Newcomer to this type of RPG system, after some help

By Superscope, in Deathwatch

Hello people online,

I'm after some advice on getting into the Deathwatch/Dark herasy/Rogue Trader RPG and i would like some advice if that's ok.

  1. What type of system does this game use. D20,D6, etc? How are rolls done in this game with skill/attack checks?
  2. Are miniures used at all in this game? (Hope so, seriously would love to craft up a set of SM devestators as my main hero)
  3. How long does it take to get people started into this game? (tried to get people started into D&D one night, took bloody hours and i did it wrong)
  4. How does a charater sheet for Deathwatch/Dark herasy/Rogue Trader RPG look like? Are they different in each game?

Superscope said:

Hello people online,

I'm after some advice on getting into the Deathwatch/Dark herasy/Rogue Trader RPG and i would like some advice if that's ok.

What type of system does this game use. D20,D6, etc? How are rolls done in this game with skill/attack checks?

The game uses the 40k Roleplaying Game system. It's the same core system as that used in Dark Heresy and Rogue Trader. All checks in the game are done using percentile dice. The baseline is assumed to be 'challenging' with modifiers to the role based on how easy/hard it is compared to that and what equipment'/circumstances the character has to affect it (e.g. putting someone's feet in a bucket of water while firing up the electrical generator makes interrogation somewhat easier).

Superscope said:

Are miniures used at all in this game? (Hope so, seriously would love to craft up a set of SM devestators as my main hero)

Miniatures are not needed but you can certainly use them if you want to.

Superscope said:

How long does it take to get people started into this game? (tried to get people started into D&D one night, took bloody hours and i did it wrong)

Depends on the people.

Superscope said:

How does a charater sheet for Deathwatch/Dark herasy/Rogue Trader RPG look like? Are they different in each game?

Each game has a similar but different character sheet. You can see some examples here:

fantasyflightgames.com/ffg_content/dark-heresy/pdf/dh-charsheet-light.pdf

fantasyflightgames.com/ffg_content/rogue-trader/support/PDF/Rogue%20Trader%20Character%20Sheet%20(web%20quality).pdf

Thank you for your posts. This has given me quite a bit of infomation and i'm sure several people would be interested in a NON D20 based RPG game.

To break it down:

You have a stat... say 41 in Balistic Skill(skill to shoot with)

you roll a d100, and try to go under your score(41) and if so... you hit! The sneaky git might want to dodge - then he rolls under his Dodge skills(based on Agility) He can then negate the hit with a sucess, or wlse he will just take the damage!

The 40k system lackssome of the finer details and options that make for the exciting tactical challenge in DnD, but makes for more intuitive and rather fast game play! I think you will find, that it's very easy to teach to most people!

We never ever use miniatues*... but all characters have Speed and weapons has a range score, so setting the scene with miniatures and running it relative is very doable. (*not entirely true... we do use some miniatures and sugar cubes and a dice, but never a grid map)

...Idless

Superscope said:

Thank you for your posts. This has given me quite a bit of infomation and i'm sure several people would be interested in a NON D20 based RPG game.

Just wondering, but you do realise that most RPG systems aren't d20 based, right?

Otherwise, good descriptions guys, pretty good simple explanation of the system!

Superscope said:

  1. How long does it take to get people started into this game? (tried to get people started into D&D one night, took bloody hours and i did it wrong)

Just a follow up to this. So far the games that have been released (DH, RT) usually have at least one demo adventure with pre-generated characters. You can download those here from the FFG website. So if you just want to try it out for a night with some friends, you could try it out with pre-gens before deciding if you want to make your own characters.)

I second aethel on using the demo's. It doesn't give you the full scope of the game but at least gives you a feel for the dice system, the dark heresy demo is mostly combative which doesn't give alot of feel for the much larger investigation type game it is but at least you'll know if you like the system in general.

If you like the demo there are a few other free adventures on the support page. Edge of Darkness was a really well done one in my opinion and gives a better feel for the game and if I remember right includes the rules and is made for people that don't have the book. No demo for deathwatch yet but I'm sure there will be one eventually and everyones probably itching for it.

We always use mini's for our games but thats just something we've done in every rpg for years mostly brought about from DnD's attacks of opportunity and threat areas. And a battle mat is almost a must when your players start to use grenades.....I as a gm love grenades they usually turn my mobs into mush especially something like rogue traders filament grenade (they do on average more than twice what a 'normal' human could ever take) but when your pc's mess up a roll to hit with one its better to know exactly where it ends up. That way when the filament grenade from a player removes an arm from another player (my last game) it wasn't me being a **** that did it, the thrower messed up the roll, spent a fate point to reroll, messed it up again and rolled the scatter which made it right under another player (who failed to dodge).

If your group doesn't use area effect things, and rarely uses cover (which is a shame) you wouldn't need mini's as much but it helps to make combat more tactical.

Only dice needed are d10's preferably one as percentile, the d10's with 2 numbers on them 00-10-20 ect. but 2 d10's of different colors work too as long as your players are not the cheating type to say 'no the red one was my 10's not the blue one'

Character sheets/stats are fairly easy, the leveling system to me is the best of any game i've ever played. Instead of get N xp then get this whole host of abilities its a spend N xp on this Talent or skill. After almost every game my players can get something new even if its just a bonus to an existing skill unless they are saving up for one of the more expensive upgrades.

Only issue is as a gm keeping track of what every talent does....What does True Grit do again? Crap I forgot he had Unshakable faith, ect. But you have that with alot of games there just seem to be a much larger range of them than I had to deal with in 3.5 DnD.