Hey everyone. So me and my group recently started a game of deathwatch, and we're all catching on pretty quickly. One thing that we seem to be having constant issues with though are the rules surrounding our techmarine.

Basically, we've read through the core rules over and over, but it seems rules are either poorly worded, contradictory or flat out missing. So here are the questions we have.

1. Is a servo-arm the only type of mechadendrite allowed? It appears to be the only one in the Cybernetics section of the Armory, which is strange since Mechadendrite Use shows that there are also Weapon and Utility mechadendrites. Are these simply servo arms also that are designated as these subtypes?

2. Is there an official limit on how many mechadendrites he can have at one time (with and without a servo harness)? Is he only allowed to acquire a new mechadendrite when he advances a renown level, or can he buy them at any point as long as he has the requisition?

3. So let's assume he either has a servo arm or a Weapon mechadendrite, depending on the answer to the earlier question. According to Machinator Array, that allows you to apply a cc weapon or a pistol to a servo arm. Is this the only time you may apply a weapon to a servo arm? Is it permanent if you do that? What about the Weapon Mechadendrite? Does it follow the same restriction on weapons (assuming that's what it is), or can he actually live his dream of putting a multi melta on one? On that topic, can he equip that to one mechadendrite, or does it require 2 (if that's even possible).

I realize these may seem like noob questions, but we are really in the dark here. Any help we could get on clearing up this situation would be awesome. Thank you.

Saurnauth said:

Most of the time a servo arm is the only mechadendrite allowed. Otherwise, you have bionic hands which are replacements of your origional hand. It says weapon and utility use, as in a servo harness, there is a plasmacutter and torch, used as a flamer and plasma pistol respectively. Also, there are many weapons that can be placed upon a Servo arm from RoB, such as the Auger

2. The first limit is one if you have a servo arm, and then you can have four in a servo harness. You can see examples online of both of these. They usually only come in the two varieties of "Servo Arm" and then "Servo Harness"

3. I wouldn't say that it is permant when you do it, but it's not a simple pop-on, pop-off job. Inbetween missions should be enough time, and clean enough, to replace said delicate yet powerful machinery. Most weapons fitted are of a pistol size and not a rifle size, mostly because it would be too much weight on a dendrite and too bulky and clunky to be used effectively. So thereticlaly it would be possible to have a melta pistol on there, but they cost alot. And unlike flamer capsles or plasma, they have a significant limiting in shots.

I wouldn't say it's normal, but you could put it on if youd allow it as a GM. I'd go srict fluff, but that's us. I'd say you need a high level Artificer to do it.

All I would have to say is look at the Dark Heresy rule on mechandrites and what types there are. A Techmarine would have access to these, I'm surprised there aren't more rules for them in Deathwatch.

There are numerous different Mechadendrites in the other books (See Dark Heresy)

I'd imagine a Techmarine could have more than one mechadendrite(even before he gets his servo-harness, which has 4), but bear in mind a new mechadendrite requires both an XP cost (you will need the applicable Mechadendrite Use (type) Talent) and the req cost of the other kind of dendrite... And the other kinds would require a conversion from cost in Dark Heresy to Req in DW(not impossible, but you'd need some kind of conversion rate. the req of a servo-arm is 30, the other dendrites are weaker so probably a fair bity cheaper if you needed a req cost)

The techmarine only starts with a mechadendrite use(servo-arm) talent, he isn't trained, by default, to use any other sort of dendrite, and the other ones are less suitable to the close-combat/assault role the Deathwatch plays. I personally didn't see any in the other books I really wanted for my Techmarine character, although Rites offers the Breaching Auger as a new attachment to my servo-arm(the auger is not permanent, it is bought as a weapon, not as a bionic).

The 'ballistic mechadendrite' is not permission to mount any gun on an arm, it comes with a weapon that isn't really up to par with the standard Deathwatch weapons. It has a built-in compact Laspistol, but your techmarine has already got his standard-issue boltpistol and bolter.

Alright, thank you for the replies guys. This really helped us clear things up.