1. What would you all consider the "core" Dark Heresy must have's for GM's? I would guess the original DH core and Ascention, but I'm sure there must be a few others.

2. Dark Heresy was the first game developed in the series, and there's no official W40K "core" rules. I assume there must be rules not in books in #1 above that are better elaborations or supplements. e.g., I've heard that the Rogue Trader psychic rules are better, that some of the combat rules in other books are better, etc. If this is true, what are those rules and where are they?

3. I just finished one of those nifty Inquisitor books and I was wondering about one of the Inquisitor's agents. She's called "Saint Josephine," as her inquisitor was clever enough to bribe the church into canonizing her as a living saint before she got the label "mutant." In addition to normal fighting abilities, she has superhuman regeneration abilities. Is there a character career that matches her, or is she just some weird one-off?

I wouldn't actually regard Ascenscion as essential. It would take quite some time to reach the required experience, and truthfully lots of that book is... not the best thought out.

The Inquisitor's Handbook I would regard as essential. Also Disciples of the Dark Gods and Creatures Anathema.

Core books depends on the direction of your campaign... RT and DW books have some nice xenos in them if that's your thing (although the DW ones are pretty **** lethal to DH players so watch out) but definetly the inquisitors handbook. Purge the Unclean has some nice pre written adventures. in terms of system BC is the latest book and has the most "revised" system (particuarly in regards to attacks) so if that's important to you pick up the pdf, print those sheets as errata.

I'm pretty sure i know the character in question and the answers is probably not... in that she can recover from almost any wound. Someone could wind up with the fast healing trait via mutation i suppose, but these people would be so rare that if that's the direction you wanted you would have to gm fiat it.

1) Disciples of the Dark Gods is probably overall the best of the lot.

2) Rouge Trader, Deathwatch and Black Crusade all use the same version of psyker rules, and in my opinion they are better. But to include them in a DH campaign is going to be a lot of work. For combat rules I would recommend Black Crusade version, its the latest version and seems to be much more scalable than the others (and it is very easy to integrate into DH, just read up on the talents changes in black crusade vs dark heresy). It is also worth to mention that some of the weapons have got a few rebalances in Black Crusade. Actually you may want to buy Black Crusade and see how many rules and updates you can steal to improve your DH campaign.

3) Make her a cleric that for some odd reason as the Regeneration Trait (p 332 DH).

1. I would consider Inquisitor's Handbook a critical book to have. Radical's Handbook I would also consider critical, mostly as a good "other side" to the relatively puritan Core book and Inquisitor's Handbook.

2. All 4 systems have their own take on attack, combat, talent, trait, and psychic mechanics. Pick one and stick with it, or pick and choose as you please; this sort of stuff is more a personal preference than objectively superior mechanics.

3. There is a mutation on the major mutation table that grants the Regeneration trait among another bonus, and in proper grimdark fashion, attaches a powerful impulse to gorge on large quantities of raw, bloody meat.

Through the Hive Mutant alternative origins package, one can gain a roll on the Major Mutations table. Combined, a starting character has a roughly 1 in 20 chance of starting the game with the Regeneration trait and is unusually tough.

As GM, if you've got a player drooling from the mouth at the possibility of playing a regenerating mutant, just let your player start as a Hive Mutant and burn a fate point to choose Necrophage, in addition to the existent FP reduction. Powerful boost, at hopefully an equally painful cost.

furashgf said:

Hi Furashgf.

The only essential book is the core book. It is really well put together and has plenty of supporting material. And an adventure. After that, Inquisitor's Handbook has the most utility (especially for PCs)

You could make your St Josephine with the appropriate career path and mutations. There is a regeneration mutation, (I think it is a major mutation in the core book).