So there's a new RT game starting up and I'm considering the Astropath Transcendant (the other two choices are Seneschal and Missionary).
I've been told, however, that in combat the Transcendant is somewhat lacking.. is this true? If so, how else would he be useful? Interrogation? If it's untrue, what are ways that I could make him an effective combat character? I like the idea of one skilled in melee, using a force sword.. but this isn't a necessity.
Thanks!
You are an interrogator par excellance with your psychic probing. If you have Into The Storm, you get a LOT of new powers to use in both personal and starship combat.
Use and abuse the Sensory Deprivation power, it can make a hard-fought battle almost trivial. (A blinded Ork Warboss who's just been attacked from the opposite side to the Explorers by a weak-willed ork who was Compelled to strike the nearest target will do a lot of the work for you as he lashes out at the enemy!)
Beyond that, you aren't the best general combatant. The important thing to note is that you're the Rogue Trader's toolbox. Almost all of your powers (Except the Telekinesis Discipline, that's just horrible) are incredibly useful in one way or another at the right moment.
Well your primary function is to be the telephone....
However, your powers can be very useful. Sensory deprivation has already been named. Inspiration is another that can help save the day when something truly horrifying appears. You are good at interogating, can influence people to do things they don't want to. When you have grown in strength you can even take over enemies and use them as puppets. Then you are the expert when dealing with strnage dangerous Psychic and Warp things. Your role will mostly be that of the advisor and your insights are golden for a wise RT.
If you can, get a force sword. With one you are a terror capable of sickening damage that can even blast a Deamon straight back to the immaterium. But if yiu are looking for a combat character, the Astropath is not him.
As has been said, the astropath is more of a tool box. They can be useful in battle, but primarily by being clever.
Divination, mind reading, and telekenisis are all fun, story breaking abilities.
If you are willing and capable of thinking outside the box the astropath is an incredibly fun class to play.
Why not remotely pull the pins from some grenades? Before combat starts, telikinetically hurl a rock from one ork to another and start a brawl? Blind and deafen a bunch of guards and start slitting their throats (fun fact: According to the description of the power, they don't KNOW anything is wrong, so they will just keep guarding, blind and deaf, thinking this is just how things are supposed to be). Project the sound of new orders coming through their vox, in perfect immitation of their commander.
Toolboxes can be the most powerful of combatants, if their players know what they are doing.
And that isn't even touching on your non-combat utility!
Into the Storm has released recently as well, what does it add for the Astropath?
I'm a big fan of using power in an 'out of the box' manner... ordering enemies to stand up, out of cover, and then blasting them... pulling the pins on 'nade is fun (if not often available).
Thanks for the feedback so far.
New Goodies for the Astropath:
Yeah, in my experience Astropaths really struggle to have much to do at low XP levels. I'd recommend talking to your GM before the game about including some background elements regarding your psyker having some melee skill, and then agreeing that some Elite Advances will be made available to you.
One thing I've done in the past is agree with the GM to swap two Characteristic Advance Schemes. I've got a Dark Heresy Cleric, for example, who has cheap WS and medium BS (DH Clerics have it the other way around normally). You could see whether your GM will let you make, say, Strength expensive in exchange for making WS average.
What Psychic powers are worth taking in particular?
It's been said that Telekenesis is trash. That's unfortunate.. does Into the Storm change that at all?
I wouldn't say so myself, though I haven't used the new powers there. The errata makes the existing powers a little better by making all the Tests WP instead of BS or whatever, I think. Plus, Telekinesis is just really cool to be able to do
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When choosing powers, I would take a look at Into the Storm to check what else you can do with them - expanding your range of options in ship combat is invaluable.
Well you just start of with the Telepathic Discipline. I have not yet worked with the other ones as they are intended for higher levels. Telepathy got some nice powers as described above.
But you are not a DH Psyker, you are not a Librarian. As an Astropath you are not a one man army. Your psychic powers are not the I WIN button from the other two systems.