First post.

Yo. It seems likely that, sometime in the next week or two, I'll be joining a new WFRP campaign. I have some little experience with a few 2E sessions back in the day, but I'm just stepping into the wide world of 3e. I have to say, my first impressions of 3e, by way of the player's guide, are of a fairly awesome game which seems to capture the Warhammer feel well (I'm a big Warhammer fan). Anyways, I've come here to solicit advice for my first character.

In terms of a character, I'm pretty much set on someone within the Cult of Sigmar... nothing says loving like fascist fantasy religions. Pursuant to that, I'm thinking of either creating an initiate and going in the Sigmarite warrior priest direction, or creating a something to eventually become a witch hunter. I realize that zealot naturally moves into witch hunter, but I don't think that zealot is for me. I'd prefer the sort of witch hunter that begins as a fairly well-adjusted member of society, goes (a little) insane due to trauma and whatnot, and then comes back as a crazy witch hunter.

So, I ask you, what sorts of basic careers (other than flagellant) do you like to play toward becoming a witch hunter? Which ones work well mechanically, and which ones do you think work well thematically. I've got a few ideas and a few narratives in mind, but I think that I'll leave the question completely open for the time being. Being new to the system, it's somewhat difficult for me to easily see how classes fit together, so discussion of that sort of thing would be very helpful.

So, when beginning a new game, how do you witch hunter?

(P.S. I'll likely be posting another thread on these forums in a few days, once I've made the call as to what I want to do, in order to solicit help in chargen, if that's appropriate)

One of my players is basically in the same situation as you. Zealot is of course the easiest to transition with; it is the only career that shares two traits with a Witch Hunter (or at least it was by our reading). He didn't care for Zealot either, and the plan was to do exactly what you are doing.

He ended up picking Soldier. It shares only ballistic skill with the Witch Hunter. Since Witch Hunter's are a paramilitary organization, someone with military training is a natural fit. It also gives plenty of emotional/mental trauma or baggage potential.

Basically, I'd say look at the skills and see what you like, since no careers share two traits to make the transition easy.

Once thing that could be neat is you could play an initiate who sees too much of the corruption in the world and decides to take a more hands on approach. Mechanically, you would get all sorts of good additions as well. Although it could look extremely munchkiny if you do not play it right.

So yeah, just pick a career and make a good story. As the campaign goes on, assuming your chap survives, just look out for ways to interact with Sigmarites and get your foot in the Witch Hunter door. Sorry if this isn't very helpful.

I would probably steer clear of soldier types, as there are a lot more obvious directions for them to go (ie, becoming mercenary captains, templar knights etc.) I think civilian, more investigatory types are probably a better fit. Something like 'commoner' would actually be very good: someone not obviously marked out for greatness, but with a lot of world-weary experience of hardship and the lot of the common man (and woman). He could easily be devoutly religious, without being a fanatic. I don't have the career cards in front of me, so I can't remember what other careers there are, but I think there are several civilian / everyday type careers. Roadwarden would be another one.

Thanks for the responses.

I still need to look through the classes, but I was thinking of starting as a non-soldier class. I don't want to make any sort of anti-hero character (I'm so very tired of them these days... when did it become the case that every hero has to be an anti-hero!?), but I was thinking of making the sort of character you'd never expect to end up as a witch hunter... maybe a gambler or something of that sort. I'm thinking of a character who is fairly well-adjusted (witch hunter, what!?) and perhaps even a bit of a dandy (I don't know how to RP a dandy, but I'm sure that I can figure it out). I figure that he can go through something totally messed up at some point, come back a bit unhinged and more hardcore, and eventually be inducted as a Templar.

Perhaps I should look for a career with a lot of skill advances, since it seems like a witch hunter should really be full of skills and whatnot to do the job.

Hello,
I agree with all.

Form my point of view there are a lot of different options and for me it depends on the way you like to play your character when he is a witch hunter.

1) from a fighting class (solder or mercenary fits best I think) -> This means you are a fighting oriented witch hunter – for me it would feel like a bit of a character that solves the problems with intimidation and / or fighting skills

2) from an intellectual / skill based class like student (or even commoner) my favourite would be the investigator class. This would probably have a feeling of a “sherlock holmes” type of person

3) from a sneaky / shadow type of character like thief or ratcather or even grave robber. This would be the least expected and most seldom character path I guess. You could do a lot of investigation with thief skills like pick pocket, shadowing, lock picking, …

4) ...

I play a solder -> merc who tries to become a witch hunter ... if I would start from scratch I would take an skill based character, because I think it gives you more options in the riddle solving / investigation parts (what I like a lot).

For Sigmar
Lother