Hi. I'm starting a new campaign and am thinking about using Rogue Trader characters & rules with Dark Heresy. I'm also thinking about letting the players choose classes from either books. I've read that it's not a good idea since Rogue Trader characters effectively start at level 5 equivalent to a DH character.

Has anyone tried this match-up in their campaigns? I could either start the DH characters on level 5 or reducing the starting skills/talents of the RT characters so that they are more on level. I don't really want to start a campaign with level 5 DH characters, so the latter would seem more suitable. Plus, I would allow the RT characters to spend XP on the remaining skills and those on the 1st level and all of them start with 500 XP. Any suggestions would be welcomed. Are there other 'homebrew' classes that are canon in the 40K universe that I can use (or create)? I'm not well-versed in the WH universe.

Thanks in advance.

Andy

This is something I also wish to know. However, I do not possess the core rulebook for roguetrader, but I hear that it is so similiar to DH that you could effectively run a slightly modified version of DH as a rogue trader game. All that's missing is the awesome loot from Rogue Trader. Supposedly.

I am just starting a campaign for both Rogue Trader and am allowing characters made from the DH system. If you allow users to choose Dark Heresy characters, there is a rule in the RT core rulebook that states to allow the players to have 5,000 exp to spend as this will allow those characters to start at the same level as your rogue trader characters. I don't have the book in front of me. However, it is under the first chapter (character creation chapter) in the RT core rulebook under the section regarding spending experience points. Hope this helps.

Elizabeth

System wise its fine, just start the DH characters at 5000XP as Elizabeth said (lowering the starting skils of the RT characters is probably harder). Story wise you need an excuse for Acolytes of the Inquisition to travel with a bunch of Rogue Traders, it opens up some very interesting possibilities.

If you have a large group (say around 6 players) you could have a group of characters from the inquisition that has a mission in the far reaches of the Imperium that will take them across several star-systems. Traveling with Imperial ships would draw to much attention, so they have hired the Rogue Traders to use as a cover. Split the players into a RT group and a DH group and you should have some interesting character-interactions

Well, I gave them a choice of either a Dark Heresy or Rogue Trader campaign, and they voted for Rogue Trader. I don't think I want to bother too much about equalizing and managing character classes from both sets. So, I'm going to run a purely Rogue Trader campaign for now.

However, I may be able to use some (or all) the suggestions (thanks to all who commented & gave suggestions ) for my planned Dark Heresy homebrew campaign, if I can get it off the ground (and get players).

I have my grand plan for my campaign worked out with a transition from DH to RT.

Basically, since we started playing DH first, the characters are established and are in the first ranks for Ascension. I will be running the last 2 Harlock adventures (Tattered Fates was perfect for Ascension transition since you get to strip the players of all their equipment at the beginning... Ascend and get new stuff, if they survived.) and I will be using the demo DW adventure (basically the genestealers come from a space hulk that shows up in Calixian Space ... Hmm, like Twilight did in PtUC). Then at some point, they are going to be sent out to investigate some psykers and the xenos "Dread Pearl" at Port Wander to ascertain if there is a threat to Calixian space. They will be going with their Inquisitor on a Rogue Trader vessel to Port Wander and be introduced to the Lure of the Expanse. Somewhere (maybe still in Port Wander) I will kill off the Inquisitor and pass the mantle onto the Interrogator, basically "Cough, ohh, cough take the Rosette and a field promotion to Inquisitor and finish the mission.... cough, sputter, die..." I will keep the Rogue Trader alive long enough to 1) being a guide point for how RT works and 2) determine if my players are going to stick with the Inquisition and take the Light of the Emperor into the Unknown or become Rogue Trader Explorers. I might keep the Rogue Trader NPC and use him in the same fashion as I have used they party's current Inquisitor.

For my party, I will character create RT classed NPCs for the ship functions and let party members take over roles as they fight. Specifically for my party, the Psyker Primaris will remain unchanged (so I will have to create the Navigator and Astropath), the Storm Trooper will assume the role of the Arch-Militant, the Interrogate/Inquisitor will either become the Rogue Trader or the Seneschal to the NPC Rogue Trader, the Sage will remain the Sage or become the Seneschal to the new Rogue Trader and the Vindicare will remain scary (Imagine the moral control if everyone aboard know the master of the ship has a pet Temple Assassin to take care of bad elements!!!)

I planned all of this out in advanced as adventure material came out. A lot of the released stuff dealing with xenos (Maggots in the Meat, Twilight introduces Dark Eldar, xenos artifacts in House of Dust and Ash, etc.) so I made my Acolytes part of the Ordos Xenos and I hope the transition into Lure of the Expanse will not feel railroad in the least. Tattered Fates was perfect for progressing to Ascension... get stripped of all your precious gear (I gave NOTHING back) and save the ultimate planet of the rich and powerful... yep, sounds like the perfect place for a promotion to the big leagues.

Okay... that is my campaign level transition. Everyone had the book level suggestion: DH character creation plus 5k xp or normal RT character creation and let people pick the roles they want. Just keep in mind that Throne Agents acting outside of Imperial Space may believe they have power over all Imperial citizens, but like the untamed West they will be in for a rude awakening.

-Cynr

Besides the previously mentioned "build your DH characters with 5,000xp" thing for integrating DH and RT there is a handy elite package in Into The Storm cunningly themed for "Throne Agents". Allow your group to create their characters as either starting RT characters or 5k DH characters, then determine who the Inquisitorial agents of the group are and slip them access to the elite package. The other key thing for the players making DH characters is to either use the "gain 1 month's pay for every 400xp" method or simply grant them gear from a comparable RT class.

ZillaPrime said:

All part of the plan... and as it's an elite advance package rather than an alternate rank, it can easily be used with any Dark Heresy career without modification.