Greetings fellow Brothers,

I wonder if the Radical's Handbook is worth buying it for a Deathwatch campaign. Are there any threats and ideas also usable for DW? Or are this just minor issues compared to the powerfull Astartes?

Best regards,

TechVoid.

I don't have it to hand so can't remember specific contents. It does have a lot of interesting fluff in it, and I'm sure some of it would be useful. It's certainly a nice book.

However, I'd more recommend the book full of various 'monsters' and their stats. I can't remember what it's called, though.

Well....

Here's the thing, Radical's Handbook is an awesome read, but I don't think its that useful in a Deathwatch setting, unless you are trying to setup a "radical campaign." Are you trying to have a game where the players are being asked to do things that are questionable (say.... make alliances with xenos/use xenos tech/kill loyal imperials to further other ends)? Do they work for a radical inquisitor, or do they find themselves turning to radicalism given just how dire the threat is to mankind?

If so, the book is pretty good.

If not, there really are not that many creature profiles, or gear that "loyalist" astartes would find useful. It would be neat stuff for the enemy to have, but much would be useless. About 1/3rd of the book is purely relating to Dark Heresy, with alternate career ranks and what not....

So, if your campaign doesn't have heavy radical themes, I wouldn't recommend it.

If you were playing Dark Heresy, I would call it a must read though, as the book is awesome.

I myself am using my copy for some guidance on some of the missions my players run on, but I do try to lace in some radical themes, as it does add quite a bit to any RPG.

Thanks for the response. And ...

KommissarK said:

The thing is ... as a GM I always tend to some grey shades after a couple of sessions independent of the rpg. I just see it naturally that the players should once in a while encounter some choices without right or wrong but with decision A or B having the adequate consequences. Even the good guys must sometimes choose what seems to be the wrong path and even the evil buddys may have some remors.

Based on the assumption that there is no abstract good or evil like the alignments in DnD. But there are NPCs with a life, goals, motivations and fears. So if something is right or wrong it depends on the context and point of view. That gives NPCs more depth and makes them more memorabel. It is one thing if you think of an enemy where you learned why he / she acts that way instead of just saying "Oh yes, it's our opponent ... we fight him becaus he / she is ... evil."

Cheers,

TechVoid.

From what I have read it's a great DH book. In fact me and my GM have an inside joke going on about calling it the "Ramirez' Handbook" after my Scum PC who has just turned Sworn Radical. Heh better not let it Globus Varrak find out.

As for your appraoch, Techvoid, it's commendable only more difficult in DW. Remember that Marines are fanatics to some degree (and at an absolute as a Black Templar). They have been trained to not see shades of grey. To see shades of grey is to invite doubt and to invite doubt is to invite the downfall.

You and your players can of course role-play the inner conflict between indoctrination and what they perceive as reality but it's tricky.

I honestly believe you will find the book less than helpful unless you need some general 40K universe inspiration. Then it's quite good.

Alex

I see.

Thanks for that input - even if I will test them to see shades of grey.

Maybe I'll buy it much cheaper as a pdf-file.

Best regards,

TechVoid.

It's an awesome read and handy as hell for a DH campaign. It is next to useless for a Deathwatch game, other than as a source of daemonic weapons and other tainted gear to equip the baddies with. Also, the focus is not just on radical faction, but on radical faction in Calixis, so once again not very applicable to Deathwatch.

Razorboy said:

No.

Since I do not call me a setting-slave I do not see why I should not use any faction I like. If an organisation is interesting why not use it for DW. And who cares if it is originally written for the Calixis Sector. Or who wil notice of my players if they do not have that book at hand.

Cheers,

TechVoid.

ak-73 said:

True, but aren't the DW a team of folks that are willing to do radical things if it serves the mission goals, and do things against their chapter traditions? I think we've had this thread before.

I will say in my game there are two inquisitors, one radical and one puritan, that the KT regularly assist. The roleplaying is tricky and it isn't easy, but so far it's been pretty rewarding. If the players were themselves, they'd all essentially side with the radical, though with their characters it's a different story that breeds an enjoyable conflict.

TechVoid said:

Well everyone's entitled to their own opinions. It's just that in my opinion and my experience it's easier to adapt crunch than fluff and Radical's Handbook is primarily a fluff book. Also, the Jericho Reach doesn't have nearly as many inquisitors as Calixis Sector, so there's probably less Inquisition factions represented. But then again, I have a Xenos Hybris Inquisitor and an Instvaanian running around in my Koronus Expanse RT game, so more power to ya.

Razorboy said:

All the PCs are technically part of the Inquisition, more or less. And the various factions do present schools of thought and as such are to a degree applicable to all citizens of the Imperium who hold some power.

Alex

TechVoid said:

If you're looking for factions for the Deathwatch to go up against, you might be better off with Disciples of the Dark Gods instead. Disciples of the Dark Gods , despite its name, deals with threats from all three broad categories (hereticus, xenos, malleus, in other words), and has a listing of major heretics towards the back as well. While some of the stuff is specific to the Calixis sector, I see no reason why the material can't be adapted for the Jericho reach. It would be entirely appropriate for a Beast House-like group to try and capture some of the Tyranid critters, for example, while you might see an outbreak of zombie plague on worlds close to or previously enveloped by the Hadex Anomaly.

-Kirov