Hey people. So I'm in my very first Rogue Trader group with my first character being an explorator. The character is atm rank 4 (15950 xp) and I've planned a route for it.

Death world, stubjack, zealot with blessed scars, calamity and fortune. Starting implants: Good bionic cortex, good MIU weapon interface, good Mind impulse unit.

starting statline (edited with origin path) ws: 25, bs: 50, str: 30, t: 40, ag: 35, int:45, per: 40, wp: 40, fel: 20

500 xp (from 4500 to 5000) tech-use, logis implant, common lore tech, and logic.

Rank1: int 1+2: (350), awareness (100) common lore machine cult (100) forbidden lore archeotech (100) forbidden lore adeptus mechanicus (100) literacy (100) secret tongue tech (100) autosanguine (200) trade armourer (100) ballistic skill 1+2: 750

7000 total

Rank 2: awareness +10 (200) common lores +10 tech + mach cult (400) forbidden lores +10 archeotech + adeptus (400) dodge (200) logic +10 (200) medicae (200) tech use +10 (200) binary chatter (200) electro graft use (200) prosanguine (200) total recall (200) ferric lure (200) willpower I (250)

10050 total

rank 3: chem use (200) common lore +20 machine cult + tech (400) dodge +10 (200) medicae +10 (200) tech use +20 (200) feedback screech (200) the flesh is weak 1 (500) toughness I + II(350) Ballistic skill 3 (750)

total 13050

rank 4: medicae +20 (200) talented tech-use (200) the flesh is weak 2 (500) machinator array (500) intelligence 3 (500) perception 1(500) agility 1 (500)

total 15950

Skills&traits: jaded, paranoid, quick draw, light sleeper, hardy, autosanguine, prosanguine, sprint (bionic heart)

Other implants: Subskin armor, cranial armor, bionic heart.

This is where I am at right now

------------------------------------ Future adjustments -------------------------------------

End of rank 4: Weapon skill 2 (500) mechadendrite use utility (500)

Start of rank 5: Here I am planning on doing the Genetor instead of rank 5 explorator.

Scholastic lore Chymistry (200) trade chymist (200) trade chymist +10 (200) forbidden lore xenos (200) xenos +10 (300) xenos +20 (500) A machine of flesh X 3 (1500) with following: Brute, Multiple appendages, regeneration. Weapon skill 3 (750) trade explorator (200)

Any thoughts or comments about this build? I think it will result in a quite capable player both at ranged (since I got 65 BS already now with a good quality beamer meltagun with laser sight) and a monster in CC with additional attack, preferably with powerfist if I can get it. With all the upgrades I got 70 toughness and 9 armor on arms/legs, 10 armor body, 8 on head, and 15 wounds. I wont get past 65 WS, but I will get blademaster (one reroll melee/round) at rank 6.

very quick reply: multiple appendages is no longer an option (nor is winged), check the errata. I'd highly reccomend sonar sense instead!

Ixnay said:

I assume you are talking about in the future as you have nothing that I see that would allow you an additional attack per round at this point. The Ballistic Mechadendrite would let you use your one reaction in the round to get an additional attack however you don't have the proper talent group Mechadendrite Use (Weapon).

The Weapon MIU may be fired as a free action, but you are still limited to one attack action per round even if its a free action (you can't use the same action twice in a round). This means you could fire the MIU and run into cover or melee if you wanted.

You also don't have any two weapon fighting talents (or ambidextrous) which means you can't use the multiple attack action without heavy penalties (you can't use two guns/melee weapons or a combination there of).

Also, what role are you hoping to fulfill within your group?

If you plan on mixing it up in a combat scenario I would consider getting some talents like true grit that halves crit damage received to extend your viability as armour and tb only go as far as your gm allows them to. Getting hit by a high pen weapon that ignores your armour completely may have you reconsidering some choices. Though this is highly group dependent.

Sound Constitution might be worth an investment as well since wounds are ultimately what determines whether or not you are walking away from an engagement. Turn that Inferno Pistol against yourself and see how long you last.

My thoughts but remember to have fun its a role playing game not a roll playing game even if dice are involved.

good luck

Alright, thanks for the advice people. I should perhaps mention that the reason I havent invested in sound constitution and true grit is mainly because during a campaign I found a battle servitor, unique kind which is basically a charran battle servitor with power axe, heavy flamer, +3 armor points and +10 wounds, so its kind of my metal-shield if you will. I have yet to even get to 0 wounds in this campaign, since the rest of our crew consists of a overzealus rogue captain who loves hunting, an assassin which charges into combat whenever enemies are around, an astropath that doesent really do anything, a fatty navigator with the eye power that last session did 11d10 dmg to a carnifex (oneshot) and at occasions a crazy missionary. Mainly the assassin and the rogue trader take all the pounding, the assassin having lost an arm already, and the rogue trader being taken to 0 or very near 0 several times.

Also, I always forget that "sound" constitution means "good" and not sound as in audio. third time I've forgotten. Need to rectify.

About the role I wish to fulfill is a bit of a hazy one, seeing how I try to roleplay the development of my character. Started out as a tech-priest that grew up on a death world caring little or not at all for organic matters or lifeforms, and has recently started to become interested in the organic organism. Mainly due to the Assassin in the group which is a fantastically efficient killer, with 2 kills per second (if he has enough targets[his calculation]) and his rather pragmatic and direct approach to things, which reminds my character of the logical thought process of a machine, in an odd sense of way. So the explorator recently started reading up in tech-knowledge and a bit of background check in the adeptus machina lore, to find out more. First learned basic medicine to be able to open up and "test" out what the limits of organic matter is, then the chem-use to see how its possible to stimulate the organism.

So yeah, I dont plan characters ahead, but I guess the role is main techie, main ship gunner and sniper, and only medic so far, since I think the missionary only has been with us once or twice.

So in recap: no multiple arms. Thats a damper, but I guess I'll find something suitable. After all, the inspiration is the assassin, so the goal is kind of to be able to kill in close quarters better. Sound constitution and true grit will be reconsidered and possibly traded for other skills, if they seem more important. Good to know about the need of skill to attack with mutlitple melee weapons. Any suggestions on how I could best use the explorator in a fight with a power fist on the left (bionic) arm, and a beamer on the MIU wi? what is a good use of the right hand? any good tools I could use, or save it for certain things?

Sorry about long post. I got carried away

PS: I'm thinking about "feels no pain" as a third Machine of flesh option.

Update:

So today my character ate Deep Warp Eel. I had to roll mutation, and I got multiple limbs. Now I have 4 arms, and with it I also gained the ambidextrous trait aswell as BOTH two-weapon fighting talents. Cool, eh? all from eating fish.

Ixnay said:

not just a fish... Deep Warp Eel. There is a reason that is only on the menu at the nicest of establishments. That junk will mess you up.

I was well aware of that, but I felt I had to follow my captains example and eat it with him. It was the captains second time. First time he got the hideous scars thingie, and now he's got the bulging biceps or whatever. Quite funky in its own way. Ofcourse, my explorator won't eat Deep Warp Eel again, but it will study a sample of the eel I got from the captain post feast.