewise, if this carries onto other careers, it means there will at least be some slight differentiation between characters.

Similarly, the extended characteristic advances is interesting, in a positive way, to me. Firstly because it gives us something to spend XP on that's not cookie-cutter paragon talents or skills that everyone under the sun can theoretically possess, and secondly, because I'm now pretty much adamant to the idea that we can spend XP on our previous ranks (how else would we be able to get to Master level without the previous advances?), which is good because it again offers something alternative for characters. Especially if they can just go back and buy a skill to get their Masteries for free, or whatever. Either way it's only a good thing they can do that.

FInally, even at Ascended level, there's still advances which aren't Paragon/Mastered/SuperSpeshul offered. It's nice to see that in an air of "paragon this, complete mastery that." it really eases my fears about character sheets being about 1 page long, with a single entry of characteristics, and another for talents. A little.

They should have just posted this and the other preview without giving us the poor text descriptions from a few weeks ago.

Now this looks awesome. I am assuming you can still buy from ranks 1-8 as well as any elite advance packages you may have (such as campaign specific, radical and so forth).

Still not sure how much I will use it (I prefer ranks 4-6 games) but will definately be a great read and resource.

Peacekeeper_b said:

Agreed.

This looks much better for a preview of an 'ascended character'. Now I'm just curious how they'll manage the so-called transitions ... we'll see.

Very nice preview, like having addition characteristic advances. As this is an obvious teaser it begs the question, how many ranks in the new career and will they have tree splits or be like RT???

Very exited to see the book come out.

I vaguely recall another 8 ranks. God-Emperor knows how they'll manage that and I'm pretty sure it'd be **** well impossible to have branches on top of finding room for 8 ranks of stuff, but I won't be too fazed as long as they don't turn it into that dry barren abomination that was RT careers.

If there's enough room to diversify between 2 Magos (or stormtroopers, or Interrogators, etc) of equal rank and build prior to whatever point is examined, I'll be happy enough without a career branch, as much as I love them.

Wow, 8 ranks seem a lot, hopefully they are diverse enough, but I don't think they could ever be as blande as the RT as one should be able to buy from the lower Ranks.

Definately looking forward to it.

Looking good so far. Heroic and Master level characteristic advances are a welcome addition.

Some initial thoughts about the Ascended Traits. Soul of Iron looks solid. Weapon-Tech gives you a bonus for one round? Better make sure that super shot actually hits the intended target. Armour-Monger basically helps keep your metal butt safer against anything that is not plasma/melta/power/warp ( which you are going to be facing at this level) . Meh. Get an Amulet of Warding. Tech-Tinker is the real winner here IMO. Not too narrow or specialized with great RP potential. Stuck on an isolated outpost? Jury rig the vox to have more range so you can call help. Stranded on an escape pod after your ship was blown up? Tinker the lifesupport system to give you that one extra hour of service to the God-Emperor.

I think those 2 pages are the entire Magos entry... I don't know why you guys seem to think the Magos is going to get more.

Of course this doesn't show us all the talents or equipment, so that's where the additional customization will come from. Lets thats my 2 cents.

Aajav-Khan said:

I agree. The possibilities with Tech-Tinker seem almost limitless compared to the others. Boosting the power of a scanner, pushing the thrusters of a hovercar to increase its speed, etc. After all, anyone can provide damage dealing to the Cadre. Heck, Stormies are probably better at it. And you're right about the armor; at the Ascended level armor itself becomes less useful regardless of how high it's AP is.

Ascended traits should give it's possessor something unique to help the Cadre and it looks like Tech-Tinker has that. As I say to my players "The Inquisition can always induct some Guardsman if all they need is firepower." As an Inquisitorial Agent you need to be able to do something that couldn't be replaced by a few warm bodies with guns (or not even warm if we're talking gun-servitors).

500xp seems kinda rough for a single purchase of Sound Constitution.

Katsue said:

Ah, but it's a purchase of Sound Constitution (x3). That's not that bad.

Sound Constitution (x3) should be able to be read as Sound Constitution can be purchased 3 times for 500xp each without any question to it's meaning.

ItsUncertainWho said:

Ah, I read that as you get 3 for one 500 xp purchase but your way makes more sense.

If you only play DH you could be forgiven for not knowing, but they clarified this in RT where multiple Sound Constitutions meant that the number in brackets replaced the (*may be purchased X times) at the bottom.

Once you know what the lingo means it's a more elegant system IMHO.

Katsue said:

Well the only point in time that a character would ever take these sound constitution upgrades is if they've already taken every single one in previous ranks. Which means these extra wounds are going to be pushing 20 or more. I can understand why they're going to be expensive.

Hellebore

Agreed.

I'm pretty sure there's about 10-13 SCs per career in Dark Heresy (don't quote me on this - I've only checked guardsmen, clerics, and sororitas), so yeah, you're looking at about 20-25 wounds by the time someone gets to Ascension, depending on their starting rolls.

It's something like 4 or 5 for psykers, but then they're supposed to be glass cannons, neh?

Unusualsuspect said:

Adepts get 4 or 5 as well, depending on their path. Some alt career ranks (typically available at rank 4) have a level of Sound Constitution you can purchase, which will increase this number as neither Inditor or Chirurgeon (rank 4 paths) have one available.

Arbitrators have 13-14 depending on path; 9 before their career split, and best cost for Toughness advances.

-=Brother Praetus=-