I'd like to make a support NPC for my acolytes. I plan to have their inquisitor provide them with a small space ship and a landing shuttle of some kind that will probably be part gun cutter/ part crew transport. For this I'd like to make an NPC that can pilot the shuttle and their ship both if needed. I imagine the larger ship as either A) Being some sort of Xenos tech capable of warp on its own or B) basically docking with other warp capable craft and hitching a ride. (sort of like how space travel works in Dune)

I figure this NPC works best as an ex-guardsman, former fighter pilot. I was looking at Guard advances and you can eventually get Pilot (Military) and Navigation(surface) but never Pilot (Space) and Navigation(Space). So, what is the best/easiest way to make this work "legally"? IE, I want the NPC to be built with the same rules as the PCs and not just made up whole cloth. I figure by the time the Inquisitor gives the PCs this ship it will be their 4th career rank or so.

I am thinking Elite Advances are probably the way to go but I wonder if there is something in one of the many add-on books I've missed.

I would look at the Adept. They get most, if not all, pilot skills.

Don't get too hung up on keeping NPC's legal. I only give them the skills they need and nothing more, if I bother to stat them at all.

If you have access to the RT rules, I would say the "easiest" solution is to make a character using the void master archetype.

Beyond that, yes, either an adept or guardsman should have the pilot skills needed. Also, elite advances exist, so technically, they can have anything as long as the background explains it, and they cough up the XP. I seriously doubt the players are going to examine the NPCs character sheet like a hawk to figure out if they "have too many elite advances."

Have you considered 'crossing systems' and using the Voidmaster from Rogue Trader? They start out at the equivelant of 5th level in DH terms, so that probably wouldn't work if you have a 1st level party, but if the pilot joins up with your party after they have a few missions under their belts, that might be the way to go.

EDIT: Lookis like KommisarK beat me to the punch- by mere seconds!

Well, it -is- basically what the guy is asking for.

The VoidMaster works though I also found a career path on Dark Reign called the "Rating" path which is basically a naval career path and has lots of skills in it. I'll also look at the Adept. This NPC won't be part of the party of PCs obviously but wanted to make sure it was "legal". I guess I'm being a bit anal.

and someone here or on the Rouge Trader Board posted Children of Void fanmade supplement try that too

Riggswolfe said:

Just give the NPC what it needs. 'Legal' only applies to PCs where the classes have been created to fill niche rolls in the group and be balanced. Take a look at any of the NPCs in the back of the core book, none of them are 'legal' by your definition. Just make it up, it will save you heaps of prep time AND game time (because you'll only have relevant information written down) and you will get the NPC you need.

Zakalwe said:

I will probably do this. I have alot of time because the PCs need to prove themselves before they get their own ship. (IE be several ranks in, I haven't settled on a number yet.)

Riggswolfe said:

Well if you want to make it as PC any class that gets piloting skills will do. In our game my character, a feral world assasin fills the role because he has pilot-civilian and pilot-military-craft and he has the best agility. Sometimes it is best for the pilot to be a PC as we found out in our game: why? Because PCs have fate points for the ' oh my god the flight crew are all dead, we're in a death spin, and I just failed my piloting roll, I'm gonna spend my fate point!!!' moments, ha!

As a GM though, I generally stat as little as possible.

Whatever you decide, all the best for the game.