Okay I know I'm a bit late to catch on to this ... but I understand that a new roleplaying game set in the W40k universe is scheduled for this year under the name Rogue Trader?

I read the thread on it. At one point a game called Deathwatched is mentioned too ... but I have not been able to find more information on this.

Anyone care to enlighten me?

Thanks a lot!

There will be 3 overall 40K rpgs. Dark heresy, which is out. Rogue Trader and then later Deathwatch.

The third instalment of the the game is supposedly to be about Marines of the Deathwatch chapter. The Deathwatch is not a real chapter par-se but appropriated from all other chapters out there, the Ordo Xenos can call in members of a chapter to serve a short term or your in the DW normally around 10 years, unless the Marine in question is really good at it. The Marines chosen for this are usually a little more "freethinking" or adaptable then the normal litany sprouting brainwashed mad killing machine and will in many cases be considered to be either a bit of an outcast or shining paragons who will one day be great heroes (depending on what character traits the parent chapter values), it will also deal with non-marine characters who have reached a level where they can run with the best of them. That will probably mean (as I see it) that your original acolyte can once again be upgraded, they will be full inquisitors, assassins ala the ones from the minnies game (who are them selves gen-upgraded cyber plugged killers) mighty rogue traders and Psykers. Full on this seems to sort of be the "epic" level of the game where the end fight is not against the cultists who are trying to summon something nasty from the warp, but actually be the nasty greater what ever its name is.

At least that is what I am expecting it to be.

Interesting, thanks!

I know how we know about Rogue Trader (that tantalizing post here on the forums) but what/who is the source on Deathwatch?

They were both part of the long-term plans for the 40K RPG line back when it was at Black Industries, which is where most of the info/expectations come from. it was only when Rogue Trader was announced that we got confirmation that FFG is continuing with that plan.

The short of it is that there will be three interlinked games, that can also be played completely independently if one so desires.

In escalating levels of power, they are:

Dark Heresy - dealing with heresy and corruption; gritty and relatively low powered

Rogue Trader - dealing with trade and exploration; higher powered

Death Watch - dealing with Space Marines and other high-power individuals

...as to the exact links between the various games, we'll have to wait and see.

Do we know anything about the rules for Rogue Trader and Deathwatch? Are they going to be substantially the same as Dark Heresy?

same core mechanics, different focus (I seem to remember something about Deathwatch having new combat rules)

Look at the core rules for Dark Heresy, no look at the combat, environment, skills, talents, psi-powers, base equipment, standard rules, and character generation sections. I imagine about 80% of that will be the same in all 3 books. Now they might have some new skills or talents or psi-powers, but dont expect to big of a change.

I still say after all 3 books are out we will probably see just a 40K core rulebook. Or Im at least hoping so.

The more compatible they are the more likely I am to buy them. I am far more interested in the Inquisition then I am the other two, but if they can be used as supplements and what not, then they will get bought.

I'm very much interested in these two other games if they are, and I really really really want this, interconnectable and on the same scale.

For example, if an assassin character from DH towards the end of his career has a WS of about 50 or 60 .. then what would a Space Marine start with? I want them all on the same platform, and completely interchangeable. Odds are this is probably gonna happen anyway, but I really think this is an important point when different power levels seem to be most defining difference between the three games.

The Laughing God said:

Well, the general opinion in the community is that the power level will increase during three games but I don't know it is confirmed yet. We will be supplied with rules so that a character can make the transition between the games though. Ross Watson has talked about in a podcast that you should be able to find on the DH-page. There have been two podcasts and the latest are totally unlistenable (personal opinion) while the first is annoyable at best. It is the first that is the more interesting for your question I think. I have not managed to listen to the second one because the urge to release a nuke from my personal weapons of mass destruction satellite has been to great, so I can't say anything about that one more than I hate it. It has nothing to do with Ross though.

Robban-O said:

I have to agree. Juat because we can make pod cast shows, doesnt mean we should!

As far as Dark Heresy to Rogue Trader power level differences, I cant see it being that severe. I dont think Rogue Trader characters will start out on par with 14,999 experience points, but maybe at the 1000 point or so level and the book might cover up to 20,000 or so points.

Honestly, the power level of Dark Heresy isnt so bad, once you get past the first low ranks.

Rogue Trader sounds interesting - allowing a bit more freedom in action and character variety.

For good or ill, Deathwatch sounds like Dark Heresy but with bigger hats and bigger guns, i.e. still working for the Man, and less sneaky and more bang bang.

But each could also be used as an intro to life outside Calixis.

I'm so glad I'm not the only one who can't stand podcasts (any podcasts, not specifically the FFG ones).

At least put up transcripts for those of us who want the new information without having to listen to all the other stuff

Charax said:

Its the radio equivalent of public access

So then this is still actually going to happen? Is FFG still going to follow the time frame set down by Black Industries where it's one "core" book per year?

Wolfscout said:

Possibly. We know Rogue Trader is coming out at GenCon, or is scheduled to at least.

Id expect about 18 months after that for Death Watch, but it would really depend on the duration of their contract with BI/BL/GW.

As it is right now, I expect to run Dark Heresy even after RT and DW come out. I will just use them for alternate rules, careers, and what nots.

Peacekeeper_b said:

Do we know it is scheduled to come out for sale at GenCon, or just be previewed? At least with Dark Heresy, I recall that Black Industries previewed the game and ran Shattered Hope (way to impress.. ), but then the book didn't come out until the following January.

Just wondering.

aethel said:

Well, releasing the book at Gencon is probably a good way to get attention to your booth, which in turns increases sales. Now, as I understand it FFG is not the most reliable when it comes to meeting release dates. But I think that the planing is to at least have something solid to show at the con. Then we might have to wait a couple of months for the printing to be done, as we hade to do with DH.

Peacekeeper_b said:

Same here. IMO the background is the most interesting.
I fail to see why the power level in Rogue Trader would be upped though. It would be great if the "old" careers would make a pass with new ranks, including some new ones but I'm really not interested in all new careers who are more powerful than the ones in DH. If they'd make DW even more powerful than RT it would just be "shinier bigger bang" for every book which IMO would be very boring. I like some intrigue in my stories and not the "shoot anything that moves"-shtick with antagonists becoming crazier every moment.

Deus Machina said:

Because the system is gamistic meaning that character progression is almost mandatory. You have to get better to face bigger threats and there are some big threats out there just waiting to get killed. I think that we could have some overlap in the power (like the starting lvl in RT will be equal to lvl 5 in DH) but you will reach higher levels with each book.

Well higher ranks do not necessarily equat more powerful. I think Rogue Trader characters will have more skills and talents and money and connections, but not super high stats and ninja like death abilities that make them so much better the acolytes.

Dark Heresy assumes your characters are more or less just plucked up off the street and sent to do Inquisitor Bob's work. They know their basic life. Home language and customs and legends, how to clean and fire a lasgun and so forth. Later they leanr new languages and skills to get around.

The basis of Rogue Trader is intergalactic commerce. Naturally starting characters will need more knowledge skills and interaction skills as well as your combat skills. I think Rogue Trader will cover what would be considered ranks 3-10 (or 3-15), where Dark Heresy covers 1-8. DW will probably cover up to rank 20.

Personally, I'm looking forward to Rogue Trader the most, because it will genuinely expand the 40k background. DH has been fantastic, but it's very much a "local" setting, with the new background information largely restricted to the Calixis sector. I love that, but I think Rogue Trader has the potential to fill in a lot more "blanks" in the 41st millenia than DH. DH (it seems to me) is actually quite hesitant to pin the Inquisition down on methodology, structure, history etc.

If FFG have a freer hand on creating, in effect, the whole new focus for rogue traders across the imperium, it will create an exciting new class of fully developed antagonist for 40k. OK, arguably there's been a lot of information already on rogue traders in 40k, but I get the feeling that they have, up to now, not lived up to their full potential. Don't forget, when Rick Priestley first wrote 40k, it seemed that he wanted the focus of the entire system to be on them right from the start. Up to now, they've always been bit players in the setting. It'll be nice to see them cut loose a bit.

I'm not really so excited about Deathwatch, it must be said. While there is something to be said about games with very high powered players (White Wolf did that successfully a while back with Aberrant) I tend to think that Space Marines are not really right for a roleplaying game. Character wise, marines can't really be anything else than ciphers, the background insists that they spend their time fighting in major wars, they're 7-8 feet tall, so interaction with normal humans will be a little strained...Many of them are celibate and spend their loves in monastaries, training...they have totally different psychology to normal humans... For a lot of reasons, I never got into the big debates early on about marines in the setting, because I really wasn't going to be convinced that it would ever work.

I'll certainly buy the book, but I'm a little sceptical about it being workable as an RPG setting...

Peacekeeper_b said:

But honestly, even if these things you are talking about is indeed something powerfull, in real world more powerfull than combat skills, in the RPG-context your ability to fight is after all the most important thing? Even if the man in charge are not that good at fighting there are always a right hand that is, and no matter what kind of media you are consuming physical combat is always the most important feature. How many threads about players trying to powergame their adept have we read? A character that is so **** wise and has so pumped up stats in the knowledge spectrum that it becomes a problem. I have never seen such a thread in any forum or any game.

Your combat skills has always been a measure of status in popcultural media. Even if the Rogue Trader himself is not the best fighter, his right hand will be because of that reason. That means that if we are suppose to view a Rogue Trader with more respect or fight more powerfull enemies, compared to a acolyte he/or she (but not as often) will be better fighters. Something that is going show in the system.

But then the players will want to play Space Marines!

Blink Blink Blink Blink Blink

Never mine.

Actually what I want to know is when the first time Chaos marine chapters will start to show up as foes?

Alexi