When thinking of the iconic things in different games and worlds I started thinking that mayb ethe Witch Hunter should be the equivalent to the Jedi in the Lucas universe. Should he be just a bit more powerful than other characters?

jh

I never liked the idea of having one "class" of characters inherently more powerful than the others. As a player why would I want to play anything else?

One of the things I love about Warhammer is the diversity of the careers system. The ability for a Commoner or a Ratcatcher to have an equal change of becoming a hero as a Bounty Hunter or Pit Fighter is fun.

Thematically it makes some sense. A Witch Hunter as a patron for the party like Inquisitors in Dark Heresy can be an easy way to lead your party around by the nose.

Certainly the Witch Hunter is an iconic Warhammer profession and can fill any number of roles, from investigator to warrior priest, but we don't really gain anything by elevating the Witch Hunter above the other professions.

They might possess abilities that a commoner would not have but they are still human and there are plenty or other beings in the world that are stronger/faster/smarter/more sane (and so on) than a witch hunter. To say that they have an innate superiority simply is not supported by the background in my opinion.

Besides how many people honestly want to be a Jedi (or Sith for that matter, so one dimensional) :

and remember:

"Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side..."

regards,

ET

ErrantThought said:

Hear Hear!

Han Solo and Lando are infinitely cooler than any celibate Jedi with no personality (ie- ALL OF THEM).

Can of Worms = OPENED.

Jedi are iconic and emblematic of their fictional universe because they (a) embody a key trope (the Force); (b) are heroic etc, © the central character/hero is one; (d) the central villain is one.

So I don't see Witchhunters as so completely iconic in terms of being "the key icon". I see them more iconic in a "pan-iconic" way, just as I see the Ratcatcher as an iconic character in warhammer, and the Dwarven (martially suicidal whatever) as iconic.

All characters should be warhammery, if you're a Burgher you're an Old World Burgher not an Burgher in pathfinder setting etc., but some are particurly bound up in being such as those above. Once you understand "witch hunter" doesn't mean any old witch hunter it means a member of Sigmarite order etc., for example.

I view WH more like a political force, than super humans, like Jedi's are.

Besides, when a WH enters town, everyone shivers from fear... a Jedi only makes the bad guys shiver

I think they already have pretty badass power to begin with.

Aside from being good fighters in both close quarters and on range, they get alot of extra wounds and extra attacks. That coupled with great social talents, increases in fellowship and willpower makes for a very solid career.

Lastly it's implied that most, if not all Witch-Hunters are empowered by a letter from the Grand Theogenist (Heirs of Sigmar: Witch-hunters chapter), giving them the authority to question the purity of any and all citizens of the Empire and to seek out and destroy corruption whereever it's found. In other words: The authority to overrule the immunities gained by high-society people, or people whose station offer them great political or spiritual importance which, when confronted by any other career, generally excempts them from almost any accusation.

Basically the Witch-Hunters have the pseudo talent "CUT THE RED TAPE", which lets them brush off the immense amounts of bull every other career has to suffer. Even in other countries their words and judgement carry great sway. The ruling elites of the other countries wouldn't want to worsen their relations with the Empire by denying a man who was trusted by the Cult of Sigmar to root out evil and corruption. That stuff doesn't sound good when relayed in the courtrooms of other kingdoms.

Indeed, a Bretonian noble (for instance) who denies a Witch-Hunter his right to "question" the noble's son, may soon find himself on the recieving end of an angry letter from the King who wants to know why a bunch of dignitaries from the Cult of Sigmar have scheduled an audience with him, concerning the safety of the land the noble is governing.