I am just starting Dead Stars and have just opened up the armoury to the players. This is going to give them a chance against the Slaugh which should prove a tough, fun fight.

I also thought the psychneuein would prove a fearsome adversary but after re reading them I am a little concerned. They are very tough (TB=16) but their close combat attack will not be much use. Normally it would be quite fearsome as it is a warp weapon but as the PC’s are kitted out with hexagrammic wards it will prove quite ineffectual. This leaves their only viable attack being blood boil (which I would play out as a sting) and this could prove devastating. A bad roll from the characters on the opposed test could leave them with enough fatigue for a knock out in one round. When you account for there being several of these creatures and their inherent toughness it could be a devastating encounter. Therefore I am torn between the psychnuien being completely ineffectual unless they use blood boil in which case they would be devastating. My first thought is to let their close combat attack overcome hexagrammic wards. Comments?

Hi their,

I think your PC (and perhaps you) missed one of the most usefull items in the armoury: STIM!

The ability to get somebody back into action with an aplication through a hypo-injector (perhaps in 3 to 5 rounds; depening on how quick the injector is ready & how long it takes to expose a piece of skin) is priceless.

I think you made a mistake in "decking them out with Hexagrammic Wards". This literally removed the sting from the Psycheneuin which WAPR trait would normally had bypassed the armour.

Suggestion: Ask the player to role a d10 after every heavy combat. If the number is equal or lower then the number of heavy combat the PC did have during the whole mission then the warding was damaged (scripture was removed etc.) and the effect is GONE.

EDIT: Keep in mind that these pesky wards also offer a +20 to all resistance roles against Psychic Powers. "Blood Boil" might have lossed it´´s sting as well.

I do kind of regret it but it is noted in the adventure and does kind of make sense. The campaign started soon after publication of DH (there have been a few breaks and probably 33% are original characters) and this adventure will mark the groups advancement to ascension (presuming they survive). As the inquisition has invested so much in these acolytes and know they are sending them to a world with such a psychic threat it seems a wise precaution.