Hi all, first post for the forum.
My gaming group literally could not wait for the Black Crusade core rulebook to come out, so we have started a house-ruled CSM campaign based on Deathwatch and Dark Heresy to play in the interim until the release of Black Crusade. This meant creating a bunch of house rules, which I would llike to share with anyone who is interested. While I'm sure that much of our humble homebrew will be made redundant by the release of Black Crusade, which given FFG's track record will presumably be awesome, it has been fun to create the various chaos advances and daemon weapons that we are using in our campaign and I'd like to put them out there for others to hopefully enjoy.
The first thing I would like to post is our daemon weapons, chaos weapons and special chaos artifacts. These are all based on weapons that have appeared in various Chaos codices over the years, and those of you playing Deathwatch, Rogue Trader or Dark Heresy may find them useful. The daemon weapons are intended to be comparable in power level to Deathwatch relics, so they are pretty badass. Comments and constructive criticism is welcome!
An important note: I just wrote the rules for the items, and most of the flavor text for the items is taken directly from the 2002 CSM codex, by Andy Chambers, Pete Haines, Andy Hoare, and Phil Kelly.
Daemon Weapons
General Rules : Each daemon weapon gains its unique powers by being inhabited by a bound daemon, which has a Willpower score that is indicated in the weapon’s profile. Using a daemon weapon requires mastery of the bound daemon within, which will attempt to control the character whenever the weapon spills blood. When a character kills an enemy with a daemon weapon, make a Daemonic Mastery Test (opposed WP). If the character succeeds, then he has mastered the daemon within and suffers no ill effects. If the daemon wins, it may attempt to possess the character (see Dark Heresy 331 or Deathwatch 134). If the Willpower bonus of the bound daemon is less than that of the wielder, then the wielder need only roll once to establish mastery, and if successful, further uses of the sword will not trigger Daemonic Mastery Tests. If the Willpower bonus of the weapon is greater than that of the wielder, then he must make a Daemonic Mastery test every time he slays an enemy with the weapon. Such is the price of enslaving such a powerful entity.
Modifiers on the Daemonic Mastery Test:
+30 The wielder knows the daemon’s true name
+20 The wielder possesses a Mark which corresponds to the type of daemon which inhabits the weapon
+10 The wielder possesses a Mark of Chaos Undivided
- 30 The wielder bears a Mark of a chaos power antithetical to the allegiance of the bound daemon (see Dark Heresy 241, table 8-9)
Accursed Crozius : During the Horus Heresy most of the Chaplains of the Traitor Legions resisted the taint of Chaos and were murdered by their brethren. The Chaplains of the Word Bearer Legion embraced Chaos willingly though and as an act of faith ritually desecrated their once sacred weapons. These Accursed Crozii have a powerful effect as talismans of Chaos, proving that even the most pious of the Emperor's followers can be turned to the Path of Damnation.
Accursed Crozius: Melee; 1D10+10 E; Pen 10; Balanced, Power Field, Special; WP 33.
Special: the Accursed Crozius confers a personal force field with a rating of 50; further, the Accursed Crozius functions as an icon for the purposes of daemon summoning. As daemon weapons, many Accursed Crozii vary significantly from this example, and may have extra abilities.
Darkblade : The Dark Blade is jet-black: no reflection or mark mars the perfect satin darkness of its blade, although the hilt, pommel and grip are often richly embellished. The Dark Blade is a hungry killer that feasts on the souls of the slain and urges its bearer on to further acts of barbarity until it is sated. It has the following profile:
Darkblade: Melee; 1D10 +9 E; Pen 9; Balanced, Power field, Special, Tearing; WP 30.
Special Qualities: The Darkblade doubles its bearer’s strength bonus, in the same manner as a powerfist. In addition, the Darkblade is vampiric, and feasts on souls, gaining power from every slaughter. Keep track of kills made with the Darkblade: for every 50 enemies slain (count each point of damage to horde magnitude as 1 kill), the Darkblade’s WP increases by 1. Should its bonus increase, the sword’s pen and damage bonus will likewise increase. Should the sword’s WP bonus exceed that of the character, he must face a Daemonic Mastery test as normal.
Dreadaxe : The Dreadaxe contains an entrapped entity with a vampiric thirst for souls that is especially partial to destroying daemonic rivals. This blade is death to all who oppose its bearer. It has the following profile:
Dreadaxe: Melee; 1D10+14 R; Pen 6; Felling (1), Special, Unwieldy; WP 45.
Special Qualities: The Dreadaxe ignores all force fields, confers the Slayer of Daemons trait, and is Vampiric (every kill heals the wielder of 1D5 wounds).
Lash of Torment: The Lash is a whip that twists and coils with a mind of its own. Cruelly barbed hooks run along its length and its sinuous coils arc warm yet unsettling to the touch. It thrives on the pain of its victims absorbing their fear and projecting it for the enjoyment (or terror) of all around. It has the following profile:
Lash of Torment: Melee; 1D10+5 R; Pen 8; Flexible (cannot be parried), Slaanesh-aligned, Special, Tearing; WP 30.
Special Qualities: For every victim slain by the Lash of Torment, the wielder gains a cumulative +1 to his Fear quality, to a maximum of +4. This bonus lasts until the end of the combat in which it was acquired.
Needle of Desire: The Needle of Desire is a long, slim, double-pointed needle inscribed with runes within runes to a microscopic level. One half is embedded in the arm of the Champion bearing it where it absorbs the foul narcotics naturally synthesised by Champions of Slaanesh. only for it to be injected into enemies using the other end of the Needle. Its profile is as follows:
Needle of Desire: Melee; 1D10+4; Pen 8; Felling (2), Slaanesh-aligned, Special, Toxic; WP 42.
Special Qualities: Those injured must pass a WP check or suffer an extra 2D10 damage that ignores armour and Toughness.
Manreaper : This rusted and corrupted blade has been dipped in the filth seeping from the very throne of Nurgle, and in so doing absorbed the essence of one of the Daemons that cavort there. Its profile is as follows:
Manreaper: Melee; 2D10 +6 R; Pen 6; Nurgle-aligned, Special, Tearing, Unwieldy; WP 35.
Special: In a round in which the user of the Manreaper initiates a melee attack, he gains a bonus attack against each adjacent enemy. Against hordes, the Manreaper does an additional +1D10 damage to the horde’s magnitude.
Berserker Glaive: The bearer of the Berserker Glaive carries a weapon he must constantly struggle for dominion over. The blade contains the bound essence of a Bloodletter driven to the depths of rage by its captivity.
Berserker Glaive: Melee; 2d10+8 E; Pen 6; Power Field, Tearing, Special Qualities, Unwieldy; WP 40
Special: 50% miss chance applies to attacks against the wielder, functioning in the same manner as a personal force field; the wielder is automatically subject to Frenzy as a free action; grants the bearer the Swift Attack Talent, if the bearer already has the Swift Attack Talent, he gets the Lightning Attack Talent, if he already has the Lighting Attack Talent, then he gets the Preternatural Speed Talent, if he has the Preternatural Speed Talent, he gains +2 extra attacks when he uses Lightning Attack for a total of 5 attacks. The character cannot participate in Squad Mode actions while wielding the weapon or ride a Daemonic Steed.
Pandemic Staff: The Pandemic Staff acts as a Vessel for Grandfather Nurgle's favourite contagions when they are carried from the Warp into the real universe. It doubles as a force melee weapon and a ranged flame weapon, shooting out sickly green fire that inflicts plague and contagion as well as burning.
Pandemic Staff: Melee; 1d10+5 I; Pen 4; Balanced, Toxic; WP 40.
Basic; 20m; S/–/– ;2d10+6 E ; Pen 7; Clip N/A; 2 Full; Flame, Toxic.
Bedlam Staff : This staff, when it touches the physical flesh of an enemy, opens his mind for but a second to the maniacal glory that is the Warp, leaving him dazed and confused.
Bedlam Staff: Melee; 1d10+10 E; Pen 10; Balanced, Power Field, Special, Tzeentch Aligned (WP 50)
Special: If you get hit by the staff and take damage, you must roll your WP -5 for every point of damage taken or suffer 1d5 Insanity points and become Stunned for 1 round.
Warp Blade : Gifted too the mightiest of sorcerers and most devious of plotters, the Warp Blade has the power to dissipate and scatter psychic energy aimed at its bearer.
Warp Blade: Melee; 1d10+11 E; Pen 11; Balanced, Power Field; WP 50
If anyone within a 50’ radius of the Warp Blade’s wielder attempts to use a psychic power, make a test using the swords WP. Every degree of success imposes a -10 penalty to the enemy’s Focus Power test. If the enemy’s Focus Power Test fails, then he is subject to the Perils of the Warp immediately.
Ether Lance
The Ether Lance is a conduit to the Warp. Its bearer can launch bolts of Empyrean energy at his foes or draw them into the lance, eventually consuming them utterly.
Ether Lance: Melee; 1d10+6 E; Pen 7; Power Field. WP X
Ether Lance: Ranged (20 m); Basic; 2d10+5 E; Pen 8; Flame, Special. WP 40
Special: The Ether Lance works like a flame weapon except it does not set people on fire. This can be used one handed.
Kai Gun : When warp storm Gae-sann enveloped the Kai system in M34 it absorbed into the Eye of Terror a powerful industrial culture. The Machine Smiths of Kai bartered their skills for a measure of protection, learning to fashion weapons in the Warp that they could not have conceived before. Their ploy eventually failed and the Daemon hordes descended to fight for possession of these new domains. All that remained after the destruction of Kai was the weapons they had built to appease their slayers. The Kai Gun is a huge bolter of archaic design, so large that a normal man would be unable to lift it. It is a two-handed weapon. The gun is a psychic catalyst, turning the hate and malice of its firer into tangible bolts of energy. The Kai Gun is used as a normal ranged weapon with the following profile:
Heavy; 100m; 1/2/4; 2d10+12 X; Pen 8; Reliable, Special, Tearing. WP 40
Special: If the bearer of the gun is firing at a target against whom he has the Hatred talent, the Damage and Penetration are increased by 2.
Non-daemonic Weapons
Axe of Khorne
: The Axe of Khorne is imbued with the insatiable bloodlust of Khorne.
Melee; 1D10 +1; Pen 0; Special; Unwieldy, Warp.
Special: scores righteous fury on rolls of 9-10.
Khornate Chainaxe : Blows struck by a Khornate Chainaxe are so powerful that they can penetrate virtually any armour.
Melee; 1d10+6 R; Pen 4; Unwieldy, Tearing, Warp Weapon, Khorne Aligned
Plague Sword: The Plague Sword drips with venomous pus.
Melee; 1d10+6 E; Pen 6; Balanced ,Toxic , Warp Weapon, Nurgle Aligned
Chaos Artifacts
Amulet of Tzeentch : The bearer of the amulet enjoys some protection against the psychic powers of others. All psychic tests by enemies directed against him within a radius of (WP bonus x 10 metres) suffer a -10 penalty.
Collar of Khorne : The Collar of Khorne is a talisman forged in the heat of Khorne's rage at the very foot of the Blood God's throne of brass. The collar is able to suck the energy of the Warp from around it, fortifying the bearer against psychic onslaughts. Force weapons cannot deal extra damage to the wearer based on Psy Rating. Further, any psychic powers used against the wearer have their threshold increased by ten (if using Dark Heresy) or their Psy Rating decreased by 2.
Talisman of Burning Blood : The character bearing this talisman may activate the Frenzy talent as a free action.
Combat Drugs
: Slaanesh champions have access to a wide variety of combat drugs, each produced from renderings of sentient creatures. The character can take the drugs at the start of any turn automatically, and gain up to three of the following benefits, which last until the beginning of his next turn:
• Increases the distance the character can move during a Charge to his movement rate while running.
• +10 WS
• +10 ST
• Ignore all the damage from the first wound the character suffers.
• Grants the user the Swift Attack Talent; if the user already has the Swift Attack Talent, he gets the Lightning Attack Talent; if he already has the Lighting Attack Talent, then he gets the Preternatural Speed Talent; if he has the Preternatural Speed Talent, he gains +1 extra attack when he uses Lightning Attack for a total of 4 attacks.
The character must roll 1d10 for each power selected; for every 10 rolled, he takes 1d10 Impact damage, which ignores armour and Toughness. Each dose requires a single sentient being to be rendered down into the drug, a process which requires four hours and a Hard (-20) Chem-use test.
Enjoy Chaos lovers!
Next up: some CSM psychic powers
