Hi all,

I am confused about Astropaths. I have just the Rogue Trader core book and it seems to be the one with corrected errata if that helps anyone.

They are blind. How do they see. I saw a couple of forums references to "Seeing without eyes" but can find no reference to that in the core book.

DO I have to take Blind Fighting? How does that work? Do I have to take Psycholocation to target anything? Why start with pistol weapon training or the other skills if that is the case?

If possible, try to restrict your answers to the core book, and give page numbers for references if you can.

Thanks for the help!

Page 72. Astropath Transcendent Special Abilities.

'See without eyes.'

Rift said:

This. For all purposes, Astropaths can see like any other character. If you feel generous, you can make them inmune to certain vision-based effects, like Photon Flash Grenades, but they don't suffer any penalties for their lack of eyes (save they can't see Untouchables)

Thanks for the quick response and even citing page numbers!

As long as I have your attention, can I ask another quick question:

The origin path says that you can start at the top at home world or the bottom at career. If starting at the bottom and choosing astropath as career and choosing 2 psychic techniques for starting skills (say Delude and compel--Do I have to pay extra xp for these by the way???), then making your way up to tainted, spending 200 xp extra to choose Wyrdling from the table on page 369, can one then choose (because have prereqs now) Sensory Deprivation and then Dominate as 2 free techniques from Wyrdling (Do you have to pay extra xp for these Wyrdling techniques by the way, above and beyond the 200 xp to get wyrdling?)

Thanks for the help. I'll try to stop my questions after this!

Ignore this post, as it wasn't factual.

Maese Mateo said:

According to The Outcast Dead (Graham McNiell), Astropaths can not use their 'vision' to read. Braille is an option, but - according to the same source - augmetic replacement eyes are a possibility too.

Matthew Farrer's Blind makes a similar note, in that the Astropaths rely on their other senses - particularly touch - to compensate for their lack of mundane sight. The descriptions of the engraved frescoes on the walls, the hanging forest of rope, their intricately engraved and well-worn staves are all quite evocative, really. Well worth a read for any prospective astropath; actually, I'd consider the entire Enforcer Omnibus to be a damned-near essential read.

From what I've read, Astropaths use their psychic prowess to see. After the Soul-Binding ritual, their eyes, and possibly other senses, are effectively destroyed, but their psychic powers give them sight without sight. Since they no longer require eyes, they are unaffected by anything that might impair their vision, such as flash grenades and even darkness. However, they cannot see Untouchables and are blinded by Blanks.