Spend 200 EXP to get Good Quality Cranial Implants at character creation as an Explorator and then you have a very frighteningly effective doctor. Especially if one or more of your party members has autosanguine and/or hardy. And especially get a medikit--2kg for +20 bonus to Medicae is awesome. And the Medicae Mechadendrite, of course.
I have a character that rolls on a 100 for Medicae (96+ is still an autofail) with houseruled Unnatural Intelligence and the above. (The houserule factoring in the +10 bonus for tests involving that characteristic that aren't opposed tests--a pretty glaring omission.) He's at 60 intelligence and could go up to 75--but I really don't need to with the bonuses he gets. Also, if the target has Hardy or Autosanguine, he can restore 12 wounds in one go.
So yeah, definitely can make Explorators frighteningly effective doctors.
Lack of advancement options til rank 2?
It's one of those things where nobody's asked that question yet.
Although that does bring up the question of how the standard medkit provides a better bonus to medicae than the medicae mechadendrite. Also, bandages and gauze would probably be among the items a medikit has that the mechadendrite doesn't. As well as other similar 40k items, such as skinplants and the like.
It's one of those things where nobody's asked that question yet.
Although that does bring up the question of how the standard medkit provides a better bonus to medicae than the medicae mechadendrite. Also, bandages and gauze would probably be among the items a medikit has that the mechadendrite doesn't. As well as other similar 40k items, such as skinplants and the like.
You're entire correct in the standard medikit-thing. It's really strange that something that is more or less ubiquitous throughout any setting (a basic medikit) outshines medical school.
In Rogue Trader, you halve your Characteristic for untrained skills, so assuming an Intelligence of 40, that's a 20. A basic medkit makes up for it. In later versions of the ruleset, untrained skill-use is a straight -20, and while only Advanced Medi-Kits are usable by those untrained in Medicae, that's still a +20 modifier that should be comparable to actually picking up the entire skill. Nevermind that the Advanced Medi-Kit lists a whole bunch of stuff that I suppose someone untrained in Medicae wouldn't even know how to use, let alone let him just up and use it without training.
Medi-kits should be reduced to +10, and usable by anyone. Advanced Medi-Kits should be +20, but only usable by those with Medicae.
Makes the most sense to me.
Lolz and now my hijacked thread becomes hijacked by medikit.
BTW isn't the Physi Kit far superior to the medikit? In advanced form it gives the same bonuses but at a third of the weight.
In my opinion you can have a medical mechandrite of good quality too and thus have a +20 all the time and you only need to restock the drugs in the mechandrite .
Back to my hijack: I do admit that I'm going for a decent amount of mechandrites anyway. So I will pick up the talent for it. That way I won't need to wait for xp once I find a source of them.
I might also drop my powerplay hat and don't want every upgrade to be super effective. I just need to focus more on the fluff side of things. Up the role playing and down the roll planning.
Last session I burned a FP because I spent one in my attempt to rig a pirate hideout. And I want my character to more of the savant type of professor, who leads his army of adepts and servitors into political domination.
Thanks Quicksilver for putting me back on track
To come back at the rank 1 advancement which are useful, I might just pick up an Agility upgrade as it will bring me to the next Ag bonus, useful for initiative rolls.
Furthermore it will make my Trade (Armourer) rolls better and my Dodge rolls (as soon as I can take the skill).
So in the end it seems like this would be the best powerplay option but it does also fits in the Savant Tech Priest, I'm looking for to build. Drawing up designs improves his Ag and he also likes to stay away from the fray and dodge incoming bullets and the likes.
My question is why is 99% of the Elutrian Devotee stuff more expensive than a normal Navigator Rank 2? You'll get to rank 2 in one or two sessions, certainly before you can buy most of that stuff.
It's already pretty sucky since you are the enemy of the inquisition and don't have the usual standing a Navigator has, plus you lose out on a bunch of stuff from Rank 1 of Navigator (like Trade (Astrographer), so say goodbye to making charts).
Also in my opinion the best homebrew for this stuff is to start at 7000 xp, it allows players to spend on the really interesting Origin paths without feeling constrained by power.
I was curious and I cut out every skill that you get by default (so Rogue Trader's get command but command is in the skills) and here is the list of skills actually take:
Rogue Trader Awareness 100 Skill Ciphers (Rogue Trader) 100 Skill Common Lore (Rogue Traders) 100 Skill Dodge 100 Skill Pilot (Space Craft) 100 Skill Secret Tongue (Rogue Trader) 100 Skill Speak Language (Trader’s Cant) 100 Skill Ambidextrous 200 Talent Ag 30 Melee Weapon Training (Primitive) 200 Talent Renowned Warrant 200 Talent Arch-Militant Awareness 100 Skill Common Lore (Imperial Guard) 100 Skill Forbidden Lore (Pirates) 100 Skill Literacy 100 Skill Secret Tongue (Rogue Trader) 100 Skill Ambidextrous 200 Talent Ag 30 Quick Draw 200 Talent Medicae 200 Skill Melee Weapon Training (Primitive) 200 Talent Bloodtracker 500 Talent Guardian 500 Talent Ag 40 Astropath Ciphers (Astropath Sign) 100 Skill Common Lore (Administratum) 100 Skill Forbidden Lore (Warp) 100 Skill Literacy 100 Skill Scholastic Lore (Occult) 100 Skill Secret Tongue (Rogue Trader) 100 Skill Psychic Technique (x2) 200 Talent Dodge 200 Skill Melee Weapon Training (Primitive) 200 Talent Rite of Sanctioning 500 Talent Psy Rating, Warp Affinit 500 Talent Psy Rating, Explorator Awareness 100 Skill Drive (Ground Vehicle) 100 Skill Scholastic Lore (Astromancy) 100 Skill Secret Tongue (Rogue Trader) 100 Skill Secret Tongue (Tech) 100 Skill Security 200 Skill Trade (Armourer) 100 Skill Autosanguine 200 Talent Sound Constitution (x2) 200 Talent Mechadendrite Use (Utility) 500 Talent Missionary Awareness Charm Common Lore (Ecclesiarchy) Dodge Literacy Performer (Choose One) Secret Tongue (Ecclesiarchy) Secret Tongue (Rogue Trader) Melee Weapon Training (Primitive) Nerves of Steel Sound Constitution Navigator Awareness 100 Skill Ciphers (Nobilite Family) 100 Skill Common Lore (Navis Nobilite) 100 Skill Common Lore (Imperial Navy) 100 Skill Intimidate 100 Skill Secret Tongue (Rogue Trader) 100 Skill Secret Tongue (Navigator) 100 Skill Fel 30 Trade (Astrographer) 100 Skill Melee Weapon Training (Primitive) 100 Talent Resistance (Fear) 200 Talent Sound Constitution 200 Talent Seneschal Awareness 100 Skill Charm 100 Skill Disguise 100 Skill Dodge 100 Skill Performer (Choose One) 100 Skill Secret Tongue (Rogue Traders) 100 Skill Security 100 Skill Silent Move 100 Skill Sound Constitution (x2) 200 Talent Unremarkable 200 Talent Void-Master Awareness 100 Skill Dodge 100 Skill Drive (Ground Vehicle) 100 Skill Gamble 100 Skill Literacy 100 Skill Scrutiny 100 Skill Secret Tongue (Rogue Trader) 100 Skill Trade (Voidfarer) 100 Skill Melee Weapon Training (Primitive) 100 Talent Sound Constitution (x2) 200 Talent
If you want to use this as a guide as to whether or not to take an alternate rank at level 1 then it is there for you but be warned I've noticed for example the Dark Eldar start with Hard Target but it is reprinted at rank 2 of Kabalite Warrior. I cannot say whether it is the case for any of the main classes. However most of these skills you may miss by taking an alternate rank you could just get via the Origin Path, or not bother ever taking (like Melee Weapon Training (Primitive).)
Edit: That thing is bugging out, it is meant to be nicely lined up. Not sure why it won't copypaste from excel.
Edited by RMcD