Hello fellow battle brothers,

I wonder how the diagnostor helmet differs from the normal helmet belongig to the power armour. I mean are the given abilities for the diagnostor helmet (p. 165) in addition to the normal helmet functions?

Or do you ignore the auto-senses ability from a normal helmet (p. 161) and use instead the diagnostor helmet abilities?

From intuition I would suggest to use the diagnostor helmet instead of the normal helmet. Which leads me to my following assumption: Since you do not have a normal helmet you are not granted the dark sight trait. But instead you gain the preysense sight weapon upgrade as normal sight. So, from my understanding preysense sight includes somehow the dark sight trait, since preysense sight states [..] suffers no penalties du to darknes[..] but in addition to that you are granted a +20 bonus to Perception Tests. Which seems very powerfull to me. But again, since you are losing auto-senses if my assumption is correct I think it is rather fair which make the apothecarius a good scout. And last but not least the +20 bonus to perception is granted for Tests at night but I think we can agree that this include dark corridors and thus darkness at a whole.

I mean the following situation would be rather ridiculous:

"What do you see over there Apothecarius?"

"Nothing more than you do."

"I though you have included x-rays in your diagnostor helmet?"

"Yes, but they only work at night and not in the dark corridors of a space hulk..."

Cheers,

Tech Void.

Hmmm... the description says that the helmet has upgraded sensors...

Alex

ak-73 said:

Yes,

the flavor text leads to the assumption that you have these abilities in addition to the normal functions. Another point is that you have to pay additional req. costs for just a helmet. Which would also count for additional functions and not having them instead of the auto-senses.

Cheers,

TechVoid.

...But it is still a bit odd that a bit of medical equipment makes the Apothecary a great pointman. I see no reason why ANY marine with some points to spare wouldn't buy one for the Preysense, and consider the +10 skill bonus on Medicae rolls merely an unwanted added freebie.

Siranui said:

Because the Watch Captain on revising the list would not clear this? Because these are sacred artifacts of limited number that are reserved for the apothecaries? But you're right - rules-wise there is nothing keeping them although the preysense sight is cheaper.

I can envision a whole kill-team with jump packs, diagnostor helmets and heavy bolters. Oh my.

Veto. :-)

Alex

ak-73 said:

Just...stop. You're giving them ideas.

But no, to me this is the same question as 'why can't I have two heavy weapons?' Because the watch capatain said so, and you wouldn't want to smudge your honor with insubordination now, would you?

I would totally put the Apothecary on point.

"Brother Helveticus, come here, what lies beyond this door?"

"Certainly, Brother-Sergeant, hmm.... There appear to be seven guardsmen, one with a once-fractured wrist, two with intestinal parasites, and one running a fever."

"Thank you Apothecary. Marines, form up"

"You're in my spot Brother-Sergeant."

"Shut up Brother Reynolds, and put away those flash grenades, my autosenses still haven't recalibrated from the LAST door."