Hey there,

I was wondering if anybody would give me some tips on a problem I'm having. This is the first game I've ever GM'd and so far it's going well. But the only problem i'm running into is trying to get 2 of the players more involved. Including myself there are 5 people in the group. I have no problem with their characters but injecting them into the game is proving troublesome with the missionary and the void master. I read the rule book and I'm having trouble trying to get those 2 classes something to do. Right now they seem strictly secondary to the game and I'm worried that they aren't going to have as much fun because all they're doing is sitting and watching. They are involved but it's like they aren't doing the job that's specifically assigned to the character and I'm trying to figure out how to really conduct their positions. And I really don't want to railroad the story either so the more discrete I can be the better. I understand both characters "jobs" but what are they supposed to do to fulfill their duties? Should the void master work somehow with the navigator? Does he fly ships? What does a void master do in his free time? Thanks!

Really depends on a lot of variables. What are the other two characters? What sort of adventures are you mostly running? What special ability did the voidsman take (big ships, little ships, guns and the other one that none of my playerss would ever touch).

I know that this might be a bit cliched, but action scenes are always good to get everyone involved.

The Missionary to start with should be spending his free time praying, studying holy works, and uplifting the spirits of the crew. the void-master should always be refining his skill, either at the ships helm, running gunnery drills for the macro battery,or spending time with his chosen small craft. there is always something to get involved with in RT, you may wish to talk with the 2 players to find out what is keeping them in the shadows.

A missionary is a representative of the Ministorum and as such should be eager to further the cause of the church in any endevour. He should be looking for new converts but also he can prove an interesting complication to the Rogue Trader due to his intolerance and he should often seek to council him in favour of more xenophobic courses of action as well as have him look to expand munitorum presence wherever they visit. Give him a sponsor in the Calixis sector who can offer him and the Rogue Trader rewards or who he can report back to should the Rogue Trader ignore his council and take more heretical courses of action. It wont result in censure out in the expanse but it can make things more difficult back in Port Wander and beyond.

Try and get the Void master interested in the mechanics of whatever his speciality is, that way when the players need to know the best course of action then he can advise them on it. Also an interesting thing to do would be to give each of them a few subordinates with jobs to do and bring up problems surrounding the subordinates occasionally. That way they get some attention and focus.

Kaihlik

Thanks everybody for the helpful tips.

I like the subordinates idea... The players are afterall the tip of a large(!) organisation. I think I've downplayed this a bit too much. My players don't seem to be able to shake the old AD&D feeling that they only own whatever they can stuff into a backpack. Too smalltime.

If the misionairy is not too is flock enough the moral should go down.

a void-master not having an iron fist with is gun crews could be having delays within a usually smooth process... etc.

they also have ears bellow the bridge where they can get a real feel on the crew... etc.

What kind of scenes are you running when the void master and the missionary are sitting back and not doing much? Who are the other two characters that are getting the limelight?

• If they are personal combat action scenes, shoot at the Void Master and Missionary. Void masters are good at ranged combat, and missionaries and flamers are made for each other. If the other two PCs are combat monsters, have the group ambushed from all sides, so the void master and missionary have to hold down a side or they will be overrun.
• In space combat the missionary should be working on morale and the void master should be shooting or piloting.
• In negotiations, some space faring NPCs might respond well to a void master. A missionary can bring a lot of clout to negotiations with followers of the Emperor.
• In investigations, some clues might be best found by a void master, say items or people hidden in a starship or space station. NPC Void farers may tell them things they wouldn't tell a ground-pounder. A riddle left in a hymnal or a secret compartment in an altar are perfect for the Missionary to find. Both types will notice things that others will not. "You see something wrong with the stained glass depiction of St. Drussus..."

Missionary:

• Outside the Imperium, a Missionary has a lot of work to do. Heretics, xenos, and Chaos, oh my! Planets and starships are full of souls that need to be converted to the Imperial Creed. The player's own ship is full of souls that will need to be kept in line.
• As said before, you can create tension between the Missionary and others who want to deal with Xenos. Some groups benefit from this, others do not, so see how your players deal with it.
• Chaos is a fun foe for everyone. Chaos pirates, cults, and so on let the Missionary shine. Perhaps the slaves of chaos include void farer friends of the Void Master and clerics of the Imperial Creed.
• The Ecleasiarchy is a very political organization. Stick your Missionary between two powerful rivals and see how that plays out.

Void Master: What specialty is your void master?

• If they are a pilot (big or small) play up that aspect of adventures. Have the ship out of warp into an asteroid swarm. Have the shuttle be fired on by ground based batteries.
• If they are a ship's gunner, add more space combat. Add another ship to their foes (not to overwelm them, but to make them sweat and appreciate their gunner). Impossible to hit foes like Eldar are a nice challenge.

Are you doing your own adventures or using published ones?

• When you make your own, add lots of heretics and chaos for your Missionary. Lots of space events and encounters for your Void Master. Space hulks are nice.
• When you use a published adventure, add new events to spotlight these two PCs. Modify existing events and NPCs to let these two shine. For example, make the existing antagonists part of a heretical cult, or even chaos worshipers.

What is their backstory?

• You can ask your players to come up with a backstory or it can come out as you play. Convert an NPC to an old ally, contact, or rival, or add a new one in that role.
• In every game, pull at least one NPC or event from one of your characters' backstories and use it in the adventure.