One career path I've found missing from core RT is that of an army commander. The arch-militant has a limited number of leadership skills that can only be chosen fairly late. The Rogue Trader has quite a few leadership skills, but being the overall leader of the entire enterprise his skill selection is very diffuse, it makes sense that he'd have a subordinate specifically to command his troops, from the armsmen aboard the ship to divisions of ground troops for waging planetary war. Thus I present you the Marshal career path, a work in progress by me

http://www.mediafire.com/?9qwnutu3f99j7ol

As you can see, I've filled out all ranks up to 4, about half of 5, and sporadically a little this and that of ranks 6-8. I'm temporarily out of ideas on what more there should be there, so I'd appreciate suggestions. And if you have any general criticism of the content already in, let's hear it.

Like it very much but I do have a few questions:

First: the class in only has two 100/250/500/750 profiles, you should give it three, might I suggest WS or BS

Second, that Refractor field might a bit much and isn't specified, I would take the one from Ascension and the Lathe Pattern at best.

Third, the lower level ones might benifit from Drive (Ground Vehicle) or Drive (Hover)

Drive is reasonable, I'll put it in and move up something else to higher ranks.

I wouldn't want to give a 100/250/500/750 profile to WS or BS, the Marshal isn't primarily supposed to be a frontline fighter, but rather someone who can lead from the front if necessary. I can't really think of any stat that would have the same primacy as Int or Fel for the Marshal, and of the career paths in the rulebook, the Astropath Transcendent also only has two stats with the cheapest advancement profile. If he needs something to compensate, I'd rather change either the advancement profile for Strength or Toughness from the most expensive to the mid-expensive 250/500/750/1000.

With the refractor field I meant the refractor field from Inquisitor's Handbook, maybe I should specify that. Refractor fields are pretty standard among IG field officers, the newest tabletop 40k codex for the IG gives even every commissar one by default. So I think it's appropriate for a high-ranking commander.

Konrad von Richtmark said:

What about perception?

Kalec Fash said:

Good call. Seeings as skills like Awareness , Scrutiny , and Search are all generally key to such a character.

-=Brother Praetus=-

Fair point, I'll change that.

I would recommend the following:

Merge what you have for Ranks 6, 7 and 8 into rank 6. Add a two skills to Rank 5 and two talents to Rank 5.

Create a special career talent/trait that allows the character to use experience over intelligence or fellowship when using skills that involve leading troops, strategy and military plans and therefore they can gain a +5 to such skills per rank they are into the career (up to a max of +20) (better rule mechanic may be needed, like using perception instead of int/fel).

Then you make the Marshal a alternate branch on the Arch-Militant career path begining at rank 3. Your current rank 1 becomes a rank 3, your current rank 2 becomes rak 4 and so forth.

I am not really for creating new careers, but alternate ranks work well into the game.

On the same note, I think Bounty Hunter, Soldier and Assassin are also different then a standard Arch Military.