I've got one of those stupid questions, but I just need to inquire, so I can try to build something. In another thread, I was talking about Officio Assassins, and offered to build the ones who aren't statted, yet. If I were to attempt it (I probably will, even if no one wants the writeups), how might I sidestep a little issue: as I see it, Callidus Assassins are often the supreme infiltration assassins. Many of their missions might not be short-term, requiring them to assume a form and remain among the enemy for relatively long periods, collecting data, and getting closer and closer to the enemy leaders, so they can kill them, and end the heresy. Assuming it isn't as easy as "I'll drop you off today, and you take a form, weave in, and kill Heretic Leader A today", what ability might I give the Callidus that will protect her from racking up Insanity points and Corruption points, in keeping up with their covers, while spending so much time among the Tainted? Otherwise, they would often have to kill these operatives, and that doesn't seem smart. Is there a From Beyond like trait that might cover it, or do they just frequently expose them to something along the lines of A Mind Repurposed/Cleansed and Purified? I'm leaning toward Mnemonic Purging from Ascension (p.121). Opinions?

I know that these are important traits for PCs, and as an NPC, he doesn't need to worry, but sometimes a little thing that makes an NPC SEEM like it would still work, even as a PC helps. Thanks much. When I finish the writeup, I'll post it here, so folks can see it.

I think mind wipes are going to be the order of the day, it does somewhat limit their utility as player characters.

Purging the mind may get rid of insanity, but I'm not sure if it would reduce corruption. As per RAW, spending XP is the same thing, but I could see if the character spent enough time in prayer and meditation they could reduce the CP's they've gained, though as a mean GM I would be resistant from cleaning their soul clean entierly, something based on a percentage of total 'awarded' CPs.

And you could go with the Purity Threshold like Marines have, where they do in fact gain corruption, but don't suffer mutations or the like, they just wait until they get up to 100 and then get removed from play (i.e. run away or get shot in the head). Assassins are pretty screwed up to start, it would make sense for them to armor their souls against chaos if they're going into that particular field.

Charmander said:

This would likely be the easiest way to handle it.

Coolz, thank you. While finding a way to derail the mechanics was not a goal I had (I understand their vital function to the games, and am not a power-gamer trying to twink my way through), I just didn't know for sure how they would deal with it, when the training is so hard, and time-consuming, that losing one of the Assassins would be craptastic, but the job practically demands that they perform, or convincingly mimic, the very things that get them such points, without the warp-spawned creatures, or sharp-eyed cultists noticing their charade; otherwise, their performance would falter, and they'd fail.

I like to think of Callidus Assassins as more long-term infiltrator, and not so much "look like them long enough to rush in, half-haphazard, and kill the guy with the biggest hat". They need to be able to interact with, and mislead/misinform, some of the highest members in a cell, without falling to the same taint that got those people in.

The assistance is much appreciated.

venkelos said:

I don't view it as a real derailment...corruption points are kind of a wierd mechanc to me. You need *something* to represent chaos taint, but I'm a fan of "The Armor of Contempt" theory as well, which doesn't mesh well with the system . Unless corruption is a theme I want in a given session or campaign, I tend to let it play second fiddle in regards to the PCs.

venkelos said:

Infiltrating an Chaos Cult wouldn't neccesarily result in corruption points until they get exposed to the warp spawn. If you're to the point of infiltrating some sort of chaos command structure where daemons and the like wander around the commander, I would honestly expect the High Lords who authorized the mission to consider the assassin a lost cause, expendible, for the greater good (so to speak).

That said, I still wouldn't have the callidus grow a third arm or anything.