I would like to create a Lord Inquisitor of a Radical Bent to oppose my Rogue Trader players. I would like him to be a potent dark sorcerer with connections enough that should they actually fight him in open combat? It will **** them quicker than anything he might have to say about them.

I was considering creating him from scratch going up through levels through Dark Heresy, the Inquisitor's Handbook, the Radical's Handbook, Disciples of the Dark Gods, and then Ascension. However...poring through each of these books in turn seems like a ton, ton, ton of work. Is there a quicker way? I looked at some site with a character generator, but it didn't seem like it helped. I'm thinking he is of the Xanthite Radicalism

Never ever try to create a bad guy the way you would create a pc. Never ever.

Just pick stats as you see fit, pick talents and skills as you deem fit and perhaps make sure the any prequesites of a talent are met.

Never ever try to use the pc generation method. it is just not worth the time. Never ever.

If you really want to flush out the character that much, than the only way is to build it from the bottom up, but honestly, that is WAY too much work for a villain. Honestly the players are probably not going to encounter him directly enough for him to need all of that work / skills / talents. What i always do is create the raw stat line, then add in any needed skills and talents that are pertinent for the campaign. If at any point you come up to a point where the villain would need a skill or talent that he doesn't have, but would logically make sense for him to have at that level, make a GM call and add it in.

Artanyis said:

I have nothing particularly valuable to add, other than to support this statement. There is a lot that goes into normal character creation that the players will never see and you, as gm, will never use. Do you really need to know what lores he has, or what contacts, or research skills? The only things you need to worry about are those the players will see in game, and those necessary for the kind of character you want him to be.

On top of that, don't worry too much about skill checks for the villain. In combat against PCs, sure, but if he dances, or orates, or drives a vehicle, you don't need to roll for those things ... just decide what is best for the narrative. You should never put more than 25% of what a normal character would require, when creating a character. With villains, all the important work goes into the act of making him frightening and 3 dimensional.

there is a quick start rule in ascension.

I think that indeed I will just do as normal and create a shopping list of capabilities that I want him to have. There was a table for connections and resources on some site (I forget which) that I chose from to get a general idea of the forces he can muster.

I have not named him, but he is a Xanthite Radical. He hides his radicalism well enough to be very well connected, but seems outwardly puritan enough and has stained his hands red enough to not be well liked at all in the Expanse.

The players first come into contact with him and his personal fleet when trying to gain control of an artifact said to show the past, anywhere and anywhen. The Inquisitor comes into conflict with the players who are allied by Blood Raven and Eldar support and conflict with several other interested parties wanting the power of this relic. When it seems that they cannot keep the relic, the players destroy it rather than allow the Black Legion or the Dark Eldar or any other twisted force gain control of it.

The Inquisitor is pissed. Publicly, he raves on how this would help defeat Heresy throughout the galaxy as it could be spotted right after the criminals began their movements. Privately, he saw this as the ultimate research tome. The capacity to search into the far past and gain the True Names of any daemons...perhaps even the Chaos Gods themselves?

That plan tanked, he uses his Divination powers and comes up with a new one. One a world in the Screaming Vortex...the junk of countless battles bubble up to the surface of a dark ocean. He has seen an artifact of near unlimited power appear. Something taken over ten thousand years ago and apparently cast aside...not really. He strives to blackmail the players to go into the Screaming Vortex and claim this artifact for him. This powerful device. The Eye of Magnus. With it, the Inquisitor intends to use it to replace one of his own eyes to transform himself into a being of power the equal of what Magnus the Red was during the Great Crusade.

The players of course can say "Screw You" and fight, but this Inquisitor (who few would actually mourn if he were to die) is supported by the Imperial Navy, several Imperial Guard Regiments, a couple Space Marine Chapters, mercenaries, and so on and so forth. To attack would not only be suicidal, but would secure the Inquisitor's position that the players and their Blood Raven allies are Heretic scum for destroying the relic and consorting with the Eldar. (and for plenty of other Heresies that the Inquisitor knows about that are on the player ship itself). So they may be retreating to the Screaming Vortex just to stay alive.

In the Screaming Vortex...they will be tempted. Their souls will be weighed and blackened. If they sruvive uncorrupted? They will be as Saints. If not? It is to be expected.

That actually sounds like quite a fun game... wish I could get in that as a player :-)