I watched the video done a while back by 40k Theories involving the possibilities of a Space Marine becoming an Inquisitor. Would you allow such a thing, using the set up for a Space Marine in Deathwatch as a start, then use the Inquisitor advance in the Dark Heresy expansion Ascension? I'd like thoughts on that.

On ‎7‎/‎1‎/‎2018 at 8:55 AM, Inquisitor-Aeolipile said:

I watched the video done a while back by 40k Theories involving the possibilities of a Space Marine becoming an Inquisitor. Would you allow such a thing, using the set up for a Space Marine in Deathwatch as a start, then use the Inquisitor advance in the Dark Heresy expansion Ascension? I'd like thoughts on that.

It's not usual (as in it's not seen in any background) - probably for the same reason that a tech-priest becoming an inquisitor isn't normally 'done' - because such an individual has what's seen as permanently divided loyalties between the ordos and the Mechanicus (or in this case, their home chapter).

In the case of a Mechanicus tech-priest, this is more important than normal because of literally 'hard-wired' loyalties, but the fanatical devotion to a chapter - complete with hypnoconditioning that's essentially intensive brainwashing is probably pretty much equivalent.

More likely would be to have a marine given (limited) Inquisitorial authority whilst on a given mission (that's pretty much what a chamber militant Watch Captain does, as he's almost by definition about the Inquisition's business).

That said, there are exceptions to almost every rule in 40k, and if an ordo says "this marine is an inquisitor because reasons" then, I guess, the galaxy at large can just have to deal with it. A good backstory to explain it should be needed, though.

Mechanically......hm.

The big problem is that an Inquisitor is a 13,000 XP character. Which is, nominally, the same as a starting deathwatch marine. Giving the marine the benefits of the Inquisitor ascended character type as well as the marine's own benefits is double-stacking bonuses without paying any extra XP for it, which makes them distinctly 'better' than other characters in the kill team because they get an Influence score, Indomitable Will of the Inquisiton, The Psyker's Gift (if you want), but none of those are 'priced'.

If you want something you can more easily balance, potentially look at the DH2.0 Inquisitor Elite Advance - that costs a listed XP price, and comes with a table of further options, all of which have a listed XP cost.

Personally, I wouldn't, but that's purely because I'm a stickler for the old tabletop source material.

"It has also been known for a senior member of the Adepta Sororitas to leave the organisation entirely for higher office elsewhere, such as within the upper echelons of the Adeptus Terra, or the Inquisition – such an event is unheard of within the Adeptus Astartes , and far from common within the Imperial Guard."

Magnus already described the likely reasoning behind this limitation; Inquisitors have pretty much unlimited authority, derived directly from the Emperor Himself, and with Post-Heresy policies deliberately seeking to limit the influence of the Adeptus Astartes, I'd assume such an appointment would face a lot of resistance. It would also remove a capable warrior from their primary field of expertise to dabble in something that normal humans with a less conventional background and more expertise in navigating the intricacies of Imperial politics may be more suited for. I think the closest a Marine may get would be a permanent secondment to the Deathwatch, where they may well act as quasi-Inquisitors leading their own Ordo Xenos kill-teams made up of normal humans. For this, we have an official example with Captain Artemis.

This level of detail is easily within "no canon" grounds, though, so it really is something that everyone should have to decide for themselves, ideally with feedback from their group.