Hi guys,

We currently debate (hotly, I might add) within my gaming group how to combine and handle acquisition rules with the arrival of Into the Storm.

We are all pretty much "by the book" players, meaning we prefer to play as close to the RAW or RAI as possible, as long as they arent broken or disfunctional.

Currently, we kind of arent sure how to handle the acquisition rules in order to not just shower everyone with their dream items, but also not to make it exceedingly hard to equip a few squads of armsmen.

Right now, we read it like this:

Every player has to go through the following steps alone, unless someone gives up THEIR turn of acquiring stuff to aid in the Commerce/Inquiry checks. You cannot aid another in an acquisition roll, since its not a skill check.

1. You find out if an item actually is available at your location.

Inquiry or Commerce, as per the rules in Chapter 5: Armory, Core Book, pertain.

2. You make an acquisition roll, modified by the tables in the "Playing the Game" Chapter. You decide how many you want to get.

Commerce can help increase your Acq-Roll, but not that of your peers.

3. Once done, you go back to Step 1, but every acquisition roll will start stacking the "multiple acquisitions" penalty from Into the Storm, can cause problems, and so on.

This procedure seems to be correct, or isnt it? It does, however, lead to a few issues:

1. Burning PF hurts everyones PF, but when does it occur? At the end of each "round" of acquisitions? So far, we track when (depending on the Inquiry/Commerce check and the timeframe required to find an item) someone burns the PF exactly, and from then on everyone elses PF suffers.

2. The primary limitation on how many Acq-Rolls you can make is the number of players. The more players present, the more rolls you can make. But, every player can basically roll for stuff anyone else wants, so the Seneschal guy usually ends up doing the important rolls, and the others do the "optional" stuff.

3. The location you are in only affects the chance and time taken to FIND an item, not to acquire it. It also does not affect the maximum number of acquisition rolls allowed to the dynasty, as this is dependant on the players themselves.

So, my question is, did I miss anything, or do we play anything wrong?

With this ruleset, its pretty easy to get a boatload of stuff every time the players arrive at a location, and unless they burn PF, if they remain in port, they can basically buy the entire book, given time.

Khaunshar said:

It is entirely reasonable to handwave the equipment of armsmen and other troops as either having their own gear (more relevant for other mercenaries), or having a stock from the ships armory to equip them.

The number of acquisition rolls you get is up to the GM, really. The number of players only matters if you guys decide it does.

Yeah, if you stay in port long enough you can buy basically anything. If time has no value to you guys, you are all doing something terribly, terribly wrong. Not to mention, not everything should be as simple to acquire as rolling for acquisition until you get a low number.

Short answer: the problem is with you guys.

Sitting around in port for a long time to acquire stuff wastes time and sooner or later invites misfortunes - when it becomes obvious the mighty Rogue Trader is content sitting on his laurels, rivals will move in to usurp parts of his holdings.

A lot of things like this are meant to be handled by GMs as well. It is all fine to go "by the book" as much as possible, but it purposefully doesn't write rules for EVERY eventuality because that is YOUR job.

Yes, since they don't have a descrete amount of "money" they could technically get EVERYTHING if they stayed in port long enough. Of course many aquisitions take weeks or months.

As the GM you should be managing the world in a realistic fashion, which should also encourage them to get out and DO things. Things YOU should be doing to encourage them:

• If they don't get out their PF will eventually take penalties as they lose influence and don't make any headway.
• Rivals would start to take their trade interests apart as they are seen as "easy prey"
• They crew would eventually start to revolt.
• The inquisition begins to take in interest in them. Why aren't they fulfilling their duty to the emperor?
• Adventure hooks expire. Other traders find the treasure, secure the contract, etc.
• Possible heirs, or even crew members, begin to target the RT with assassination, hoping to take over the dynasty before it falls apart

This is only a loophole if you aren't doing your job as GM, which is to simulate a world. The world doesn't stand still.

Finally: when it comes to equipping the PCs with basic items they SHOULD be able to get "everything in the book" in fairly short order. It is equipping ships and armies and finding rare and exotic items that take effort. Most of the basic stuff should be a breeze.

Major acquisitions such as buying ship components or entire moons should take a lot of time to even attempt, let alone the time from success to having the acquisition "in hand". Weeks or months of negotiations that may be better spent on slaying xenos and taking their stuff.