I've got two issues about the starting gear for the Interrogator and the Inquisitor.

1. The Interrogator starts with a basic weapon of his choice, no greater availability than rare, and one melee weapon, with the same restriction. However it does not say what the craftsmanship should be.

2. The Inquisitor is the only Ascended career path that doesn't start with an armour (or anything equivalent, such as the Hierophant's choice of a Rosarius instead of a carapace armour).

Have these been discussed here before? What sollution would you give for either of these issues?

Well in the case of the Interrogator , the craftsmanship effects the rarity. So, if you went with something with Common Availability you can make it Best-quality, which would adjust it to Rare... If I am remembering the table correctly.

As to the Inquisitor , I don't think the subject of the lack of armor in their "starting gear" has come up before... Hmmm...

-=Brother Praetus=-

Wouldn't you get to keep the armour you acquired as an acolyte ?

If someone managed to get promoted to Inquisitor without having any armour, isn't that proof that they probably don't need any ?

Bilateralrope said:

Bila,

You would still likely have the vast majority of what you had from your days as an acolyte. However, if you're starting at Ascension levels, then what do you do?

-=Brother Praetus=-

If you're starting at ascension level, I would assume (at the very least) that you would take the armour (or equivilent) from the career path you would have started on at base level.

ObsidianThunder said:

That's what I was figuring as well.

-=Brother Praetus=-

ObsidianThunder said:

Yeah, but I think we can all agree that most DH Careers' starting armor is pretty puny. One would think that an Inquisitor could acquire something better.

But then again, once you have that level of Influence, how hard can it be to acquire some decent protection? A die-roll or two, and a little time, and ... presto!

Even if you use that system for the Interrogator's gear, doesn't it seem like he/she still gets the short en of the stick? I mean, even the Sage can start with a best craftsmanship hellpistol, and even a common craftsmanship hellpistol is rare. Isn't it just as likely, that they simply forgot to write down what craftsmanship the weapons should be?

And Sister , I agree fully with both your statements, but to use the Sage as an example again, he/she starts with a best craftsmanship flak armour, while the Inquisitor doesn't even get a poor quality flak vest. Again it seems to me that they just forgot to write it down...

xenobiotica said:

Ah well ... yeah. Unfortunately, it does seem that way on the surface.

But it's all easy enough to fix, inhouse. So no harm, no foul, I guess.

I have to wonder, though ... has anyone brought this to Mack's attention? I'd be interested to know if this was an inadvertent omission, or if it was intentional?

Sister Cat said:

I believe Ross Watson was still in charge when Ascension was being written, with Mack becoming the Lead Developer after that, with his first book being Blood of Martyrs.

We are talking about an Inquisitor right?

Just give him whatever he/she wants (roll the dice for Influence - not sure if this would be right, I don't have Ascension if front of me right now) - best craftsmanship power armor or a Rosarius; at this level pretty much anything goes (okay, probably no Terminator Power Armor at the beginning).

Make the player of the Inquisitor come up with an engaging background story how he/she acquired the armor; and if the story is good and useful (i.e. it provides the GM with a good personal plot that can be expanded upon during the campaign - new enemy, lover, shining victory or a terrible secret the Inquisitor wouldn't want anybody to uncover) maybe allow the player to customize the armor (as in Deathwatch).

I guess Ascension level campaigns really open up the setting for some epic campaigns; so the characters should look and feel like they are the movers and shakers of the Calixis sector. And besides no Terminator Power Armor will save you from the disturbed mind of an Alpha psyker that some other Inquisitor was fool enough to awaken in the depths of Hive Sibellus...

This doesn't really help for starting at Ascension level, but for working up to it, I take it as it was when I played WFRP...You have to acquire the stated items before becoming a "whatever"

If you want to talk about balancing starting gear for Ascended careers, I don't get why it's a big deal to absolutely include an armor or not. Isn't value of the items more relevant? Gear can be sold, and other gear can be bought to replace it. Like the death cult assassin getting not one, but TWO best-crafted power swords. That's 50k worth of gear, right there.

I don't really see the point in balancing or streamlining starting gear anyway, it's not a big deal imo. Let's not get into balancing the actual classes then

MILLANDSON said:

Okay, so ... has anyone brought this to Ross' attention?

Just sayin' ...

Brother Praetus said:

I believe it is page 29 of the core DH book, that if starting with an advanced level of xp, the character should receive 1 month salary per 400 xp. So from that, I would use excel to determine how much an ascension level character would have earned. I think I ran this once and its something like 2300 thrones for a sororitas.

Generally the way I rule it. Is for an inquisitor, he's allowed one starting armor of his choice from the options available within reason. 'Cause who would be honestly expect to follow a Inquisitor with bolt-pistol in one hand, force weapon in the other, and clambering around in full plate.

Serimus Bodikan said:

Those with a sense of style for one!

Also, if the knew he was an Inquisitor, they'd probably assume that either the armor was something more special than it seemed, or that there was some perfectly valid reason for wearing it he just hadn't divulged. The alternative would be to question the Inquisitors competence or sanity, which imperial citizen as a rule, don't. Well, at least not the competence part.

Penpen said:

At least, not openly . One should hide that they feel said servant of His most Holy Inquisition is bat-$h!t crazy.

-=Brother Praetus=-